The Council’s 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.
The Council’s rules provide that answers to questions without notice may take the form of:
(a) 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 Service Director.
In accordance with the Council’s 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 ten minutes at their discretion.
Minutes:
(a) Lowewood Museum
Councillor M Sartin asked the Community and Partnership Services Portfolio Holder for an update on the recent decision by Broxbourne Borough Council concerning Lowewood Museum.
Councillor N Bedford advised the Council had managed Broxbourne Borough Council’s Lowewood Museum under a Service Level Agreement (SLA) since 2012. Unfortunately they had informed the Council that they could no longer justify a proposed investment and were considering the future viability of the service. Therefore the Council believed that it was the right time to give notice and terminate the SLA which would revert the management back to Broxbourne Borough Council in June 2020.
(b) Private Sector Employment
Councillor R Baldwin asked the Leader whether the Council had a policy to assist private sector industries based in the District?
Councillor C Whitbread advised the Council was there to support all local high streets and employers in the District.
(c) Free Car Parking
Councillor L Burrows asked the Contract and Technical Services Portfolio Holder whether all the Council owned carparks within the District were free over the weekends during the festive period.
Councillor N Avey advised that yes, all the Council carparks were free in December on the weekends and bank holidays, to assist the local high streets during the festive season.
(d) Car Parking Policy
Councillor C C Pond asked for further details on Car Parking Policy for the District, which had been mentioned in the Strategic Projects Portfolio Holder’s report.
Councillor N Avey advised that a car parking tariff review was underway with details due back for consideration by March 2020. Furthermore, the Council was also considering new technology for parking and other associated issues in the District including Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
Councillor S Murray remarked the Council’s appreciation to the emergency services, professional support services and clergy within Loughton, in regards to the provisions received following the tragic events at Debden Park High School on 2 December 2019.
(e) Foodbank
Councillor S Murray asked the Leader of Council whether he was aware that Epping Forest Foodbank had distributed 4870 meals within the last 3 months, of which 2020 had been for children and represented 61% increase on the same period since 2018.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that he had been aware of the increased usage of foodbanks, which had partly been why a motion had been brought forward this evening to increase funding. Unfortunately, he believed that there would always be a need for this type of assistance for families left in difficult financial circumstances.
(f) Crime Figures for the District
Councillor D Sunger asked the Community and Partnership Services Portfolio Holder for an update on crime figures for the District.
Councillor N Bedford advised that over a twelve month period the following types of crime had reduced; All Theft by 7.9%: Residential Associated Burglary by 34.35%; Business Associated Burglary by 26.3%; All Vehicles Offences by 6%; and Anti-Social Behaviour by 13.3%. There had been a slight increase in Robbery on Persons which had increased by 8.8%. He believed that the Police were doing an excellent job.
(g) Climate Change
Councillor S Neville asked the Leader of Council what progress had been made following the adoption of the Climate Emergency Motion on 19 September 2019. In particular, in regards to the Council publishing an action plan on how it would achieve the target to become carbon neutral by 2030; and how the carbon emissions in the Epping Forest area would be monitored to achieve this target.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that a Cabinet Member would be appointed on 6 January 2020, as the Council’s spokesperson for Climate Change. Regarding the other issues raised, he believed officers were collating a detailed response which he would circulate.
(h) TfL Improvement on the Central Line
Councillor M Owen asked Contract and Technical Services Portfolio Holder whether there was any merit in asking TfL to try to bring forward the improvements scheduled for 2030-33 on the Central Line.
Councillor N Avey advised the Council had written and spoken with TfL regarding a number of issues concerning the section of the Central Line within the District and there appeared to be little the Council could do to compel them.
(i) Planning Permission - Epping Forest Special Areas of Conservation (EFSAC)
Councillor B Rolfe asked the Planning Services Portfolio Holder whether there had been any planning permissions issued since the last Council meeting.
Councillor J Philip advised that following the Natural England directive regarding the EFSAC, which related specifically to applications that produced a net reduction in Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) on roads through the EFSAC; 10 planning applications for 40 dwellings had been issued. There were another 6 applications that the Council hoped to grant by Christmas 2020.
(j) Tree Planting
Councillor D Wixley asked the Contract and Technical Services Portfolio Holder whether the Council could increase the number of trees planted this year to be inline with previous years.
Councillor N Avey remarked that with the Climate Emergency becoming increasingly prevalent, more tree planting was essential. He advised that as mentioned in his report, the number of trees had increased although he would discuss further planting with officers.
(k) Natural England
Councillor J Knapman asked the Planning Services Portfolio how many planning applications affected by EFSAC were outstanding and whether members could be updated.
Councillor J Philip advised that slightly over 100 planning applications had been in a back log and as previous mentioned 16 of these should be dealt with by the end of 2019. He would update members through the Members Bulletin.
(l) Central Line
Councillor H Kauffman asked the Leader of Council if he would raise concerns with the Transport Commissioner for London, regarding the proposed timetable changes; general poor service; and facilities on the Central Line which were all having a critical impact on the District.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that he would take up this challenge and make every effort for the District and its residents.
(m) Transport Strategy Consultation
Councillor J M Whitehouse asked the Planning Services Portfolio Holder, if awareness of the Transport Strategy Consultation concerning the Garden Town could be made more widely available to the various external bodies and groups in the District.
Councillor J Philip advised that the recently scheduled Garden Town Board meeting had been cancelled due to the General Election, so he could not give an update on the consultation. However, he would do his best to ensure the relevant interested parties were consulted.
(n) St John’s Road, Epping
Councillor J H Whitehouse asked the Leader of Council whether comments made by a developer concerning the St John’s Road site aimed at a no parking strategy for the leisure centre and residential units would be the correct policy to follow, considering the current parking issues faced in Epping.
Councillor C Whitbread advised that the Council had not yet appointed a developer for the St John’s Road site and a report would be presented to Cabinet 6 January 2020, which would take the Local Plan into consideration.
(o) Loughton Centric Parade
Councillor S Murray asked how many members had been involved in the decision to purchase the Loughton Centric Parade.
The Commercial and Regulatory Portfolio Holder, Councillor A Patel advised that following the decision by Council on 19 September 2019, three members had taken the decision, as set out in the Asset Management Strategy approved by Cabinet in June 2019.