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.

[ 2.00pm to 2.15pm ]

Question 1:  From Mr Terl Bryant of Stamford:

Following the resolution passed by Council on the 24^th January will the portfolio holder responsible for social housing undertake to write a letter on behalf of the council telling the Minister for Housing that this council at their last meeting “viewed with grave concern”  her statement that “the government is considering a policy whereby couples over the age of 40 living in council accommodation in our towns and cities, whose children have left home, should leave their homes and be moved to rural areas, to make way for younger couples.” ? That statement was according to your minutes subsequently confirmed, and there appears to be an intention “to pass legislation on this basis, in order to release what she considered to be in the region of hundreds of thousands of properties”  and this political posturing obviously leaves  SKDC tenants feeling “very unsettled” and threatened.

Reply: From Councillor Paul Carpenter (Housing portfolio holder):

That was quite a long question but I think the thrust of it was, am I prepared to write a letter?  I’m more than happy to do so Mr Bryant.  I have a personal issue with this one – I was born and bred in a council house.  I had my birthdays there, my family parties there and I think the whole crux of this is, is it a house or is it a home?  Would you like to be removed from your home when you are forty years old? Or, would you like to be moved from your house when you are forty years old?  I also think there is a further issue here, that if this goes through and people are required to be removed from their homes at the age of forty into a rural area, I see it as they still have at least twenty five years – maybe even twenty eight years – of a working life left that they’ve then got to commute somewhere from the countryside.  Are we supposed to bringing about policy to reduce the use of the motor car?

I can’t see that this had been a very well thought out piece of legislation and I am more than happy to put together some words to send to the minister.

Mr Bryant’s supplementary question:

I’m sure the tenants are absolutely grateful for the near unanimous decision that this council took, that you are going to respond.  It is interesting to see that on the 25^th February – I’ll give you this and I hope you embody it within your letter – that lifetime homes, lifetime neighbourhoods, housing in an aging society ..…this is a letter published by the Labour party.   

[Chairman interjects:  Mr Bryant, please would you stick to the question.]

Would you embody what Hazel Blears has said in your letter?

Reply: From Councillor Carpenter:

I cannot say I will embody something into a letter which I haven’t yet read, but I will be happy to read the contents.

Question 2:  From Mr Frank Egerton Gilman (as a director and shareholder of companies who are substantial non-domestic ratepayers in South Kesteven District Council):

Our Chamber wishes to encourage elected members to speak and vote that Stamford pay parking charges are priced to the market, in full consultation with our Chamber. Will the Leader of the Council likewise encourage elected members to support this position?  I am able to answer questions."

Reply: From Councillor Mrs Linda Neal, Leader of the Council:

Mr Gilman, I believe that the proposals put forward by the Cabinet are priced to the market and we are undertaking full consultation on these proposals.  We will take account of your comments in this process.

Mr Egerton’s supplementary question:

Why is it Leader that you and your colleagues are determined, when offered the opportunity, not to do the right thing?  You seem quite determined to do the wrong thing. Now tell me why is that?

Reply: From Councillor Mrs Neal:

It actually depends on what is the right thing and what the wrong thing is Mr Gilman.  I am aware that your chamber has actually sent out a letter to all members of this district council and it is promoting a period of off peak charging and peak charging.  It is suggesting that there should be a lesser sum of money required to park in Stamford car parks from Monday to Thursday, and with higher fees on Fridays and Saturdays.

I do know, and I was a member of this particular council at the time, when this was actually trialled.  The historic trials took place for a three year period from 1999 to 2002.  Evidence revealed that there was no significant change in customer behaviour, the usage patterns were not affected, and high demand remained on Fridays and Saturdays.  Indeed, a report number BUS147 to the Economy & Environment PDC requested a review of these arrangements.  In January of 2002 Cabinet resolved to abolish the peak and off peak arrangements, following the PDC recommendations based on the evidence gathered.  There was also some work done on assessing the market.  The Resources PDC undertook that work, together with the Manager of Assets and Facilities, when they benchmarked South Kesteven District Council’s proposals against neighbouring car park providers.  Therefore all I can do is repeat that I believe that they are priced to the market and we have not been able to find any substantial evidence that peak and off peak charging regimes having any impact on driving or parking behaviour.

Question 3:  From Mr Stephen Hewerdine of Grantham:

Can you tell me if the land next to the Castlegate on East Street has been sold for residential housing.  If so, will the single people of Grantham be allocated first choice as putting together a deposit is very difficult if you are on a low income or unemployed or homeless?

Reply: From Councillor Mrs Frances Cartwright (Economic portfolio holder)

The sale of the land on East Street is progressing but we will not be building anything on it, the developer will submit an application in due course and they will be required to make affordable housing part of that application.

We have an excellent record for enabling affordable housing in our district of which we are justly proud.

Homeless people are assisted by our strategic housing department providing that they are not deemed to have made themselves deliberately homeless either by non payment of rent or by committing anti social behaviour.

Mr Hewerdine’s supplementary question:

Has South Kesteven District Council any formal plans to work with other agencies i.e. the Salvation Army, the local churches, or Shelter to have a night shelter built in Grantham due to our ever growing town and homelessness is still a big problem which I believe will get worse?

Reply: From Councillor Mrs Cartwright

Its not part of my portfolio I’m afraid.  You really need to address the housing portfolio holder.

Question 4:  From Mr Stephen Hewerdine of Grantham:

As a responsible Council, the money allocated for this year’s budget is not as much as one hoped for.  Does he not agree savings have to be made everywhere possible.  For instance, money that is spent on the Chairman’s annual dinner for ex-chairmen of the Council should be scrapped as it is out of date and only attended by a select few, so saving public money for better projects?

Reply: From Councillor Taylor, Chairman of the Council

I would like to thank Mr Hewerdine for his question.  He would however not have needed to ask such a superfluous question had he bothered to pick out the relevant information which is freely available.  Whilst I do agree that savings have to be made now that this government has yet again sold the shire counties short, I am sure that you will be pleased to know that savings have been made across the spectrum, including the Chairman’s budget.  With regard to the Chairman’s lunch, this was cancelled due to across the board savings.  However, we do have in our town someone who is civic minded and a traditionalist – unlike some left wing people who would like to get rid of our traditions.  Past Chairmen will be pleased to learn that his company has decided to sponsor my Chairman’s lunch this year.  I am sure you will be pleased to know, Mr Hewerdine, that will mean no cost to the ratepayer.