Questioner
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Subject
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Response
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Oral questions
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Councillor Moore
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Why had the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) failed to consult with businesses and Councillors before installing double red lines on Coast Road and Victoria Esplanade, West Mersea. The impact on businesses was such that the lack of consultation on the grounds that the lines were temporary was not justified. To have “no stopping” restrictions along the length of Victoria Esplanade when car parks were closed was absurd, and mesh matting should be used to allow car parks to be open all year.
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Councillor Lilley, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, indicated that a written response would be sent.
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Councillor Moore
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When was the revised response to the Bradwell B consultation sent? Why had the response not been shared with Councillors as had been promised?
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Councillor Lilley, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, indicated that a written response would be sent.
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Councillor Barton
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She had been campaigning for the Council to plant wild flowers on verges. Could the Portfolio Holder provide an update on progress on this issue?
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Councillor Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation explained that Cabinet had recently adopted a wilding policy, which listed some areas that would be allowed to grow wild. The Council was liaising with Essex County Council on how that policy could be extended, whilst maintaining highway safety, and they were supportive of the work. As well as allowing areas to grow wild, the Council was looking at seeding wild flowers in some areas.
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Councillor Barton
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Given the reports of how the Covid 19 pandemic had impacted on tourism, could the Portfolio Holder provide an update on how the Castle was faring?
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Councillor J. Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance, explained that the Castle was a very safe environment for visitors. Whilst numbers were down to approximately 70% of the previous year’s levels, this compared well with other regional museums which were down on average to approximately 30-50% of normal levels and national museums which were down to approximately 12%. The Castle also had a Turner painting on display, which would help attract visitors. It was continuing its educational work by providing resources to schools who were unable to visit.
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Councillor Scott-Boutell
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Could the Portfolio Holder provide an update on the CCTV upgrade in the town centre? How was it funded and what were the upgrades?
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Councillor Lilley, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, indicated that a written response would be sent, although he would not be able to provide details of the camera locations.
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Councillor Harris
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From his work with Schools in Bloom he was aware of the valuable work that Firstsite did in the community. Could the Leader of the Council find a way of thanking Sally Shaw MBE for their work throughout the pandemic?
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Councillor Cory, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategy indicated that he would acknowledge the work done by all the major arts organisations in Colchester.
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Councillor Hazell
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Could the Portfolio Holder provide an update on the report by the surveyors on the Eudo Road Tennis Centre?
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Councillor Higgins, Portfolio Holder for Commercial Services, explained that the Council had to make difficult decisions in view of the current budget position. The site needed considerable investment in order to future-proof it and the extent of that needed to be ascertained. Decisions would need to be made as to whether that would provide good value or that the funding could be better invested elsewhere. However no decision had been made and she had not yet received the surveyors report. Ward Councillors would be updated when more detailed information was available.
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Councillor Scott-Boutell
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Could the Portfolio Holder provide a reassurance that trees planted as part of the Woodland Project were being monitored, particularly in view of the dry summer?
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Councillor King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, explained that it was inevitable that the dry summer would have an impact on some of the trees and the results of the planting had been variable. This would be picked up in the next phase of planting work, and there were plans to plant another 10,000 trees. Details would follow shortly.
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Councillor Scott-Boutell
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Could the Portfolio Holder update Council on the progress of the 100 Homes Project?
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Councillor Fox, Portfolio Holder for Housing, explained that this was an investment of £22 million to purchase 100 ex-Council homes. Ten properties had already been located. All the properties would be brought up to a Band B energy rating. The project contributed to a wider house building programme and building was underway at Creffield Road and in Aldham, and further sites were on stream.
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Councillor Pearson
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Would the Portfolio Holder for Commercial Services join with him in congratulating the political and managerial leadership of the Council for the award of Best Commercial Council at the Municipal Journal awards? Did the Portfolio Holder agree that the judges’ comments on the District Heat Network demonstrated the administration’s green credentials?
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Councillor Higgins, Portfolio Holder for Commercial Services, expressed her thanks to all the officers involved. She explained that the judges had recognised the Council’s vision in establishing the three trading companies, and had particularly singled out Colchester Commercial Holdings Ltd’s achievements to date. These included the District Heat Network at Northern Gateway, its house-building programme, the development of Northern Gateway Sports Park and the delivery of ultra-fast broadband. She agreed that the judges’ comments were an endorsement of the administration’s green credentials.
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Councillor Luxford Vaughan
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Could the Clean Air Project be rolled out to other wards outside the town centre? Wivenhoe had air quality issues, particularly around schools, where re-education was required. Were there plans to monitor the air quality in Wivenhoe?
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Councillor Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, explained that the project had started in the most polluted areas, such as Brook Street. However, the project would work with schools across Colchester and that could include Wivenhoe. Air quality was monitored across Colchester. He would check the position in Wivenhoe and provide details.
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Councillor Barber
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Would the Portfolio Holder agree that following the debate on Paxmans that a plan for green manufacturing and green jobs at the heart of a new Economic Strategy for the borough on the agenda for the next meeting of the Local Plan Committee?
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Councillor J. Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance, indicated this would be worthwhile and that she would raise the issue with the Chair of the Local Plan Committee.
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Councillor Barber
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Following a planning appeal that the Council had recently lost relating to Braiswick, the Inspector had concluded that the Council had behaved unreasonably and therefore costs had been awarded against the Council. Could an urgent review be undertaken to see what had gone wrong, as it would impact on the deliverability of Part 2 of the Local Plan.
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Councillor J. Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance, indicated that a written response would be provided.
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Councillor Goacher
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In respect of the procurement of the land for the Alumno site that was covered by the covenant, could the Portfolio Holder explain why as ward councillor he could not see the objections to the acquisition of the land? Why did the Council not simply state that it did not want to override the covenant?
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Councillor King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, acknowledged that the Council had a statutory duty in relation to Freedom of Information and a duty to provide all members with the information they needed. The issue was not about the procurement of the land. The Council had a contractual relationship with Alumno, from which certain obligations resulted. These included due process on the issue of appropriations. This would not result in the loss of rights, but a time limited suspension. All members would have a right to see the Part B information that would be considered by Cabinet when it considered the information but this would be presented in a way that respected individual rights and GDPR considerations. The Council had a duty to do what it could to promote its local economy, particularly given the current situation. The Alumno scheme was £40 million investment on a site where successive developments had failed and would generate jobs and increased footfall in that part of the town centre.
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Councillor Warnes
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Would the Portfolio Holder continue with the budget workshops in line with the recommendation of the Policy Panel that there should be greater participation in the budgeting process
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Councillor King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, indicated that the workshops would continue. Three had been held to date and considerable valuable information had been shared with members.
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Councillor Willetts
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Could the Portfolio Holder consider changing the system for reporting missed collections of waste and recycling so that it operated in as close to real time as possible?
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Councillor Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, indicated that a written response would be sent.
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Councillor Bentley
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Could the Portfolio Holder confirm that the revised response to the Bradwell B consultation had been sent, and if so, what did it say?
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Councillor Lilley, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, confirmed that the response was sent. He thought it had been shared with all councillors, but he would arrange for it to be circulated.
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Councillor Crow
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Could the Portfolio Holder explain why missed waste and recycling collections at the Mill Apartments at Grosvenor Place were so frequent. Residents of flats did not have the space to store rubbish or recycling, or kitchen waste caddies. Therefore when the waste was not collected, or the waste storage facilities were full, it attracted wildlife and vermin.
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Councillor Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, indicated that a written response would be sent.
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