Agenda item
Member Questions
The following questions have been submitted:
From Councillor Tom Stowe to Councillor Andrew Doherty, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Waste and Recycling:
I understand that a review into the quantity, location and the emptying of public waste and dog bins across the district is being carried out.
Can you please provide an update on the progress of this review and indicate when you expect the process to be completed and the findings available.
From Councillor Tony Berry to Councillor Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance:
The cash payment option for car parking was due to be finally removed in the latter part of last year, but is still available in a number of car parks in Cirencester.
Please could you advise Council if this is the policy change that the Conservative Group have been encouraging, or just a missed target date.
From Councillor Gina Blomefield to Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council:
The Conservative Group would very much like to give our thanks of appreciation to Jenny Poole who is leaving her role as both Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the end of July to enjoy a sabbatical with her husband. We are sorry to see her go after eighteen years of excellent service to Cotswold District Council.
Are we correct in understanding that the candidate being sought to replace Jenny will be offered both roles and the same remuneration package?
From Councillor Stephen Hirst to Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council:
Since the commencement of the Covid- 19 Pandemic CDC Officers have been encouraged to work from home with only occasional contact with the Office.
Now that the Pandemic is easing Officers should now be returning to work in the relevant Offices.
Could the Leader please advise Council when it is expected that all officers will be returning to work, particularly in those departments such as Planning where direct contact with members of the public is so important to quickly progress applications in the necessary time frames.
Minutes:
The following Members’ questions had been submitted and responses provided by Cabinet Members prior to the meeting. Supplementary questions and Cabinet Members responses were made in the Council meeting.
From Councillor Tom Stowe to Councillor Andrew Doherty, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Waste and Recycling
I understand that a review into the quantity, location and the emptying of public waste and dog bins across the district is being carried out. Can you please provide an update on the progress of this review and indicate when you expect the process to be completed and the findings available.
Response from Councillor Andrew Doherty, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Waste and Recycling to Councillor Tom Stowe
Following scoring of the projects identified within the Environmental Services Innovation Programme (ESIP), the litter bin review hasn’t scored that highly because it will be unlikely to generate significant savings or deliver a benefit in the service. The programme resource available is therefore being focussed on higher priority projects and the litter bin review will now be completed in 2023/24.
If there are exceptional issues in certain areas of the district, then officers will deal with these on a case by case basis in the meantime
Supplementary Question from Councillor Tom Stowe to Councillor Andrew Doherty, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Waste and Recycling
Can you guarantee and reassure the town and parish councils and residents that no public litter or dog waste bins will be removed prior to the completion of the review and that any enquiries or localised issues with new bins will be handled in a swift manner?
Response from Councillor Andrew Doherty, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Waste and Recycling to Councillor Tom Stowe
Although it cannot be guaranteed that no public litter or dog waste bins will be removed, this is usually only done in exceptional cases and in consultation with parish councils. Increasing fuel costs have required Ubico to refocus on reducing the impact on the revenue budget so the overarching policy on where and why bins are placed will take longer, but in the meantime Ubico Officers will continue to work with parish council where there are ongoing issues.
From Councillor Tony Berry to Councillor the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mike Evemy
The cash payment option for car parking was due to be finally removed in the latter part of last year, but is still available in a number of car parks in Cirencester. Please could you advise Council if this is the policy change that the Conservative Group
have been encouraging, or just a missed target date.
Response from the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Mike Evemy to Councillor Tony Berry
Due to data connectivity concerns within parts of the District the phased approach to roll out cashless in all our car parks has been delayed. A trial of upgraded software will be undertaken in Rissington Road and Old Station car parks. The aim of the trial is to ascertain whether the software will reduce waiting times for customers and speed up payments at the payment machines for those who pay by card. The trial will commence on 24 May for a two week period (ending 7 June) Full monitoring of the machines in both car parks will be carried out during this period; following which, reports will be forwarded to the Cabinet and Deputy Chief Executive with findings from the trial. Should the trial provide assurance that the updated software will provide a speedier car payment service to customers an amended timetable to ‘roll-out’ cashless in all car parks will be put forward for consideration. I’m unsure what the Conservative policy is as I note with interest the Conservative-run County Council are phasing out cash payments on their parking machines.
Supplementary Question from Councillor Tony Berry to the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mike Evemy
If the data connectivity speeds continue to be an issue across the District does that mean you would leave the cash facility open?
Response from the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mike Evemy to Councillor Tony Berry
The car parking card and phone payment facility is the same or similar to other payment facilities available across the country and a trial is currently underway to speed up the payment process by batching payments for later processing rather than verifying with each payment. Payment using the App is popular and even where cash payment is still available, people are migrating to card and phone payment therefore if the trial is successful we will be moving to remove cash payment as soon as possible.
From Councillor Gina Blomefield to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Joe Harris
The Conservative Group would very much like to give our thanks of appreciation to
Jenny Poole who is leaving her role as both Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief
Executive Officer at the end of July to enjoy a sabbatical with her husband. We are sorry to see her go after eighteen years of excellent service to Cotswold District Council. Are we correct in understanding that the candidate being sought to replace Jenny will be offered both roles and the same remuneration package?
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Joe Harris to Councillor Gina Blomefield
I can confirm that the Council is actively recruiting a replacement for Jenny on a like for like basis and at the same level of remuneration.
From Councillor Stephen Hirst to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Joe Harris
Since the commencement of the Covid- 19 Pandemic CDC Officers have been encouraged to work from home with only occasional contact with the office.
Now that the Pandemic is easing Officers should now be returning to work in the relevant offices. Could the Leader please advise Council when it is expected that all officers will be returning to work, particularly in those departments such as Planning where direct contact with members of the public is so important to quickly progress applications in the necessary time frames?
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Joe Harris to Councillor Stephen Hirst
Thank you for your question. I would refer you back to the report that Cabinet agreed in December 2021, which stated that an Agile Working Policy had been adopted and set out the business and staff benefits to a more flexible approach to working. Cabinet agreed to move forward with changes to the Trinity Road Offices based on a reduction in the Council’s workspace, with most staff working remotely for broadly 50% of the time. Throughout the pandemic our staff have continued to meet the needs of residents and businesses across all of our services. Whilst we will now permanently see a reduction of staff in the offices, we continue to offer direct contact with the public, with site visits taking place and members of the public able to attend the offices in person if they wish to, although we are increasingly seeing residents switch to virtual forms of contact by choice.
Supplementary Question from Councillor Stephen Hirst to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Joe Harris
In support of your action to introduce Ukrainian refugees to the District, will you be inviting all Members to the sessions so we can all welcome and get to know our new neighbours?
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Joe Harris to Councillor Stephen Hirst
No firm plans have been put in place yet but as soon as they are, all Members will be invited. The event will be community focussed rather than official to make them feel welcome.