Issue - meetings

Questions on Notice

Meeting: 07/12/2022 - Council (Item 69)

To deal with any questions on notice from Members of the Council, in the order in which they have been received.

A period of up to 30 minutes is allocated for the asking and answering of questions at this meeting. This may be extended at the discretion of the Chairman with the agreement of the majority of those present.

Minutes:

The Chairman explained that 6 Questions on Notice had been received for the meeting and would be considered in the order they had been submitted.

It was explained that due to recent changes to Council meetings, Group Leaders had agreed that an extended period of up to 30 minutes would be allocated to the consideration of these questions and the answers provided and there were no supplementary questions.

Question submitted by Councillor P. M McDonald

"Does the Chairman not agree with me that he should allow supplementary questions to ensure there is no ambiguity in the response to questions."

The Chairman responded that it was not appropriate for him to determine permitting supplementary questions at Council meetings and that the question should be referred to the Constitution Review Working Group.

Question submitted by Councillor R. Hunter

“It has now been three years since this Council agreed to reverse the long standing neglect of our bus shelters and provide the modern well maintained facilities that residents deserve. However very few improvements have been made and the budget allocation is sitting unspent. I understand there are now further delays due to a review at County Council, but please could you provide some reassurance of when you expect so see these much needed improvements actually installed?”

In the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services and Community Safety, the response to this question was provided by the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing and Health and Well Being who stated that prior to installing new bus shelters, Officers had contacted Worcestershire County Council (WCC) to establish the continued future of the bus routes using that particular shelter to ensure that time and money was not wasted installing a shelter that would no longer be utilised. It was explained that WCC were undertaking a comprehensive review of bus route provisions within the County, with a ‘Bus Travel Task Force for Worcestershire’ being set up to review current bus provision and to ensure bus travel was able to meet residents’ needs across the County.

It was further clarified that once Bromsgrove District Council had been made aware of this action, a temporary hold was put on the upgrading programme for new shelters as existing routes were then at risk of being removed.

Members were informed that, prior to this announcement, the Council had installed new shelters in Littleton Avenue, Worcester Road, Whetty Lane and Callow Bridge Road. Further information was provided that there were also shelters being held at Bromsgrove depot and were ready to be installed once there was confirmation that particular bus routes would continue. It was stated that currently no information was available as to when this review would be completed, and the County Council web link did not provide a timescale for the review.

Question submitted by Councillor J. King (read by Councillor R. Hunter in the absence of Councillor J. King)

“Could you please explain why it costs £234 for a planning application for a dropped kerb?”

The Portfolio Holder ... view the full minutes text for item 69