To receive petitions and public questions in accordance with Standing Order 9.
Minutes:
Under Standing Order 9, the Mayor invited the following members of the public to ask their questions:
Mrs Joanne Rust
“At the last council meeting Cllr Pope questioned the use of council funds to support the King's Lynn Town Football Club. The club is privately owned and the owner can take the profit he makes. Why does the council choose to fund private profits rather than activities for disadvantaged young people at the Discovery Centre?”
In response Councillor Long stated that whilst the Discovery Centre was run by its Board so he would not know how much had been spent on it, there was a landlord and tenant relationship between the Council and the Football Club where repair works had been carried out before the previous owner took over, but there had been nothing since that time.
Mrs Sue Bruce
Can the Borough Council tell me when was the census taken that led NCC Children's Services to its conclusion that it was not necessary for any financial contribution to be made for education in regard to the planned development for site 3 Lynnsport, and which will be the primary and secondary schools nominated for the children who will live in the new properties?
Councillor Beales responded as follows:
“Thank you for your question. Norfolk County Council are responsible for allocation of school places and all matters related to primary and secondary education and the planning system and your question should be directed to that authority.
However, there is an inference to this question and earlier questions that the Borough Council is somehow seeking to sidestep its responsibilities. Nothing could be further from the truth. I say again that the Borough Council works closely with Norfolk County Council on education matters and allocation of school places and is working to provide a new school site at no charge – the county having concluded that such a site is needed. Such co-operation is normal and responsible.
With regard to this particular application, I think it is worth reminding you of the infrastructure that the Borough Council is or will be providing for wider public benefit.
1. Wildlife area in association with Norfolk Wildlife Trust – some 12 acres.
2. One hockey and one multisport pitch.
3. Four new tennis courts with others potentially to follow.
4. A new carpark for Lynnsport (already open) which increases the provision for mother and toddler parking adjacent to the play area (which itself will be updated, and improved) as well as Disabled parking adjacent to the disabled Angling Pond. All together very roughly doubling the car parking capacity at Lynnsport.
5. A new road serving existing and proposed developments, Lynnsport and the wider community. Of particular note is the improved access to the north (Edward Benefer Way) for the North Lynn estate which currently has only one access/exit out towards Loke Road.
6. Improved cycle links and footpaths.
7. Miniature Railway improvements.
8. Better and safer access to the North Lynn Industrial estate (Traffic light controlled).
9. Working with the Internal Drainage Board to enhance drainage in the immediate area and wider King’s Lynn.
10. Improvements to cycle links and footpaths.
11. Provision of new allotments at Columbia Way to replace allotments which are generally inaccessible.
12. Part funding to works proposed to the Gaywood River by the rivers Trust.
13. Improve the Capping on the Land Raise site to allow it to be brought back into a ‘good’ open space area.
14. Planting of approximately 1 acre of wood Land / Park Land
15. Improvements to the Dutton Pavilion for Community use (£100,000 of works)
That’s a far from an exhaustive list but it shows that whilst I am unable to help you with the technicalities of school places allocation (as I say a matter for Norfolk County Council) I can reassure you, as that list demonstrates that this Borough Council takes its responsibilities very seriously.”
By way of supplementary Mrs Bruce asked if Councillor Beales knew which primary and secondary schools the children would be attending.
Councillor Beales stated that the matter was something for the County Council to decide as it was their remit to do so, and reiterated that the Borough was going above what would be required from a S106 agreement by providing a new site for a school.