The Committee and Officers will respond to questions from members of the public attending the Committee. Any question not answered shall be the subject of a written response direct to the member of the public within 5 working days and will be submitted to the next meeting for information.

The Committee considered questions from members of the public on the following matters –

     (i)            any progress on the Whitleigh Housing Office manager issue;  an example of a problem was that at the last PACT meeting, the Whitleigh Housing Office manager had promised that after the changeover to Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) there would be monthly meetings held at the Whitleigh Housing Office but none had yet taken place;

   (ii)            whether or not there was any truth regarding the following rumours in respect of PCC employees –

·        that PCC employees got a rebate on Council tax;

·        that free transport was laid on to take council employees to the Civic Centre;

·        that a levy would be put on Council tax to fill the council’s pensions deficit;

 (iii)            any progress on the Whitleigh Community Centre, minute 38 (a) referred;

  (iv)            any progress with the planting of trees at the back of Taunton Avenue, minute 38 (c) referred;

    (v)            consideration of the use of Chaucer Primary School, which was being closed, as a community centre;

  (vi)            recurrence of the problem of refuse workers leaving rubbish on the side of roads in the Whitleigh area;

(vii)            the possibility of the community using meeting room facilities at the new church in Whitleigh;

(viii)            delay in installation of a resident’s ramp.

Members responded as follows –

(a)           with regard to (i) above –

·         elected members had recently been provided with a protocol by PCH and the intention was to hold quarterly meetings between the Council and PCH;

·         it was necessary for members to have specific details that they could raise with PCH and residents were encouraged to provide them with examples;

·         the example raised this evening would be taken forward with PCH;

(b)           with regard to (ii) above –

·         PCC employees did not receive any rebate on Council tax;

·         PCC employees were not provided with free transport to work;

·         as with all pension funds, there was currently a deficit with the Council’s pension fund (part of the Devon County Council pension fund) and providing pensions, to which employees also contributed, was part of the cost of employing people;  the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property, People and Governance would be requested to provide a written response to the next meeting on the subject;

(c)           with regard to (iii) above, the new owner had been requested to contact the Council but had not yet done so;

(d)           with regard to (iv) above, Councillor Thompson agreed to follow up the matter again with officers;

(e)           with regard to (vi) above, ward councillors would follow up this issue with the Assistant Director of Community Services (Environmental Services);

(f)             with regard to (vii) above, it was understood that the meeting rooms at St Chad’s could be used by the community but confirmation was being sought;

(g)           with regard to (viii) above, Councillor Drean agreed to follow up the matter with PCH.

Resolved that a written response be provided in respect of item (v) above, in accordance with the Constitution.