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From

To

Subject

1

Lugger

Evans

4,000 public buildings were sold to developers every year. Had the best prices been achieved for the disposal of land within Plymouth and would it be possible to have a register for disposals?

Response: There was a register maintained.

Supplementary: The Registry Office was sold for £295,000. Was this the best value that could have been achieved?

Response: This was related to knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing. Whereas £900,000 was the sale price, the particular property that was sold was sitting idle for seven years.

2

Gilmour

Coker

Regarding bus services and local transport infrastructure, a recent announcement from the secretary of transport publicised a tranche of funding. What was the initial funding proposal in reference to the PCC and residents?

Response:  £4.5 million was granted for the 25/26 municipal year. This would be looked into by the Bus Champion (Councillor Sproston) and Ward Councillors. Final clarification was being awaited upon as funding was allocated in three tranches.

3

Steel

Haydon

Did the Cabinet Member for Safety support the recent establishment of Uber into the City?

Response: Yes. Support would be given to any operator that applied in the City.

4

Bannerman

Laing

There had been recent reforms to Children’s social care. Was it possible to outline how these would affect Plymouth?

Response: The change was welcomed by the Council. A three year transformation plan had been put in place with clear plans for residential children’s home. The recent reforms would assist in managing the ongoing precarious budget deficit within Children’s Services.

5

Poyser

Coker

Would a review of the bus shelter installation be presented in a report to the relevant scrutiny committee?

Response: Yes, if requested by scrutiny.

6

Stephens

Cresswell

The Department for Education had produced a report which indicated suspension rates had doubled in school. What actions were Children’s Services taking to address this?

Response: This issue had been discussed in detail. Collaboration with schools had taken place to avoid exclusions when possible. Robust escalation procedures had been produced. Offers for schools regarding vaping and substance abuse campaigns had taken place. The SEND strategy was ongoing and “inclusion” was the fundamental theme of these strategies.

Free primary school breakfast clubs had begun to be established which would generate “gentle and right start to the school day”

7

Ricketts

Coker

In regards to the Community Infrastructure Levy, Should £750,000 have been spent on electric buses?

Response: Yes.

Supplementary: Would the ongoing funding be an ongoing concern for the Council, in reference to subsiding the rolling stock?

Response: A substantial amount of money had been brought in and net-zero had been a prime concern cross-party. Electric buses had proved immensely popular and were better for the environment.

8

Wood

Lowry

Grant Thornton Auditor’s Annual Report of South Gloucestershire outlined usable reserves as a proportion of net cost of services across 38 comparators. Councillor Lowry had stated PCC reserves were 200% of revenue which did not equate to usable reserves as a proportion of net cost of services. Could a version resembling this be created and compared against such comparators?

Response: This would be arranged in principle. Approximately £111 million represented around 50% of reserves and had done for years. Comparisons to South Gloucester were unfair. These figures would be published as a percentage but against our own comparators.

9

Finn

Coker

What was being done to address access problems as a result of bus shelters installation?

Response: Moving Traffic Offences had been implemented to address the issue. Further options would be looked at, including talks with city centre companies. 

10

Steel

Laing

What progress had been made regarding Residential Children’s Homes?

Response: The process had moved ahead at pace. The business case had been approved, delivery plan to be completed this week. This had been done in partnership with Health and Education Departments. Properties had been viewed and staff recruitment had been initiated for the first two homes.

11

Poyser

Briars-Delve

In conjunction with food waste collection, was there an opportunity to promote composting?

Response: There were currently examinations of options by Street Services.

Supplementary: Was there a grant scheme in place to purchase a composter instead of a collection?

Response: Unfortunately, national legislation would not allow this.

12

Ricketts

Briars-Delve

 Was the ongoing central park ground investigation programme due to be completed as expected?

Response: The programme was to investigate private company damage to the park and was still ongoing. The outcomes were not yet available. Officers would be reminded of the importance of the case and reports issued as soon as possible.

13

Wood

Evans

How much did the report cost for Electoral Cycle review and what amount of people voting for reform would have been sufficient for action from the Leader?

Response: The cost was absorbed by the state and was not a referendum, to that extent 180,000 Plymouthians allowed the Council to make the decision on their behalf.

14

Finn

Coker

In reference to parking and dangers to life outside school. Could a campaign be put together with schools to alleviate the dangers?

Response: There were four schemes for school safety in place in conjunction with walking and cycling schemes. If schools did not want to take part, they were not obligated to do so. It was difficult to get more schools on board.

15

Ricketts

Briars-Delve

Pathway running adjacent to Central park Avenue, the work that had been carried out had made it unpassable when flooding and the flooding had reportedly been a made worse.

Response: Please could this be referred to me through casework or Emailed to me, greater clarity was required on the location and to decipher responsibility. Please feel free to Email.

16

P. Nicholson

Lowry

The record in the past in regards to quality pavements was not great. What contingency was being put into place and were a certain quantity of pavers being retained?

Response: Yes. Please refer to the pavement manual. A much enhanced maintenance regime had been put into place.

Supplementary: Was the regime currently in place?

Answer: In terms of installation, yes. In terms of Maintenance, no.