In accordance with Procedure Rule 11, questions must be submitted at least 24 hours before the meeting. Any questions considered urgent will only be accepted with the agreement of the Mayor prior to the meeting.
Minutes:
The following questions were submitted to the Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Customer:
From Councillor Julie Cooper:-
Can the Portfolio Holder explain why customers on contacting the number to complain were left holding on the telephone for in excess of 50 minutes and even cut off after 15 minutes with no holding message. Can he confirm that this has improved.
From Councillor Naylon:-
I am aware of the heavy demand on the Council switchboard resulting from the ‘teething problems’ incurred by the switch to a new system of recycling. The burden placed on the system and the staff has been immense It seemed very late in the day that any contingency measures were brought in. These seemed to be members of the planning staff engaged to take and handle some of the calls.
As a Councillor needing to report fly tipping and other problems lately, it is very evident in the Keele area that this has been a very frustrating and deeply unsatisfactory experience trying to get through to officers of the Council. This is of course the same experience as any other person will have had, phoning in to the Council, for whatever reason.
I was hoping that as the recycling problems have settled somewhat things would have improved. My experience week beginning Aug 29 (30th the working day) were as bad as ever. I resorted to driving in to report a major fly tipping incident
I have always believed that the MOST important interface of the Council with its residents is and always will be the initial experience after the dialling 717717
What plans are in place to restore the system to what it should offer ...rapid and efficient handling of all calls?
The following question was submitted by Councillor Sweeny to the Portfolio holder for Leisure and Culture:
This administration has pledged itself to deliver a new Leisure Centre in Kidsgrove. Can the portfolio holder tell me what proposals she has to fund it?
The following question was submitted by Councillor J Cooper to the Portfolio holder for Operational Services: –
Why has the planning of the new recycling service failed to meet the need?
The following question was submitted by Councillor Snell to the Leader of the Council:
"During the recent Silverdale & Parksite by-election, I spoke with hundreds of people. Many of whom wished to discuss the new cross-party endorsed recycling system - often praising the ambition of a weekly recycling system and the reduction in the number of bags, bins and boxes of the previous system. However, some residents did also raise the matter of missed collections.
Increasing not only the frequency of kerb side recycling but also the variety of materials that can be recycled was always going to come with some teething problems.
As such could the Leader, therefore, outline the actions that she and her cabinet have taken since the inception of this system to deal with the initial problems that occurred with the introduction of the new system and could she also give detail of what actions she intends to take in the immediate future to ensure this system is a successful as we all know it can be?"
Councillor Loades submitted an additional motion as a matter of urgency on the subject of the implementation of the new recycling service. Consideration of this question was subsequently lost on being put to the vote.
The Leader stated that there would be an independent report into the recycling service recently introduced by the Borough Council which would be published and reported to the November meeting of the Council.