Agenda item
Member Questions
The following questions have been submitted:
Question from Councillor Richard Morgan to Councillor Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Development Management and Licensing:
Cllr Layton, I have been contacted by Didmarton Parish Council and several concerned local Didmarton residents regarding a large semi-permanent "Costa Coffee Cup" advertisement situated outside of the BP petrol station on the A433 (just north of Didmarton).
Whilst nobody is objecting to this type of advertising, this specific advert is situated on the edge of the road and restricts the view of oncoming traffic when vehicles are exiting the petrol station (please see the attached photos). A number of residents have asked me if this advertising could be moved back 1 or 2 meters so it is less of a hazard.
The Costa Coffee Cup is a semi-permanent structure. It is movable but it has a solid concrete base. In theory it should be easy to relocate the advertisement to a less dangerous position. Local residents have allegedly spoken to the owner of the petrol station and asked for the advertising to be moved, but no action has been taken.
As a result, Didmarton Parish Council have contacted GCC Highways, but GCC HIghways advised that this is a CDC planning issue and should be dealt with by Cotswold District Council. On that basis, could you please clarify the following questions:
1 - Is this type of semi-permanent advertising situated outside of petrol stations a CDC planning issue or a GCC Highways issue?
2 - If the answer to question one is that this is a CDC planning issue - does this advertisement have the correct planning permissions in place?
3 - What can CDC do to investigate the claims that this advertisement is a hazard and restricts the view of oncoming traffic when exiting the petrol station.
4 - Can you ensure that CDC will take the appropriate action regarding this hazard.
Question from Councillor Stephen Andrews to Councillor Rachel Coxcoon, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Forward Planning:
On 12th January 2022 the Government completed its consultation on the phasing out of the installation of fossil fuel heating in homes that are off the gas grid in England. For those homes that are off the gas grid there is no strategic hydrogen option whilst many of those homes are heritage homes that do not lend themselves to the levels of insulation required of low temperature air source heat pumps. Other issues, such as the need for the local electricity distribution networks to be upgraded to accommodate an electricity-based solution may also make an electricity-based solution wholly impactable in the short to medium term.
For the Cotswolds, this was an important consultation given the historic nature of many homes in our District and the difficulty that many of those homeowners have found in finding a practical and economically sensible solution to the problem of moving away from a fossil fuel based domestic heating system.
Given the importance of this issue to this Council and to its residents, has this Council submitted a response to this consultation? If so, what was the major concern that was identified across the areas being consulted on?
Will the Council response to that consultation be made available to all Members and to the public?
Question from Councillor Stephen Hirst to Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council:
As from the 19th January the Government is no longer asking people to work from home. Employees should now talk to their employers to agree arrangements to return to the office.
Can you please confirm that in view of the high demand on a number of our services particularly Planning, all employees are being asked to return to work in the office so that normal service can return to normal working as soon as ever possible.
Question from Councillor Stephen Hirst Question to Councillor Lisa Spivey, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness:
In view of the current Energy crisis where maximum personal damage is being suffered by the vulnerable people in our society who will shortly having to pay much higher energy bills than previously, what resources will the Council be employing to ensure that the pain of higher heating costs will be relieved and minimised as soon as ever possible.
Question from Councillor Robin Hughes to Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council:
Could we please be advised of the up to date details of Cirencester's 'secret car park'.
Minutes:
A record of Member questions and answers are available in the schedule attached to these minutes.
Questions were asked by:
Councillor Richard Morgan to Councillor Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Development Management and Licensing.
Councillor Stephen Andrews to Councillor Rachel Coxcoon, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Forward Planning.
Councillor Stephen Hirst to Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council.
Councillor Stephen Hirst Question to Councillor Lisa Spivey, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness.
Question from Councillor Robin Hughes to Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council.