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 Dilks referred to commitments that had previously been made by the Leader with regard to the webcasting of Council meetings and asked for an update. The Leader stated that the budget paperwork that would come before the Council on 2 March 2020 included an allocation for the refurbishment of the main offices. Part of that budget would include some refurbishment of facilities in South Kesteven House including microphones and webcasting.

Question 2

Councillor Bisnauthsing asked about an ongoing consultation which proposed closing the district council area office at Maiden Lane, Stamford. He spoke about residents who wanted face-to-face contact. The Leader, in responding, said that the consultation related to both Stamford and Market Deeping. He said that habits were changing and the consultation was about ensuring access to a good quality service. Potential options included making use of alternative facilities, as the current area office was in poor condition and of high rental value. Alternatives could include Stamford Arts Centre and sharing space in Stamford Town Hall. The feedback from the consultation would be reviewed and any decision would take this into account.

Question 3

Councillor Wheeler asked the Cabinet Member for Growth and Leisure for an update in relation to Stamford leisure centre. The Cabinet Member said that he was not in a position to give an update at this time but he would be going along to the leisure centre in the coming week. Consideration would then be given as to whether the existing facility should be upgraded or a new facility provided.

Question 4

Councillor Knowles referred to the Bourne Cycle Festival and asked the Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy about progress made for the 2020 festival and when consultation on the event would take place.

The Cabinet Member said that the festival was being considered by the Culture and Visitor Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting in February 2020. She said that it looked like the festival would not be going ahead in 2020, but if the Bourne Wheelers were interested in running an event themselves, the Council could provide support to help pull something together.

Question 5

Councillor Morgan asked whether the Council would be getting a further briefing on the impacts of the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union on the residents and businesses in South Kesteven as well as the anticipated impact on the Council.

The Leader stated that the matter was monitored on a rolling basis by the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum. He stated that he was happy for the Chief Executive to supply Members with a briefing document about the position both in respect of the Council and wider impacts within Lincolnshire.

Question 6

Councillor Lee referred to a question that he had asked at the meeting on 28 November 2019 about the Council’s Independent Persons. He said that he had been promised a response outside the meeting but had not yet received an answer. The Leader stated that the Monitoring Officer sent an e-mail on 6 December 2019, which set out the circumstances around the change in Independent Person and said that the Monitoring Officer could provide Councillor Lee with an individual briefing if required.

Question 7

A second question was put about the Bourne Cycle Festival, this time by Councillor Kelly, who said that national figures involved in the event were on-board very early on. She added that she felt that if it was left too late, the people of Bourne would no longer have a major event as was enjoyed by residents in other towns in the district. The Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy said that the Council was looking at supporting Bourne to do something else.

Question 8

Councillor Steptoe put a question to the former Cabinet Member for Housing about Riverside flats in Grantham, progress on the independent review and whether a compensation package had been agreed.

The Deputy Leader confirmed that all properties were now connected to the new system and had permanent and consistent heat and hot water. Priority had been given to the restoration of heating in homes before corridors and communal areas. He added that there was a wider programme of work that would see the refurbishment of communal rooms and work was underway with residents to see how they could get the most out of this space. He also committed to making ex gratia payments to residents by the end of February and confirmed that an inquiry had been launched. The Leader added that an investigator had been appointed to carry out the inquiry and that the Council’s Legal and Democratic Services team would act as the conduit for submissions to the investigator. The investigator would then produce a report, which would be presented to the Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Question 9

A question was put by Councillor Baxter to the Chairman of the Finance, Economic Development and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Companies Committee about whether he thought it was reasonable for the Council to receive a robust business plan with 3-year projections for the £800k funding that would be provided to InvestSK by South Kesteven District Council.

The Chairman of Finance, Economic Development and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Companies Committee said that the company’s finance would be scrutinised by the Companies Committee. He added that one of the functions of the Committee was reviewing business plans and assessing directors’ performance against business plans. He concluded by saying that he would expect to see a 3-year projection when InvestSK next came before the Committee in April 2020.

Question 10

Councillor Selby invited the Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy to the South Kesteven charity challenge cup. She said that she was happy to attend if Councillor Selby provided details.

Question 11

Councillor Woolley asked whether South Kesteven would join with other councils around the country in flying the Union flag as it was ‘Brexit’ day. The Leader said that it was the Council’s practice to fly the Union Flag every day and confirmed that it would be flown on Friday 31 January 2020.

Question 12

Councillor Kingman referred again to the Bourne Cycle Festival. She said before a commitment was made to any event, consultation should be undertaken with Bourne Town Council to ensure what was produced was something that local people wanted. She asked whether the Cabinet member for Culture and Visitor Economy would attend a meeting of Bourne Town Council and liaise with Bourne residents and members of the business club. The Cabinet Member said that she would speak to Bourne Town Council after the discussion about the Cycle Festival by member of the Culture and Visitor Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Question 13

Councillor Fellows asked whether the Leader and Cabinet was committed to fair funding for events in Bourne in the coming year in equal amounts to that provided for events in other towns.

The Leader stated that he was committed to delivering a scheme of events across the district and that he was happy to have a meeting. He reiterated that the Culture and Visitor Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be considering the Cycle Festival but that he was happy to have a conversation.