Agenda item

In accordance with Standing Order 11, to receive reports from Cabinet Members moved en bloc, under Standing Order 11.2 Members of the Council may ask questions of Cabinet Members on their reports and Portfolio areas. The order of putting questions shall commence with a Member from the largest opposition group, proceeding in descending order to the smallest opposition group, followed by a non-aligned Member and finally a Member from the ruling group. This order shall repeat until the time for questions has elapsed or there are no more questions to be put. 

The period of time for putting questions and receiving responses shall not exceed 50 minutes for all Cabinet Members, excluding the Leader

The period of time for putting questions and receiving responses to the Leader shall not exceed 15 minutes.

(Councillors are reminded that this is a question and answer session not a debate.)

Business – Councillor A Beales

Climate Change and Biodiversity – Councillor M de Whalley

Environment and Coastal - Councillor S Squire

Finance – Councillor C Morley

Property & Corporate Services – Councillor B Anota

People and Communities – Councillor A Kemp

Tourism Events and Marketing – Cllr S Ring

Deputy Leader Development and Regeneration – Councillor J Moriarty

Leader - Councillor T Parish

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Councillor Parish moved the Cabinet Members reports acknowledging that some members had some updates to give following publication.

Councillor Kemp gave an update on housing standards enforcement and empty homes.

Councillor Dark asked for brevity in updates from Cabinet members.

Councillor Moriarty informed Council that regarding the Local Plan the Inspectors had indicated that the timescale for the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment needed to be submitted by February 2024. The topic papers requested by the Inspectorate would have an 8 week consultation period.  He intended that a briefing be included for members of the Local Plan Task Group on strategies to deal with it at its next meeting.

Councillor Squire confirmed that 12 additional litter and dog waste bins were being installed along Heacham Beach.  She also urged members to share the information on the RNLI Float to Live campaign.

Councillor Parish informed members that District Leaders were sending a joint letter to the Secretary of state about the Norfolk County Deal, all Leaders considered the deal had insufficient money, powers and participation.  The County Council Leader had already written asking for further powers.  Further iterations of the letter were being proposed.

Councillor Kunes asked Councillor de Whalley to confirm that the item produced in the Paper referring to initiatives being undertaken were those which had been brought forward by the previous administration including Parkway where members had voted against it he asked if he would reference where the initiative had come from.  Councillor de Whalley commented that the piece was representing the Council.

Councillor Bartrum asked Councillor Squire what steps were being taken to alleviate the high instance of fly tipping of large objects in her ward and around the borough.  Councillor Squire responded that an audit of fly tipping and bulky waste tipping was being carried out.  Work was being undertaken to track down fly tippers.

Councillor Rust  explained that the funding hadn’t yet been released for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and car park asked Councillor Kemp if she would work closely with   the Data Collection team at the Hospital to ensure that any further developments  were taken into account and that the demographics of the area were taken into account.  Councillor Kemp confirmed she had corresponded with the hospital and was aware of the growth issues and would work with them where she could.  The Queen Elizabeth Management were working on information to allow flexibility to have information pertinent to the area.

Councillor Sandell asked Councillor Kemp about the subsidised leisure activities for young people which had taken place in previous years she asked if she supported them and would do so.

Councillor Kemp confirmed her support for these, but indicated that the funding for the events had been cut.

Councillor Devulapalli asked Councillor Beales if the Eastern side of the Parkway site would continue to be a wildlife site.  Councillor Beales confirmed that £50,000 had been set aside for the scheme, a boardwalk would be sited, black poplar would be planted and invasive species removed.  Other green initiatives on the site had been agreed by the previous administration and continued to be supported.

Councillor Heneghan asked Councillor de Whalley if Harding’s Pits would be given Village Green status.  He indicated he was keen to secure the future of that area as such and hoped to give an update at the next meeting.

Councillor Dark made reference to the ”summer of play” scheme which was Borough Council funded but didn’t appear to be operating in the current year.  He asked Councillor Kemp about the future of Councillor Community Grants.  Councillor Kemp informed members that the funding for the “summer of play” was Councillor Ring’s portfolio.  She passed to the Leader the Councillor Community Grant question.

Councillor Parish confirmed the scheme was going ahead once the funding was in place and drew attention to recently issued invitations issued to councillors to be trained on the use of the scheme.

Councillor Everitt asked Councillor Kemp that the Rail Delivery Group had decided that ticket offices at railway stations would be closed, drawing attention to the fact that the King’s Lynn Office was busy.  He asked what steps were being taken to protect the ticket offices for the elderly vulnerable and those not on-line.  Councillor Kemp confirmed she had gone onto the Rail web site to register her objection to the proposal, and considered it unacceptable that the well used public facility was being closed.  She undertook to write to the MP and Minister to register the comments.

Councillor Devulapalli asked Councillor de Whalley if he could point out where she could find the Biodiversity Action Plan.  Councillor de Whalley confirmed that the Habitat and Species Action Plan was managed by the Norfolk and Bio Diversity Partnership in response to legislation.  He agreed to send the link on the web site.

Councillor Crofts asked Councillor Anota for an update on the progress for renovation of the Downham Market toilets and when they will be open.  Councillor Anota agreed to provide a response in writing.

Councillor Rust asked Councillor Kemp if she would commit to writing to MPs and the Minister in charge of NHS dentistry to change the funding methodology to how dentists were paid for NHS work as it was acting as a barrier to more dentists taking on NHS work.  Councillor Kemp confirmed she was in touch with the dentistry arm of the Integrated Care Partnership as many people couldn’t get access to dentists and   west Norfolk had the worst access to NHS dentistry.   The contracts didn’t encourage dentists to move and stay here.  A report was being written and councillors were being invited to a meeting on the matter.

Councillor Lawrence asked Councillor Kemp for reassurance that the night shelter discussions and next steps were at one with officers and cabinet colleagues.  Councillor Kemp said she was supporting the night shelter in the bid for Government funding.

Councillor Dark asked Councillor Squire about the removal of the Cabinet Member from the Hunstanton Action Group.  He believed the nominee was from the Labour Group.   Councillor Squire believed Councillor Ring was a member on the HAG.  Councillor Joyce drew attention to the experience in such scenarios of an earlier Labour nominee.

Councillor de Winton asked Councillor Squire when the tide time notice was due to be installed in Old Hunstanton.  He also offered a tour of his ward.  Councillor Squire confirmed that the tide times sign should be erected before the school holidays.

Councillor Jamieson commented that he was concerned about Councillor Kemp’s comments on the MUCH scheme when it would double the library space and provide other uses and would provide a modern and attractive building, he asked if Councillor Kemp opposed the scheme which was in the capital programme for Norfolk County Council and needed the Borough Council’s support.

Councillor Kemp responded that she felt it was sad that the Carnegie library had not been extended as it was a landmark building.  She commented that she hoped that the County Council would re-consider putting money into the MUCH building and put it into the Carnegie library.

Councillor Spikings drew attention to the promotion of a public orchard in King’s Lynn on contaminated land, and the costings involved in permitting the orchard and asked why it hadn’t come through Panels and Cabinet.  Councillor de Whalley confirmed it was still out for consultation.

Councillor Coates asked Councillor Kemp for clarification on points she had made that she would seek to cancel Fawkes in the Walks in the future and her reasoning behind it.  Councillor Moriarty pointed out that the subject matter was part of Councillor Ring’s portfolio.  Councillor Ring would be invited to respond.

Councillor Humphrey asked Councillor Anota if he would continue to progress the detailed Car Parking Strategy initiated by the previous administration and supported by Hunstanton Town Council.  Councillor Anota agreed to give a written answer.

Councillor Blunt asked Councillor de Whalley if the Councils comments against the Medworth Incinerator would continue to be heard as often as possible.   Councillor de Whalley undertook to continue to abide by the Council’s intent to object to the incinerator.  He drew attention to the fact that a Boston Incinerator had been approved.

Councillor Long asked Councillor Squire about the Hunstanton Advisory Group why there was not a Cabinet member on the Group when it was a conduit between Hunstanton and the Council. Councillor Squire believed that Councillor Ring was involved with the HAG.

Question of the Leader

Councillor Dark made reference to Councillor Parish’s signing of the Parkway contract which was the biggest building development with no press release.  When Councillors had voted against the proposal in February, why had it been brought about now and in this way.  Councillor Parish explained that to not do it would have been more costly to the Borough, but he considered it as an exemplar for private developers to emulate.  He gave the caveat that the homes would now be for local people, and the press release could not be released until the document was signed, because the contract signatory for the construction company was on holiday.  A release would be made once it was signed.

At this point the meeting had reached the 3 hour point so the meeting was closed.

On the close of the meeting Councillor Rust thanked the Chair and Vice-Chair for stepping in to cover the meeting.