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.
To receive answers in respect of questions from Members of the Council to a Member of the Executive asked in accordance with Rule 12 of the Council Procedure Rules.
(1) Councillor B Gardner will ask the Chairman of the Planning Committee:
Does the Chairman of the Planning Committee consider it appropriate for a statutory, public sector consultee to provide the Planning Committee with information which "promotes development" rather than providing technical input to inform the decisions of the Committee?
(2) Councillor M R Eddy will ask the Chairman of the Governance Committee:
Further to my question to the Chairman of the Governance Committee at the full council meeting of 27 November 2013, and to the Department of Communities and Local Government's letter of 26 November, my letter to the Chairman of Governance of 5 December and the Chairman's response to me of 18 December, can the Chairman of the Governance Committee outline the reasons for stating in his letter of 18 December that he had no intention of reporting to members the Council's official response to DCLG as "the exchange of letters was purely between officers"?
(3) Councillor P Walker will ask the Leader of the Council:
Can the Leader of the Council outline the disciplinary powers that are in force in cases where Councillors do not receive adequate and/or timely responses from the officers of this council?
(4) Councillor B Gardner will ask the Leader of the Council:
Would the Leader of the Council explain the logic and thinking behind the decision to make all calls from Whitfield Offices "caller number withheld"?
(5) Councillor B W Bano will ask the Leader of the Council:
Will the Leader of the Council commit to an annual audit of individual member training requirements with a view to better informing the member training programme?
(6) Councillor M R Eddy will ask the Portfolio Holder for Access and Property Management:
In the review of on and off street parking charges considered by Cabinet on 9 January 2012, it was stated that increased charges or reductions in parking times were required, inter alia, because: "Maintenance costs are expected to rise over the next year or so as pay and display machines are in need of replacement and some resurfacing and relining works to car parks cannot be deferred much longer". Given the fact that the Council has, according to its own figures submitted to Government, generated a total surplus of over £2.5 million over the three years from 2009/2010 to 2011/2012, can the Cabinet Member for Access inform the Council of how much has been invested in car park resurfacing/relining and new pay and display machines in financial year 2012/2013 and the first half of 2013/2014?
(7) Councillor G Cowan will ask the Portfolio Holder for Access and Property Management:
As this council has made a surplus of more than 1 million pounds from parking for the second year running, and the Cabinet Member for Access and Property is aware that this council increased off street parking charge time from 17.30 to 1800 hours but at the same time single yellow lines stayed at 17.30, will the Cabinet Member for Access and Property agree that it is time to revisit off street parking times and return to the original time of only charging up to 17.30?
(8) Councillor L A Keen will ask the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Waste and Planning:
Can the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Planning inform the Council of what action is being taken by this Council to reduce the alarming increase in fly-tipping rates – nearly doubled – which has taken place since Kent County Council introduced changes at their tips in 2012?
(9) Councillor P M Brivio will ask the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Children's Services and Safeguarding, Youth and Community Safety:
Does the Portfolio Holder for Community, Housing and Youth anticipate an increase in homelessness due to the action of some private sector landlords who have decided not to house those in receipt of housing benefit, and if so, what effect will this have on already hard pressed budgets if there has to be an increase in the costly use of Bed and Breakfast?
Minutes:
In accordance with Rule 12(1) of the Council Procedure rules, Chairmen of Committee(s) responded to the following questions:
(1) Councillor B Gardner asked the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor F J W Scales, if he considered it appropriate for a statutory, public sector consultee to provide the Planning Committee with information which "promoted development" rather than providing technical input to inform the decisions of the Committee.
(2) Councillor M R Eddy asked the Chairman of the Governance Committee, Councillor T J Bartlett, if further to his previous question to the Chairman of the Governance Committee at the full council meeting of 27 November 2013, and to the Department of Communities and Local Government's letter of 26 November, his letter to the Chairman of Governance of 5 December and the Chairman's response to him of 18 December, if he could outline the reasons for stating in his letter of 18 December that he had no intention of reporting to members the Council's official response to DCLG as "the exchange of letters was purely between officers".
In accordance with Rule 12(1) of the Council Procedure Rules, Members of the Cabinet responded to the following questions:
(3) Councillor P Walker asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor P A Watkins, if he could outline the disciplinary powers that are in force in cases where Councillors do not receive adequate and/or timely responses from the officers of this council.
(4) Councillor B Gardner asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor P A Watkins, to explain the logic and thinking behind the decision to make all calls from Whitfield Offices "caller number withheld".
(5) Councillor B W Bano asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor P A Watkins, to commit to an annual audit of individual member training requirements with a view to better informing the member training programme.
(6) Councillor M R Eddy asked the Portfolio Holder for Access and Property Management, Councillor N J Collor, that given in the review of on and off street parking charges considered by Cabinet on 9 January 2012, it was stated that increased charges or reductions in parking times were required, inter alia, because: "maintenance costs are expected to rise over the next year or so as pay and display machines are in need of replacement and some resurfacing and relining works to car parks cannot be deferred much longer" and the fact that the Council had, according to its own figures submitted to Government, generated a total surplus of over £2.5 million over the three years from 2009/2010 to 2011/2012, if he could advise how much had been invested in car park resurfacing/relining and new pay and display machines in financial year 2012/2013 and the first half of 2013/2014.
(7) Councillor G Cowan asked the Portfolio Holder for Access and Property Management, Councillor N J Collor, as the council had made a surplus of more than £1 million from parking for the second year running, and the Portfolio Holder was aware that the council had increased off street parking charge time from 17:30 to 18:00 hours but at the same time single yellow lines had remained at 17:30, would he agree that it was time to revisit off street parking times and return to the original time of only charging up to 17:30.
(8) Councillor L A Keen asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor P A Watkins, in the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Waste and Planning to inform the Council of what action is being taken by this Council to reduce the alarming increase in fly-tipping rates which has taken place since Kent County Council introduced changes at their tips in 2012.
(9) Councillor P M Brivio asked the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Children's Services and Safeguarding, Youth and Community Safety, Councillor S S Chandler, if she anticipated an increase in homelessness due to the action of some private sector landlords who have decided not to house those in receipt of housing benefit, and if so, what effect would this have on already hard pressed budgets if there was to be an increase in the costly use of Bed and Breakfast.