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 thirty 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) Child Services
Councillor Surtees asked the Finance Portfolio Holder whether the recent research from the Children’s Society who advised that 32% families who sought help with problem debt from their Councils thought that it was not helpful and whether the level of service for EFDC was much higher and if she had access to information to support this?
Councillor Stavrou advised that her impression of the Council was that EFDC had a very good reputation with the residents and she had not heard of any concerns or complaints. If there was any further information, she would pass it onto Councillor Surtees.
(b) Shredded paper collections
Councillor Sartin asked the Environment Portfolio Holder about the clarification of the collection of shredded paper?
Councillor Breare-Hall advised that a contamination leaflet which referred to shredded paper was to bring awareness of the cost that contamination in recycling could cost the Council. He advised that shredded paper would now be accepted in the recycling sacks.
(c) Stanstead Consortium
Councillor J H Whitehouse asked the Leader of the Council about the Cabinet decision for annual subscription to the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium and what benefits this would bring to the District and how it could be justified, when proposed savings would directly effect residents?
Councillor Whitbread advised that the Cabinet looked for investments and job creation in the local area and the partnership work along the M11 corridor was fundamental in promoting the District on a wider level. The Leader advised that he would bring forward a report on the benefits of the Consortium. Any savings had been in the back office first, before front line services had been considered.
(d) Highways
Councillor Murray asked the Leader that following the recent Essex Highways survey, which had confirmed that the roads in this part of the County were the worst, whether he was satisfied that ECC would rectify this and was this evidence that EFDC were not a priority?
Councillor Whitbread advised that improvements could be made and that the District’s County Councillors were working hard to improve the problems and Members should get behind the County Councillors.
(e) Countrycare
Councillor C C Pond asked the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder whether there was a charge for the Countrycare visit to Wormley Primary School?
Councillor G Waller advised that Countrycare had charged the Primary school for their service.
(f) NEPP Enforcement in Chigwell
Councillor Wagland asked the Safer, Greener and Transport about the absence of the North Essex Parking Partnership patrolling in Chigwell and what award the NEPP referred to on their correspondence, if they are unable to patrol the Chigwell Parade.
Councillor Waller advised that enforcement by the Civil Enforcement officers had recently fallen below the required standards because of problems with a suitable location for refreshment breaks for the officers and a new enforcement manager had been recruited. He advised that arrangements were being made to meet with the new manger and potentially a schedule of surgery’s to be arranged so that members could meet to discuss enforcement issues.
(g) Section 106 – Langston Road, Debden Loughton
Councillor Angold-Stephens asked the Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder whether the 106 section agreement with Polofind would be taken into account in any further negotiations and what action the Council intends to take in respect of the approximant 300 cars currently parked on the site?
Councillor A Grigg advised that the officers were looking into the 106 agreement and would probably be taken into account with the negotiations with Polofind. With regards to the 300 cars parked on the land, the Director of Governance advised at Cabinet on 15 December that it was Polofind’s land and the removal would be down to them. Councillor Grigg advised that the Portfolio for Safer, Greener and Transport would probably have to take this into consideration when the Debden Broadway Parking Review was completed.
(h) St John’s School – Use of Car Park
Councillor J M Whitehouse declared a personal non pecuniary interest in this item due to be a resident of St John’s Road, Epping.
Councillor J M Whitehouse asked the Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder whether any consideration had been given to using the St John’s Primary School car park to allow permit holders of the Bakers Lane Car Park to park, whilst the site goes through the Council’s planning procedures?
Councillor Grigg advised that they would view the idea favourably once EFDC owned the site, although there may be reasons why they may not be able to do this.
(i) Buckhurst Hill Parking Review
Councillor Neville asked the Portfolio Holder for Safer, Greener & Transport whether he had any further indication for the works to commence on the Buckhurst Hill Parking Review and whether he knew which road would be first.
Councillor Waller advised that all the necessary preparation works had been completed and although he did not have an exact date or starting street, he believed it would start without delay.
(j) Housing problems
Councillor Knapman asked the Portfolio Holder for Governance and Development Management whether a recent comment about Chigwell residents would resolve the Housing problems in the District.
Councillor Philip advised that he was sure that the Council had a proper approach to the Housing issues in the District.
(k) Local Plan
Councillor Surtees asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy that in response to a number of enquiries about a planning policy matter, a senior member of the coalition cabinet sited delays by District Councils in preparing the local plan as a reason for uncertainty continuing and could he comment on EFDC in this respect?
Councillor Bassett advised that Local Plans were not something to be undertaken lightly and that the Council had to consult with residents and come up with solutions that were acceptable to them and the District. With regards to EFDC, he had tried to do as much consultation with every Member on the best way forward and advised that the process was very prescriptive, with different inspector’s decision changing the goal posts and clarifications from Government not always clear. The aim was to get the Local Plan right first time for all concerned.
(l) Lighting on Council Garage Sites
Councillor Sartin asked the Portfolio Holder for Housing about the lack of lighting in a garage site that a resident had raised concerns over for her safety and whether there was any possibility of lighting being put into the area?
Councillor Stallan advised that as long as the site has not been included in the Council House Building programme document July 2012, he would go back to officers to see whether anything could be done.