Any member of the public wishing to submit a question must serve two clear days’ notice, in writing, of any such question to the Borough Council
Minutes:
The following questions had been received in advance of the meeting which the Chair read out:
1 What evidence does the council have to prove that the car park needs to be expanded at Bradwell Crematorium and what evidence is there for a need to expand for burial plots? Bradwell Crematorium underwent major renovation in 2003 how can the council guarantee this expansion is sustainable?
The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth responded as follows:
The council has invested regularly over the last 20 years in providing cremated remains burial plots, which are very popular with bereaved families and sell out very quickly. The most recent phase was completed in 2020 and is already being booked up. There is very limited capacity for further expansion within the current site, and it is estimated that this will be exhausted within the next 3 – 5 years maximum. It is therefore necessary to seek to expand the grounds to accommodate further burial plots. The proposed extension would provide an estimated 30 years additional capacity, which is considered to represent a sustainable solution when compared to the alternative of having to seek an unconnected site elsewhere. The extension will be mainly green and open in nature, and provide memorial grounds with associated footpath access and parking to accommodate greater visitor numbers in the future, both for those attending funeral services, and those visiting graves or memorials within the grounds.
2 Nationally councils are committing to protecting green spaces such as Liverpool, in NULBC 2021 budget after public consultation residents felt that one of the top 5 priorities in Newcastle was parks, playgrounds and open spaces but this council seems set to sell multiple sites off for monetary gain why go against national strategy and what's important to local people?
The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth responded as follows:
The Council has an Open Space Strategy which has developed local standards for open space, based on community need. It is considered good practice to develop local standards, rather than adopt national standards, albeit the national standards are a basis upon which to compare. Newcastle Borough is well provided for in terms of the quantity of open space which is available for the community, across a range of typologies. The site at Chatterley Close was identified as being suitable for masterplanning as it was considered of sufficient size to accommodate other uses, as well as retaining a significant proportion as open space, including crematorium grounds.
The Head of Operations also advised that there were 7 other open or green spaces within a short walk from the site at Chatterley Close including the crematorium grounds and land north and adjacent to the site.
3 If the sale of land is and more houses are built then this is unsustainable development. Population growth has not sustained local services in the Bradwell and Porthill area, in fact those public services cannot cope with the current population. How does this council plan to expand public services/ facilities in line with a further increase in population?
The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth responded as follows:
The provision of infrastructure to support new residential development is an important consideration to the local authority. Through the new Borough Local Plan which is currently being prepared, the Council will seek to ensure new housing is located in sustainable locations to support our local centres. The plan will also look to set measures for large scale developments to ensure new community facilities such as education facilities and open space are secured alongside new housing developments.