From

To

Subject

1

CouncillorBerrow

Councillor Bowyer

at the last Audit Committee, there was a reduction on savings for the non ringfenced part of the budget from £4m to £1.2m.  What are the current savings being made and what effect will it have on other budgets for this £2.8m difference?

Councillor Bowyer undertook to supply the information.

2

Councillor Gordon

CouncillorMrs Pengelly

Reference comments made by Councillor Mrs Pengelly in Saturday’s Herald, does she think that the MVV contract for the city’s waste is value for money for the taxpayers of the city and how did she come to that conclusion?

CouncillorMrs Pengelly responded that she did think that it was value for money because it was cheaper than landfill, would protect jobs and would provide energy to the dockyard and navy which would help to ensure that the navy stayed in Plymouth.  Energy from waste plants existed in Sweden and the middle of Vienna. Current arrangements to landfill were not environmentally friendly and costed £7m per year. When the site was full, waste would be transported all over the country with more costs.

3

Councillor Smith

Councillor Jordan

when the Life Centre was commissioned, a commitment was made to keep the Pavilions until an alternative ice provision was funded.  What is the latest situation and can you confirm that you have not given the Pavilions notice to close the ice in September this year?

Cllr Jordan responded that a press release would be made tomorrow. He promised that the ice would be continued and that it was still the aim to do so until an ice rink was built.   He confirmed that notice had not been given to the Pavilions as stated.

4

Councillor Singh

Councillor Fry

is there going to be an investigation in into the scrutiny report which brought the city unnecessary attention and what sort of welcome would / could international students have received?   

Councillor Fry responded that he gathered that the report was withdrawn from meeting and was a city centre report.  It would be taken up within the company.

CouncillorMrs Pengelly added that she understood that shop traders mentioned it to the city centre company and she undertook to investigate it including where it came from and how it got into a report.

5.

Councillor Evans

Councillor Fry

is the response in order from the person whose name is on front of report and his responsibility, with the damage to Plymouth’s reputation as a visitor destination? A full investigation is needed.  

Councillor Nicholson (Chair of the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel) advised that the report went to his scrutiny panel and that he had been alerted to the press report by Councillor Fry. He had spoken with Councillor Coker and ensured that that aspect of the report was withdrawn.  It was not acceptable and dealt with as expeditiously as possible.  He had been assured that the matters would be investigated. 

Councillor Fry responded that he saw the report on the morning of the meeting and had not seen the report before.  He had had an apology from the manager of the city centre company.  In future, the officers had been advised that reports should not go out in the Cabinet Member’s name if the Cabinet Member has not seen them.

6.

Councillor  Penberthy

Councillor Sam Leaves

at the Council meeting on 25 July a motion was agreed asking for an analysis to identify what actions were being taken to address child poverty in the city and what additional work was required to address inequality and child poverty levels between wards.  It was not included in the report on child poverty to Cabinet in September.  Will it be released to all councillors? 

Councillor Sam Leaves responded that events had moved on since then and at budget scrutiny meeting, she made a commitment that a child poverty working group would be set up, the first meeting to be in place by the end of February to discuss these issues.  She assumed that Councillor Penberthy wants to be involved and looked forward to working with him. She gave an assurance that the information would be released.

7.

CouncillorBerrow

CouncillorMrs Pengelly

can she give an update on any rent paid by Argyle to Plymouth City Council please?

CouncillorMrs Pengelly undertook to provide the information.

8.

Councillor Evans

Councillor Sam Leaves

Are you aware of the press report about a year long study by the government into schools and an instruction from government for such surveys to exclude the condition of asbestos in schools.  Is it true?  Does it apply in Plymouth? What are the implications? 

Councillor Sam Leaves responded that she had not seen the press releases and would ensure that a response is sent to councillors as soon as possible.

9.

CouncillorWheeler

Councillor Bowyer

How much has been lost from the Icelandic banks’ investments, in capital and interest? The report indicated that the LGA had got back £470m of which £100k had come to Plymouth, not promising?

Councillor Bowyer responded that the Council had received a further instalment of the Heritable deposit of £100k (63 per cent returned to date); Landsbanki and Glitnir: still in the courts but received a favourable judgement on our status as a creditor. Projections of 100 per cent of Glitnir and 95 per cent of Landsbanki deposits were anticipated and work was ongoing.

When he had more definite information he would share it with the Council.

10.

Councillor Evans

Councillor Fry

How could a report so damaging be released and what stages did the report go through before committee?

How could the Council, City Centre Company and Police have got into this situation to develop policy? An investigation was needed and procedures put in place to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

Councillor Fry responded that no Cabinet Member had seen it and the procedure would be rectified in future.

11.

CouncillorWheeler

CouncillorMrs Pengelly

Following the response to a written question on the council owned playing field in Barne Barton, next to Riverside School, why has nothing happened?

CouncillorMrs Pengelly undertook to investigate and respond.    

12

CouncillorWilliams

Councillor Sam Leaves

With regard to the Adventure Activities Act, has she written to all schools asking them to support the petition? If not, could she use her resources to write to all schools now?

Councillor Sam Leaves responded that it was in progress at the moment and as stated in emails between them, she was keen to meet and talk about the petition on the website, to promote it more, and if she was happy, to move forward. No response had been received to the email (Councillor Williams indicated that she had replied) and she still wanted to meet.

13

CouncillorSingh

Councillor Jordan

what impact has the report had on the city as it was on the website?

Councillor Jordan responded in his experience, very little. We had done well in attracting teams to the city events for the Olympics.  He was with the Ghana delegation at the time and no comment was made.  It should not have happened, it will be investigated and the Council would learn from it.

14

Councillor Evans

CouncillorMrs Pengelly

How many photo opportunities will she have before the start of purdah?  How many inviting us? How many inviting the Lord Mayor?

Why did it take 15 months for Highfield to arrange the opening event?  Why were they uninvited?

CouncillorMrs Pengelly responded that she was aware of one photo opportunity. The requests came from the Herald.  She did not receive invitations to the Lord Mayor.

With regard to the opening of Highfield School, the invitations were the responsibility of the headmistress.  She had no idea why it had taken 15 months to arrange.