Agenda item

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 15 minutes is allocated for the asking and answering of questions.  This may be extended at the discretion of the Chairman with the agreement of the majority of those present.

 

The Questions on Notice will follow in a supplementary pack.

 

The Chairman advised that 6 Questions on Notice had been received for this meeting.

 

Question submitted by Councillor R. Hunter

 

Councillor R. Hunter asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services, “The new NPPF published in December 2023 clarifies that: ‘there is no requirement for Green Belt boundaries to be reviewed or changed when plans are being prepared or updated’ (Paragraph 145, p42). What will you do to enact this new Government directive here in Bromsgrove so that our Green Belt is better protected in the next local plan?”

 

Councillor K. Taylor responded that “The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) needs to be read as a whole and considered very carefully before decisions are made on the future planning policies for Bromsgrove. The sentence in the NPPF which follows the one quoted in the question reads as follows ‘Authorities may choose toreview and alter Green Belt boundaries where exceptional circumstances are fully evidenced and justified.’ Therefore Paragraph 145 when looked at in full does not contain a directive on the green belt, it provides a choice for local authorities. That choice is for the local plan to consider alongside the rest of the NPPF which amongst many things still stresses the need to meet housing and employment needs. Officers are working on the options available to the Council in light of the new NPPF and will be discussed at the Strategic Planning Steering Group (SPSG) in due course.”

 

Councillor Hunter asked a supplementary question, whether Councillor Taylor accepted that this meant it was now effectively in the Council’s gift, where previously under the NPPF the Council did not have an option about whether or not to release green belt to meet the District’s housing targets.

 

Councillor Taylor responded that currently the Council had approximately three and a half years’ housing supply and some developers might look at what ‘special circumstances’ might be used to seek to develop in the green belt.  He urged all members to participate in the SPSG to consider this issue.

 

Question Submitted by Councillor M. Marshall

 

Councillor M. Marshall asked the Deputy Leader:

 

“Empty shops on Bromsgrove High Street give an unsightly and depressing impression of our town, deterring visitors and potential investors. The former Edinburgh Woollen Mill is by far the worst example. What is the council doing to ensure the site is made safe and when will the barriers be removed?” 

 

Councillor S. Baxter replied that “We are aware of Edinburgh Woollen Mill and agree that in its current state it sets a poor standard for the high street. The site is currently under investigation with the planning enforcement department. The

Council is limited in the action it can take beyond ensuring safety for the public.

 

Bromsgrove joins multiple other high streets that are suffering from changes in shopping habits and economic challenges. Bromsgrove District Council have recently introduced a Centres Enhancement Grant. The aim is to tackle vacant units, make improvements to frontages, improve accessibility, boost footfall and enhance the sustainability of businesses. The grant offers £10,000 or £5,000 for businesses within the centres to either, occupy a vacant unit or improve the frontage of an existing unit.  The Town Centre Manager works closely with local businesses to support them”.  Councillor Baxter also commented that all Councillors should communicate the availability of the grants to appropriate businesses across the District.

 

Councillor Marshall asked a supplementary question about how long the Edinburgh Woollen Mill site would remain in its current condition, as he had been asking questions about it for 9 months. 

 

Councillor Baxter responded that it was a difficult situation, she reiterated that the Council’s control was limited and it could ensure safety, but she could not give details about an ongoing enforcement case.

 

 

Question submitted by Councillor D. Nicholls

 

Councillor D. Nicolls asked the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing and Strategic Housing:

 

“I have two residents in my ward who have been waiting almost 5 months for a walk in shower funded by DFG to be installed. This is causing considerable hardship. How long should residents normally have to wait for aids and adaptations such as this and what can be done to speed up the process?”

 

Councillor S Webb responded that “The aids and adaption service is delivered through a County Wide contract with an organisation called Millbrook and timeframes are to some extent dependent on the number of cases at any one time. 

 

There are 3 categories of work:

·       Urgent

·       Category 1

·       Category 2/3

Referrals are worked in date order that they are received into the agency from the NHS Occupational Therapy Service.  This is unless a referral is categorised by an Occupational Therapist as Urgent, in which these cases are picked up and completed within 55 days. These cases are usually for palliative customers or emergencies such as carer breakdown. The Occupational Therapist has the responsibility of prioritising the customer which is based on clinical need and cannot be changed by Millbrook.

 

There can be reasons why some customers may be seen before another (out of date order), the reasons may be:

·        A delay in a landlord giving permission for work on the property

·        Customer in hospital 

·        Customer temporarily unwell 

On average the process of an Occupational Therapist identifying the need for a walk-in shower, to the final payment date is approximately 7-8 months (based upon 2023 completed cases).  However, as mentioned above there are factors that can affect each individual case. 

 

In respect of reducing this time, recruiting to vacant posts in a timely manner can assist (there is one vacant post out of 8 technical caseworkers within Millbrook).  There has been a recruitment drive within the Occupational Therapists’ service which has had a direct impact upon the number of referrals received.  Since June 2023 we have seen referrals increase from an average of 10 per month to 30 per month this will have an impact upon timescales and available budget when reaching the approval stage.

 

Councillor Nicholls asked a supplementary question and thanked officers for their input.  He referred to the distressing circumstances faced by the customers and asked whether the additional Government funding recently announced for local government could be used to improve the situation.

 

Councillor Webb replied that funding was not the issue, the performance of the contract was being reviewed together with the specifications and the contract which Millbrook was currently carrying out was due to be re-let next year. 

 

Question submitted by Councillor S. Evans

 

Councillor S. Evans asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Licensing and WRS:

 

“Chronic traffic congestion in Bromsgrove town centre has been exacerbated recently by the closure of Whitford Road. The huge additional strain this put on local roads has caused significant delays, making people late for work and children late for school. Residents fear this could be a sign of things to come when the number of homes increases. What planning obligations have been placed on the developer to mitigate traffic congestion and is there a timescale within which these must be completed?”

 

Councillor K. Taylor responded that “The Whitford Road scheme allowed at appeal in February 2021 under outline planning application 16/1132 included a package of mitigation measures to address the effects on the highway network. The Fox Lane priority junction would be altered with the formation of a roundabout, alterations would be made to the mini-roundabout at the Charford Road junction, and a signalisation scheme is proposed for the staggered crossroads at the Kidderminster Road junction. Conditions have been imposed on the appeal decision which would ensure the provision of these junction works, together with a timeframe for implementation.  These being:

(25)  No part of the development shall be occupied until the junction of Fox Lane/Rock Hill has been altered in accordance with the scheme for a roundabout shown on the plan Fox Lane/ Rock Hill schematic ref 7033-SK-005 revision F.

 

(27)     No more than 99 dwellings shall be occupied until the junction of the A448/Whitford Road/Perryfields Road has been altered in accordance with the plan Whitford Road/ Perryfields Road proposed junction arrangement ref 461451-D-014, and until a pedestrian crossing on the A448 has been provided in accordance with the plan Potential A448 signalised crossing ref 7033-SK-015 revision A.

 

(28)     No more than 249 dwellings shall be occupied until the junction of Charford Road/Rock Hill/Worcester Road has been altered in accordance with the scheme for a roundabout shown on the plan Mitigation for Rock Hill/ Charford Road mini-roundabout ref 7033-SK-013 revision E.

 

Through planning obligations, financial contributions would be made to schemes at other junctions. The sum of £744,681.58 would be paid to Worcestershire County Council (as the Local Highway Authority) towards alterations at the Hanover Street junction and at Market Street/St John Street, and a separate obligation would involve a contribution of £1,312,706.94 towards the County Council’s A38 Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme. In addition, the proposal includes new pedestrian crossing facilities on Whitford Road and Kidderminster Road, and financial contributions towards a bus service between the development, the town centre and the railway station, and towards cycle and pedestrian links.”

 

 

Question submitted by Councillor J. Robinson

 

Councillor J. Robinson asked the following question to the Deputy Leader:

 

“With the news that Bromsgrove will no longer be benefiting from the services of NWEDR, what action will you be taking to ensure efforts to regenerate North Worcestershire remain joined up and that Bromsgrove is still able to bid competitively for grant funding?”

 

The Deputy Leader replied that “A report will come to Cabinet on 14^th February 2024 that deals with the Termination of the shared service arrangement for North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration.

 

This report will contain a confidential appendix that sets out how the council priority of Economic Development and Regeneration will be delivered in future.

 

Economic development and regeneration is a key priority for Bromsgrove and we will have a team ready to ensure the delivery of the Levelling Up Fund and to be able to bid competitively for any future opportunities that arise.”

 

Councillor Robinson asked a supplementary question about whether by operating the function on its own and potentially losing efficiencies gained through the current shared service model, the Council would incur additional costs or have to make savings.  Councillor Baxter replied that further details would be available when the report was considered by Cabinet and members were welcome to attend the meeting.

 

Question Submitted by Councillor D. Stewart

 

Councillor D. Stewart asked the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing and Strategic Housing, “I note with concern that the Household Support Fund Phase 4 has been closed to new applicants.  Please could an overview be provided by officers of how the fund has been administered and the outcomes?”

 

Councillor S. Webb responded that “The Household Support Fund Round 4 has been paused due to all the funding being allocated. 

 

The closure of the application was communicated to relevant service areas and partners and was shared on the Council’s website.

 

The fact that the funding was allocated so quickly reflects the needs for support for some of our residents.  The Household Support Fund grants were not the only means of support and our cost-of-living website and leaflet produced in partnership with other agencies sets out a range of support available.  This includes

 

-        support from Act on Energy to help cover energy bills, energy debt and/or assistance towards repairing broken boilers and heating systems.

-        Through the Worcestershire Advice Network, help is also available for eligible pensioners NOT in receipt of Pension Credit, people with disabilities or a long-term health condition of any age, and carers of any age.

-        Details on the government’s Cost of Living Payments 2023-24 that are automatically paid to eligible residents and advice on how to report non receipt of this payment

-        The Bromsgrove Energy Advice Service that provide a free impartial Energy Advice Service delivered by Act on Energy that helps residents to cut energy bills, minimise home energy use and reduce carbon emissions

 

Details of other local support available can be found on the Council’s Cost Of Living pages on its website and covers areas such as:

 

-        Help with food, furniture and household supplies

-        Help with jobs, education and development

-        Help for families

-        Help if you have a disability

-        Help for older people

-        Help with housing, money and debt

-        Help with mental health and wellbeing

-        Help for young people under 25

I will arrange for these links to be circulated after the meeting for Members’ consideration.”