Agenda item

To receive a statement by the Leader of the Council on the activities and decisions of Cabinet and items included on the Forward Plan.

That a written response be provided by the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling regarding the Cabinet Panel

A question was raised regarding how many Community Centres would be closing as part of the Community Centre Review which had been discussed at the meeting of Cabinet held on 17^th October 2012. The Portfolio Holder for Stronger and Active Neighbourhoods had circulated a letter to all Members that he had recently submitted to the Sentinel regarding the Review. This topic was currently being considered by a Member Working Group which had been set up by the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Committee.

A question was raised regarding progress towards the Kidsgrove Town Centre Partnership. The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Town Centres had met with all Kidsgrove Members to help identify what the key issues were and who would be the key private sector workers required to help drive the initiative forward. Elements of best practice from the Newcastle Town Centre Partnership would also be incorporated and it was recognised that there was a great deal of potential in Kidsgrove that needed to be utilised.

The refurbishment of St Giles and St Georges was discussed and clarity was requested regarding the administrations visions for this area of the Town Centre taking into account that a new Aldi Store was due to open on the other side of the Town. The Leader confirmed that the issue had been considered by Scrutiny where many options had been discussed including the possible relocation of the Borough Museum to the site. Officers were currently carrying out soft market testing regarding what would be the best possible use of the site but the building itself was considered to be key and there was an overriding desire not to see it demolished. Third parties were being approached to gauge their interest in the site and building and Officers were looking into potential housing solutions for the building. Members welcomed the fact that third parties were again being approached regarding the building.

A question was raised in relation to the review of the integrated waste and recycling strategy regarding whether nominations for the Cabinet Panel had been received and when that panel would be meeting. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling confirmed that Group Leaders had been asked to provide nominations. A supplementary question was then raised regarding details of who had actually been nominated. The Portfolio Holder stated that the process was in hand and detailed would be released when the membership was finalised, details regarding how many members would sit on the panel from each party could be found in the report that went to Cabinet in October. The question was also raised as to why this approach to the review had been adopted and what status the Cabinet Panel would actually have. The Portfolio holder stated that she would provide a full written response to this question but that the aim was to look at different ways of providing recycling by 2016 and that the main role of the panel would be fact finding prior to submitting a report to scrutiny. The Portfolio confirmed that the written response would include information on the differences between a Cabinet Panel and the previous groups that had tackled the issue of waste and recycling.  Members agreed that a timely start regarding this project was desirable.

Clarity was requested regarding the wording in relation to the Allotment Review. It was confirmed that the Council aimed to ensure that the maximum benefit was being achieved from the money it invested in allotments.

With regards to the Portas/Town Team Partner £10,000, it was highlighted that Newcastle could only have been selected as a Portas Partner Town if it had the support of the local Member of Parliament.

Following a question regarding the appointment of Matthew Ellis as the Police and Crime Commissioner the Leader stated that he looked forward to seeing how progress was made. The supplementary question was raised regarding whether the Leader welcomed the new Commissioners pledge to freeze the council tax element relating to his brief. The Leader confirmed that if policing levels could be maintained under those conditions and this was welcomed and that there could be some items for the Cleaner, Greener and Safer Scrutiny Committee to consider in the future.

Resolved:     (a)       That a written response be provided by the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling regarding the Cabinet Panel