Agenda item - Oral questions from Councillors

91.1      The Mayor noted that 12 oral questions had been received and that 30 minutes were set aside for the duration of the item.

 

(a)       Apprenticeships in Schools

 

91.2      The Mayor invited Councillor Wealls to put his question to Councillor Chapman.

 

91.3      Councillor Wealls asked the following question, “In December 2014 council passed a notice of motion requesting that a report was brought to the next Children and Young People’s committee asking for information on take up of apprenticeships in school based vocational roles, what were the obstacles and what could we do to overcome those obstacles to increase students in school based apprenticeships. We didn’t see a report to the committee since then so can I just assume that the work has been done and since the apprenticeship levee starts today all of our schools are up and ready to accept apprentices?”

 

91.4      Councillor Chapman replied, “We are working very hard on increasing the number of apprenticeships in the City and indeed in schools and our apprenticeship officer has been meeting with schools across the city and will continue to do so and briefings have been given to schools forums and to head teachers and a letter also has gone out to head teachers last week about the apprenticeship levee and obviously is Councillor Wealls would like more information on this process I would be happy to look into this for him.”

 

91.5      Councillor Wealls asked the following supplementary question, “We’ve had two years to get this right and I expect we are well behind the curve in terms of the work we could have done with schools to get them ready for the apprenticeship levee and I suspect that had we gone on a done what Council wanted to do in 2014 we’d be much better placed for our schools to be supported in this. Would you agree with that?”

 

91.6      Councillor Chapman replied, “I believe our schools are being support with the levee which is coming in today and as I say we have an apprenticeship office who is liaising with schools to support them to encourage and increase the number of apprenticeships in schools and I will continue to encourage this.”

 

(b)      Tagging

 

91.7      Councillor Mac Cafferty asked the following question, “I’d like to start by thanking City Clean officers who by astonishing coincidence clearly saw my oral question and started to rapidly remove some of the tagging in my ward before today’s meeting. I reported one massive piece of graffiti in my ward on the 27 January. It took me 1 hour to remove it myself 35 days later on Saturday 4 March with powerful chemicals, a power hose and under kind instructions from City Clean officers.

 

I put it to Cllr Mitchell that her administration is losing the war against the taggers in the city centre at just the time when we need our city centre looking at its best for our visitors. This is the worst tagging has been in all my time as an elected representative and some of our residents report it’s the worst they’ve seen in 40 years.

 

My question is how many fixed penalty notices were issued in the last year for tagging and graffiti offences?”

 

91.8      Councillor Mitchell replied, “Eighteen.”

 

91.9      Councillor Mac Cafferty asked the following supplementary question, “City Clean until relatively recently used to gather intelligence to push for prosecutions on this matter with Sussex Police. What strategy does the administration have in place to push to be proactive about stopping tagging and not just mopping up after the event?”

 

91.10   Councillor Mitchell replied, “City Clean Staff do actually spend a lot of time and resources cleaning away graffiti and tagging from street furniture and other areas right across the city. We also notify private property owners when their property has been graffitied. Hopefully the impending national litter strategy will contain powers for local authorities to enforce graffiti removal from private property because that is what we need. Prior to removing tags they are photographed for criminal evidence purposes. We are in early discussions with Community Pay Back in relation to graffiti removal. We can supply graffiti wipes for people to remove graffiti but they are not suitable for all surfaces as you probably know. Also I’m really pleased to hear that the additional wardens operating in Brunswick are very proactive in removing graffiti and the additional presence that they provide enables a really rapid response both in terms of enforcement and removal. This is something that we will continue to bear down on as always we could do with a lot more resource.”

 

(c)       Conforming to Traditional and Largely Moral Practices

 

91.11   Councillor Janio asked the following question, “In our increasingly complex extended order society learnt customs, morals and traditions lie between instinct and reason. These customs and traditions enable societies to function without explicit written rules. Brighton & Hove City Council constitution states that all Councillors will represent their communities and bring their views into the council’s decision making process i.e. become the advocates of and for their communities. Can the leader of the council suggest how I am to fulfil my role as a ward councillor given that many council related functions have been sanctioned in my ward without knowledge such as the recent so called ecological survey that has resulted in the devastation of wildlife rich areas of Benfield Valley and that in allowing this your administration is either braking with the Council’s long accepted customs, morals and traditions or is simply plain incompetent.”

 

91.12   Councillor Morgan replied, “I am for one am delighted that someone would ask me a question quoting from the writings of Friedrich Hayek, in this case his 1988 work ‘The Fatal Conceit’ specifically the introduction ‘Was Socialism a Mistake’ a pure coincidence I’m sure.

 

Were you Mr Mayor to allow me unlimited time I would respond by quoting liberally from Francis Fukuyama excellent critique of Hayek in the New York Times in 2011 however I doubt other members of this council let alone residents are hugely interested in this academic discussion on political theory. I may have a degree in it but I am more interested in getting the bins emptied these days. As to the events in his ward I’d be happy to look into that and get back to him. Councillor Janio would do well to note another Hayek quote ‘We shall not go wiser before we learn that much that we have done was very foolish.’”

 

91.13   Councillor Janio asked the following supplementary question, “I think Hayek also said that a socialist was someone who doesn’t understand economics but that is another matter. Mr Mayor several of my colleagues have also experience similar levels of secrecy from your administration but there is a more immediate and serious issue before us tonight so I have changed by question.

 

Can the leader of the council confirm that bringing an agenda item 95 for decision tonight with a report marked as draft accompanied by an extensive set of minutes to be presented to this Council that hasn’t gone back to committee for approval and yet now has to justify a draft substantive item and has today been almost changed to recommend to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee means that your Labour Administration has finally discarded the accepted customs morals and traditions of this council or is simply incompetent.”

 

91.14   Councillor Morgan replied, “Mr Mayor of course I don’t accept that and the issue which Councillor Janio refers to will be dealt with under that item with explanations from the people involved. I’m very pleased to see that Councillor Janio is wearing his Ronald Reagan tie again tonight so I’ve bought him a Donald Trump hat which I have amended to say ‘Make Hangleton Great Again’.”

 

(d)      Customer Satisfaction

 

91.15   Councillor Page asked the following question, “Councillor Morgan has been claiming in the media and indeed in his long speech at budget council that satisfaction with the council is up 20% since his administration took over.  Can Councillor Morgan please tell me where that data comes from?”

 

91.16   Councillor Morgan replied, “The facts that I have quoted are from the City Tracker stats that show that overall satisfaction in the last two years has risen and has remained reasonably stable following its nadir of 41% in 2014. It increase to 60% in 2015 and was 58% in the 2016 report. The figures for people who are service users are stable from 40% in 2014 to 60% in 2015 and 2016. We have increased trust in the council by 7% since 2015, we’ve reduced the number of people who feel the council doesn’t act on all of their concerns by nearly half from 12% in 2014 to 7% in 2016 and increased the numbers of people who believe who do by 7%. Satisfaction with refuse collection has risen from 36% in 2014 to 67% in 2016. Satisfaction with recycling has risen from 44% to 66%, satisfaction with street cleaning has risen from 47% to 65%, and satisfaction with schools has risen from 48% to 54%. These are the statistics that I am quoting from.”

 

91.17   Councillor Page asked the following supplementary question. “Would Councillor Morgan agree that he is being a bit misleading by picking out an anomalous result in 2014 that does not represent the overall trend for the past 5 years?”

 

91.18   Councillor Morgan replied, “The one fact that I would point out is that tens of thousands of residents of Brighton & Hove gave an assessment of the customer service under the Green Administration in May 2015 that is why you are where you are and we are where we are now.”

 

(e)       Armed Forces Day

 

91.19   Councillor Mears asked the following question, “Can the Leader of the Council confirm the Council’s support for Armed Forces day a national event on the 24 June each year bearing in mind that this council is signed up to the military covenant. I note the Council is supporting Armed Forces day at Blind Veterans UK on the 25 June even though the council has a budget funded by the Ministry of Defence there is no council armed forces day in the city on the 24 June this year.”

 

91.20   Councillor Morgan replied, “Council will I’m sure be aware that Armed Forces day formally Veteran’s Day was established in 2006 by the Labour Government. Councillor Mears will I hope be aware from her own group leader that decisions around events to mark Armed Forces Day were taken in October by the leaders group of which he is a part following representations about resourcing from the police and in recognition of the very low attendance levels at event in New Road. The decision was made to focus our resources on remembrance events in November if Councillor Mears was unhappy with this cross party decision then she had a number of months to raise it with Councillor Theobald. As she said events to make Armed Forces Day will be taking place at the Blind Veteran’s Centre on the 25 June which I will be attending. The is also the flag raising ceremony at the Old Steine War Memorial at 11am on 19 June to which all members are invited. The Council is also support an event organised by the Royal British Legion to mark Armed Forces Day and its planning for centenary events to make the end of World War One next year.”

 

91.21   Councillor Mears asked the following supplementary question. “One of the reasons why Armed Forces Day was abandoned is not because residents did not support the event which they do in numbers and they did last year. I was in fact because local dignitaries never bothered to turn up which is a great shame because residents were looking at empty seats with names on.

 

The Royal British Legion will be supporting the event on 25 June and we will have a stall there. Will the Leader of the Council set an example and support the service being organised by the Royal British Legion on the 24 June this year at the Old Steine War Memorial?”

 

91.22   Councillor Morgan replied, “Mr Mayor I think I made it clear in my initial comments that I would be supporting the events as I have done in the past two years.”

 

(f)        Teaching Facilities for Adults with Learning Difficulties

 

91.23   Councillor Deane asked the following question, “Would Councillor Morgan agree that the provision of teaching facilities for adults with learning disabilities by the voluntary sector deserves to be recognised and support by this council?”

 

91.24   Councillor Morgan replied, “Yes I do.”

 

91.25   Councillor Deane asked the following supplementary question. “Will Councillor Morgan respond to Rosa Monkton and support Team Domenica in finding a suitable premise with security of tenure from within the council’s property portfolio?”

 

91.26   Councillor Morgan replied, “I certainly don’t recall receiving any correspondence but I will have my office look in to it and make sure we do provide a response to points raised.”

 

(g)      Student Housing Developer Contributions

 

91.27   Councillor Miller asked the following question, “Would Councillor Cattell agree with me that it is unfair that student housing providers don’t have to pay affordable housing contributions by commuted sum?”

 

91.28   Councillor Cattell replied, “Councillor Miller will be aware of the fact that we have discussed this in detail about the difference between use classes orders under which we can ask for section 106 contributions and you were actually at the committee when we discussed it.”

 

91.29   Councillor Miller asked the following supplementary question. “I believe that student housing is in the C2 category. Would Councillor Cattell like to review as part of City Plan part 2 whether introducing a section 106 contribution to student housing is a viable proposition to take forward?”

 

91.30   Councillor Cattell replied, “You already know that purpose built student housing is in a special use category and not C2 as was explained to you at a recent Planning Committee meeting.”

 

(h)      Youth Service

 

91.31   Councillor Phillips asked the following question, “Now that there is a cut in the youth service budget and the early help budget could Councillor Chapman Clarify how the remaining money in each budget is going to be spent and therefore what in each budget is going to be cut?”

 

91.32   Councillor Chapman replied, “I wrote to all Member’s yesterday to advise them that we will be looking into setting up a cross party working group looking into the youth service going forward where all of these questions will be answered.”

 

91.33   Councillor Phillips asked the following supplementary question. “Councillor Chapman wrote in last week’s Brighton and Hove Independent an article about needing to shout louder over school funding cuts. How does he plan to oppose and push the government other than a few mealy moth words?”

 

91.34   Councillor Chapman replied, “I intend to continue to campaign to government through the Labour Party in terms of ensuring the schools are properly funded going forward.”

 

(i)        Party Houses

 

91.35   Councillor Druitt asked the following question, “I have received a number of concerns from residents in Upper North Street about the development of a party house at Number 19 by Portmore investments. Can the administration is doing to work with party house owners as soon as they are identified to ensure that change of use planning permission is sought if required, permission is sought for any licensable activities and the legitimate concerns of neighbouring residents are addressed before party houses become operational?”

 

91.36   Councillor Meadows replied, “It’s a shame that Councillor Druitt chose to submit a question with such an ambiguous title which was directed at the wrong person. The question should have been addressed to the Chair of Planning”

 

91.37   Councillor Druitt asked the following supplementary question. “I did not address the question to a specific councillor I asked a question on party houses to the administration and I expect someone to be able to answer it.”

 

91.38   Councillor Meadows replied, “I would like to refer Councillor Druitt to the notice of motion which I have brought to this council which actually deals with party houses. I am actually working on that. Recently there was a private members bill on the subject that went to parliament and I am in the process of writing to every council leader across the country on this subject.”

 

(j)        Developer Applications

 

91.39   Councillor Greenbaum asked the following question, “On the agenda of the last Economic Development & Culture Committee we had a report on section 106 developer contributions technical guidance update. My colleague Councillor Druitt and I tried to put forward an amendment there and my question if seeking clarification about why this amendment wasn’t accepted. Where a developer is negotiating on affordable housing and seeks to make a commuted payment instead our guidance says the council may require the developers financial information to be provided on an open book basis, the amendment was seeking to remove the word may from the guidance. Although the amendment was accepted we were reassured that this was happening anyway.

 

Can we please be told what format this is happening in, what the timeline is and when that will be in place by?”

 

91.40   Councillor Cattell replied, “The amendment was not accepted because procedurally we would have had to produce a new report rather than amend the recommendations on the report it was nothing to do with the sentiment of the amendment. This was raised at the December Planning Committee by Councillor Russell-Moyle and as a result of that officers are looking at how other authorities deal with this as it is not as simple as saying we will always require full disclosure. Officers are currently looking at the legal implications for this but I am afraid I cannot give you a timeline but I will bring more information back to the Economic Development and Culture Committee.”

 

(k)       Hove Library

 

91.41   Councillor Sykes asked the following question, “In June 2016 Policy & Resources committee voted not to sell Hove Library and since then a cross party group have been pursuing ways of reducing the deficit following that decision. In March of this Year the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee considered the bike share scheme and in that paper Hove Library was removed from a list of possible locations because the future of the library was ‘uncertain’. This doesn’t add up and I wonder if Councillor Robins can explain and as an aside I wonder if he could remind us what the annual reported saving of the sale of Hove Library was supposed to be?”

 

91.42   Councillor Robins replied, “I fear this might have been aimed at the wrong person as I was not involved in the report which was taken to Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee. According to Chair of the ETS Committee this was the product of an officer error.”

 

91.43   Councillor Sykes asked the following supplementary question. “The question to Councillor Robins as a senior member of the administration is what part of all this chaos would he describe as getting the basics right?”

 

91.44   Councillor Robins replied, “I think Councillor Morgan earlier on explained how we feel we are getting the basics right. If Councillor Morgan hands me those statistics I will run through them again and as often as you like but there seems be very little point to that.”

 

(l)        Building Council Homes

 

91.45   Councillor Gibson asked the following question, “Will Councillor Meadows pledge that the administration will do all that is within their power both to continue and grow the council house building programme?”

 

91.46   Councillor Meadows replied, “I am happy to pledge that we intend to continue building lots and lots more council rented homes.”

 

91.47   Councillor Gibson asked the following supplementary question. “When can we expect to see a net increase in the council house building schemes as a result of this administration’s efforts?”

 

91.48   Councillor Meadows replied, “You question gives me the chance to talk about our new joint venture with Hyde because that will bring us up to another 1000 new homes for the city.”