To receive answers from the Cabinet Members to questions on their portfolios from other Members.
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Minutes:
Councillor Letch addressing the Cabinet Member for Housing and Property Services stated that over the last few months he had noticed five void properties close to his home and that only one had been re-let, would it be possible for the Cabinet Member to request a list of dates from September 2021 to identify when the properties became void and when they were re-let, the Council was losing money and local people were waiting to be housed.
The Cabinet Member responded stating that it was important for Members to receive as much information as possible and he would be requesting from officers a monthly void update and would share this information with Members.
Councillor Letch then addressed the Leader asking for clarification of the Independent Groups outlined in the allocation.
The Leader responded stating that to have a number of Independent Groups in Local Authorities was not unusual, but he did take Councillor Letch’s point and would address this matter in his column in the Gazette and as requested in the Crediton Courier.
Councillor Holdman addressing the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change referred to the three weekly bin collection scheme and asked when this would commence? He also asked about the areas that had formed part of the trial and who had been responsible for running the trial.
The Cabinet Member stated that he had also received similar questions from Councillor Taylor and would therefore respond to both. The date for the commencement of the scheme had not been confirmed, but the autumn was the target. A 1000 properties in four areas (urban and rural) had formed the pilot which had been organised by the Waste and Recycling Department. All the relevant data had formed part of the report to the Environment PDG and the Cabinet. Officers had been tasked to look at several issues which included bin storage and a Members briefing had been arranged for 14 June when further information with regard to the scheme would be available.
Councillor Taylor asked an additional question of the Cabinet Members for Environment and Climate Change and Community Well-Being stating that whilst the Council continued to promote an increase in recycling rates by three weekly bin collections and dual bins in town centres, were there any plans for the three sports centres to have food waste collections for staff and also for those workers in Phoenix House.
The Cabinet Member for Community Well-Being stated that he had no opposition to this and would discuss this further at his monthly meeting with officers.
The Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change stated that he was keen to see as much recycling as possible to include food waste and that Street Scene officers would be investigating how food waste could be accommodated across the Council.
Councillor Clist addressing the new Deputy Leader asked whether he supported Extinction Rebellion (a question asked the other way round two years previously).
The Deputy Leader stated that no, he did not support Extinction Rebellion.
Councillor Barnell addressing the Leader asked about his policy for replacing Cabinet Members (three over the last year) and none of those had been performance or policy related and how those sackings related to the people of Mid Devon?
The Leader stated that he would not respond with reasons, in each case he had felt it was justified; it was within his remit to choose his Cabinet