Agenda item
Questions to the Cabinet Leader and Cabinet Members received under Standing Order 10(c)
To deal with the following questions to the Cabinet Leader and / or other Cabinet Members, in accordance with Standing Order 11.3(a):
(i) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Steward:
“What evidence has he that people want to see greater regional powers devolved to Yorkshire and the Humber and what specific powers he would like to see?”
(ii) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Steward:
“Can you dismiss rumours that you only ever want to be associated with good news by detailing which York City matches you attended prior to their recent two trips to Wembley?”
(iii) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Barton:
“Can the Leader tell Council how much of the Delivery and Innovation fund has been allocated since its inception and to whom?”
(iv) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Taylor:
“What does the Leader plan to do to try to compensate for the £50M* annual loss of trade to the city centre that will be caused by the new Monk's Cross retail development?”
* figure indicated in Drivers Jonas report to Planning Committee.
(v) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Taylor:
“ What are the monthly figures for the last 12 months for the number of empty shops in York city centre?”
(vi) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Taylor:
“What plans does the Leader have to extend the membership of the new ‘City Team’ which replaces the Retail Strategy Group to include a broader cross-section of York residents and city centre stakeholders, such as representatives of the heritage, tourism, education and cultural sectors as well as the voluntary sector, transport groups, disability groups and city centre residents?”
(vii) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Taylor:
“What is the outcome so far of the negotiations that the Council has been conducting with Centros/La Salle about the Castle/Piccadilly development following the Monk's Cross decision?”
(viii) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Taylor:
“Can the Leader guarantee that whatever is negotiated regarding Castle/Piccadilly, that the Council will deliver a public park on the site of the Castle Car Park in keeping with the wishes of the majority of citizens of York?”
(ix) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Runciman:
“Will the Council Leader ensure he abides by motions passed by this Council and provides an update at every Council meeting on the Sports Village Pool and the new Council HQ?”
(x) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Runciman:
“Would the Council Leader please indicate how – and by whom - the specification for the fittings, fixtures and furnishings required at the new Council HQ is being drawn up, what the agreed budget is for each service/activity area. Would he explain how he intends to monitor the prudent use of the budgets that have been provided for this part of the HQ project and how he intends to update Council members and residents on the progress being made?”
(xi) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Reid:
“Does the Council Leaderagree with decision to employ the Interim Director of City and Environmental Services on £3,000 a week?”
(xii) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Reid:
“Could the Council Leader provide a full breakdown of the recruitment process for the new Director of City and Environmental Services and indicate what succession planning took place when the outgoing Director announced he was leaving the position at the beginning of March?”
(xiii) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Ayre:
“Would the Leader confirm how many reports have been received since its launch via the Smarter York mobile phone application and how this compares to the number of reports made during the same period via other channels?”
(xiv) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Ayre:
“Is the Leader aware that the names of residents reporting issues via the Smarter York system is accessible for anyone to view via the public web site. As many of the reports concern illegal activities such as incidents of graffiti, would the Leader agree that residents registering to use the system should in the future have the option of keeping their personal details confidential?”
(xv) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Reid:
“Now that the Cabinet Member Decision sessions have been abandoned when will members be informed of:
• the process by which Cabinet members will make decisions
• how members of Council and members of the public will know when and where those decisions will be made
• how representations can be made and
• how the calling in process will operate?”
(xvi) To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Ayre:
“In April the Council said it expected to “receive full payment within the next month” for the outstanding rent still owed by UK Entertainment Online Ltd in regards to the Winter Wonderland in Exhibition Square last December. Could the Council Leader indicate whether this was achieved and if not what money is still owed to the Council?”
(xvii) To the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services from Cllr Steward:
“Is the cabinet’s ongoing policy of financially discriminating against villages for services like youth provision deliberate or due to incompetence?”
(xviii) To the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services from Cllr Steward:
“Why has the lack of planning for Bill Woolley’s departure left taxpayers paying £3,000 per (four day) week for an interim replacement?”
(xix) To the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services from Cllr Steward:
“How much has ‘free’ Wi-fi now cost the council and how much additional revenue is it believed to have brought to the city?”
(xx) To the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services from Cllr Steward:
“In the wake of the adverse financial changes she continues to make for Parish Councils and her condemnation of many in The Press, can the cabinet member detail what engagement she has had with parish councils and specifically how many Parish Council Meetings she has attended in the last year?”
(xxi) To the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services from Cllr Steward:
“In the wake of cuts to elderly care, youth provision and rubbish collection are there any cuts the Cabinet will not consider before looking at cutting funding paid for Trade Union representation time?”
(xxii) To the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services from Cllr Barton:
“Whilst congratulating Ian Floyd and his team on the excellent results they have achieved in attaining an overall council tax recovery rate of 98%, how much of the £3.5 million worth of unpaid council tax 2010/11/12 has been budgeted to be written off, and over what period?”
(xxiii) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Steward:
“What is the estimated cost in this council term for ‘consulting on’, announcing and implementing more 20mph zones?”
(xxiv) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Steward:
“Are there any plans to look at trial closures of Ouse and or Lendal Bridges and if so under what time scales?
(xxv) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr D’Agorne:
“When is CYC likely to follow the example of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority in formally moving forward on adopting a Quality Bus Contract for the city to address high fares, inadequate evening and weekend services and declining non park and ride bus usage?
Could you explain why the most recent publicly available minutes of the York Quality Bus Partnership are from Sept 2011 and the council website indicates that this body was 'decommissioned' as a body in May 2012?
What progress has been made in discussions with North Yorkshire Police in securing a partnership approach to achieving effective compliance with 20mph and 30mph speed limits within the city?
What studies have been undertaken in York or elsewhere to identify any link between the introduction of lower speed limits and air quality, notably the prevailing NO2 /PM10 and CO levels?”
(xxvi) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Taylor:
“How does the Cabinet Member for City Strategy plan to try to compensate for the impact of the approved Monk's Cross development on the city’s transport networks and air quality?”
(xxvii) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Taylor:
“How does the Cabinet Member for City Strategy justify retaining the Government funding for the Local Sustainable Transport Fund work which now merely compensates for the damage that will be caused in terms of air quality and traffic congestion by the Monk's Cross development, when that money was awarded to the city to tackle already existing high traffic levels, congestion and air pollution in the north-east quadrant around Monk's Cross?”
(xxviii) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Firth:
“The introduction of a £5 a day "All York" bus ticket on the 1st July was announced a few weeks ago. How much is this initiative costing and how are these costs being apportioned?”
(xxix) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Aspden:
“What is the Council doing to fulfil the requirement of the Localism Act to maintain a list of "assets of community value?”
(xxx) To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Reid:
“Could the Cabinet Member and Flood Defence Representative update Council on the Leeman Road Flood Defences Project?”
(xxxi) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Steward:
“What tangible achievements against decreasing crime does the
member believe were only made possible by the actions of his
predecessor Councillor Fraser in what many of my constituents have
told me was an expensive but fruitless year in the
job?”
(xxxii) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Steward:
“How many Neighbourhood Watch meetings does he hope to achieve and in what new ways does he intend to work with the organisation?”
(xxxiii) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Steward:
“What enforcement has there has been of 20mph zones to date and how this will change when more of the city has this speed limit?”
(xxxiv) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Steward:
“Why there was so little information to Parish Councils about the recent removal of bins?”
(xxxv) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Orrell:
“Would the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities please confirm – detailing each ward separately - the number of residents who recorded votes in the Ward Committee budget ballot, undertaken in the Autumn of 2011, together with the comparable turnout figures for 2010 and 2009. Would he confirm what he intends to do to increase the numbers participating in consultation exercises like these and would he agree with me that, in wards like Holgate and Westfield, where local Councillors largely ignored the results of the ballot, this is likely to increase the cynicism felt about the present Council Leadership by many local residents?”
(xxxvi) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Orrell:
“How will the dates and details of ‘informal’ ward committee meetings be communicated to residents?”
(xxxvii) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Orrell:
“Why areParish Councils not allowed to apply for funding from the ward committee budgets?”
(xxxviii) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Runciman:
“How does the cancellation of meetings, the increasing tendency to take decisions behind closed doors, and the undermining of the award winning ward public participation scheme, fit with Labour’s manifesto promise to listen to residents and make consultation with communities genuine?”
(xxxix) To the Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities from Cllr Reid:
“Instead of rolling out the programme to all wards, the Cabinet has taken the decision to cut the Capable Guardian neighbourhood policing project. Could the Cabinet Member indicate why this decision was taken, what consultation was undertaken, and how effective coordination between the Council, Police, Schools and other partners will now be achieved?”
(xl) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr Barton:
“Would the Cabinet Member agree that the recent recovery of many of the city’s litter bins was a tactical disaster leading to a monumental number of calls of complaint to the CYC Contact Centre and that the reputation of the City of York has been left damaged as a result?”
(xli) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr Barton:
“Will the many litter bins owned by parish councils and recently “recovered” without notice by CYC staff be reinstated without delay should the parish councils lay claim to them?”
(xlii) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr Wiseman:
“Can you confirm that there are no plans for the closure of the Towthorpe tip [or refuse centre or whatever its official name is]?”
(xliii) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr D’Agorne:
“Can the Cabinet Member please explain why there was no consultation with or information provided to ward councillors prior to the removal of about a third of the city's litter bins, and is he now belatedly prepared to allow ward councillors a say in prioritising appropriate locations in which to retain the remaining bins?”
(xliv) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr D’Agorne:
“In the light of recent unprecedented flash flooding events in Newcastle and West Yorkshire (and on a smaller scale in the Badger Hill area of York) will he reconsider the budget decision to abandon annual planned gully clearing operations in York?”
(xlv) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr Reid:
“In the light of the decisions made at Budget Council to reduce the funding for green waste collection by £50k in 2012/13 and a further £200K in 2013/14 (Ref CANs 103), would the Cabinet member for Environmental Services please explain:
a) What progress he has made in achieving the savings agreed for the current financial year and give details of how the saving is being/will be achieved?
b) How he intends to achieve the proposed saving in 2013/14 together with an indication of when residents can expect to be consulted on his proposals?”
(xlvi) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr Reid:
“Does the Cabinet member intend to implement the proposed £300,000 budget saving (£150k per year) identified as “rationalising refuse collection rounds” (ref. CANS31) and if so when will he do so and with what implications for residents. And how will these implications be communicated to residents?”
(xlvii) To the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services from Cllr Aspden:
“In light of the decision to ask Parish Councils to take on the funding of salt bins previously funded by the Ward Committees. Would the Cabinet Member please explain:
a) Does Cllr Sonja Crisp’s commitment that City of York Council will fund all salt bins required still stand?
b) What feedback has been received from Parish Councils?
c) What will happen to the salt bins previously funded by the Ward Committees in non-Parished areas?
d) Is there a threat of double taxation as residents will be paying two authorities for the service?
e) What are the legal implications for City of York Council in terms of not refilling salt bins?
f) Was it sensible to train ‘Salt Wardens’ last year and then this year not give them the tools to do their job?”
(xlviii) To the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services from Cllr Doughty:
“With reference to the Labour Cabinet's proposed changes to Social Care support in the City, the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services was reported to have said that it has been "calculated that to continue to provide services to people in the moderate, substantial and critical bands, it would cost us an additional £3.7M next year”.
1. How much is expected to be saved from this £3.7M by the proposed removal of those with needs assessed as 'moderate'?
2. How many people will be affected and is there a group that are likely to be particularly affected, eg. The elderly, those with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, mental health issues?
3. Does the Cabinet Member not believe this will put extra pressure on family members who will have to pick up the extra responsibility in the Carers role should Statutory assistance be withdrawn?”
(xlix) To the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services from Cllr D’Agorne:
“In the light of increasing energy prices and our CO2 reduction targets, what plans does the Council have for ensuring that energy efficiency and renewables continue to be installed in significant numbers of York’s private housing stock after the Government’s flawed Green Deal and ECO schemes replaces existing grant schemes this Autumn?”
(l) To the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services from Cllr Aspden:
“How much does it cost City of York Council on average to change a light bulb in our residential care homes?”
(li) To the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services from Cllr Aspden:
“I recently visited the YorkCraft factory and heard more about the inspiring Workstep Programme, which not only provides a vital social function but also produces first-class results for City of York Council. Could the Cabinet Member investigate whether more could be done to support this project?”
(lii) To the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services from Cllr Cuthbertson:
“The 2011 Lib Dem budget agreed £700,000 for the investment in insulation and replacement of draughty windows in Council owned properties. Could the Cabinet Member update Council on this work?”
(liii) To the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services from Cllr Aspden:
“Could the Cabinet Member indicate how many peoplewill be affected by the plan to withdraw financial support from residents with 'moderate' care needs and what will be done to help the older people, people with learning disabilities and disabled people affected by the cut?”
(liv) To the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism from Cllr Barton:
“Now that the project team for the Community Stadium has fulfilled its role, when will it be disbanded, bearing in mind the current need for major cost savings?”
(lv) To the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism from Cllr Ayre:
“Given that the granting of planning permission means movement to more detailed discussion on the make-up of the community facilities at the Community Stadium. When will the next meeting of the Stadium Advisory Group be? And what opportunity will the public have to input?”
(lvi) To the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism from Cllr Ayre:
“Under the terms of reference for the Equality Advisory Group (EAG) there should be 3 business meetings, 2 community engagement event days, 1 CMT meeting and 18 Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) should have been considered . Can the cabinet member state on which date each of these meetings took place and detail the 18 EIAs that have been considered by the EAG?”
Minutes:
Fifty two questions had been submitted to the Cabinet Leader and Cabinet Members under Standing Order 11.3(a). The guillotine having fallen at this point, the Cabinet Members undertook to provide Members with written answers to these questions.