Agenda item

QUESTIONS TO THE MAYOR, CABINET MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Minutes:

Councillor Dave Jones asked the Leader of the Council for an update on the number of contact made through the website in connection with the odours from Walley’s Quarry landfill site.

 

Councillor Simon Tagg confirmed that since the investigation began, sixty-one cases of odour complaints had been received.

 

The Borough council would work closely with the Environment Agency.  A gas monitoring station had been deployed at the Knutton Lane depot.

 

There had been a lot of complaints during the cold weather when air pressure had been high.

 

Everyone who had complained about the odours had been written to.

 

 

Councillor Jones asked the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Wellbeing what the Council had done in respect of anti-social behaviour at the former Silverdale Railway Station site.

 

Councillor Jill Waring stated that there had only been one complaint in respect of this.

 

Shrubbery and thorn bushes would be planted along both sides of the platform and this would be funded by the LAP.  Members were advised that the police had put additional patrols in that area.

 

Councillor Jones advised Councillor Waring that there had been an increased severity of incidents but they had not been reported.  Councillor Jones requested a meeting with Councillors Waring, Rout and the police.  This was agreed and would be arranged.

 

 

Councillor Jones asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth how Section 106 monies were distributed for the development of social housing.

 

Councillor Paul Northcott advised that approximately £219,000 had been received under Section 106 agreements.  Registered providers were invited to bid and the fund would be used as match funding for thirty units of affordable housing.

 

Councillor Jones asked the Portfolio Holder if he would commit to more people bidding into that process.  Councillor Northcott agreed, stating that competitive tendering was always done without member’s input.  Councillor Northcott would also look into ways of getting a more diverse selection of bidders.

 

 

Councillor Andy Fear asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency for an update on the progress of the sale of land at Deans Lane.

 

Councillor Sweeney confirmed that the land had been sold at £901,000.

 

Councillor Fear then asked what impact this would have on the Council’s borrowing requirement.

 

Councillor Sweeney confirmed that there was no need to undertake borrowing for 2019/20.

 

 

Councillor Kyle Robinson asked the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Wellbeing what the Council was doing to tackle rising knife crime.

 

Councillor Jill Waring confirmed that the Council had an active Youth Violence and Vulnerability Working Group.  The Council was working with the police to tackle the problem and using ASB enforcement powers.  There was a scheme called ‘Operation Spectre’ who engaged with schools and colleges to give talks.    

 

Councillor Robinson stated that knife crime had risen by 88% in Staffordshire and that police officers had been cut from the streets.

 

Had the Cabinet considered offering a knife amnesty along with Staffordshire County Council?

 

Councillor Waring confirmed that a knife amnesty was part of Operation Spectre.

 

 

Councillor Robinson asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth when the consultation process would begin again and whether the council was on track to consult residents in autumn 2019.

 

Councillor Northcott confirmed that he was receiving weekly updates from the Head of Planning and monthly updates from other sources.  The draft would be done by the autumn.

 

Councillor Robinson felt that it was not necessary for the process to be delayed for up to a year and asked what the cost of the delay would be to the Council.

 

Councillor Northcott would have to look at this after the meeting.

 

The consultation would go out by late autumn, 2019 following approval of the draft joint local plan.

 

 

Councillor Mike Stubbs asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency why the a request by the Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise the Council’s performance reports had not been adhered to.

 

Councillor Sweeney stated that a meeting of the Scrutiny committee had been delayed to accommodate Committee Members and officers who were unable to attend.

 

 With regard to the reports, none of the performance reports were requested by the Chair.  Councillor Sweeney also advised that the last time that these reports had been to the Scrutiny Committee was in 2016.

 

Councillor Stubbs stated that Council staff  had a high level of output and asked if the Administration was working with the Unions to look at the staffing structure.

 

Councillor Sweeney confirmed that they were working with the Unions.  He also noted that the Council’s Chief Executive was working to fill a number of vacancies.

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