Issue - meetings

The opportunity is given to members of the public to put questions to Cabinet Members. A question may be rejected if it:

(i)         Is not about a matter for which the local authority has responsibility or influence; or

(ii)        Is illegal, improper, defamatory, frivolous or offensive; or

(iii)    Is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Council, Cabinet or Committee in the past 6 months; or

(iv)   Requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information; or

(v)    Is related to confidential staffing matters; or

(vi)   Is relating to the personal affairs or conduct of individual Members or Officers.

To ask a question at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 3^rd November 2023 or telephone 01452 396203 for support.

The Democratic and Electoral Services Officer read the following question submitted by a member of the public:

I would like to put a question forward for the item Open Space Strategy. When the council reviews its grounds maintenance contract can maximising the introduction of low mow areas to boost biodiversity be built into the review. Can the Council as part of this review work with community volunteer groups to identify potential low mow areas which could be trialled prior to being adopted permanently?

The Cabinet Member for Environment gave the following response:

The Council continually reviews its grounds maintenance service in order to identify opportunities to increase biodiversity. We are happy to consider requests to vary mowing regimes where there is demonstratable support from local residents, and where this would not have implications for road safety.

The Democratic and Electoral Services Officer read the following question submitted by a member of the public:

In the light of the harm plastic pitches cause the environment due to microplastic pollution, chemical maintenance, killing the biodiversity underneath and contributing to urban heat, why does the City Council on the one hand state it recognises climate emergency and environmental issues, but on the other hand vote through taking away green space (available for everyone's leisure and wellbeing) for a `pay to play’ plastic pitch?

The Cabinet Member for Environment gave the following response:

The City Council is responsible for providing a range of facilities to support the wellbeing of its residents.  This includes the provision of sports facilities which help to deliver a range of mental and physical health benefits. There is an identifiable need for an additional 3G all-weather sports pitch in Gloucester in order to meet a growing demand from local adult and youth teams.  Efforts have been made to ensure that the development, as a whole, has a positive impact on the environment with plans to improve the biodiversity of the site through the creation of wildflower areas, a sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) and the planting of over 100 new trees.