a) Written questions to Cabinet Members
No written questions have been received.
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)
Minutes:
Written questions to Cabinet Members
63a.1 No written questions had been received.
Leader and Cabinet Members’ Question Time
63b.1 Councillor Haigh asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture if he was proud of the City’s indoor market and prepared to invest in a sustainable solution to the accommodation issues.
63b.2 Councillor James advised that options were actively being explored by a cross-party working group and that the right decision was required in order for the market to thrive. He noted recent confusion among the traders in respect of rents and service charges and the uncertainty due to the sale of the Eastgate Shopping Centre, but stated that the Council was committed to retaining an indoor market as part of the City’s retail offer and would be in discussion with the new owner of the shopping centre.
63b.3 Councillor Haigh asked the Leader if the Council should have undertaken regular maintenance work to prevent a culmination of repair work.
63b.4 Councillor James stated that the Council has always been committed to the indoor market and keeping trading affordable for the traders. He added that scaremongering would not help the traders or attract customers.
63b.5 Councillor Hilton asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture why the cafe at the City Museum was open but not selling food.
63b.6 Councillor James stated that a review of the commercial operations at the Guildhall and museums was almost complete and that one element would be looking at outsourcing the catering operations in order to improve the offer.
63b.7 Councillor Hilton asked what was being done in terms of the income being lost from not selling food while the cafe remained open.
63b.8 Councillor James advised that the cafe was currently still selling food and that he would need details of the specific instances in order to investigate.
63b.9 Councillor Haigh asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture if he would reconsider proposals to close the staff kitchen and keep the service running.
63b.10 Councillor James explained that the proposals were for consultation and that the Organisational Development Committee would make the final decision. He stated that the kitchen was valuable to staff, but that it could not continue to be subsidised; any options that were guaranteed to prevent the need for subsidisation would be considered.
63b.11 Councillor Haigh asked if the kitchen would be included in the proposals to outsource the Council’s other catering services.
63b.12 Councillor James reiterated that all options would be considered.
63b.13 Councillor Hilton asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture for an update on the sale of the Gloucester Prison site.
63b.14 Councillor James reported that the Council and the City MP had been in frequent contact with the Ministry of Justice, but that no information of the preferred bidder had been divulged.
63b.15 Councillor Hilton asked the Leader of the Council if he agreed that the sooner the decision was made, the better it would be for the City.
63b.16 Councillor James agreed that a swift decision was desirable because the regeneration of the Blackfriars area was of huge importance to the City. He advised that master plan documents for the whole area would be published shortly and that the Council was keen for the new owner of the prison site to be part of the vision.
63b.17 Councillor McLellan asked the Cabinet Member for Environment if he shared his concerns that many small organisations could not afford to pay the bond required in order to stage an event on the Council’s land.
63b.18 Councillor Porter advised that the requirement for a bond had been in place for some time in order that the Council could recover any costs of making good the land after an event. He explained that the level on bond would depend on the type of event and likely level of damage.
63b.19 Councillor McLellan asked the Cabinet Member if he would look at the policy again because a number of groups had been required to pay a bond when they had not be required to do so in the past.
63b.20 Councillor Porter advised that he was not aware of any change in policy, but undertook to check and provide a further written response.
63b.21 Councillor Chatterton asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture if he would commit to beginning the research and work required in order to add the names of all Gloucester persons lost in military action since 1945.
63b.22 Councillor James advised that he had received a number of similar requests and that he intended to use any resources that could be identified to update the War Memorial.
63b.23 Councillor Ravenhill asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture to comment on the success of the Christmas lantern procession and lights switch on.
63b.24 Councillor James stated that it had been a very successful event that continued to improve each year and that it was good to see so many people in attendance.
63b.25 Councillor Smith asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture to consider the including of paid postage return envelopes with electoral registration reminder letters.
63b.26 Councillor James advised that it was a matter for the Electoral Registration Officer, who would provide a written response.
63b.27 Councillor Field asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture for an update on issues relating to charity donation collectors, or ‘chuggers’.
63b.28 Councillor James explained that the site agreement remained in place and the new City Centre Manager was now tackling the enforcement issues. He was awaiting the results of a recent survey on the activity of chuggers and would consider tightening the terms of the agreement if it was deemed necessary.
63b.29 Councillor Field asked when the results of the survey would be available.
63b.30 Councillor James undertook to share the results with Councillor Field as soon as they became available.
63b.31 Councillor Lugg asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture whether Marketing Gloucester Limited (MGL) had been advised of the necessary protocols for the organisation of civic events.
63b.32 Councillor James advised that the selected civic events had not yet transferred to MGL and that MGL staff were taking time to learn from Council officers. He noted that not all events in the City were civic events with a specific role for Councillors to play.
63b.33 Councillor Randle asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture for an update on the former Job Centre unit on Southgate Street.
63b.34 Councillor James advised that a planning application had been submitted, which included proposals for a high quality finish. He welcomed the opportunity to bring the building back into use.
63b.35 Councillor Mozol asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture for an update on units in Northgate Street.
63b.36 Councillor James advised that the former Golden Dragon building was occupied, but that the owner lived abroad; the site next door was part of the plans for King’s Quarter and an announcement was anticipated shortly.
63b.37 Councillor Tracey asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture for an update on the empty retail units in the City centre.
63b.38 Councillor James advised that the number of empty units was on a sustained downward trend and by December it would have reduced from 48 to 29. The Council would continue its efforts to continue bringing units back into use.
63b.39 Councillor Williams asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture for all update on footfall in the City’s two museums.
63b.40 Councillor James reported that both the City and Folk Museum had had a very successful October and that both had also exceeded targets set for the first six months of the year.
63b.41 Councillor Hobbs asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture when the automatic bollards installed in the City’s gate streets would be operational.
63b.42 Councillor James advised that highways matters were the responsibility of the County Council, but that the City Council was continuing to press the County to make them operational as soon as possible.
63b.43 Councillor Tracey asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture what role Marketing Gloucester Limited (MGL) played in the Victorian Market held at Gloucester Quays.
63b.44 Councillor James explained that Gloucester Quays may seek support from MGL, but that they were the organisers of the event. He stated that the Victorian Market was very successful and important for the City; it also resulted in revenue through use of City Council-owned car parks. He noted that Gloucester Quays had brought in consultants to assist with the management of the traffic issues caused by their popular events.
63b.45 Councillor Lewis asked the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture to comment on the announcement the Gloucester was welcome a sculpture trail ahead of and to celebrate the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
63b.46 Councillor James welcomed the news and noted that he hoped that the ‘Scrumpty’ trail would bring many visitors to Gloucester, and benefit local traders.
63b.47 Councillor Patel asked the Cabinet Member for Environment if he agreed that robust action was required to tackle the waste disposal issues in Vauxhall Terrace.
63b.48 Councillor Porter advised that during a visit to Vauxhall Terrace officers found that the majority of the problem waste was in fact trade waste; domestic waste bins had been put in place to help, however the trade waste issue remained and he would be pressing for a programme of robust enforcement action.