Agenda item
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS / PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
In accordance with Standing Orders, written answers to the following questions will be circulated on a supplementary agenda.
(A) Question from Councillor Graham Lawrence CC
“After spending so much time on children's play areas in the Borough, inspecting, reviewing upgrading some and closing others, does the Council think it should maintain those that remain, rather than allow them to become damaged and overrun with plant growth and rubbish?”
(B) Question from Councillor Phil Bibby CC
(C) Question from Councillor Bret Facey
“Does the Leader still believe that the £110,000 refurbishment of Shephalbury Park's tennis courts, which was funded by the Lawn Tennis Association and Conservative government, is ‘fantastic news’ for Stevenage people?”
(D) Question from Councillor Chris Howells
“When will this Council start to take the safety of pedestrians in the Town Centre seriously? We are having to dodge cyclists, skateboarders and e-scooters in what is meant to be a pedestrianised zone. It is hardly surprising that Stevenage as a Town suffers from a poor reputation across the County when this is what visitors get to see.”
(E) Question from Councillor Stephen Booth
“Will SBC undertake to consult with ward councillors ahead of Council sales of green space or other land for development?”
(F) Question from Councillor Andy McGuinness
“What progress is being made on decarbonising the Council by its target of 2030?”
(G) Question from Councillor Robin Parker CC
“What publicity or other actions are the council promoting, in conjunction with the police, about the use of electric scooters being illegal when used other than on private land?”
(H) Question from Councillor Graham Snell
“Can the Council explain what the long-term plans are for the use of the currently vacant former car park area to the north of the new multi-storey car park on the train station site?”
(I) Question from Councillor Tom Wren
“Does the Council think that an electric bicycle hire scheme could be viable in Stevenage and help to meet our climate change objectives?”
Decision:
The Council received nine questions from Members to Committee Chairs/Portfolio Holders. The responses to the nine questions had been published in the supplementary agenda for the meeting.
(A) Question from Councillor Graham Lawrence CC re: maintenance of children’s play areas across the Borough
No supplementary question was asked.
(B) Question from Councillor Phil Bibby CC re: road sweeping and parked vehicles
Supplementary question – “Could a system be introduced for the hot-spotting of certain roads for sweeping, so that residents could be pre-advised?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment & Performance acknowledged the issue and stated that it may be helpful to have a meeting with officers at the Cavendish Road Depot to discuss a possible way forward.
(C) Question from Councillor Bret Facey re: the recently refurbished Shephalbury Park tennis courts
Supplementary question – “When identical tennis court refurbishment schemes to the Shephalbury Park project were proposed in Barnet, Harrow and Gloucester the Labour Group Leaders on those councils denounced them as privatisation of the parks and a slap in the face to less well-off tennis players. Who is right, Councillor Henry or the Leaders in Barnet, Harrow and Gloucester?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure & IT replied that Councillor Henry was right. For whatever reason those other councils made their decisions was a matter for them. In Stevenage, the Council supported tennis and local people, especially youth involvement, and Councillor Henry had been instrumental in making that happen.
(D) Question from Councillor Chris Howells re: pedestrian safety in the Town Centre.
Supplementary question – “Can the Town Centre Neighbourhood Wardens be given some powers to address cycling, skateboarding and the use of e-scooters in the pedestrianised town centre?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities answered that, by law, the Town Centre Wardens had very limited powers, and commented that it was a Police matter. She was aware that the Police patrolled the area on a periodic basis, but also that they had other priorities. She suggested that the matter be raised at the forthcoming Police Priorities Meeting.
(E) Question from Councillor Stephen Booth re: consultation with Ward Councillors ahead of Council sales of green space or other land for development
No supplementary question was asked.
(F) Question from Councillor Andy McGuinness re: the Council’s 2030 decarbonisation target
Supplementary question – “Will Members be given a cast-iron guarantee that work will be done to baseline the Council’s carbon footprint, in order that progress can be measured on an annual basis towards the 2030 decarbonisation target?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment & Performance agreed that the Council could not at the moment be precise about status against its 2030 target, although the answer to the original question referred to the Climate Change tracker. The Council’s responsibilities mainly concerned the decarbonisation of its housing and the vehicle fleet. He added that the annual Climate Change update report would be submitted to the Executive in October 2023, and he agreed that in order to performance manage the process the Council would need to know the current position, the direction of travel, and the constraints/obstacles in the way. In October the tracker would also be presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Environment & Economy Select Committee.
(G) Question from Councillor Robin Parker re: the legalities of the use of electric scooters
Supplementary question – “Could the Council publish information about the illegality of electric scooters in the Chronicle Magazine, via posters on noticeboards and community centres, and on the SBC website?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities replied that the Council would publish this information.
(H) Question from Councillor Graham Snell re: the long-term plans for the former car park area to the north of the new Multi-Storey Car Park.
Supplementary question – “Could I be out in touch with an officer in the Regeneration Team to discuss the future proposals for this area of land?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Economy & Transport replied that Councillor Snell was welcome to contact any officers in the Regeneration Team to discuss the matter.
(I) Question from Councillor Tom Wren re: a suggestion from an electric bike scheme.
There was no supplementary question, but Councillor Wren welcomed the fact that electric bikes were to be included in the cycle hire scheme being investigated by the Council.
Minutes:
The Council received nine questions from Members to Committee Chairs/Portfolio Holders. The responses to the nine questions had been published in the supplementary agenda for the meeting.
(A) Question from Councillor Graham Lawrence CC re: maintenance of children’s play areas across the Borough
No supplementary question was asked.
(B) Question from Councillor Phil Bibby CC re: road sweeping and parked vehicles
Supplementary question – “Could a system be introduced for the hot-spotting of certain roads for sweeping, so that residents could be pre-advised?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment & Performance acknowledged the issue and stated that it may be helpful to have a meeting with officers at the Cavendish Road Depot to discuss a possible way forward.
(C) Question from Councillor Bret Facey re: the recently refurbished Shephalbury Park tennis courts
Supplementary question – “When identical tennis court refurbishment schemes to the Shephalbury Park project were proposed in Barnet, Harrow and Gloucester the Labour Group Leaders on those councils denounced them as privatisation of the parks and a slap in the face to less well-off tennis players. Who is right, Councillor Henry or the Leaders in Barnet, Harrow and Gloucester?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure & IT replied that Councillor Henry was right. For whatever reason those other councils made their decisions was a matter for them. In Stevenage, the Council supported tennis and local people, especially youth involvement, and Councillor Henry had been instrumental in making that happen.
(D) Question from Councillor Chris Howells re: pedestrian safety in the Town Centre.
Supplementary question – “Can the Town Centre Neighbourhood Wardens be given some powers to address cycling, skateboarding and the use of e-scooters in the pedestrianised town centre?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities answered that, by law, the Town Centre Wardens had very limited powers, and commented that it was a Police matter. She was aware that the Police patrolled the area on a periodic basis, but also that they had other priorities. She suggested that the matter be raised at the forthcoming Police Priorities Meeting.
(E) Question from Councillor Stephen Booth re: consultation with Ward Councillors ahead of Council sales of green space or other land for development
No supplementary question was asked.
(F) Question from Councillor Andy McGuinness re: the Council’s 2030 decarbonisation target
Supplementary question – “Will Members be given a cast-iron guarantee that work will be done to baseline the Council’s carbon footprint, in order that progress can be measured on an annual basis towards the 2030 decarbonisation target?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment & Performance agreed that the Council could not at the moment be precise about status against its 2030 target, although the answer to the original question referred to the Climate Change tracker. The Council’s responsibilities mainly concerned the decarbonisation of its housing and the vehicle fleet. He added that the annual Climate Change update report would be submitted to the Executive in October 2023, and he agreed that in order to performance manage the process the Council would need to know the current position, the direction of travel, and the constraints/obstacles in the way. In October the tracker would also be presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Environment & Economy Select Committee.
(G) Question from Councillor Robin Parker re: the legalities of the use of electric scooters
Supplementary question – “Could the Council publish information about the illegality of electric scooters in the Chronicle Magazine, via posters on noticeboards and community centres, and on the SBC website?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities replied that the Council would publish this information.
(H) Question from Councillor Graham Snell re: the long-term plans for the former car park area to the north of the new Multi-Storey Car Park.
Supplementary question – “Could I be out in touch with an officer in the Regeneration Team to discuss the future proposals for this area of land?”
The Executive Portfolio Holder for Economy & Transport replied that Councillor Snell was welcome to contact any officers in the Regeneration Team to discuss the matter.
(I) Question from Councillor Tom Wren re: a suggestion from an electric bike scheme.
There was no supplementary question, but Councillor Wren welcomed the fact that electric bikes were to be included in the cycle hire scheme being investigated by the Council.
Supporting documents:
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