Agenda item

To receive any questions from members of the Council, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, to be submitted and answered.

The Mayor advised that five questions from members of the Council had been received under Council Procedure Rule 10.

 

1.  Question from Councillor Pound:

 

“The Conservative Chairman of the Local Government Association has stated “investment in our local, public services is critical to our national recovery next year and beyond. Only with the right funding and freedom can councils lead local efforts to tackle the inequalities the pandemic has exposed and ensure an economic recovery that benefits everyone”.

 

So, can the Leader of this Council advise all members and the public what he has done, is doing and will be doing personally, in his position as Council Leader, to respond to the challenges highlighted by the Chairman of the LGA and to represent the Borough’s mounting anxiety that TWBC will be forced to make severe cuts in 2021 to balance its books?”

 

Councillor Bailey raised a Point of Order that under Council Procedure Rule 10.2 Members must ask questions, not statements. The Mayor confirmed that no questions had been rejected, the question was therefore appropriate.

 

Answer from Councillor McDermott:

 

“I think the Chairman of the LGA was referring to the need for central Government to ensure that Local Government is adequately funded. The UK is, as you will be aware, one of the most centralised nations on earth. I would absolutely echo and endorse those sentiments and have written both to our local MP and to the Secretary of State and to the Chancellor of the Exchequer both personally and together with Kent County Leaders to press this case.”

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Pound:

 

“If the Leader has written to our local MP, Secretary of State and the Chancellor, why is this evening the first time I have heard that information and does he not feel it should be made more publically known that he is batting for us because his visibility is noticeably absent?”

 

Supplementary Answer from Councillor McDermott:

 

“I don’t know whether to answer this, but can I just say, the danger with all of his comments is that he wants us desperately to spend money which unfortunately we haven’t got. I don’t want to end up like the Labour Borough Council in Croydon which has run to the Government to claim s.114 so I think it is probably wisest to do things with care.”

 

Councillor Pound raised a Point of Order that the question had not been answered. The Mayor confirmed the Leader had given his answer.

 

2. Question from Councillor Lidstone:

 

“In December 2019, Tunbridge Wells, Borough Council advised Parish Councils that properties with communal bins had not been provided with food waste caddies, but that they would be surveyed in 2020 to see what mixture of bins was needed. Has this survey happened?”

 

Answer from Councillor Bailey:

 

“Due to the pressures of the global pandemic and the severe strains this has placed both on the Council and on our waste contractor, this survey has not yet been undertaken. The Council hopes to undertake this work next year and in the meantime residents with communal bin stores, can continue to dispose of food waste in their residual waste bins.”

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Lidstone:

 

“Has the Council considered other options such as perhaps on a needs basis or inviting people to approach the Council for food bins so that we aren’t waiting perhaps another year for this situation to be resolved.”

 

Supplementary Answer from Councillor Bailey:

 

“That is something which, as far as I know, hasn’t been considered. But I am very happy to speak to Councillor Lidstone about any ideas he has following this meeting.”

 

3. Question by Councillor Rutland

 

“How many drivers have received fines for driving in the restricted area of Mount Pleasant Road since enforcement restarted at the end of September and how many have successfully appealed these fines?”

 

Answer from Councillor McDermott:

 

“There have been nearly 5,000 Penalty Charge Notices issued once enforcement started. As the scheme is new we have used our discretion more frequently when responding to appeals meaning there have been 310 successful appeals, which is around 6%. The prime objective of the scheme is to improve connectivity in the town for pedestrians, encourage the use of public transport and reduce emissions in the town centre. We will measure the success of this scheme by the impacts on our environment not how many fines are upheld.”

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Rutland:

 

“Given the number of people who are driving in the public realm still, do you believe the scheme has successfully achieved its objective of making it a safer more pleasant place for pedestrians.”

 

Supplementary Answer from Councillor McDermott:

 

“While walking through the centre of Tunbridge Wells, quite recently, I was quite amazed by the lack of cars in that area and the number of people who were actually walking. I think it probably has been partially successful although there are still other measures that may come in to cut more cars out who still persist in using that area.”

 

4. Question from Councillor Ellis:

 

“As Tunbridge Wells was regrettably placed in Tier 3, what steps has Tunbridge Wells Borough Council taken to lobby central Government to provide our struggling businesses with fairer grant allocations when compared with other local authorities in Kent?”

 

Answer from Councillor Dawlings:

 

“We are really well aware of this issue as I hope you appreciated from my earlier response to Mr Matthew Sankey. We have written to our MP, we have written to Government. We have lobbied through the organisations we can lobby for. I think we have done what we can do.”

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Ellis:

 

“As hospitality has been forced to close during this most active trading period, and has not been provided sufficient relief to cover businesses fixed costs, what additional lobbying has also taken to provide continued support during January and February which is often the quietest time of the year even if hospitality is allowed to open again?”

 

Supplementary Answer from Councillor Dawlings:

 

“Again as I mentioned in my reply to Mr Matthew Sankey, we have a scheme, the discretionary scheme which is payable over the next 6-9 months and we are looking to see where that can best be focused.”

 

5. Question by Councillor Morton:

 

“The CEAP was set up to look at future policies for achieving net zero by 2030 in accordance with the motion passed at Full Council in July 2019 and would like assurances that there is a long term future to Council owned buildings such as the Town Hall, in order to plan improvements to the building. This is to ensure that we are investing wisely to preserve our town's heritage for future generations.

 

Can you assure this Council that there are no plans to sell off its assets without consulting its residents?"

 

Answer from Councillor McDermott:

 

“The Town Hall as a project was included in the recent report to Cabinet on the Five Year Plan on 3 December. A recommendation in that report included considering extensive consultation with the public for all our projects and plans.”

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Morton:

 

“Would you agree that a decision needs to be made first by the Council before the CEAP can recommend carbon reduction options?”

 

Supplementary Answer from Councillor McDermott:

 

“It is in the Five Year Plan and it will be written in that first but we will go for consultation at the same time, but we will make the final decision.”