The Leader, or his nominee, to answer questions from Councillors on matters affecting the Borough, in accordance with Standing Order 15.
Note: the deadline for questions to be considered at this meeting is 12 noon on Thursday 12 July 2018.
Two general questions have been received to date from Councillors S.A. Dunn and A.E. Friday.
Question from Councillor Dunn:
The Spelthorne Borough signs proudly proclaim that Spelthorne is twinned with Melun. The Council website states that Spelthorne wishes to develop closer links with Melun. What steps are currently being taken to achieve this aim and which schools, clubs & associations, in the borough, are already twinned with corresponding ones in Melun?
Question from Councillor Friday:
As a member of the Members’ Development Steering Group it has been disappointing to note the lack of interest shown by some members of this Council to the training seminars offered to them. Does the Leader agree with me that it is important for councillors to attend the training courses provided in order that they can effectively serve the people they represent?
Two further questions were received by the deadline from Councillors R.A. Smith-Ainsley and I.J. Beardsmore.
Question from Councillor Smith-Ainsley:
Those in the Chamber will recall that the borough was recently subjected to a large unlawful encampment of Travellers. Their encampments caused significant harm to several parks including Ashford Recreation Ground, Manor Park, Greenfield Park, Littleton recreation ground, Lower Halliford Green, Cedars Recreation Ground and Shepperton Recreation Ground. Jackie Taylor and her JET team worked tirelessly to try to protect our parks, successfully blocking off entrances to Laleham Park. The conditions they worked in were very difficult and often intimidating, sometimes without assistance from other public bodies.
Would the Leader agree with me that this the work of these officers is another example of ‘Spelthorne Means Business’ and the whole team deserve the appreciation and thanks of this Council and the residents of Spelthorne?
Question from Councillor Ian Beardsmore:
Across the board every member in this Chamber is worried at the threat to our Green Belt from the proposed numbers of new houses we are expected to build. Much of this extra burden has been inflicted on us by central government guidelines and methodology. So far our MP has said nothing on this. Will the leader write to him on behalf of all of us expressing our deep concern about it and requesting he raises this issue with government as a matter of the greatest urgency with the aim of finding a solution to the problem?
Minutes:
The Mayor reported that four general questions had been received, in accordance with Standing Order 15, from Councillors S. Dunn, A.E. Friday, R.A. Smith-Ainsley and I.J. Beardsmore.
1. Question from Councillor Sandra Dunn:
"The Spelthorne Borough signs proudly proclaim that Spelthorne is twinned with Melun. The council website states that Spelthorne wishes to develop closer links with Melun. What steps are currently being taken to achieve this aim and which schools, clubs & associations, in the borough, are already twinned with corresponding ones in Melun."
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Harvey:
“Thank you for your question Councillor Dunn.
We are very proud of our links with Melun and Grand Port. As a Council we always aim to involve them at appropriate points in the calendar where they can participate in our civic life and we can participate in theirs. For instance, the Mayor goes to Melun annually for the Confreries des Chevaliers du Brie de Melun ceremony.
In May this year, we entertained 34 visitors, both adults and children, from Melun. They met at the council offices and had a fish and chip lunch, followed by a talk from the Mayor and a tour of the building. We then arranged for them to have a personal tour of Kempton Park Racecourse for the rest of the day.
Not surprisingly with the distances involved, we have seen more of our French twins over the years than our Mauritian ones, but even there we have a good news story as we recently hosted Shyam Teeluck, Chief Executive and Nirmal Domah, Chairperson from Grand Port Council. They were in London on their way back from a conference in Canada. They came to meet Daniel, Madam Mayor and myself, and we had an opportunity to brief them on local issues in Spelthorne and in turn we heard from them about developments in Mauritius. They also came last year for a symposium which covered a number of different service areas. That was a very useful exchange of ideas and learning.
As regards exchanges outside of the Council, I am sad to say that it appears that none of our schools are currently active in exchange programmes. This is something which we would like to improve. It is something which I know is dear to the heart of the Mayor and that it has been raised with her by Chrystelle Marosz from Melun when she attended for our most recent Mayor’s Ball. Hopefully something will come of this.
There used to be a Friends of Melun active in the community. In order to answer your question officers have made enquiries with former councillors and schools about current activity through the Friends. Unfortunately, it does not look to be as active as it could be.
Like all twinnings, activity often ebbs and flows depending on the people involved.
I would urge all Councillors who wish to become more involved to volunteer to do so.
If there is an enthusiasm amongst councillors to help out then I would be willing to consider how the Council could respond and support this.”
In accordance with Council Standing Order 15.2, Councillor S.A. Dunn asked the following supplementary question:
“Could you tell me who in the council is responsible for developing Twinning and to whom any further enquiries should be addressed?”
The Leader, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey, responded as follows:
“I believe enquiries should be sent to the Mayor’s secretary initially, Sheila Kimpton.”
2. Question from Councillor Alfred Friday:
“As a member of the Members Development Steering Group it has been disappointing to note the lack of interest shown by some members of this Council to the training seminars offered to them. Does the Leader agree with me that it is important for councillors to attend the training courses provided in order that they can effectively serve the people they represent?”
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Harvey:
“Thank you for your question Councillor Friday. I do agree, and very much encourage all members to take part in all training and briefing sessions that are made available to them in order to best serve our residents.”
In accordance with Council Standing Order 15.2, Councillor A.E. Friday asked the following supplementary question:
“I would like to thank the Leader for that reply and can I also ask him to urge all members to complete and return to Committee Services the Members Development Survey that they were recently sent, so that we can know what sort of training it is that Members would actually like to have."
The Leader, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey, responded as follows:
“Thank you Councillor Friday. Members, please return the forms as soon as possible to Committee Services. I would like to reiterate what Councillor Friday said, we try and arrange training sessions for members in order to help them discharge their responsibilities to our residents, so I urge you to take advantage of all possible training sessions.”
3. Question from Councillor Richard Smith-Ainsley:
“Those in the Chamber will recall that the borough was recently subjected to a large unlawful encampment of Travellers. Their encampments caused significant harm to several parks including Ashford Recreation Ground, Manor Park, Greenfield Park, Littleton recreation ground, Lower Halliford Green, Cedars Recreation Ground and Shepperton Recreation Ground. Jackie Taylor and her JET team worked tirelessly to try to protect our parks, successfully blocking off entrances to Laleham Park. The conditions they worked in were very difficult and often intimidating, sometimes without assistance from other public bodies.
Would the Leader agree with me that the work of these officers is another example of ‘Spelthorne Means Business’ and the whole team deserve the appreciation and thanks of this Council and the residents of Spelthorne?”
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Harvey:
“Thank you Cllr Sider and Cllr Smith-Ainsley for your questions. I will take this opportunity to thank all staff involved in the removal of the recent spate of unlawful encampments that have affected our communities across the borough over the last few weeks.
Officers have recently submitted a response to a Government consultation titled “powers for dealing with unauthorised encampments”. In the response we have asked for stronger powers and more guidance from the government on the use of existing powers available to us.
Words may not adequately communicate our sense of gratitude to those staff who went above and beyond their duty to secure a successful end to these intrusions on our public open spaces. I am sure however that I speak for all members when I say that we greatly value the commitment of the various Spelthorne teams involved.”
In accordance with Council Standing Order 15.2, Councillor R.A. Smith-Ainsley asked the following supplementary question:
“As the Leader knows there are 4 or 5 criteria that have to be satisfied in order for the police to serve a Section 61 notice to evict Travellers from one site and then move them onto the next park. Would the Leader agree that it is essential that Surrey Leaders source a permanent encampment site in central Surrey for Travellers to be directed to, so that the police can then serve a Section 62 Notice on them, which means they have to leave this Borough and go to that central site, thus clearing them from our Borough?”
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey:
“As I said in my Leader’s announcements, this is something that Surrey Leaders and Surrey Chief Executives have been discussing and will be addressing very shortly. I will certainly pick up on the point about ‘central Surrey’ – I am not particularly planning to offer Spelthorne as a venue for a new Travellers’ site.”
4. Question from Councillor Ian Beardsmore:
“Across the board every member in this Chamber is worried at the threat to our Green Belt from the proposed numbers of new houses we are expected to build. Much of this extra burden has been inflicted on us by central government guidelines and methodology. So far our MP has said nothing on this. Will the leader write to him on behalf of all of us expressing our deep concern about it and requesting he raises this issue with government as a matter of the greatest urgency with the aim of finding a solution to the problem.”
Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Harvey:
“Thank you for your question, Councillor Beardsmore. Surrey Leaders penned a collective letter to MHCLG (or DCLG as it was at the time) on the standard methodology to express the Surrey-wide concerns over the impact of onerous housing targets on local authorities heavily constrained by Green Belt. Suffice to say it didn’t achieve much and the new NPPF with the standard methodology is expected to be published by the government before summer recess.
I am pleased to confirm that I have indeed written to our MP and will be pleased to share the response with you and all members of the Local Plan Working Party upon receipt.”