Agenda item

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

To answer any written public questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the County Council.

The closing date for receipt of questions is 10am on Wednesday, 6 September 2017.  Please send questions to the Chief Executive marked for the attention of Stephen Bace (email stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk).

To answer any oral questions put by members of the public with the consent of the Chairman.  Depending on the nature of the questions asked it may not be possible to provide a comprehensive answer at the meeting, in which case a written answer will be supplied as soon as reasonably possible after the meeting.

Questions received and proposed responses do not accompany this agenda but will be circulated prior to the meeting.

Three public questions had been received. The following supplementary questions were asked:

Question 1 – Diana Ray asked whether the County Council accepted that despite the policies in place, wildflower on verges was decreasing leading to a lower number of butterflies and other valued species.

Cllr Vernon Smith replied that the Council worked closely with the bio-diversity plan and that he would ask officers to provide her with a written response.

Question 2 – Diana Ray suggested that the work carried out on verges did not match the policy. She asked whether the Council was aware that its own guidance notes were not being followed consistently by contractors. She emphasised the need for performance indicators that could be monitored.

Cllr Vernon Smith stated that he agreed that there was a need to follow the guidance and action plans and thanked the member of the public for raising the issues. He asked that she provide him with details of where she felt there were failings and he would ask officers to look into it.

Question 3 – Diana Ray informed members that Dorset had a more targeted approach around maintaining verges and she asked whether the Council could investigate how Dorset had achieved actual improvement on the ground.

Cllr Vernon Smith stated that he was really interested in how Dorset was working and was keen to see the details. He would ask officers to speak to Dorset.

Three oral questions were received:

Peter Clark stated that the Government had announced a 2% pay rise for the Police and a 1.7% pay rise for prison officers. He stated that the Government was looking to give further advice to pay bodies.  Officer pay squeezed amounting to an effective loss of earnings of over £3,000 from 2010 to 2017.

He asked if Gloucestershire County Council was planning pay rises for its own employees? He believed that social workers, home care and other vital staff in local government had borne the brunt of austerity. 

Cllr Mark Hawthorne explained that there was a motion on the agenda where this would be part of the discussion. He stated that the Government was looking to give further advice to pay bodies.  Officer pay was something that continued to be looked at across the sector by the Council and the Local Government Association.   

Carol Kambites explained that she had been told that the electrical connection to the Javelin Park incinerator would be taken down Stonehouse High Street, causing disruption to residents, traders and motorists, despite an alternative route being available

She asked that, given that the decision had been made on the grounds of a cost calculation by UBB, had the Council seen a breakdown of the calculation and did it include the cost of the contract over-running? Secondly, did councillors believe that the people and traders of Stonehouse should be compensated for the disruption?

Cllr Nigel Moor stated that the decisions had been made by UBB, but that he would take up the issues raised and provide a written response.

Sarah Lunnon asked whether the Leader of Council believed that the County Council had a duty to be open and transparent with the public.

Cllr Mark Hawthorne stated that the Council looked to deliver the best outcomes for local residents providing them with all the facts available. He also stated that the Council had a responsibility to challenge back when individuals were providing false information.

Sarah Lunnon explained that Cllr Ray Theodoulou had been quoted in Resources Magazine saying that one of R4C’s complaints was that the Javelin Park project was too cheap and that it was predatory pricing. She asked whether the councillor understood that the pricing of the contract dis-incentivised recycling.

Cllr Ray Theodoulou stated that there had been a procurement process, comparing numerous ways of disposing of waste. R4C was not one of the companies who submitted a bid. It was still the ambition to reach 70% recycling for the whole County.

Sarah Lunnon asked that given the benefits of regular cardio-vascular exercise on mental and physical health, would the Cabinet Member take the opportunity of UBB working on the B4008 from Stonehouse to Javelin Park and install an off road cycle track?

Cllr Vernon Smith stated that health and fitness was very important.  Members could use their highways local money to upgrade cycle tracks.  He said that he was always an advocate of choosing healthy options. He would ask officers to take a look and provide a response.

Sarah Lunnon asked whether the Cabinet Member could confirm that the constructed access way from the Bloom’s car park access road, through a hedge and into Javelin Park was part of the public highway.

Cllr Vernon Smith would provide a response in writing.