Agenda item
Questions from Members
Up to 60 minutes is allowed for this part of the meeting unless extended by the Chairman of Council on a motion moved, duly seconded and approved by the Council. Members may ask one supplementary question in addition to their original question.
Members may ask one supplementary question in addition to their original question.
The questions received are set out in the agenda papers.
Minutes:
In accordance with Rule 12(1) of the Council Procedure Rules, Members of the Cabinet responded to the following questions:
“Can the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Licensing and Community update the Council on what progress is being made on improving the road system within the District given the inherent pressures created from the start of 2021?”
“I assume that the unacceptable situation experienced in the few days before Christmas has prompted this question.
We have been making representation at many levels since then, including the to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster where we are lobbying for improvements to the strategic road network, particularly the A2 using the banner – KEEP DOVER CLEAR.
As Cllr Walker will appreciate, responsibility for roads in the Dover District is held by both Highways England and Kent County Council.
We periodically receive information on improvements to the A2 and A20 from Highways England that, upon receipt, is circulated to all members by DDC officers. The KCC Network programme is regularly reported with updates and the proposals for the coming year will shortly be appearing on an agenda for the Dover Joint Transportation Advisory Board that, again, is available to all Members on ModGov.
Notification of all forthcoming roadworks when received from both Highways England and KCC are circulated with urgency to all DDC members.”
“According to reports in the press, Dover District Council will be putting £475,000 into climate emergency initiatives compared to Canterbury City Council’s £200 million. Will the Leader of DDC inform the Council how the amount of £475,000 will deliver these initiatives in what is also hoped will also be a climate friendly recovery from Covid within the District?”
“Whilst our minds are currently focused as you would expect in dealing with the pandemic, the challenges posed by climate change remains the defining issue for the coming years.
As Cllr Walker has highlighted, the Council has set aside the sum of £475k in the Capital Programme to support the delivery of projects which contribute to reducing carbon emissions and taking action on climate change.
This is one small and important step forward, but there is no question that if the UK is to see real change, significant further investment will be needed. This has been highlighted by Canterbury City Council, who are currently undertaking a public consultation on their own Climate Change Action Plan.
Canterbury’s draft Action Plan includes a statement indicating that at least £200m of investment would be needed to support the transformation required and that this will need significant new external funding sources to be found.”
(4) Councillor K Mills asked the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Licensing and Community, Councillor N J Collor:
“Can the portfolio holder with responsibility for transport advise us of how many fixed penalty notices have been issued to HGV’s following the granting of new powers on the 1st of January 2021?”
“The new powers that Cllr Mills refers to are extended to Kent County Council and not Dover District Council. KCC have arranged for an authorised contractor to clamp Heavy Goods Vehicles on their behalf across East Kent including our District.
KCC started clamping after a short warning period on 11th January and since then and up until 25th January, in other words the first two weeks, a total of 362 clamps were used of which 138 were in Dover.
DDC Parking Enforcement Team during their patrols have seen lorries clamped in Dover town area, as well as near the Duke of Yorks, Honeywood Parkway, Capel-le-Ferne and on the Sandwich bypass.
Freight traffic using the Port of Dover is lighter than usual at present but since 1st January, DDC Civil Enforcement Officers have also issued 26 Penalty Charge Notices to HGVs.”
“About the businesses costs incurred by the council taxpayers of this district as a result of the traffic chaos that occurred over the Christmas period.”
“The Council does not have direct access to data held by individual businesses on any additional costs they may have incurred as a result of traffic issues over the Christmas period.”
“If he can advise the timescales for the wider roll out of the vaccination programme within the district.”
“The Kent and Medway CCG note: There are now confirmed plans for initial sites covering all 42 primary care networks (PCNs). Details of all sites are published on the website at: www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine
As of 17 January 2021, there have been 127,823 vaccines given in Kent and Medway. Services for 41 PCNs covering 197 of our 200 GP practices have now started vaccinating. With initial sites confirmed for all areas we are now working with the Primary Care Networks to review options for distributing vaccine to more sites. The objective in expanding to more sites will be to:
• increase capacity of the vaccine programme
• address areas where the distance to a site is more than the 10miles announced by Government earlier this month.
Sandwich, Deal and Dover patients’ vaccinations are being delivered by the neighbouring Primary Care Network (called Total Health Excellence East) from the Dover Health Centre site. The PCN was in one of the later waves of vaccine sites approved to start. Its first supplies were received on 14 January and vaccinations began on 15 January. To support catching up on priority groups all Sandwich residents in the over 80s category (approx. 900 people) are being contacted from today to invite them to an additional vaccination service running from Broadstairs next week. Vaccination clinics from the Balmoral surgery in Deal will also be set up. The Dover based services will continue to also provide vaccinations for people in these areas.”
“If the lack of transparency by the Government, KCC and DDC in relation to the Inland Border Facility which has culminated in a 21 day engagement period, is a fair and reasonable process, when the impact of this facility in this location has raised so many objections by local residents.”
“The engagement with the Council concerning the proposed Inland Border Facility at White Cliffs Business Park is being undertaken in accordance with the legislative powers contained within the Town and Country Planning (Border Facilities and Infrastructure) (EU Exit) (England) Special Development Order 2020.
Clearly when it comes to the timeframe involved, this is not a matter over which the Council has any direct control, but we are doing all we can to work within the time set and as you will be aware have arranged an Extraordinary Council meeting to enable the issues of concern to be discussed by members.”
“Could the leader advise the council of the number of local restriction support grant applications that were made to the council by businesses following the announcement of restrictions on the 5th of November 2020.”
“As at Friday 22nd January, the Council had received 909 applications for Local Restrictions Support Grants.”
Supporting documents:
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