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 8 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 at his discretion.
Minutes:
(a) Parking Problems – Millbank Avenue Ongar
Councillor B Surtees asked the Portfolio Holder for Housing whether he was aware of the poor state of a piece of land that was believed to be owned by the Council’s Housing department at Millbank Avenue, Ongar; and the extreme difficulties the residents had in securing parking near their homes? Would he consider action to meet the tidy land policy by working in conjunction with the local residents and Ward Councillor to resolve the issue which could include the provision of parking bays?
Councillor Stallan advised that he had spoken with Officers and there had been complaints registered over the last two years with the latest in March 2015. He advised that there were a number of options available which included doing nothing, installing parking restrictions, installing parking bays and legal action against offenders. He advised that the Housing Scrutiny Committee had looked into a Parking Policy for the District but a blanket approach was thought to be unpopular. Councillor Stallan suggested that the Off Street Parking Programme, which required support from local residents could be an option although he was unable to guarantee where it would be prioritised in the programme and would be put forward in the 2016/17 programme due to the 2015/16 programme already being set.
(b) House building Programme - Burton Road, Loughton
Councillor Knapman asked the Portfolio Holder for Housing about the Burton Road, Loughton Housing project that had been refused planning permission by Plans South
and what the costs were associated with the delaying the applications?
Councillor Stallan advised that the Housing Building Programme had been accelerated because of the necessity to use One for One receipts. Were the programme to be delayed the Council would need to pay back £328,843 plus interest at an increased rate back to the Department of Communities and Local Government. There was also a further risk of £500,000 from the Affordable Housing Grant, if phase two of the House Building Programme was to be delayed for any longer, which included the Burton Road Development.
(c) Police and PCSO’s
Councillor Murray asked the Leader of Council whether:
1) he was aware of a Parliamentary Election in Epping Forest at the moment;
2) he was aware that a Parliament candidate had claimed at least twice on a leaflet that the number of Police had increase on the streets of District; and
3) that the Police Crime Commissioner and everyone else knew that the number of Police and PCSO has gone down in Epping Forest?
Councillor Whitbread advised that everyone was aware of the forth coming election and advised that the District had a good record on law and order.
Councillor Waller advised that he was not aware of the claims and would not like to comment until he had seen the leaflet. He advised that the police service like all other public services had been under pressure and that the number of officers on the streets may not be as high as it had been in the past, although he advised that the Chief Constable had redeployed officers and the level of crime and disorder had continued to decrease in District.
(d) Essex Design Guide
Councillor C C Pond asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy whether he would ensure that the new Essex Design Guide issued on the 1 April 2015, be adopted by EFDC Officers as supplementary planning guidance so that it could be used for the determination and appeals process?
Councillor R Bassett advised that Officers would be taking guidance from the Essex Design Guide into account.
(e) NGAR
Councillor A Watts asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy whether he had seen the document produced by Enfield Council which echoed the lack of support for a Northern Gateway Access Road (NGAR) and what a good example of a duty to cooperate with Members, Town Councils and District Council officers this had been.
Councillor R Bassett advised that he had only glanced at the document, although he would be going through it in detail and checking it with officers. He advised that the work and pressure applied to Enfield Council had paid off and that people with common aims could work together and provide sound evidence and he would be attending the hearing to reconfirm the Councils view.
(f) Post Office Site Loughton
Councillor K Angold-Stephens asked the Portfolio Holder for Asset and Economic Development whether she would have meaningful discussions with the Restore Church in Loughton in relation to their aspirations and the sale of the Post Office site at Broadway.
Councillor A Grigg advised that Mr King had been in contact with her regarding a meeting, although due to her re-standing at the election she felt that the discussion should be arranged after this period and she would offer Mr King dates to meet. She also advised that as far as she was aware there had been no further discussions with other interested parties.
(g) Waltham Abbey Study
Councillor J M Whitehouse asked the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Economic Development why the District Council had spent time and money on Waltham Abbey reports that were allowed to be created in isolation to the Local Plan and that any information arising from the reports should be published and shared with the wider community?
Councillor A Grigg advised that there had been a change in precedence and the Local Plan had taken priority, although the reports would be used at a later stage. There was a wish to create an Economic Development Strategy and the reports on issues and opportunities facing Towns would be continued after the Local Plan and should be used to inform the Local Plan.