Agenda item

Councillor Long presented his report and in response to Councillor Howman’s question relating to the fact that the Council land which was sold in order to build a surgery, and the NHS had then sold the land for housing development, he encouraged members to make representation on the planning application as it was important that there was a good surgery available for the public.  He confirmed he had offered financial assistance but the surgery had been sold.  He made reference to the consultation process which was taking place and the Care Quality Commissions rating of the surgery which now rated it as good.  He also confirmed he considered it wrong to build anything else on the site.

Councillor Moriarty asked the Leader whether he considered Cabinet Members should take part in scrutiny items other than answering questions as recommended in the good scrutiny guide.  Councillor Long confirmed Cabinet members attended meetings to impart any additional knowledge they may hold and to answer questions which officers should not.  He stated that the Chairman of the Body concerned was the person who could dictate who could and couldn’t speak.   He noted the request for Cabinet Members not to be as involved in Panel meetings but expressed the view that Cabinet Members attended because they were interested in the subject matter.

Councillor Squire in referencing the LEP meeting the Leader had attended asked whether the LEP investment in the area was small because the Council had voted against Devolution, to which Councillor Long responded that he had attended the meeting as it was held in King’s Lynn, and the Council had joined the New Anglia LEP as it was only possible to be a member of one, and he did not want to see devolution through having to join the Cambridge combined authority.  He also confirmed he had raised the issues raised at the time with the local MP.

The Leader confirmed to Councillor A Tyler that he was due to attend the Norfolk Area of Outstanding Beauty conference the following week and he pointed out that the Body was lobbying for them to be a statutory consultee for planning for areas they covered.

In response to a question from Councillor Howland on the repayment of the loan to Northampton Council Councillor Long confirmed that there was no indication that the loan would not be repaid.  In response to Councillor Howland’s point regarding money spent on the KLIC which could have been spent elsewhere Councillor Long commented that the money loaned was being repaid at a good rate of interest.

Following a question from Councillor Rust on the percentage of businesses in the KLIC building that were new, Councillor Long commented that regardless of which businesses were new they paid their rent, employed staff and helped stimulate the economy.

In response to Councillor J Collop’s point requesting the Council’s finances be put onto Panel agendas, Councillor Long reminded members that he did not control the Panel agendas but any members of the panel could request things to be added.

In response to Councillor Pope’s question on whether the conservative election literature would be the Corporate Strategy, Councillor Long commented that it would be part of the things being brought forward.