To receive any questions relating to items on the agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.
Minutes:
Jill Gale referring to Motion 566 stated that: I would like to support the motion 556 that will be put by Councillor Way on banning the use of netting at development sites. This will not only help the wild life at the site but will give the developers the opportunity to reconsider the mass slaughter of trees and bushes that tends to take place at development sites.
On the subject of protecting wildlife I wonder if the council would say what
pesticides they use regularly?
The Chief Executive explained that a written response would be sent to Ms Gale as the question had been previously asked by Councillor Mrs Woollatt at the Council meeting in April of this year.
Mr Donovan referring to various meetings stated that: my question is to Councillor Bob Deed as Leader of the Council and refers to agenda item 8, the Cabinet Meetings held on 30th May and 27th June 2019. Councillor Luke Taylor (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group) and your appointment as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment failed to attend any of the aforementioned meetings. The Mid Devon electorate will no doubt be shocked at his non-attendance at these meetings given the substantial allowance paid for this senior role. Therefore I ask you what justification is there for Councillor Taylor continuing in his Cabinet positions when attending basic meetings is a basic requirement?
Councillor Taylor responded stating that it was not his original intention to be on the Cabinet and he would not have been if other groups had taken up the positions offered. His policy on election was to see more evening meetings, not all of the Council were retired or could afford to attend meetings during the day. He had a full time job and his ward members were aware of that, he had not attended the Environment PDG but had been to other internal Cabinet meetings. The Cabinet and the Environment PDG meetings had moved to the evenings which would now allow him to attend.
Mr Donovan continued stating that it has been reported that the Council Leader was disappointed with the turnout of new councillors at training sessions:
33%% Greens
51% Lib Dem’s
68% Independents
85% Conservatives
Are we seeing a difficulty in Mid Devon District in that we have a rainbow administration that is in place but it is not able to govern effectively? How much longer can this go on?
The Leader responded stating that the point of his email was that the officers put on the training for all members. He was just reporting on the induction programme and that it was just a reminder to them. Members Services would confirm that most member briefings bring only about 25% attendance.
The Chairman of the Council indicated that some of the training sessions were not specific and some were mandatory, some were also not relevant to all members.
Councillor Downes suggested that it would have been useful to have numbers rather than percentage of attendance.