To answer questions submitted by Opposition Group Leaders on items on the agenda.
Minutes:
Question from Councillor Thomas to Councillor Brennan. Councillor Thomas was unable to attend the meeting, so her question was read out by Councillor Brennan.
“In addition to the identified nine key recommendations from the peer challenge, there were also 20 other "additional observations" of items to be considered, and there are comments in the Appendix B on only four of these. Are you able to update members of these remaining 16 items? These include:
· investing in renewable energy
· reviewing KPIs
· comprehensive review of scrutiny
· creating sustainable heat networks
· affordable housing programme and potential housing revenue account
· identifying land for BNG credits
· engagement into the lead up to food waste collection.”
Councillor Brennan advised that the Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) team was primarily concerned with the nine main recommendations, and an update would be provided in the substantive agenda item. The additional observations made by the team were largely still relevant and were being worked on, as listed in Appendix B, and she confirmed that a review of scrutiny was scheduled for 2025/26.
Question from Councillor Birch to Inglis.
“For the purposes of informing residents, please can you explain whether any money has been allocated by the Conservative-led administration at Rushcliffe Borough Council to building a new car park in Bingham.”
Councillor Inglis referred to the Cabinet report from April 2024, regarding improvements to car parking in Bingham, in line with the Council’s Off-Street Car Parking Policy. He advised that no money had been allocated for a new car park, although a new one had been built for the Bingham Arena and was included in the recently implemented car parking changes. Councillor Inglis confirmed that early feedback regarding those changes had been very positive, and due to those changes, a long stay car park might not be needed, but this project was being led by Bingham Town Council.
Councillor Birch asked a supplementary question to Councillor Inglis.
“For the purposes of informing residents, how much money has the Conservative-led Council allocated to Bingham’s new car park in the medium term, that is to say in the next five years?”
Councillor Inglis confirmed that he would provide specific details in a written response.
Question from Councillor J Walker to Councillor Brennan.
“People are already actively engaged in their local economy as business owners and consumers. There is an easy link to be made between the Economic Strategy and our Peer Review's recommendation to engage more effectively with our residents. Has Cabinet sought the opinions of groups on the local economy, such as our disabled residents, as part of its draft Engagement Strategy?”
Councillor Brennan confirmed that significant consultation was undertaken with a wide range of groups, organisations and stakeholders. Although she could not specifically recall if that included disability groups, Councillor Brennan agreed that the Engagement Strategy, linked to the Peer Review Challenge put forward a series of options, to improve consultation. The Engagement Strategy would be developed in the New Year and that “bottom up” approach would be developed to ensure that all groups could take part in the process.
Councillor Walker asked a supplementary question of Councillor Brennan.
“Are consultations as they stand an effective approach to engagement?”
Councillor Brennan stated that a recommendation from the Peer Review Challenge was to consider the Council’s broader Engagement Strategy, and whilst the Council was satisfied that consultations reached as many residents as possible, the CPC team felt that it was not statistically sound as people tended to be self-selecting. Councillor Brennan stated that she was confident that the recommendations put forward by officers would address those concerns and improvements would continue.