Issue - meetings

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, the Leader of the Opposition shall be given the opportunity to raise one matter relevant to the Borough that has arisen since the last meeting of the Council.  The Leader of the Council shall then have the opportunity to advise the Council of matters relevant to the Borough that have arisen since the last meeting.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Andy McGuinness, asked the following question:

Does the Leader of the Council agree that since the introduction of the new shops at the Roaring Meg (9 Yards) retail park, the parking situation has got progressively worse and although not a Council responsibility could the Council play a facilitation role in trying to improve the situation for residents and shoppers?

The Leader of the Council asked the Portfolio Holder for Economy, Enterprise and Transport to respond.  The Portfolio Holder advised that although the parking at the Retail Park was privately owned and the responsibility of the owners of the site to manage, she would be happy to work in partnership with the owners and the County Council as this was primarily a highways issue.  She suggested that Councillor McGuinness could contact the Lib Dem Highways Portfolio Holder at the County Council to encourage joint working on this issue.

The Council then received updates from the relevant Cabinet Portfolio Holders on the following matters:

• STEM and STEAM Opportunities;
• Stevenage Works Community Chest Fund and the Meet the Builders Event at the Oval;
• New Weekly Food Waste Collection;
• work with Age UK;
• Sustaining Local Leadership and Place?Based Innovation project;
• Project Vigilant and The Orphan Film;

• Young Persons Working Party;
• Stevenage’s 80^th Anniversary;

• Stevenage Station Gateway.

In response to the updates, Councillor Andy McGuinness asked the Portfolio Holder for Environment if he was aware of the issues that had been reported with the mechanisms on the new food waste caddies.  The Portfolio Holder advised that there had been some teething problems which were being addressed.  He would be speaking to the Team and would report the concerns back to them but gave assurances that the problems would be addressed before the whole town roll out of the scheme.

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, the Leader of the Opposition shall be given the opportunity to raise one matter relevant to the Borough that has arisen since the last meeting of the Council.  The Leader of the Council shall then have the opportunity to advise the Council of matters relevant to the Borough that have arisen since the last meeting.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stephen Booth, asked the following question:

Does the Leader of the Council think it acceptable to build blocks of flats to house families in order to fulfil the Government’s demand that the country builds 1.5million homes in a town where homes once meant houses with separated bedrooms and gardens for children?

The Leader of the Council referred to the housing crisis in the country and reminded Councillor Booth that the Council was building houses as well as flats across the town.

The Council then received updates from the relevant Cabinet Portfolio Holders on the following matters:

• Digital Strategy and Frequency Coffee;
• BIZ4BIZ Awards and New Mentoring Opportunities;
• National plan to end homelessness and the development at Dunn Close;
• Park Visits;
• Community Select Committee and Older People;
• Tenant Consultation;

• County Lines;
• Stevenage 80^th Anniversary;

• LGR Update and Indoor Market and new Engineering Campus.

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, the Leader of the Opposition shall be given the opportunity to raise one matter relevant to the Borough that has arisen since the last meeting of the Council.  The Leader of the Council shall then have the opportunity to advise the Council of matters relevant to the Borough that have arisen since the last meeting.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stephen Booth, asked the following question:

Now that the County Council had started work on the Old Town High Street, businesses and their customers would be experiencing disruption and inconvenience with the loss of free parking well into 2026.  Would the Leader of the Council consider offering free parking for the first half an hour in both the Primett Road and Church Lane car parks whilst the road works continued?

The Leader of the Council asked the Portfolio Holder for Economy, Skills and Transport to respond to Councillor Booth’s question. 

The Portfolio Holder advised that there were ongoing discussions with Herts County Council regarding possible contributions from them for the loss of income to ensure local taxpayers were not disadvantaged.  The suggestion of thirty minutes free parking would impact the Council’s income and impact other spend priorities across the town such as leisure.  The Portfolio Holder suggested that the Leader of the Opposition speak to his Liberal Democrat County Council colleagues to request support on the issue.

The Council then received updates from the relevant Cabinet Portfolio Holders on the following matters:

• Climate Change Community Fund;
• The New Leisure Centre and Carbon Footprint;
• Expansion of the Beryl Bike Scheme;
• STEM Opportunities in Stevenage;
• Tenancy Audits;
• Housing Development and Grant Funding;

• International Day of Older People;
• Co-operative Neighbourhoods Update;
• 16 Days of Action – Domestic Abuse;
• Flags;

• Bus Interchange Sculpture;
• 80^th Anniversary of Stevenage;

• LGR Update.