Agenda item

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

To answer any written member 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, 5 February 2020. Please send questions to the Chief Executive marked for the attention of Stephen Bace (email stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk).

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

Sixteen member questions had been received. The following supplementary questions were asked:

Question 1 – Cllr Kate Haigh stated that she understood that the threshold had been changed and that funding could not be allocated to devices such as a signal-controlled crossing and asked that this be looked at and clarification given to members regarding what the barriers were.

Cllr Dave Norman replied that he was happy to look into that.

Question 2 – Cllr Eva Ward stated that she was grateful for the notification.

Question 3 – Cllr Paul Hodgkinson stated that there had been a lack of communication around parking enforcement in Bourton-on-the-Water and felt there was a discrepancy as to what had been communicated to the town council.

Cllr Dave Norman stated that there had been significantly more visits and hours of patrol from enforcement officers and he would update the member.

Question 4 – Cllr Ben Evans asked if the Cabinet Member could comment or explain how Gloucestershire Highways were ensuring the quality of the repairs to ensure value for money.

Cllr Vernon Smith replied that sometimes repairs had to be carried out in less than ideal weather, but were subject to regular inspections. He said that the way to reduce potholes was major resurfacing.

Question 6 – Cllr Colin Hay asked when the under-estimation had been identified regarding school places and whether the current figures were now correct.

Cllr Patrick Molyneux explained that this was a  difficult and complex formula and he felt that the right formula was now in place.

Question 7 – Cllr Colin Hay asked the Cabinet Member to explain his understanding of the potential issues with the primary school site in Bishops Cleeve and why the local parish councils were concerned.

Cllr Patrick Molyneux explained the limitations around where the school could be sited. He said that a potential site had been owned by the Diocese and discussions continued with them and Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Question 9 – Cllr Colin Hay asked for the Cabinet Member’s understanding of  glebe land as detailed in the answer.

Cllr Patrick Molyneux replied that the Diocese was bound to get the best value from its land.

Question 10 – Cllr Colin Hay asked if the consultation was effective when only one site was identified.

Cllr Patrick Molyneux replied that it was a consultation on the proposed site and there was nothing further he could add.

Question 14 – Cllr Rachel Smith  asked for the Council to be more imaginative with regards to county farms to encourage more local vegetable production.

Cllr Lynden Stowe stated it was important to recognise the tenants of our county farms and work within the tenancy agreements in place. If the member wished to bring forward a suggestion on how we do that then a  budget amendment would have been the best way to do that. The overall strategy would be reviewed at some point and members would be informed of when that would be.

Question 15 – Cllr Rachel Smith noted the Council’s success reducing its own carbon emissions but that this only represented a small proportion of the county’s emissions. If we wished to meet the 80% reduction target by 2030 was £1 million this year really enough?

Cllr Nigel Moor – thanked the member for the recognition of what the Council had achieved. The Council continued to show leadership and a range of initiatives with £1 million on the table.

Question 16 – Cllr Rachel Smith asked whether the Cabinet Member would attend the ‘There is no Planet B: A handbook for the make or break years’ session by Mike Berners-Lee?

Cllr Nigel Moor stated that the member had  recognised the achievement that had been made and that the Cabinet was well versed in carbon reduction techniques.