Issue - meetings

Questions by the Public

Meeting: 15/09/2025 - City Council (Item 25)

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which are about something the council is responsible for or something that directly affects people in the city, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five complete working days before the meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Evans OBE proposed and Councillor Hendy seconded to suspend standing orders to extend the period of time for the item to enable all questions to be heard.

For: (45) Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Beer, Blight, Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, Ney, P. Nicholson, S. Nicholson, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Ricketts, Raynsford, Simpson, M. Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Steel, Stevens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tuohy, and Wood.

Against: (0)

Abstain: (0)

Absent/Did note vote: (3) Councillors Goslin, Tofan and Ms Watkin.

The following question was asked by Mr Gregg Black

Question: With the Labour Government cutting funding to the Restoring Your Railway Fund, do you support developing a Plymouth Metro between a new Plympton station and Tavistock to cut carbon emissions and boost public transport use?

Answer: Yes, the Council is 100% supportive of developing a Plymouth Metro. We are currently exploring feasibility funding with government, and the concept is included in the Plymouth Plan and Peninsula Transport. This includes a new Plympton Station and reopening the line to Tavistock.

The adopted Plymouth Plan Policy GRO4 is to use transport investment to drive growth. More specifically the policy states that it will deliver targeted integrated transport measures to help support the sustainable growth of Plymouth including working with partners to promote improved and more resilient local rail services, through developing and communicating the Plymouth / Devon Metro concept, reinstating the Tavistock to Plymouth branch line and investigating the need for new rail stations such as Plympton.

Plymouth City Council is a partner within Peninsula Transport, the sub-national Transport Body for the south-west region responsible for setting transport strategy and for communicating agreed major transport priorities to Government. It has also identified as a priority, metro type rail services including the reopening of the branch line to Tavistock and opening a new station in Plympton as credible and deliverable schemes capable of being transformational in transport terms to the Plymouth Travel To Work Area. Plymouth City Council will be working with Peninsula Transport and other key strategic partners in developing these schemes.

The following question was asked by Mr Danny Bamping

Question: Can Cllr Mark Lowry confirm if he made a formal, recorded, reasoned and published decision as per the law and legislation to change the name of Sir John Hawkins Square (to Jack Leslie Square) in June 2020?

Answer: As the questioner has previously been informed, Councillor Lowry did not take a decision in June 2020 to rename Sir John Hawkings Square. Following receipt of a request for the renaming of John Hawkings square, Councillor Lowry approved the commencement of the renaming process, in accordance with the Council’s published Street Naming and Numbering Policy. There was no decision to be taken at this stage. The renaming process proceeded in accordance with the Policy until it was discontinued following a hearing in the Magistrates Court.

The following question was asked by Mr Stoneman

Question: You explained ... view the full minutes text for item 25