Agenda item

In accordance with Procedure Rule 11, questions must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.  Any questions considered urgent will only be accepted with the agreement of the Mayor prior to the meeting.

The following questions and responses were discussed:

Question 1

Submitted by Cllr Kearon:

Do you share the concerns of residents of my ward and residents from elsewhere in the borough about the downgrading of many local Post Offices?  Can residents facing the downgrading of their much valued local Post Office depend on the support of this council in their fight against downgrading, and can I ask that the you work with residents and our MP to apply pressure directly on the management of Post Office Ltd in London?

The Leader responded that Post Offices were important in pulling the Borough together and that he supported residents in fighting to retain their post offices as they were now.

Question 2

Submitted by Cllr Sweeney

RMW pulled out of the negotiations to run Keele Golf Course in Christmas 2013. Apart from a plan for a proposed masterplan what has the council done to find a long term use for the site?

The Portfolio Holder for safer Communities states that the matter had been discussed in Cabinet meetings and that the process was on-going and would involve the public. It was also understood that a community led plan was in due to be submitted.

Question3

Submitted by Cllr Sweeney

We understand the delay in the community centre cabinet panel completing its findings but can the portfolio holder still confirm that no community centres will close?

The Leader confirmed that the programme of repairs was continuing and that the Council was committed to working with each community centre to ensure that local demand was met. It was however made clear that this process would be kept under review and that a report would be submitted to December Cabinet.

Question 4

Submitted by Cllr Sweeney

Does the leader agree that the eight months to negotiate the agreement with the unions over overtime has resulted in a significant impact on the Council’s budget?

The Leader was did not agree that the time to negotiate the agreement with the unions over overtime had resulted in a significant impact on the Council’s budget.

Cllr Sweeney asked a supplementary question and stated that there must have been an impact as £100,000 savings had been budgeted for. The Leader confirmed that the majority of these savings had been met.

Question 5

Submitted by Cllr David Loades

Does the Portfolio holder agree that it is taking advantage of the Councils failure to supply a 5 year housing plan by applying for outline planning permission on sites out of the Village envelope?

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Assets stated that a report had been to Cabinet in October in relation to the Council having to fund the capital programme through land sale receipts and sites had been identified that met the criteria in the Core Spatial Strategy which included low grade agricultural land.

Question 6

Submitted by Cllr David Loades

As the portfolio holder has now finished his call for sites for the implementation of the local plan, can he confirm that the seven sites removed for political gain by the Labour party will now be reinstated as a disposable asset of this council as part of the plan?

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Assets stated that no, the sites had not been reinstated but would be assessed through the current call for sites consultation exercise that was still on-going.