The following question was asked by Mr Roy Hamilton

Question: In my opinion the PCC Taxi Policy 2022, either deliberately or through unforeseen circumstances, is destroying the Plymouth Taxi Trade.   

When will the Licensing Authority meet with knowledgeable persons and Licensees who understand the economics and infrastructure of the Taxi and Private Hire Trades as promised during March, 2022? 

Response: The Growth and Infrastructure Overview and Scrutiny Committee will establish a select committee to review the implementation of the Taxi Policy 2022.  

This will take place in the early part of the new year.  

Knowledgeable persons and licensees will be invited to take part in that review.  

The following question was asked by Mr Alan Ramage

Question: The U.N. Secretary General says that banks and financiers have the future of humanity by the throat.Will PCC publicise Bank.Green(a Green Finance Pressure Group) so Plymouthians can choose a bank that has low fossil fuel project investments. This complements PCC’s climate emergency. How does PCC’s bank fare when assessed for green credentials? 

Response: Plymouth City Council bank with Barclays Bank and who are fully committed to achieving their ambition of being a net zero bank by 2050. 

Their Green Bonds highlights their commitment to placing green principles at their core and their Green Issuance Framework which was published in July 2021 and has been externally reviewed by the Carbon Trust. 

The following question was asked by Mr Stuart Dolton

Question: Does Plymouth City Council, in acknowledging its Memorandum to Parliament (CEM 48), care enough about Plymouth's heritage to ensure adequate finance and resources are provided to meet its obligation of keeping closed churchyards within our community in decent order, as legally required under the Local Government Act 1972? 

Response: Yes, Plymouth City Council are aware of their responsibilities of the closed churchyards and regular maintenance is assured.  

If they are concerns regarding any closed cemetery that Plymouth City Council maintains we would ask that a report is made via the Plymouth City Council feedback form. 

The following question was asked by Mr Mike Sheaff

Question: Plymouth City Council’s external auditors explain the decision not to increase council tax for 2022/23, “will start to build a cumulative loss of income that is not sustainable”. Yet the proposal was not considered in the pre-budget scrutiny report. How will more meaningful scrutiny of proposals be achieved for 2023/24?  

Response: The budget report itself contained a statement from the S151 Officer setting out that prior to the budget discussion Cabinet had received advice that the opportunities to maximise the yield of Council Tax and the Adult Social Care Precept are in the Council’s immediate and long term interests from a financial viewpoint.   

The decision to not raise the Council Tax for 2022/23 was agreed as an amendment at the Council meeting itself and was therefore not subject to pre-scrutiny. All opportunities are taken at budget scrutiny sessions to be clear on the implications of different council tax decisions.

The following question was asked by Mr Michael Smith

Question: Why is Smeaton’s tower closing over winter while this icon tower is synonymous with Plymouth Hoe? If we close attractions how will we encourage tourists? Plymouth doesn’t close for winter. Previously we have had weekend winter opening. 

Response: We opened Smeaton’s Tower over the winter whilst The Box was closed, to provide a visitor facing offer as part of our Museum on Tour programme.   

However, winter footfall and income was not high enough to cover the costs of the two members of staff needed and we therefore took the decision, in consultation with the lead Member for culture, not to continue to operate the building at a loss during the low season. The closure also provides us with time to undertake essential maintenance of this Grade I listed building.   

Summer opening hours have been extended to cover the period Easter to the end of October half term, however and the tower welcomes many tourist visitors during this busy time for the city. 

The following question was asked by Mr Clive Persil

Question: How it has been possible for PCC to fail to ensure that James Brent deliver on his commitment to supply a new ice rink and how much money has been paid to James Brent and any company to which is a director during his tenure as owner of the Pavilions? 

Response: We are genuinely sad to see the closure of the ice rink as we know that committed skaters, staff, the coaching staff as well as casual users will be bitterly disappointed with this decision. 

The Council sold the Pavilions site in 2012 to Five Directions Ltd (a company owned by James Brent) and it is disappointing that a new ice rink has not been provided during this time. However, the Council recognises the efforts that were made to progress this before the Covid-19 pandemic with planning consent granted for a new scheme in 2013 and then again in 2018. 

We also appreciate that running an ice rink is not the cheapest of ventures and that this has been made even more challenging with recent energy cost increases. We had historically subsidised the Pavilions site to the tune of around £1.5million a year. This cost to the tax payer was a key reason we entered (following a procurement process) into a 10-year agreement with Five Directions Ltd in 2012 to run the events arena and ice rink. This agreement ended at the end of September. 

The original agreement between the Council and Five Directions Ltd included a payment of £2,000,000 from the Council to support the provision of services at the Pavilions over the course of the last 10 years. No other payments have been made, other than grants that were made available to leisure operators during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide short term support for their operations. 

The following question was asked by Mr David Cann

Question: Why are you constantly defending 2 absent councillors living in Gloucestershire? Could you explain to the council and more importantly the tax payers of Plymouth why they moved away and why they don't both stand down? 

Response: I have not attempted to defend the two councillors who have chosen to live in Gloucestershire.  

They have acted within the law and it is not appropriate for me to discuss their personal motivations of their relocation.  

The following question was asked by Mr James Dyson

Question: Given that it's becoming increasingly clear how unpopular the removal of all but one of the trees between the Sundial and North Cross Roundabout is with the people of Plymouth, would the Council agree to temporarily pause the project, making a new plan incorporating as many existing trees as possible? 

Response: I can advise that the City Council has agreed to a short pause on the project so that the concerns that have recently been raised can be considered before the final design is completed. 

It should be pointed that in the previous consultation on Armada Way there was 84% positive feedback on the scheme. The project is a Transforming Cities Fund sustainable transport project which has many wider benefits which will support the regeneration of the city centre as it faces many difficult challenges in the coming years. 

I can also confirm that there will be no further trees removed whilst the concerns from the public are considered further and the designs finalised.