Agenda item

A 45-minute period in which members may ask questions of the Leader, Cabinet Members, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and opposition group leaders excluding the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee, Licensing and Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Committees and Governance and Audit Committee.

Question 1

Councillor Wood asked the Leader to clarify how the changes in the senior management structure affected the directorships of Council-owned companies. The Leader stated that in addition to his resignation from the Council, Mr Rave also resigned from the board of InvestSK. It would be up to the Council to go through a process to determine a replacement.

Question 2

Councillor Morgan highlighted concerns that had been raised through the Local Government Association regarding a lack of government funding and the budgets made available to local authorities. She asked about the up-to-date position relating to South Kesteven District Council and how the situation affected the Council’s ability to budget for the forthcoming period. Councillor Morgan also asked about the impact of Brexit on funding.

The Leader stated that both he and the Deputy Leader regularly attended meetings of the Local Government Association and that funding arrangements was an area of concern for the whole local government family. He highlighted 3 principal areas that would affect the district council; the first was the fairer funding settlement, of which work was ongoing, the second was business rate retention and the third was around the period over which any spending settlement would last. He added that it remained preferable for the present business rate arrangements to continue for another year before the introduction of the anticipated new arrangements. He also stated that it was difficult to budget from year-to-year without indicative figures; this had led to lobbying to ensure councils received a multi-year funding settlement.

Question 3

Councillor Steptoe asked Councillor Goral about the potential relocation of Grantham leisure centre from the Earlesfield Ward. He asked whether there was any update and what form the public consultation before any decision was made would take.

The Cabinet Member for Growth stated that the Council was still defining the consultation process. She agreed it was important that, whatever happened to the leisure centre, account was taken of the current location and the surrounding communities. She was keen to ensure that consultation included residents, local business and stakeholders, but also those groups that used the centre to ensure that whatever was provided was fit for purpose.

The Cabinet Member for Growth stated that some comments she had received so far had been varied and stressed that the outcome of the consultation exercise would be the key to determining future arrangements for Grantham leisure centre. She reiterated that no decision would be made without consultation and without rigorous scrutiny of that consultation. She also made a commitment that the site and community would benefit from any decision that was made and that their views would be taken into consideration.

Question 4

Councillor Dilks asked the Leader to confirm whether a PR consultant who had previously been engaged by the Council was now working for the authority. He asked that if the individual was once again working for the Council, whether he was being employed directly or as a consultant. The Leader stated that a job had been advertised for which the individual had applied; the vacancy had been subject to a full recruitment process in which he had not been involved. He stated that the individual was now working as an employee of the Council.

Question 5

A question was put to the Chairman of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Councillor Baxter referred to a workshop of the Committee that was scheduled to take place on 30 July 2019 on climate change. He asked why an invitation to the meeting had not been extended to other members of the Council or the public. He felt that such an invitation should be extended beyond the membership of the committee as the workshop was taking place at the behest of a formal committee of the Council. The Chairman of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee stated that the meeting on 30 July 2019 was a workshop for members of the committee only and was not open to the public.

Question 6

Councillor Knowles referred to reports that indicated £800k had been spent on replacing staff and updating the management team. Following the departure of a further senior staff member, he asked the Leader how many non-disclosure agreements had been signed since he took up office, and how much they had cost the Council.

The Leader committed to send a written response to all members of the Council on the matter. He stated that the Council had never hidden how much it had spent to re-shape the organisation in terms of senior managers. He stated that the changes that had been made had generated £300k worth of savings. In the first few years following a review, the savings would be used to offset expenditure. After that payback period, the Council would have the opportunity to reinvest those savings. He stated that although there were costs associated with restructuring, there were also significant savings attached.

Question 7

Councillor Moran referred to a question that had been put at the last meeting of Council about leisure centres. She stated that at that time Members had been advised that nothing could be announced because negotiations with landowners were still ongoing, however money for feasibility work had been approved. She suggested that it would have been more appropriate to conduct feasibility work prior to engagement with landowners. She also referred to leisure facilities in Grantham and the work being undertaken to review the offer within the town. She considered the facilities in Grantham to be adequate. She expressed concern about the potential impact the consideration of arrangements for Grantham might have on the delivery of a new leisure centre for the Deepings. She asked whether there was an indication of when people in the Deepings might expect their new leisure facility.

The Cabinet Member for Growth reassured the Council that whatever happened in Grantham would have no bearing on any of the other towns in the district. She confirmed that the review of facilities of Grantham had always been intended. She stated that feedback received about current leisure provision in Grantham indicated that work was needed and that the cost of maintaining the facilities to achieve a ‘stand-still’ position would mean spending millions of pounds with no public perception of change. She said that, by the September Council meeting, she would be in a position to give a better indication about when the new leisure centre for the Deepings might happen. Reiterating that negotiation with landowners was still ongoing, Members were advised that there were occasions when the Council was beholden to third parties and therefore prevented from making statements.