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From

To

Subject

1

Cllr Tippets

Cllr Briars-Delve

There had been issues regarding the placement of bins after collection on footpaths and streets around the Mutley area. What could be done to rectify this issue?

Response:  Streets Services and the Environmental Protection Team would look to trial a pilot in the area relating to encourage people to return bins to the rightful place.

Supplementary: Would it be possible to be updated when CCTV is put in place?

Response: Yes

2

Cllr Tuffin

Cllr Penberthy

How will the Council ensure the Disabled Facilities Grant is provided with compliance and value-for-money in mind?

Response: A “Dynamic Purchasing System” had been put in place as part of “INSIC”, which operated amongst 30 other local authorities. Appropriately trained staff had been put in place to complete insured work and competitive bidding processes have been employed. Technology-enabled care was being implemented to support people at the right time within the right setting.

Supplementary: Were you satisfied that the budget provided for the scheme was adequate to fulfil the promise of the service?

Response: This has been an area where funding has been provided externally from the Council. The budget at the time of this Council is around £3 million but that has been growing. I would welcome any additional funding.

3

Cllr Raynsford

Cllr Lowry

Had a date for the commencement of works in the establishment of a Diagnostic Centre on Colin Campbell Court been decided yet?

Response: Much of the area around Colin Campbell Court had been purchased by the Council, allowing for a firmer date to be offered. Planning Permission was expected to be granted in March, enabling works in April and the project should commence in July 2024. The expected completion date was September 2025.

4

Cllr Watkin

Cllr Penberthy

 What work was to be carried out at Jenny Cliff to reinstate the footpath?

Response: Fencing along the footpath and steps had already been installed. Metal channels to direct water spillage from the stairs was to start within two to three weeks. Signage to indicate the uneven surface and that the stairs were to be accessed at users own risk would be installed subsequently. The intention of the works would be to prevent further erosion to the cliffs.

Supplementary: Would this be a long-term solution to the unsafety of the area or a ‘patch-up’ job?

Response: Erosion is constant and at some point the area would be unsafe. The works had been designed to maintain access for as long as possible.

5

Cllr Nicholson

Cllr Tuffin

An item for the work programme of the Growth and Infrastructure Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the limited resources on Highways maintenance and the quality of repairs had been submitted many months before. Would it be possible to be informed of where it was placed within the work programme?

Response: An answer would be provided via email as quickly as one could be obtained.

6

Cllr Mahony

Cllr Coker

There had been an unsightly trailer, with various detritus and waste within it, placed in a lane in Peverell since October 2023. A notice dated October attached to the trailer stated it should have been removed in November 2023. When followed up, the team responded “there had been a delay in the removal due to a review of legal processes”. Could an answer be provided as to the removal of this trailer?

Response: No “review of legal processes” was currently known to the Councillor and this would be investigated. The removal of the trailer would be reviewed as soon as possible.

7

Cllr Ricketts

Cllr Coker

There had been an ongoing issue for some time with a broken gate on Central Park Avenue. Were any timelines available for the mending of the gate?

Response: The land in question was not Highways Maintained at Public Expense (HMPE) land, although Highways were looking into the issue. This would require further Ward Councillor cooperation to continue to force closure on the issue.

Supplementary: Could something be done to render the area more safe?

Response: Council Officers would conduct a further audit of the site.

8

Cllr Harrison

Cllr Cresswell

Who would the courses at the Civic Centre Skills Hub be aimed at and when was it planned to be opened?

Response:  The Hub would offer skills from level 2 to apprenticeship, as well as working with the college to aim at young people with SEND. Skills required within the green and blue economies would also be prioritised. The Hub was scheduled to be opened for September 2026.

9

Cllr Carlyle

Cllr Briars-Delve

Had Plymouth ever implemented ‘Section 46a’ of the Environmental Protection Act in order to address the misplacement of bins on the public Highway?

Response: The piece of legislation referred to is cumbersome and would require large quantities of officer capacity to implement citywide and therefore would not be viable. Other innovations and experiments had been and would continue to be investigated.

Supplementary: Could a fine or heavier deterrent be considered?

Response: A pilot scheme taking place within certain Wards would investigate possibilities of more persuasive tactics, especially in terms of repeat offenders. Education would also be an important tool.

10

Cllr McNamara

Cllr Laing

Can you detail how Efford Youth Centre will benefit from the Youth Investment Fund?

Response: The £2.3 million pound fund is to be used to renovate three separate youth centres across Plymouth, including Honicknowle Youth Centre, Frederick Street Youth Centre and Efford Youth and Community Centre. This would provide a complete overhaul and modern appearance, a new internal layout and a top-to-bottom refresh of equipment and resources. This is to be referred to as the FRESH project. The Council additionally committed £600,000 to address legacy repairs and maintenance of the sites to build new roofs for Efford and Honicknowle Youth centres. Due to the location, and flat roofs of those locations, the centres had been awarded £1 million for ‘Environmentally Sustainable Solutions’ including solar panels at each site. Finally, the Efford Centre had been awarded funding from the Football Foundation to modernize the Outdoor Sports Area with new fencing, lighting and play surface.

11

Cllr Salmon

Cllr Briars-Delve

According to the Council’s Carbon-Emission charts, all sectors besides vehicle fleets had declined in carbon emission production. When would figures for new electric vehicle emissions be released?

Response: Data received in reports is staggered and data would be released when received.

Supplementary: Would any money already received for sustainable transport being used for hydrogen power?

Response: The green hydrogen plant at Langage would take a while to construct and the type of energy is in its infancy. This would be continued to be looked into over the next few years, however proven sustainable energy usage derived from electric power would make a difference within weeks rather than years.

12

Cllr Raynsford

Cllr Penberthy

 What action would take place to encourage and improve the quality of the private renter sector within the City?

Response: Expedite outcomes for landlords who failed to provide suitable accommodation, effectively to enforce further. A new range of free training courses had been offered to willing participants. A citywide taskforce to consider an approach to cold and damp homes had been created as well as working within an entire section of the ‘Plan for Homes’ to combat this. New resources would be brought in to deal with medium and high-rise building and a review conducted over the next 12 months of all policy areas to ensure enforcement and licensing obligations and fines at correct levels were being attained. More housing improvement officers would be recruited.

Supplementary: Were figures on enforcement that had been carried out in the City available?

Response: Enforcement necessitated being carried out within strict statutory guidelines. Three civil penalty notices were issued which required a large amount of effort to achieve. £16,000 of fines were issued. 70 formal notices had been reacted to. 537 dwellings were improved out of 1016 inspected. 127 ‘category-one’ hazards had been removed. The management of 77 HMOs had been contacted and 25 issues had been referred to the planning department. 

13

Cllr Mahony

Cllr Dann

Would it be possible that replies from Councillor’s Casework indicated their authorship?

Response: It is important for casework to remain within the Business Support team and for Officers not to be bombarded with work which is untracked. This ensures Council Officers complete tasks and these tasks are quantified and identified across the Council.

14

Cllr Watkin

Cllr Lowry

What were the costs associated with the recent evacuation and clean-up of the unexploded bomb within Keyham?

Response: Cost would be paid under a form of government insurance policy at a certain threshold which would shift the cost to national government.

Supplementary: Would it be covered in the budget?

Response: Cost would be, for the most part, covered by a contingency put aside for these things.

15

Cllr Harrison

Cllr Coker

Would it be possible for certain bus routes to be reviewed modified, in tandem with Plymouth City Bus and other operators, to assist connections for isolated residents across the community?

Response: Isolation worries myself greatly. The previous administration removed £800,000 from the budget. Bus services increased this year, not cut. I would be happy to discuss this matter with anyone; resident or member.

16

Cllr Carlyle

Cllr Coker

There had been an issue with Stagecoach not running to the correct stops anymore due to an issue with the quality of roads (Ashford Road, through to Mutley). Would this be investigated?

Response: There had been two roads causing problems with the re-introduction of the particular bus route. Happy to speak with anyone.

17

Cllr Wakeham

Cllr Briars-Delve

Was there a plan to approach the use of glyphosates in the city?

Response:  The administration was committed to striking a balance between pesticide-free approaches to weed removal including the use of flame. However these were considered ten times more costly and had a heavier carbon impact.