To receive any questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public.
Minutes:
Paul Elstone a local resident.
Question 1- Agenda Item 7 Establishment Report – Organisation Charts.
The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 updated 29 January 2025 Paragraph 44 required that this Council must publish an organisation chart for the top 3 levels that showed:
Contact details.
Salary Ceiling (the maximum for the grade).
Salary in £5,000 brackets.
This amongst other things.
Can it be confirmed that this organisation chart is currently available and if so, where is it published for the public to see?
Question 2 - Agenda Item 8 - Residents Survey.
It is noted that there is nearly a 50% reduction in persons responding to the survey down to just 433 residents this year. Assuming that the 42 Councillors completed this survey that’s 10% of the total.
That given the population is 82,800 rightly it is stated that the low number of responses received is not a representative sample.
Has this Council any intention of trying to find out why such a low response?
Question 3
Given the very low response how can any credibility be placed in the percentage shifts? This as the process can be so easily corrupted.
Question 4 - Agenda Item 11 Quarter 3 Monitoring Report
Page 192 Appendix 7 HRA 1063 shows that over £214,000 has been spent on St Georges Court. The public were previously told the work required to make the properties fit for over 60’s occupation would cost around £100,000.
What precisely does the increased expenditure relate to?
Question 5.
It is stated that there was no allocated budget at the beginning of the year, but cost has been covered by funding received from 3 Rivers.
It was the understanding that the 3 Rivers books were closed prior to the commencement of the financial year. Therefore, precisely what account has the funding come from?
Question 6
Is this not yet another Council loss incurred on the 3 Rivers account this including a further loss of nearly a quarter of a million pounds on the Haddon Heights site?
Question 7
It is noted that 7 of the ZED PODS projects are showing overspend and one by over £700,000. Can it be fully explained exactly why the overspend and against each project?
Question 8
As stated previously there is no easy way to see what the Housing Revenue Account Project original cost estimate was. Similarly, there is no easy way to see what the current project cost estimate is. This including in the Monitoring Report.
Will this be remedied and for reasons of openness and transparency that we are promised?
The Leader explained that as the questions had not been provided in writing in the required period in advance of the meeting that a written response would be provided within 10 working days.
Question 9 – Supplementary - Question asked after Council Leader said he was proud of what this Administration had achieved in respect of closing down the 3 Rivers business.
Question - The opportunity was given in May 2020 to shut 3 Rivers down, including by at least two Members of this Cabinet. So therefore, why was it not done then?
The Leader responded that there were two Members who are present in this Cabinet. They did not close 3 Rivers in May 2020 because it was a different administration and they went with the advice they received at that time.