Council Procedure Rule 12.6 provides for questions by any member of the Council to the Leader or any Portfolio Holder, without notice on:
(i) reports under item 7 above; or
(ii) any other matter of a non operational character in relation to the powers and duties of the Council or which affects all or part of the District or some or all of its inhabitants.
Council Procedure Rule 12.7 provides that answers to questions without notice may take the form of:
(a) direct oral answer from the Leader or, at the request of the Leader, from another member of the Cabinet;
(b) where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication;
(c) where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner; or
(d) where the question relates to an operational matter, the Leader or a member of the Cabinet will request that a response be given direct to the questioner by the relevant Chief Officer.
In accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 12.8, a time limit of twenty minutes is set for questions. Any question not dealt with within the time available will receive a written reply. The Chairman may extend this period by up to a further 10 minutes to ensure that all political groups and independent members may have their questions answered.
Minutes:
(a) Dog Fouling
Councillor Leonard thanked the Environment Portfolio Holder for his response to the question he had asked last month regarding dog fouling and asked if Officers had yet engaged with the Town and Parish Councils regarding assistance with this problem.
Councillor Leonard stated that he was near to completing a report concerning dog fouling issues which he would like, with permission, to give to the Environment Portfolio Holder in the next few weeks.
Councillor Breare-Hall, the Environment Portfolio Holder replied that Officers were in communication with the Town and Parish Councils over this issue and that there wasn’t anything further to report this evening. He advised Councillor Leonard that he had noted the deadline of his report and that he would get something to him before the report was finalised.
(b) Council Apprenticeship Scheme
Councillor Murray referred to the Council Apprenticeship Scheme report and asked the Support Services Portfolio Holder if he:
(i) would agree that although Epping Forest District Council didn’t always get everything right that this was a scheme that we could be proud of;
(ii) would also agree that the apprenticeship scheme was really important in giving young people an opportunity to develop work related schemes and job opportunities; and
(ii) would further agree that the Council was acting as a good example for other local employers to follow and that they should follow suit.
Councillor Ulkun replied that he wholeheartedly agreed with all of Councillor Murray’s comments.
(c) The Local Plan
Councillor Philip stated that he and Councillor Jones had encouraged Theydon Bois significantly to be proactive in relation to the Local Plan and that he noted from the report of the Planning Portfolio Holder that he had received a request for designation of a Neighbourhood Plan from Theydon Bois Parish Council.
Councillor Philip asked the Planning Portfolio Holder that as Theydon Bois was the third council to request designation could he be assured that the District Council had the required resources to deal with this.
Councillor Bassett, the Planning Portfolio Holder advised that there were enough resources. He stated that he had said all the way through the Local Plan process that the Council needed to hear what the residents thought and the Local Plan was a shaping process for the district over the next 20 years.
(d) Benefits
Councillor Angold-Stephens asked the Leader of the Council in the absence of the Finance Portfolio Holder, if he agreed that the current benefit situation was a very good news story and if so would he ask the Finance Portfolio Holder to pass on thanks to the Housing Benefits staff who had worked tirelessly to devise and implement the benefits mitigation scheme working with other officers to help residents with their payments and to speedily turn around benefits claims.
The Leader of the Council agreed that it was a good news story and advised that he would be glad to pass it on to the Finance Portfolio Holder. He said the Council’s response to the changes of the Welfare Reform had been proved right.
(e) Business Rates
Councillor J M Whitehouse referred to the Leader’s report regarding Business rates, and stated that business rates was a big cost to many business especially high street businesses. He asked the Leader which of the support initiatives of the Government should be taken up by the Council.
Councillor Whitbread, Leader of the Council replied that business was at the heart of the District and the Council always tried to assist and help businesses in the district. He said the Council would look to make best use of the new rules from Government and make them work for local businesses.
(f) Secondary School in Ongar
Councillor Keska asked the Leader of the Council, if he agreed with the Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP and supported the re-establishment of a secondary school in Ongar
Councillor Whitbread, Leader of the Council, advised that he did support a new secondary school in Ongar, and said the more choice available to any district, and any area could only be a good thing.
(g) Parking Review – Debden Broadway
Councillor Ms J Hart asked the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder, in view of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committees decision to approve the 56 home option in Burton Road, with 28 parking spaces if he could say what action he was taking regarding the Debden Parking Review.
Councillor Waller, the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder assured Councillor Hart that work on the Debden Broadway Parking Review would be commenced as soon possible on completion of the Buckhurst Hill Parking Review. He also advised that consideration was being given to a possible increase in the 28 parking spaces on the Burton Road site.
(h) New EFDC Telephone System
Councillor Knapman asked Councillor Ulkun, the Support Services Portfolio Holder, if he knew of any problems with the new EFDC Telephone System. He reported that the new telephone answering system was experiencing long delays and asked the Portfolio Holder to look at the timings being given out when telephoning the switchboard as he considered it unacceptable that residents should have to wait for so long to be answered.
The Support Services Portfolio Holder advised Councillor Knapman that he would look into these claims and report back.
(i) Parking Enforcement
Councillor Pond reminded the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder that at the last meeting she had referred to parking restrictions not being enforced in the evenings and at weekends and asked if the views of the North Essex Parking Partnership had been obtained.
Councillor Waller, Safer Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder advised that he had tried to contact a senior officer for the western area of the North Essex Parking Partnership but had been advised that the officer was away on sick leave so he had not been able to speak to her. He added that he would speak to her on her return and would report back to Councillor Pond.
(j) Charlie Moules Bridge, Loughton
Councillor Murray asked the Leader of the Council if he understood the importance to the residents of Loughton of the Charlie Moules Bridge that crossed the River Roding from the recreation ground to the nature reserves and for an update of what plans there were to make sure that the bridge was maintained to a condition in order for people to be able to cross the River Roding at that point.
The Leader acknowledged that the footbridge had great relevance to the people of Loughton and said he would investigate the situation and report back to Councillor Murray.
(k) New EFDC Telephone System
Councillor Janet Whitehouse asked Councillor Ulkun the Support Services Portfolio Holder, if the new telephone answering system could announce Epping Forest District Council so that the public knew who they were telephoning.
The Support Services Portfolio Holder advised Councillor Whitehouse that he would look into that.