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 Issues – Buckhurst Hill
Councillor S Watson asked the Safer, Greener & Transport Portfolio Holder, Councillor G Waller whether he would ask the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) on 17 December 2016 the following;
1. Whether an urgent review could be made on the enforcement of the 50% policy (which related to enforcement action only taking place on cars that park blocking 50% of a dropped kerb);
2. Whether they would dedicated an Enforcement Officer to Buckhurst Hill, one day a week, if the Parish Council funded this; and
3. How much this would cost the Parish Council.
Councillor G Waller commented that he was aware of the parking problems within Buckhurst Hill and that he had been advised that the Enforcement Officers were currently operating in Buckhurst Hill, Monday to Saturday and some Sundays. However the NEPP would respond positively, to District Councillors requests regarding problems in particular roads and this could be either raised directly by Councillors or through himself to NEPP.
He advised that the West Essex Enforcement Office were willing to support a request for an additional Enforcement Officer funded by the Parish Council, although an understanding of the expectations would be required before this was to take place and the costs were unknown at this moment.
Councillor G Waller advised that the NEPP website provided information on the 50% policy for dropped kerbs and although enforcement did not occur on cars parked less than 50%, where home owners accessing their off street parking were prevented by this, he would find out what could be done.
(b) Displaced parking at Springfield, Epping
Councillor J M Whithouse asked the Housing Portfolio Holder, Councillor D Stallan whether a deferred Council Housing building planning application in Springfield, Epping considered at Plans East on 9 December 2015, would;
1. Go to the next Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee on the 19 January 2016; and
2. What options would be put before the Cabinet Committee.
Councillor D Stallan advised that he had been made aware of the decisions following the Plans East Sub-Committee on 9 December 2015 and it would be discussed at the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee on the 19 January 2016. The options for the site were;
(i) That the site was sold off to a private developer;
(ii) That the plots were offered to neighbouring residents; or
(iii) That the garages were demolished and open parking was provided.
Councillor D Stallan advised that Ward Members were welcome to attend the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee to voice resident’s opinions.
(c) Material Considerations to Retrospective Planning
Councillor L Wagland asked the Planning Policy Portfolio Holder, Councillor R Bassett whether the Government had made it any clearer with regard to applicants who had previously failed to comply with planning rules in the past, now being a material planning consideration and whether any advice could be given to Members on the planning committees?
Councillor R Bassett advised that he would look into this issue with Officers.
Councillor J Philip advised that he had taken this issue up with the Planning Department and it appeared that there were not yet any regulations to support the Government comments on this issue. Therefore the advice from the Planning Department had been that it would probably be tested in the Courts. It would also be raised at the Essex’s Planning Forum and any findings would be published in the Members Bulletin.
(d) NEPP Reserves
Councillor D Wixley asked the Safer, Greener & Transport Portfolio Holder, Councillor G Waller about the £100,000 reserves that NEPP had received and holds from the County Council and whether the Portfolio Holder could persuade NEPP to re-paint some of the yellow lines around the District or at least use a better quality paint with this money.
Councillor G Waller advised that when NEPP was set up in 2011, it was provided with this sum of money by Essex County Council (ECC) as a transition payment. This was provided to NEPP to prevent it going into deficit, which was what had happened to other authorities previously. It had been intended as a “float” and therefore could not be used as Councillor D Wixley had suggested.
(e) Communities Development Dementia Work
Councillor T Thomas asked the Leisure & Community Services Portfolio Holder, Councillor H Kane to pass on thanks to the Community Services Team for the work that they had been doing with the young and old residents of the District with such a minimal budget. In particular the ground breaking dementia work at Sherrell House Rest Home, Chigwell.
Councillor H Kane advised that it was appreciated that someone had seen this in action and she would pass on her thanks to the Community Services Team.
(f) Oakwood Hill industrial units
Councillor K Angold-Stephen asked the Asset and Economic Development Portfolio Holder, Councillor A Grigg whether the Council would consider investing further funding in the Council’s Industrial Estates, in particular in Oakwood Hill; to smarten up the appearance and attract further leaseholds. Furthermore, a gateway sign had been promised and he asked whether this could be followed up?
Councillor A Grigg advised that she would look into the gateway signage and that the responsibility of planned maintenance on the industrial estates had been handed over to the Portfolio Holder Technology and Support Service, Councillor A Lion, who she would liaise with, for a progress report.
(g) Resuming Parking Responsibilities
Councillor C C Pond spoke of the concerns raised with regards to NEPP and a cross-party approach from County Councillors to the County Council Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Councillor R Bass, about resuming the responsibilities for parking within the Epping Forest District for on and off street, which had been rejected previously and whether he would remind ECC that Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) had previously done the job better and at much less cost.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that EFDC had done a better job and he had spoken to the County Council Leader, Councillor D Finch about parking issues.