Agenda item

The public open forum will commence at 2.00 p.m. and the following formal business of the Council will commence at 2.30 p.m. or whenever the public open forum ends, if earlier.

(2.00p.m. – 2.17p.m.)

Prior notice in accordance with Council Procedure rule 10.3 had been given of the following questions put by a member of the public:-

Question: Mrs Mary Patrick, 119 Essex Road, Stamford

Mrs Cartwright - do you think its fair for a 36 year old woman who is on a sheltered housing complex who creates mayhem to be moved to another complex to create more mayhem?

Response: Councillor Mrs Cartwright

Thank you Mrs Patrick. The letting policy ensures that anyone who has caused problems is fully supported by agencies to prevent further problems.

Supplementary Question: Mrs Patrick

Thank you Mrs Cartwright. Well, for five years this lady had caused mayhem to tenants, especially the one who is now in house. We have tried our best to facilitate her the right way of life. But, the family put her on an ASBO and her behaviour is worse than ever. The flat is like a ‘K’-shop, a drinking den and drugs.

It is not fair to decent living tenants and she was told by her carers that she was going to be moved to another complex in Stamford which was warden-controlled (technically, yes, it is warden-controlled because the warden goes round three times a week but is not living on site) If she was put on that complex, the ASBO said that she must not drink in Stamford or anywhere about but it is only three quarters of a mile from the county boundary where she can go and get liquor. But the men bring the liquor in. They are there until the a-fitted time of 9 o’clock and I don’t think this is good for the neighbour underneath and then from 9 until 2 in the morning, the television is full blare. Thank you very much.     

Response: Councillor Mrs Cartwright

Yes, we do understand this case and have looked into it. In actual fact this is one of the cases where we actually have very good support; we are working with three agencies to correct these issues. And it is a poor example really in a way from your point of view. Some times the agencies do not support us but in this particular case we are getting excellent support and we hope to have the issues resolved.

Question: W. R. Adams, Secretary Grantham Bowling Club

Why is it necessary to withdraw rate relief from voluntary organisations and why is SKDC the only local council proposing this course of action?

What is the basis of calculation for assessing the various charges?

Response: Councillor Terl Bryant

Thank you Mr Chairman. I would ask you to suspend standing orders because I wrote the answers out yesterday and it came to two full pages. I have given a copy to the gentleman, Mr Adams, of that informal briefing. I will make the answers very short. I actually welcome the opportunity of this question because it gives this Council the opportunity, yet again, to ensure that the local papers pick up the fact that all sports clubs should be registered as CASCs. We have forty sports clubs who have registered for discretionary grant, of whom only seven are registered. And the district is losing some £47,000. In answer to the questions:

a)     The Council has changed its priorities through a very long procedure, updating the public, and discretionary rate relief was a non-priority area and was chosen for disinvestment by this Council.

b)     The power to award discretionary rate relief is exactly that, it’s discretionary. Given the decision of the Council earlier to disinvest, current policy has been revised and a reduced budget set. We cannot speak to any other Council whether they are reviewing their own policy but I got some extremely interesting answers when I personally rang Rutland County Council to find out what theirs was. I think they are looking at reviewing theirs. Whether they do or not is not for me to say.

c)      The basis of the calculation of a charge before any relief is applied to it is to multiply the rateable value with the poundage. The rateable value is calculated by the Valuation Office Agency. This is an executive agency of HM Revenue and Customs, and the poundage, which the government sets. 

To put it simply, South Kesteven, as far as non-domestic rates are concerned, is just a debt-collecting agency on behalf of central government. I hope, sir, that with the additional information I have given you gives you all the information you need to allow you to spread the gospel and encourage every single sports club, of which there are more than forty who own their property within the district, to register as a CASC and get the 80% mandatory rates relief.

Supplementary Question: W. R. Adams

Thank you Councillor Bryant for that very informative answer and for the additional information that he has supplied to me. I do appreciate that, Mr Chairman. I would like to make the point, though, and ask him what his comments might be: while it is accepted that there is a charity status whereby 80% of a grant can be obtained, is the Chairman fully aware that a voluntary organisation that goes down that route and obtains that charitable status, part of the condition of obtaining that charitable status, is that they have to forego their right to the ownership of the asset that they may well have built up over many years. In order to obtain that status, they have to assign that asset to a pre-nominated charity. Does he think that is right, and does he not think that the Council, perhaps, should review that situation as far as the discretionary rate relief is concerned? And would he not agree that if these clubs are not able to get this charitable status, and it is not necessarily open to all of them, the Council is not going to get the additional revenue that they now get because those voluntary organisations may well have to close down through lack of funding.

Advice given by the Monitoring Officer, requested by the Chairman:

Just to pick up a point. You indicated that it was assigning the ownership of the building. I think you may need to obtain further advice on that. You may not necessarily have to assign ownership but you may have to assign management and control.

Response: Councillor Terl Bryant

The question of ownership: once you are registered as a CASC, then it is only if the club or activity ceases to carry out its sporting function that at that point the proceeds, as I understand it, from any sales etc. have to be given to the nominated sports authority within the locality. That is my understanding. You do not have to do it. You will see from the second page of the notes I gave you, I was surprised to see that you think the ownership of the bowls club, for your example, if it ceases to be a bowls club and is sold off, should actually be given to the current members. I as a scout leader of many years have often put a small personal fortune into building up headquarters etc. I have never thought that if that scout troop folded, I would get the money back. I trust, sir, that answers your question. If it doesn’t, I will have to speak to you after the meeting because there is no right to respond unless the Chairman directs that I have missed something.

Chairman:

No that is fine, Councillor Bryant. The information you provided to Mr Adams will be made available to all members.

Mr John Cockcroft, Proprietor, The Castlegate, Grantham had submitted the following question but as he was not present at the meeting, his question was not put. The Chairman advised that an answer from Councillor Smith will be forwarded onto him.

I am the owner and licensee of the public house known as The Castlegate in Grantham.  Since the start of the demolition of the Kwik Save site I have lost all local opportunity to park my car legally.

As a retail outlet, my life’s blood is the need for supplies often delivered by myself to the pub on a daily basis.

For the last 18 years I have parked my vehicle in the Kwik Save car park as there is no parking within a reasonable distance either on Castlegate or East Street.  Getting my car in the Conservative Club or the Welham Street car park is almost impossible.

I am at present unable to use my car for day to day activity, as I have had to park it a mile away in a place controlled by a friend.

As the Council is responsible for the infrastructure to support local businesses, I ask for some sort of permit to park in a designated area allowing me to continue my business in a fair and efficient way.

Councillor Smith’s response was as follows:

The Council recognises the needs of all users of our car parks including businesses, visitors, shoppers and residents and is hoping to provide a significant increase in the number of spaces through the provision of a new multi storey car park in Grantham. The intention is to continue the very successful and popular car park season tickets which offer discounted daily parking. in the meantime we also recognise the temporary difficulties with parking and so are creating a surface car park at East Street which will be operational in April to allow the construction of the proposed car park at Welham Street to take place.