From

To

Subject

1

Councillor Dann

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

A commitment to reopen the airport and PCC leading on the climate change? Councillor Nicholson reported that Councillor Mrs Bridgeman not responsible for the airport. 

Response: There are clean green technologies in aviation now as well as drone technology.

Supplementary Question:  The conservatives closed the airport.  There is a need to drastically reduce carbon in the city.  How do persuade cabinet colleagues to re-open airport?

Response:  All discussed within the manifesto regardless of history.

2

Councillor Stevens

Councillor Mrs Pengelly

Lat52 flats and the safety of the building, emergency work and the concern for residents.  Can you assure that local councillors are briefed in good time and in a language we can understand?

Response:  Apologies that you have not received the information and I will ensure that this is addressed.

Supplementary question:   A briefing scheduled later this month and residents need the information now and not in a couple of weeks. 

Response:  Will get back to you as quickly as possible.

3

Councillor Churchill

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

South Hams undertaking the bin collection at Sherford and PCC taxpayers are being refuses bin collections from South Hams and PCC – what is going on?

Response: Please forward this as case work and this is not acceptable.

4

Councillor Hulme

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

Timeframe for when Weston Mill tip to be open 7 days? 

Response:  Waiting for staff to comeback and priority has been grass cutting.

5

Councillor Singh

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

The renaming of Sir John Hawkins Square and the road sign not been replaced.  If there was an emergency tomorrow who would be responsible? 

Response:  Forward this question to me and I will address this.

Supplementary question:  Road name missing and no name attached if someone dying on a road who would be accountable?

Response:  I do not have a response at this time.

6

Councillor Haydon

Councillor Deacon

Update on how many people we have helped so far on the EU settlement scheme.  This scheme ends on 30 June?

Response:  Will have to get back to you with a response.

Supplementary question:  Could he please explain to these citizens where they need to go for help?  But understand that Councillor Deacon is new in post.

7

Councillor Dr Buchan

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

When would the schedule be published regarding the neighbourhood sweep?

Response:  They were still working on the schedules for back lane cleaning and will answer this in an email.

Supplementary question:  Can you clarify in Honicknowle Ward actions have not been seen and timescale that residents and councillors to check?

Response: They are looking to update the website and to make more user friendly.

8

Councillor Dann

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

Grass maintenance digital map, grass to cut and where to be cut taken to scrutiny in March.  Were you aware this was publicly available? 

Response:  When I first undertook this role I checked the website, there was no clear detail and this will be addressed and website updated and the information available to residents.

Supplementary question:  On 24 March any resident could access the information and would also like to ask engagement sent to all councillors for their comments and as we were in full lockdown – how on earth engage with every resident when in full lockdown.  What other engagement could have been possibly been carried out?

Response:  Some consultation better than no consultation for e.g. tree planting happened in in my ward and I wasn’t consulted on.

9

Councillor Stevens

Councillor Mrs Pengelly

Controversial planning application at Hamoaze House.  The Planning Department are investigating a breach of planning conditions.  Will she be as frustrated as me because the applicant is PCC and the agent is a member of staff?  PCC not following planning conditions?

Response:  Councillor Stevens wants me to respond to a planning application that I am not aware of.  Yes I do follow your frustrations.

Supplementary question:  Can you please liaise with the community connections officer to ensure any breach is stopped and planning applications can proceed in the usual way that we would all expect.

Response:   Yes

10

Councillor Coker

Councillor Drean

The long awaited Better Bus Strategy announced just before the election can you confirm that PCC has agreed with the Department of Transport to receive £100k to set up before the 1 Oct Bus Quality Partnership?

Response:  Yes I can I will also will be talking to the bus and coach industry important to hear their views and as soon as I have more information will share.

Supplementary question:  Infrastructure interventions and to encourage more people to use public transport please explain how a manifesto reducing free car parking charges in the city centre sits with that agenda. 

Response:  This is being looked at by the team and we are looking at all options.

11

Councillor Neil

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

Manifesto pledges including the scrapping the bin delivery charges, scrapping the charges for rubble etc and extending garden waste collections to November.  Can you reassure me that in delivering that there would be no detriment to the staff concerned in terms of retention and pay.

Response:  Councillor Mrs Bridgeman thanked Councillor Neil for his question but deferred it to Councillor Kelly to respond:  Cost implication and efficiencies to be made up within the service, we pay huge amounts of money to clear our streets of fly tipping.  These decision have been thought through and the benefits for us as a city to be clean and tidy and to allow residents to manage their waste in a responsible manner without being penalised.  There are no plans to reduce manpower at Chelson Meadow but pay bandings would be addressed because part of the role that was undertaken no longer takes place.

Supplementary question:  Charges now been scrapped do you think it is ok for somebody living in rented flat who no access to garden to be paying a contribution to landscaping project or doing their kitchen up?

Response:  There are services I don’t use and certain services I do use.  We all pay our council tax to access services and council tax paid by all covers a multitude of services which are used by some.  Having a city that is a clean place to visit is a benefit.

12

Councillor Singh

Councillor Mrs Bridgeman

Credit ti you 9 days into the job asking you have a look at the Legacy Labour left behind in Drake Ward – what reassurance can you give me to clear up the mess that Plymouth Labour left behind?

Response:  Thank you for acknowledging the fact that I walked the ward with you. The first thing I notice the lack of recycling bins and never seen so much, fly tipping, weeds and was already on the case and will happily visit the area again.  Councillor Rennie objected to the comments made by Councillor Mrs Bridgeman.  Councillor Mrs Bridgeman apologised to Councillor Rennie and but was saying what she had seen.

Supplementary question:  The truth is hurtful and offensive because it is what it is and you speak as you see.  Some of the residents have asked to have CCRTV in the Drake Ward for the high refuse areas.

Response:  That is not within my portfolio but will investigate that in the future.  Councillor Riley should be able to answer that question.

13

Councillor Stevens

Councillor Smith

The opposition lead should be briefed on the planning committee agenda once it made public. Agenda has been published today and I have not been briefed.  Can Councillor Smith distinguished the cross party working that I have established and ensure that not only the ruling party is briefed?

Response:  I will explore this with the team and will come back to you.  I didn’t realise that this happened before.

Supplementary question:  It wasn’t a criticism of the new Chair but I am happy to accept her answer today and will hold her to account if this not taken further.

14

Councillor Loveridge

Councillor Drean

During the months of August and September the Ridgeway was hit badly by flooding.  Can you provide an update on how to prevent the flooding from happening again?

Response:  The team were looking at two options.  The main problem that the water was flowing down the pavement and collecting at the bottom resulting in running into the shop.  Once I have further information this will be shared with you.

15

Councillor Dr Buchan

Councillor Kelly

His use of the word manpower in his recent comment was appropriate and his commitment to equalities?

Response:  I guess in life we use common phrases all the time and I used that term but not in a derogatory way.  Moving forward will be more conscious of the words that I use.  We have set up a working group and equally Alderman which you haven’t raise and but I have raise that we should use the term Alderwoman.  We are navigating all the time and do not want my words to be misconstrued.  In terms of the English language it gets very difficult and I apologise if this brought offence and I am very much about equality and diversity.