Agenda item

Please note that Councillors are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named above (acting on behalf of the Director of Resources) not later than noon Friday 19 February 2010.  Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

The Chairman reported receipt of questions from Cllrs Helen Osborn, Jeff Osborn, Clark, Carbin, Oldrieve, Packard, Caswill and Dalton.

Details of the questions and responses given were tabled at the meeting and are attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.

 Supplementary questions were made in some cases summarised as follows:

Cllr Helen Osborn – youth development as referred to in Briefing Note No. 23 – sought an assurance that Area Boards would be involved in the process and considered that it would have been prudent to consult town councils and local members before a decision is made.

Cllr Gundy confirmed that the whole process could be considered by Area Boards.

Cllr Jeff Osborn – Youth Development as referred to in Briefing Note No. 23 – Asked the Leader if she was happy that a Member Briefing Note was the correct way for the new provisions to be dealt with given that it was in his opinion, a contentious issue.

Leader confirmed that if Area Boards were particularly unhappy with the changes, the Community Area Managers would be happy to discuss it with them. Whilst she appreciated there would be winners and losers, the changes were made to rationalise youth provision services across the County. The Briefing Note was issued as a mechanism to inform Councillors.

Cllr Jeff Osborn – Youth Development and consideration by Children’s Services Scrutiny Select Committee in the Autumn – asked whether consideration in the Autumn would not be too late.

In the absence of Cllr Soden, Chairman of the Children’s Services Scrutiny Select Committee, the Leader pointed out that it was up to that Committee on managing when it would consider this or any other item of business.

Cllr Clark – housing services as referred to in the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) – asked about the steps being taken to overcome concerns raised by the CAA.

Cllr Brady – explained that the Council’s Housing Strategy was currently being prepared. The Council was currently in the process of recruiting an Empty Homes Officer to overcome some of the concerns raised by the CAA and would review other resources needed within housing. Cllr Brady and Cllr Greenman as Portfolio Holder for Housing were looking at the issue of voids with a view to improving the situation and reducing the number of void properties.

Cllr Clark – SAP – sought information on the gross cost to date of SAP.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe undertook to provide Cllr Clark with a written response.

Cllr Carbin – deadline for submission of questions – Cllr Carbin suggested that the deadline for submission of questions by Councillors should be brought forward to allow for the preparation of responses and their circulation to Councillors in a timely manner.

Cllr Oldrieve – tendering for Children’s Centre provision – asked for reconsideration of the support available to schools on the tendering process.

Cllr Grundy undertook to look at how best the Council could provide the relevant expertise to schools and that he would speak with Cllr Oldrieve following the meeting.

Cllr Packard - Query on Workplace Transformation figures -  reference made to £17m but he could only find reference to £11.7 m in page 61 of cabinet agenda for the meeting dated 11 February 2010.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe undertook to provide Cllr Packard with a written response.

Cllr Packard – Cost of borrowing on the Workplace Transformation project – asked how much borrowing was planned for 2010/11.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe explained that the annual borrowing cost stood at £4m which had been included within the costs.

Cllr Caswill – number of professionally qualified environmental health officers – sought clarification on whether the number of posts quoted for 2010/11 related to before or after the reduction of 3 posts from the budget.

Cllr Keith Humphries confirmed that the numbers quoted took into account the reduction in posts.

Cllr Caswill – parking restrictions in Ivy Road, Chippenham – Asked the Cabinet member if he would accept that there was a need to look at Cocklebury Road given that it was a main thoroughfare and that there was a role for Councillors to give their views as part of the study.

Cllr Tonge confirmed that Councillors views’ would be sought via the Area Boards and referred to the parking review as part of the Local Transport Plan.

Cllr Caswill – Anti-social behaviour problems in Bath Road Car Park – this was a sensitive issue and the impression given that such anti-social behaviour was not considered a priority as agreed by the Area Board. Sought the Cabinet member’s view on whether or not it would have been better to refrain from intervening until the views of the public were known.

Cllr Tonge reported that he hoped Cllr Caswill would be attending a meeting to be held in due course to discuss this issue.

Cllr Dalton – Parking charges and fines in the Salisbury area – thanked Cllr Tonge for the detailed response. He referred to the resurfacing of Fisherton Street, Salisbury and commented that there were a number of other roads which were also in urgent need of repair.