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, 10 March 2021. 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.

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

Question 1 – Cllr Shaun Parsons asked if the cumulative impact of expansion of quarries and specifically HGV movements should be a material consideration in any decision making. How would the County Council ensure this would happen in future?

Cllr Nigel Moor replied that he did agree with the point raised by the member and this would be adopted in the Minerals Local Plan.

Question 2 - Cllr Paul Hodgkinson stated, with regards to A429 Fosse Way, that residents had complained about the way the trees had been felled and the mess that had been left in certain places. He asked, how would that mess be cleared away and when?

Cllr Nigel Moor advised that they had received expert advice that had told the Council to leave the material for natural regeneration.

Question 3 – Cllr Andrew Miller asked if the member agreed that there was nothing more important than education for young people and would he join him in wishing Tuffley Primary School success in raising aspirations.

Cllr Patrick Molyneux replied that he fully agreed with the member and education was at the heart of everything.

Question 4 – Cllr Andrew Miller informed the member that there had been further highways improvements at Robinswood Gardens and Ashmore Close and looked forward to further improvements in the next council.

Cllr Vernon Smith replied that so much significant highways work had been undertaken.

Question 6 – Cllr Paul Hodgkinson questioned the Leader's response to his question asking how directors moving to the same job or facing legal prosecution equated to moving on to 'bigger and better things'. He expressed concerned about the 100% loss of senior directors over the four year period.

Cllr Mark Hawthorne explained a number of officers promoted to more senior roles demonstrated the quality in the organisation.  He stated that Gloucestershire County Council officers were well regarded elsewhere and offered jobs on that basis and he alluded to high staff turnover in other organisations.

Question 7 – Cllr Paul Hodgkinson asked if having such a high turnover of senior positions in four years was a disaster. He asked what was wrong with the senior leadership at the Council?

Cllr Mark Hawthorne replied that many of those senior officers had had long tenures at Gloucestershire County Council and he detailed the quality of recruitment into those senior roles.

Question 8 – Cllr Paul Hodgkinson asked how many trees had been planted in 18 months and how many needed to be planted to hit the 35 million target by 2030.

Cllr Nigel Moor replied that a figure had been provided in the answer to the question. An ambitious programme was being put together and more information would be available as it came to fruition.

Question 9 – Cllr Paul Hodgkinson asked how the member would know if they had met the tree planting target.

Cllr Nigel Moor replied that a daily count was not taken but that figures would be available at a later date.

Question 12 – Cllr Rachel Smith asked if the Council was including a requirement for Electric Vehicles for all parking, highways, and pool cars to be electric as well as using them for school transport?

Cllr Nigel Moor replied this was being carried out on a case-by-case basis and as technology was available.

Question 15 – Cllr Rachel Smith stated concerns that the Council was not carrying out financial checks on some contractors and were heavily reliant on commissioned services. Was the Cabinet Member comfortable with that level of risk?

Cllr Lynden Stowe replied that he had trust in the management team to evaluate risk and challenge where appropriate. This was an area that was being looked at in terms of implementing any outstanding actions from the Open Contracting Task Group.

Question 23 – Cllr Rachel Smith expressed concern that a climate emergency was declared but that the action plan was still including actions that were delayed. She asked whether the Cabinet Member understood the emergency and asked how the plan was compatible with an emergency.

Cllr Nigel Moor replied that the report to Cabinet showed a great deal of progress and immediate action. He asked the member to read that report.

Question 27 – Cllr Jeremy Hilton asked when the Council was going to get tougher in dealing with Allstone.

Cllr Nigel Moor replied that he would provide a response.

Question 28 – Cllr Jeremy Hilton asked for a date for the start of the consultation with the residents for the parking review.

Cllr Mark Hawthorne replied that a written response would be provided.

Question 29 – Cllr Jeremy Hilton referred to a reduction of the highways local budget and asked how that would help footway repairs in local areas.

Cllr Vernon Smith stated that the highways budget had been increased.

Question 33 – Cllr Colin Hay asked whether the Cabinet Member would support a local enquiry into what happened in care homes with regards to Covid-19.

Cllr Kathy Williams replied that Covid-19 was still prevalent and this call for an enquiry was premature. She felt that those in the sector had done their best throughout.

Question 36 – Cllr Colin Hay asked which cabinet members were responsible for the overall risk register and the specific risk in terms of the pandemic.

Cllr Lynden Stowe replied that he would speak to the Monitoring Officer before giving a response.

Question 37 – Cllr Colin Hay asked whether a local enquiry would help draw out the lessons learned from Covid-19.

Cllr Tim Harman replied that Gloucestershire would play its part in a national enquiry at the right time.

Question 38 – Cllr Kate Haigh asked whether the leader agreed that it was the responsibility of councillors to make sure  those from diverse backgrounds  were welcome in standing for office. What would be put in place for the new Council?

Cllr Mark Hawthorne replied that parties had a huge responsibility to encourage a more diverse pool of candidates. He outlined the work he had personally done in this area.

Question 39 – Cllr Lesley Williams asked what progress had been made on a parking review and greater enforcement where parking blocks pavements.

Cllr Mark Hawthorne replied that a written response would be provided.