Agenda item

a)        Written questions to Cabinet Members

 

         Written questions and answers.  Only one supplementary question is allowed per question (report to follow).

 

b)        Leader and Cabinet Members’ Question Time (45 minutes)

 

         Any member of the Council may ask the Leader of the Council or any Cabinet Member any question without prior notice, upon:

        

·         Any matter relating to the Council’s administration

·         Any matter relating to any report of the Cabinet appearing on the Council’s summons

·         A matter coming within their portfolio of responsibilities

 

         Only one supplementary question is allowed per question.

 

c)      Questions to Chairs of Meetings (15 Minutes)

 

(a)  Written Question to Councillors

 

29a.1   As a supplementary to her written questions, Councillor Haigh asked the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources to explain why staff employed on zero hours contracts were not paid a Living Wage despite the Council’s commitment to pat all staff a Living Wage, and what he was going to do to rectify the situation.

 

29a.2   Councillor Norman explained that all staff on the establishment were paid a Living Wage, but that staff on zero hours contracts were not on the establishment. He undertook to report back to Council following discussions with officers.

 

29a.3   RESOLVED – That the written questions submitted and corresponding responses be noted.

 

(b)  Leader and Cabinet Members’ Question Time

 

29b.1         Councillor Haigh asked the Leader of the Council if he agreed that the City MP, Richard Graham, should spend more time in the City so that he could appreciate that Gloucester was not a small City.

 

29b.2         Councillor James stated that Gloucester was a small City in comparison to some others, but that it was a young and growing City. He advised that both the Council and the City MP were ambitious for the City and were working together for the good of the City.

 

29b.3         Councillor Hilton asked the Leader of the Council if he supported Gloucestershire County Council’s efforts to lobby the Secretary of State for Transport to build a dual carriageway between Brockworth and the Cowley roundabout to ease traffic congestion and tackle safety concerns.

 

29b.4         Councillor James confirmed that the Council had already signed up to support the campaign and would work with the County Council for the good of the City.

 

29b.5         Councillor Hilton asked the Leader to agree for a cross-party letter of support to be submitted to the Secretary of State.

 

29b.6         Councillor James agreed for a letter to be submitted and stated that improved transport links were important for both safety reasons and for the good of the City, and the County’s, economies.

 

29b.7         Councillor Haigh asked the Cabinet Member for Housing, Health and Leisure if he had any response to the Deputy Prime Minister’s recent comments regarding the under occupancy charge for council and housing association tenants.

 

29b.8         Councillor Organ explained that the measures were not a tax and were designed to encourage movement within the sector to support those on the waiting list and that there was no obligation on tenants to move. He stated that the measures were in the early stages of implementation and would be carefully monitored.

 

29b.9         Councillor Hilton asked the Leader of the Council if he welcomed the drop in unemployment in the Cit for the fourth consecutive month.

 

29b.10      Councillor James stated that he was pleased to see a sustained downward trend in unemployment, which demonstrated confidence in the City’s economy.

 

29b.11      Councillor Chatterton asked the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture if he would undertake to ensure that preview evenings for exhibitions in the City take place far enough in advance in order that events can be properly promoted, in light of the timing of the preview event for the recent Tudor Faces exhibition.

 

29b.12      Councillor James undertook to feed the comments back to the relevant officers.

 

29b.13      Councillor Toleman asked the Leader of the Council if he welcomed the significant funding awarded to the City as part of the Gloucestershire Growth Deal.

 

29b.14      Councillor James stated that he welcomed the funding and looked forward to seeing the detail of the allocation. He noted funding for the new bus station and for a Growth Hub to support new business start ups and congratulated the Strategic Economic Partnership in securing funding for everything identified in the Strategic Economic Plan.

 

29b.15      Councillor Field asked the Leader of the Council what steps he was taking to ensure that residents and visitors to the City were not harassed by charity collectors or ‘chuggers’.

 

29b.16      Councillor James explained that there was a site licensing agreement in place limiting the location and number of chuggers and stated that stronger enforcement would take place following the appointment of a new City Centre Manager. He reported that Council was seeking public opinion on the current terms of the site licensing agreement and would consider further restrictions if such action was favoured.

 

29b.17      Councillor Field asked the Cabinet Member would consider trialling an outright ban on chuggers to see what difference it made.

 

29b.18      Councillor James stated that, while he would not rule out an outright ban on chuggers, he did not wish to prejudice the outcome of the public survey.

 

29b.19      Councillor Lugg asked the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods to review the policy in respect of community rights to bid for assets of community value in light of recent issues in relation to a community bid for an asset in Matson and Robinswood Ward where Ward Councillors were not properly informed throughout the process and it was not made clear what information was required from bidders, resulting in a community bid being rejected.

 

29b.20      Councillor Dallimore stated that the policy dictated that Ward Councillors be informed at specific stages of the process and undertook to ensure that the policy was implemented properly.

 

29b.21      The Head of Legal and Policy Development advised that the policy was under review and that considerations of any oversights that had occurred would be built into the review process.

 

29b.22      Councillor Haigh asked the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods if she would support the campaign to reduce the stake for fixed lot betting terminals to £2, given the effect gambling could have on the City’s communities, and write to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to confirm her support.

 

29b.23      Councillor Dallimore stated that, although she was not aware of any significant problem in relation to fixed lot betting terminals in the City, she would consider the campaign and take any action that she deemed necessary.

 

29b.24      Councillor Wilson asked the Leader of the Council what steps would be taken to obtain a better response to the consultation on the City’s electoral boundaries than was received to the consultation on the Council’s electoral arrangements.

 

29b.25      Councillor James stated that, although he was not a member, he was confident that the Boundary Review Working Group would take the necessary steps to ensure that the consultation was widely advertised.

 

29b.26      Councillor Randle asked the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods whether she welcomed the formation of new community groups within the City.

 

29b.27      Councillor Dallimore praised the City’s community groups and reported that more and more applications for Community Grants were being received from new organisations. She also noted the establishment of the Members Allocation Fund and encouraged Members to make use of the funding available.

 

29b.28      Councillor Patel asked the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods whether she agreed that the Beach Party organised by One Church was a fantastic event and whether she welcomed the wide range of events organised by the City’s community groups.

 

29b.29      Councillor Dallimore commended the organisers of the Beach Party and welcomed the growth of such events across the City.

 

29b.30      Councillor Hilton asked the Cabinet Member for Environment to give an assurance that street cleaning performance in the autumn would be better than in previous years.

 

29b.31      Councillor Porter advised that he had commenced discussions with Amey regarding collecting dropped leaves in the autumn and gave an assurance that the Council would be better prepared to deal with issues as they arose.

 

29b.32      Councillor Tracey asked the Cabinet Member for Environment to look into the problem of road sweepers not being able to clear leaves from the roads in Kingsholm and Wotton Ward due to parked cars causing an obstruction.

 

29b.33      Councillor Porter advised that he had discussed the matter with Amey, but that it was difficult to find a solution because they were unable to force residents to move their cars. Amey would continue to work around the parked as best they could.

 

29b.34      Councillor S. Witts asked the Cabinet Member for Environment what arrangements were in place for Amey staff required to work outside for long periods of time in hot weather.

 

29b.35      Councillor Porter advised that all Amey staff were duty bound to consider their own health and safety. He confirmed that Amey provided suitable equipment and clothing for outside work in cold and inclement weather and undertook to find out what provisions were made in hot weather.

 

29b.36      Councillor Patel asked the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources is he agreed that the Council was to be commended for employing 16 apprentices, providing excellent opportunities for young people and paying them above the national minimum wage.

 

29b.37      Councillor Norman agreed tat the Council was to be commended for its approach to apprenticeships and that he hoped the scheme would be expanded in the future.

 

29b.38      Councillor Lugg asked the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources whether zero hours staff were covered the Council’s insurance.

 

29b.39      Councillor Norman confirmed that zero hours staff were covered by the Council’s insurance.

 

29b.40      Councillor Tracey asked the Leader of the Council if he would look into the issue of how Council regalia was displayed in the Council Chamber.

 

29b.41      Councillor James advised that the current Mayor and Sheriff would be meeting with Museums staff to discuss the display cabinets during the following week.

 

29b.42      Councillor Dee asked the Leader of the Council if he agreed that he Joint Core Strategy (JCS) was of great significance and that the officers responsible for working on it deserved praise in light of the work being commended by Central Government.

 

29b.43      Councillor James stated that he agreed with Councillor Dee and commended both the submission document and the work carried out by the officers. He noted that the document had been the subject of significant debate and that a good degree of consensus had been achieved. He also thanked Councillor Dee for his involvement in the JCS.