-
Agenda item
Questions from Councillors under Rule 12
Minutes:
A written question had been received from Councillor Patmore regarding graffiti in the town. Councillor Fitzgerald replied to the question. Copies of the question and response were circulated at the meeting.
A written question had been received from Councillor Patmore regarding the former Harold Place toilets. Councillor Chowney replied to the question. Copies of the question and response were circulated at the meeting.
A written question had been received from Councillor Lee regarding the cost of consultancy services. A copy of the initial response to the question was circulated at the meeting.
Questions to the Leader, Deputy Leader and other Lead Members were asked and answered in accordance with Rule 12.1 as follows:
Questioner and Councillor
Subject
Reply Given By Councillor
Lee
St Leonards Crown Post Office will the Leader of the Council provide an update on progress to purchase the freehold of St Leonards Crown Post Office?
Councillor Chowney replied that the council had met with officers from the Post Office and submitted an expression of interest in the site. In addition to purchasing the freehold of the building, the council would need to operate the Post Office franchise as well. Councillor Chowney added that there may be additional opportunities to develop residential accommodation within the site. The closing date for expressions of interest was 15 December 2017.
Chowney
Atkins
Food Bank there has been a 21% increase in referrals to the Food Bank over the past month. Will the Leader of the Council write to staff at the Food Bank to thank them for their efforts and will he also encourage people to make donations to the Food Bank?
Councillor Chowney said that he would write to staff at the Food Bank to thank them for their efforts. He commented that a collection was being arranged amongst council staff and members for donations to the Food Bank.
Chowney
Street
Awards for Alexandra Park and Hastings Country Park will the Lead Member congratulate staff and contractors at Alexandra Park and Hastings Park on their recent award from the Green Flag and explain more about what this means?
Councillor Fitzgerald congratulated staff and contractors at Alexandra Park and Hastings Country Park. He explained that the award from Green Flag recognised innovation in the management of green spaces. In Alexandra Park a new water filtration system had been installed. In Hastings Country Park, works had been undertaken to remove gorse to support the natural habitat.
Fitzgerald
Beaver
West Marina will the Leader of the Council provide an assurance that any development of housing at the West Marina site will be accompanied by a significant development of leisure facilities?
Councillor Chowney confirmed this was the case. Following initial expressions of interest in the site, the council had requested more information on some of the proposals. Any housing development on the site was intended to support the development of more comprehensive leisure facilities in the area.
Chowney
Bacon
Keeping fit what keep fit opportunities will there be in the new year?
Councillor Batsford said that park run would be offering new walk and run sessions on the seafront from 2 January 2018. Beat the Blues will also be taking place at Summerfields Leisure Centre on 14 January, offering access to the gym for £1.A beginners fitness class, First Step Fit, is also being organised at the Salvation Army Hall in Old London Road.
Batsford
Martin Clarke
Litter and detritus it was previously reported that collection of litter and detritus over the summer period was below the required standard, will the lead member provide an update on current performance?
Councillor Fitzgerald replied that the council continued to monitor this issue closely. A series of meetings have been held between council officers and senior managers at Kier. The Joint Waste Committee also monitors performance across the partnership area. An action plan has been developed by the contractor to improve standards of street cleansing. Councillor Fitzgerald noted that standards of street cleansing after events later in the year, including the bonfire had improved. However, these improvements will need to be maintained throughout the remainder of the contract.
Fitzgerald
Scott
Local Government Funding whilst the final settlement from the government is not yet known, are there likely to be further cuts to the council’s funding as part of this year’s budget?
Councillor Chowney replied that the council was likely to receive its funding settlement over the next week, although details of some grants may not be known until early in 2018. The council had previously secured a 4 year settlement from the government and was anticipating a reduction of £496,000 to its revenue support grant in 2018/19. Councillor Chowney commented that reductions to government funding had a particular impact on areas with high levels of deprivation. The council was aiming to offset some of the reductions in its government funding by generating additional income.
Chowney
Edwards
Hastings Pier it has been reported that the council gave funding of £20,000 to Hastings Pier. Who agreed this grant, what was it spent on and will the council get its money back?
Councillor Chowney explained that the grant from the council formed part of a funding package, led by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to ensure the pier remained open until after Christmas. Administrators had been appointed to seek a new operator for the pier. The new management arrangements would need to reflect the conditions of the original grant from Heritage Lottery Fund, which funded the restoration of the structure. Councillor Chowney, added that in the future, the council may need to consider its planning policy in respect of the pier, to ensure it can operate on a more commercial basis.
Chowney
Sabetian
Investment in Commercial Property how many jobs would have been lost, or services cut, if the council had not secured additional income by investing in commercial property?
Councillor Chowney had said that the council had gained additional income of £500,000 by investing in commercial property, which was the equivalent of around 12 posts. He added that it was particularly important that the council generate additional income, to maintain the discretionary activities it carries out to improve the town.
Chowney
-
My council
Contact
Contact us if you have a question about democratic services.
Content
The content on this page is the responsibility of our Democratic Services team.