The Council Rules provide for questions by any member of the Council to the Leader or any Portfolio Holder, without notice on:
(i) reports under the previous item; or
(ii) any other matter of a non operational character in relation to the powers and duties of the Council or which affects all or part of the District or some or all of its inhabitants.
Council Rules provide that answers to questions without notice may take the form of:
(a) direct oral answer from the Leader or, at the request of the Leader, from another member of the Cabinet;
(b) where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication;
(c) where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner; or
(d) where the question relates to an operational matter, the Leader or a member of the Cabinet will request that a response be given direct to the questioner by the relevant Chief Officer.
In accordance with the Council Rules, a time limit of thirty minutes is set for questions. Any question not dealt with within the time available will receive a written reply. The Chairman may extend this period by up to a further 10 minutes at their discretion.
Minutes:
(a) Local Plan
Councillor D Dorrell asked the Leader whether members of the Conservative Party had been ‘whipped’ to vote a certain way before the Council meeting on 14 December 2017 which considered the Publication of the Submission Version of the Epping Forest District Local Plan.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that the Conservative Party had been given a free vote on the Publication of the Submission Version of the Epping Forest District Local Plan and they had not been ‘whipped’ to vote in a certain way.
(b) Food Banks
Councillor S Murray asked the Leader whether he was aware that the number of 3 day food parcels provided by the local food banks had increased from 640 in 2016/17 to 1197 in 2017/18; and if he had any comments, feedback or actions regarding the local foodbanks manager comments that ‘no-one should have to require this help’.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that foodbanks were important and awareness of the poverty in the District was not always recognised with residents not always being aware of this facility. He advised that the Council was proactive in directing people to the relevant areas of the Council or voluntary sectors for help.
(c) Update on the St John’s Road, Epping Site
Councillor B Rolfe asked the Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder for an update on the St John’s Road, Epping Development.
Councillor A Grigg advised that the Frontier Estate development partner had put forward proposals for a food store, large car park, cinema, restaurant and coffee area and 35 homes. She advised that the contracts were on the verge of being signed and were awaiting the Town Council’s approval.
(d) Consultation of the Local Plan
Councillor N Bedford asked the Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder whether the Local Plan was back out to consultation.
Councillor J Philip advised that the consultation had not re-opened. Following the publication of Appendix ‘B’ the Council took the decision to offer the opportunity to any consultee that had made reference to the absence of Appendix ‘B’ in their response to add to their comments.
(e) Car Idling
Councillor S Neville asked the Environment Portfolio Holder what action was being taken about car idling outside Buckhurst Hill Community Primary School and if nothing would he send down relevant officer to investigate.
Councillor W Breare-Hall advised that the Council took tackling air pollution seriously. He informed the Council that he had taken a Portfolio Holder Decision to allow officers to issue fixed penalty notices, where the occupant refused to turn off their engine. He advised that a report should be available within 4-6 weeks of any action taken and the new Portfolio Holder would be able report back to him.
(f) Position of EFDC in the Recycling League
Councillor G Chambers asked the Environment Portfolio Holder what position EFDC was in the National Recycling League.
Councillor W Breare-Hall advised that EFDC was 22nd in Country on the Recycling League table out of 350 Council for the percentage of household waste recycled, composted or re-used. He informed the Council that 57.7% of household waste had been recycled last year.
(g) Additional Police Officers
Councillor S Jones asked the Safer, Cleaner and Transport Portfolio Holder when would the 3 additional Police officers paid for by the Council, be operational and deployed in the District.
Councillor S Kane advised that they would be operating from the updated Community Safety Centre in the Civic Offices from 19 June 2018 and the Sergeant would be prior to this date. This was part of a pilot scheme included within the Accommodation Review.
(h) Epping Sports Centre
Councillor H Whitbread asked the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder whether she could give an update on the future of Epping Leisure Centre.
Councillor H Kane advised that the Council, in partnership with Places for People had just completed a £1.1 million refurbishment to Epping Leisure Centre. The Council had identified the site as suitable for residential development in the Local Plan, which was part of the Council’s job to consider what was best for the future of the town and residents of the District. She advised that Epping Leisure Centre was not closing down.
(i) Epping Leisure Centre
Councillor J H Whitehouse asked the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder whether she could clarify when the decision would be made on the future of Epping Leisure Centre.
Councillor H Kane advised that no decision and the Leisure Centre had just been refurbished. The Council would examine all options and she would like Ward member’s help, to work with her to find alternative solutions that were suitable for the growing population of the District and Epping Town.
(j) The Broadway and Epping Forest Shopping Park
Councillor C Roberts asked the Asset and Economic Development Portfolio Holder whether she could give an indication of when all the units at the Epping Shopping Retail Park would be filled including the land mark site on the Broadway. He also asked whether some consideration could be given to current tenants on the Broadway, as to not negatively impact the existing businesses.
Councillor A Grigg advised that there were two empty units under negotiation at the ‘Heads of Terms’ stage, although she would not name them until they were completely signed up.
She advised that she understood the worries and concerns of the tenants in the Broadway but this had to be weighed up against the retail park and the income that would be generated from this as well, to fund council services. The Council had tried to engage with fashion retailers which had not been successful although other retailers had come forward and to prevent the units being empty a good financial arrangement had been achieved.
With regards to problems at The Broadway, Councillor A Grigg and Councillor G Mohindra had arranged to meet with tenants.
The landmark building had experienced legal delays and this had impacted on the layout of services within the ground floor. She advised that there would be a restaurant, coffee shop, pub and small convenience store.
(k) Ongar and Loughton Swimming Water Quality
Councillor P Keska asked the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder about the current situation of the water quality at Ongar and Loughton Swimming pools.
Councillor H Kane advised that she was aware of the issue and it was being investigated by Places for People and the Council’s Environmental Health Team. Currently, at Ongar Leisure Centre there had been a single report of cloudy water which had resulted in the cleaning and dosing rates being reviewed. At Loughton Leisure Centre the issue had been persistent and could be down to a leaking of seals and/or chemical dosing rates which would be reported in the next few days. Furthermore, the water was being tested 4 times a day and was not a health issue.
(l) Council Housebuilding Programme
Councillor D Sunger asked the Housing Portfolio Holder to update members on the success so far of the Council Housebuilding Programme.
Councillor S Stavrou advised that the Council Housebuilding Programme had started in 2014, which had been the first social housing programme for Epping Forest District Council for some 30 years. She advised that the Housebuilding Programme had been broken down into 6 phases supplying a total of 213 dwellings. Phases 1-3 had been completed with 4-6 phases in progress. The sites which had failed to obtain planning permission had been discussed at the Cabinet Housebuilding Committee on 5 April 2018. Following the development agents giving notice, the Council had decided to manage the Housebuilding Programme in-house.
(m) Electoral Review
Councillor R Brookes asked the Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder to expand on the approval to gain an Electoral Review for the District Council.
Councillor J Philip advised that the Council was looking at whether to complete an Electoral Review for the District. He advised that the Council would need to decide whether it be would the right time because factors including the Local Plan, the Transformation Programme and the changing demographics within the District.
(n) Re-store – The Broadway
Councillor C C Pond asked the Leader whether he regretted the departure of the Re-Store organisation in The Broadway because of financial pressure; and if he could allow this the organisation to carry on.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that it was always regrettable any lost of a charity in the district and would happy to discuss this issue with Councillor C C Pond.
(o) Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre
Councillor R Gadsby asked the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder for an update on the new Leisure Centre in Waltham Abbey.
Councillor H Kane advised that the Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre was still on target for completion in November 2018, despite days lost to the bad weather and the handing over process between the old and new leisure centres was starting to be completed.
(p) Epping St John’s Site
Councillor J M Whitehouse asked the Asset and Economic Development Portfolio when would she expect a planning application to follow, if the contracts were signed between all partners for the St John’s Road site and when would she expect construction to start.
Councillor A Grigg advised that it was hard to forecast although and would probably take around 9 months for the planning application to come forward. She would give a written reply regarding the construction.
(q) Compost Bins
Councillor D Wixley asked the Environment Portfolio Holder whether free compost bins could be offered to residents.
Councillor W Breare-Hall that compost awareness week was coming up between 7 -11 May 2018 where free compost could be collected from the Bakers Lane carpark in Epping. Although he was not able offer free compost bins the new recycling calendars placed on residents bins were advertising reduced cost recycling bins through the County Council.
(r) Voluntary Action Epping Forest
Councillor S Murray asked the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder why the Council was making VAEF homeless and what steps were Council making to make sure VAEF found another home.
Councillor H Kane advised that the Council had not made VAEF homeless. The lease had expired and the Council had tried to find alternative place for them, helping out by attending meetings and assisting with their moving arrangements. The VAEF were currently situated at Hemnall Street which would be monitored.