Meeting documents

Questions to the Leader or any Cabinet members must be submitted by 12 noon on Thursday 18 February 2016. Questions shall be taken first from the Group Leaders of the political parties who shall be entitled to ask one initial Leader’s question each, including the right to adopt another Member’s question from his/her Group, of which written notice shall have been given to the Head of Democratic, Legal and Policy Services prior to the meeting.

 

The order of questions shall then permit the first question from each other Councillor to be asked before any subsequent questions from the same Councillor. One question will be taken in turn from each Councillor and there shall be no consecutive questions from the same Councillor unless there are no other questions to be asked.

 

Every Member asking an oral question is permitted to ask one supplementary question without notice provided that it not substantially the same as a question that was put to a Council meeting during the past six months.

 

The appropriate member will respond to any questions remaining unanswered at the expiry of 30 minutes in writing. Any question remaining unanswered after 30 minutes will be answered within 10 working days in writing after the meeting by the appropriate Member and appended to the minutes of the meeting. 

 

 

 

(a)       Question from Councillor R Raja to the Leader of the Council

 

"When Cllr Wood became Leader last May she made "finding homes for the young" one of her top priorities.  She had now dropped that priority in the new corporate plan.  Could she tell us what targets she set for this priority and how far she had been successful in achieving her modest targets? Could she also tell us why "finding homes for the young" is no longer a priority?"

 

Response given by Councillor Ms K Wood (Leader of the Council)

 

"Thank you for your question Cllr Raja. I would just like to point out that my priorities when elected last year were Housing and Youth, not just finding homes for the young. However I am pleased you have given me the opportunity to highlight some of our plans for the next four years which have just been published in our Corporate Plan.

 

The Plan focusses on Place, People and Pounds.

 

Within our people priority, we list our priorities for engaging with younger people to help meet their needs and aspirations locally. These include increasing access to facilities and spaces for young people, which encompasses all kinds of facilities. Also within that priority we state we would be working on identifying opportunities and developing options for the Council to become more active in enabling the provision of homes which would of course include endeavouring to provide homes for young people.

 

I think you would therefore see Cllr Raja that it is very clear that we are prioritising housing in the district for all our residents including the young, via our Corporate Plan, the Local Plan, the Homeless Strategy and the day to day work of the officers in the housing service.

 

It is not something that could happen overnight, but we are putting all the plans in place to enable us to meet our priorities.

 

In addition, whilst we have been doing all this work, during the last year we have also assisted 97 households under the age of 30 between into permanent housing and that included 55 aged under 25. Equally we have prevented 94 households in which the main applicant was under the age of 30 from becoming homeless in the same period. So I disagree that finding homes for the young is no longer a priority."

 

There was no supplementary question.

 

(b)      Question from Councillor M Knight to the Leader of the Council

 

"Could the Leader outline the ways that Wycombe District Council works effectively with Bucks County Council and give examples of recent achievements as a result of collaboration, shared objectives and joint working?"

 

Response given by Councillor Ms K Wood (Leader of the Council)

 

"Thank you Cllr Knight for your question. We work very closely with a whole range of partners, including Buckinghamshire County Council, where we have mutual interest and benefit to help deliver the Council’s priorities, which are set out in our Corporate Plan. Just by way of example, the County Council’s support and involvement had been crucial to the delivery of our regeneration schemes, a number of which have recently come to fruition. The Handy Cross Hub development opened last month with the new sports and leisure centre, quickly followed by the coach way park and ride facility. Both of these projects involved close collaboration with the County Council because of their responsibilities for highway and traffic management. The opening of the Handy Cross Hub is a fantastic achievement for the Council and the District, increasing the District’s connectivity and providing state-of-the art sporting and leisure facilities, as well as providing us over £1m a year annual income. The enhanced park-and-ride facility serves 19 National Express coach services, making High Wycombe better connected. The Cabinet Member for Community would be giving a more detailed answer on the increased level of participation of the new Sports and Leisure Centre later.

And there is so much more to come, with £5m Waitrose Superstore opening its doors to the public next month, again delivering an income stream to the Council. The retailer had reported 500 people applying for the 100 jobs at the store.  Phases two and three, estimated to open in 2017/18, would include a 150-bed hotel and 300,000sq ft of office space which we are working to attract blue-chip businesses to relocate their headquarters to Wycombe – creating hundreds of additional jobs.

We have also worked closely with Bucks CC and three other Town and Parish Councils on a presentation to the HS2 Select Committee regarding the A4010/A4129 and A40 through West Wycombe village, This resulted in an agreement that HS2 Ltd would not use the A40 as a specified construction route that could have taken many heavy lorries past listed buildings along the A40 through West Wycombe, and a sum of £480,000 to use TO install safety measures along the A4010/A4129

As you can see Cllr Knight we have ambitious plans for the future, of Wycombe and we continue to work closely with Buckinghamshire County Council and other partners accordingly."

Supplementary Question

"I am impressed with the partnership working for the Handy X development, although I’m aware that there were problems with the syncing of the traffic lights and the condition of the road. In the East section of Wycombe, residents and Local Members had suggested a panoramic walkway through CIL funding, BCC had acknowledged clear benefits for the proposal. WDC have failed to support it, by not contributing CIL funding, and therefore left the project in doubt. This is just one example of how in my view the Councils’ in this area are not working together effectively. Another, more high profile example is our chaotic and poorly maintained High Street. As you have recently welcomed two of the biggest supporters of Unitary Authorities with open arms, perhaps your position on this had changed, but if it hasn’t what more could be done to resolve residents’ issues, in partnership with others?"

Supplementary Response

"We are separate independent organisations and, as my answer shows, this is not a barrier to successful collaboration and delivery."

 

(c)       Question from Councillor S Broadbent to the Cabinet Member for Community

 

"Has the opening of the new Leisure Centre increased the level of participation in physical activity and exercise by residents of Wycombe District?"

 

Response given by Councillor Mrs J Adey (Cabinet Member for Community)

 

"I am delighted to say that the new Wycombe Leisure Centre had been a phenomenal hit with residents.  We are always looking at ways to encourage people to participate in exercise for their health and wellbeing and we have seen across the board increases in usage.  I would just quote a few of the increases we have seen since the Centre opened at the start of January.  Swimming is up across the board – adult swimming by 74%, family swimming by 177%; 50+ sessions by 59%; fitness classes by 45%; squash by 29%; swimming lessons by 60%.  I could go on but you can see that everyone, young and old, is benefitting from the Council’s investment in state of the art sports and leisure provision.  High Wycombe had greatly improved its retail offer over the past decade – with the new Wycombe Leisure Centre we are clearly showing our ambition to make the District a major destination for all and to provide an all-round great quality of life for our residents."

 

Supplementary Question

 

"Thank you for your response.Had the opening of the new leisure centre improved links with clubs and the community?"

 

Supplementary Response

 

"The swimming club would be holding top level competition in March, the last opportunity for swimmers to qualify for British Olympic trials. 1,900 swimmers have so far expressed a desire to compete at Wycombe (not all could take part of course!). They have also used the improved facilities to start a section for disabled swimmers.

 

The 50+ club have been able to bring in many new members from their waiting list, with further additional applicants attracted by the new centre

 

The climbing wall was a whole new area of activity and had started a junior section.

 

Links have been established with local squash and badminton clubs to provide junior coaching

 

Junior gym sessions have also begun and tiny tots have a fantastic new bouncy castle type facility that had seen a big increase in Under 3’s participation

 

Links have also been established with Wycombe Wanderers football club encouraging 5-a-side football and gym based training."

 

(d)      Question from Councillor A Hashmi to the Cabinet Member for Housing

 

"Three years ago WDC promised it would not use B&Bs for homeless families except in emergencies and then only for 1 week. It also promised not to use B&Bs outside Wycombe. It promised to set up a registration scheme for B&Bs in Wycombe and only use these B&B providers.

We now understand WDC is offering B&Bs outside Wycombe to homeless families causing them disruption to education, jobs and family support.

How many registered B&Bs in Wycombe does WDC have on its books for the homeless? How many homeless are in B&Bs and where are they? And how many families are being offered B&Bs outside Wycombe?"

 

Response given by Councillor Mrs J Langley (Cabinet Member for Housing)

 

"The ‘promise’ referred to by Councillor Hashmi relates to one action from our homelessness Strategy 2014-2019 which assisting us to meet our aims and objectives in preventing and resolving homelessness.

 

At present, we only use bed and breakfast accommodation if no other accommodation is available to us when a duty to provide accommodation is owed. At present, Saunderton Lodge; our main temporary accommodation unit; is operating at full capacity meaning we have had to access emergency accommodation for households who have become homeless from time to time. We have sourced accommodation in High Wycombe and now rarely use accommodation outside of the district unless the need arises due to lack of availability or due to the clients circumstances meaning it is unsafe for them to remain here.

 

We have met the statutory target of keeping use of bed and breakfast to less than 6 weeks for families and at present have 11 households placed in bed and breakfast accommodation at present, made up of 9 families and 2 single people. The longest stay for families currently in b&b had been 4 weeks. 5 of these households have been placed in the last 10 days with the most recent being this morning. With 4 households (3 families) placed in b&b in Slough due to a lack of availability in Wycombe. The longest stay out of district for families currently had been 2 weeks (one family) with the other two families being placed last Thursday and today. We have been creating vacancies at Saunderton to accommodate these households and would be moving them all in due course.

 

I cannot recall any promise to register b&b’s in Wycombe, apart from our aim of sourcing one or more- which we have achieved."

 

Supplementary Question

 

"In December 2015, there were 70 families in b&b accommodation and 1,500 on the social housing waiting list. As you know, with the proposed benefit cap in April this would only get worse. Following the cuts in April, could you provide an estimate number of how much accommodation WDC would need to provide?"

 

Supplementary Response

 

"I think it’s worth drawing your attention to the fact that neighbouring authorities’ figures are much higher than ours, Reading had 160, Slough approximately 60, and South Bucks have 20. The Council had relatively low numbers, by comparison, in b&b accommodation and I wish I could take the credit for that. Currently there are 11 households made up of 9 families & 2 single persons. The longest stay was 4 weeks. The Council had good management and dedicated staff. The Council would continue to utilise Saunderton Lodge which is the Council’s main temporary accommodation Hostel. I’m pleased to say that the hostel is being considered for improvements as part of a feasibility study on potential options. I am aware that the numbers are likely to increase and this would be monitored."

 

(e)       Question from Councillor S Graham to the Cabinet Member for Housing

 

"When Wycombe's council homes were transferred to Red Kite in 2011, tenants were promised that Red Kite would invest £10.5 million to regenerate the Starblocks flats in Castlefield.  The contract between Red Kite and WDC requires the redevelopment to be finished by the end of 2016.   

Red Kite promised to keep local Councillors informed about what was happening.  It hasn't.   

What I have found out is that Red Kite plans to demolish the existing 69 social housing units at the Starblocks flats and replace them with 102 affordable units, 12 shared ownership units and 12 outright sale units - to be delivered by 2018/9.   So redevelopment would be at least 2 years late and another 69 social homes would disappear from Red Kites books in addition to the 130 already gone. 

Don't you agree that Wycombe needs more social homes not less? And if Red Kite is not going to build them, who will?"

 

Response given by Councillor Mrs J Langley (Cabinet Member for Housing)

 

"Red Kite made a number of promises to tenants and leaseholders prior to transfer in December 2011 including a promise to regenerate the Castlefield Starblocks and are making steady progress to achieve their aims including the redevelopment of this area.

 

If my maths are correct, Cllr Graham had stated that Red Kite are demolishing 69 units, replacing them with 102 units of which 90 would be considered affordable, thereby an increase of 21 units of new, affordable housing in an area in need of regeneration.

 

The 130 units lost, I would assume relate to right to buy sales since transfer, however I do not have these figures to hand and could only speculate as to the source of Cllr Graham’s figures.

 

Red Kite are not the only housing association developing affordable housing in the district, with new affordable housing being delivered by, amongst others Home Group, Housing Solutions, Bucks Housing Association, Paradigm Housing, Thames Valley Housing Association,  and High Town Housing group to name but a few."

 

Supplementary Question

 

"Are you confident that Red Kite will fulfil their obligations by the end of the contract?"

 

Supplementary Response

 

"You could contact Red Kite directly for information at any time, in line with the agreed protocol for Member enquiries. I am also of the understanding that Councillor Hanif, Knight and yourself have been updated on events and were invited to Red Kites drop in event in December 2015, but I understand that you were unable to attend. Just to advise you that the Audit Committee are regularly provided with an update on Red Kite’s performance, as set out in the committee’s minutes attached to the Council summons. I am confident that Red Kite is on progress to fulfil their obligations."

 

(f)        Question from Councillor K Ahmed to the Leader of the Council

 

"Nearly two years ago, WDC proudly rolled out an ANPR system throughout its 19 car parks. However, the ‘all singing all dancing’ system had failed to deliver. Thieves and vandals have targeted the new pay machines 49 times, stealing nearly £50,000, causing over £100,000 of damage and depriving WDC of who knows how much lost revenue. 49 times!

Cabinet should have made sure the pay machines were vandal-proof before they installed such an expensive system. But they didn't. Cabinet should have made changes when the first theft took place - or the second - or even the third. But apparently not. To get targeted 49 times is beyond belief.

Would the Leader agree that her Cabinet had been negligent - or asleep - or both?

Would the Leader agree with me that her Cabinet had failed miserably and should consider taking up jobs that don’t have such severe consequences for ill thought ideas?"

 

Response given by Councillor Ms K Wood (Leader of the Council)

 

"The ANPR system that was installed and had delivered many benefits to customers and businesses such as:

 

• enabling people to pay when they leave the car park and therefore only having to pay for the time that they have used
• not having to rush back to the car parks allowing people to spend more time shopping or on business
• as well as options to pay online and pay up to 24 hours after leaving the car park.

 

The system had enabled the council to make savings on overheads.

 

With the court case still pending in connection with the break-ins and vandalism, I need to be careful about commenting on the vandalism and robberies. However, the machines are robust, have good levels of security and comply with British Standards. Indeed, some of the break-ins failed due to the levels of security. Sadly, the sheer force and destruction that the machines were subjected to was immense.

 

Unfortunately, we have had robberies in the past, so it is not specific to these machines. Nor is it unique to Wycombe, but a nationwide issue. It is not uncommon in the industry and occurs across different car park operators and machine types.

 

Cllr Ahmed I take great exception to your comments that my Cabinet were negligent or asleep. As Councillors we work very hard for the benefit of the residents of the District. We make decisions based on information provided to us by our hard working officers who are the experts in their fields. We have just delivered a fantastic new Leisure Centre, and Waitrose at Handy Cross as I detailed earlier along with many other projects we are currently working on and I am sorry that by implication you are deriding the fantastic work our officers do advising and carrying out our vision and I would hope that you would see fit to withdraw those comments."

 

Supplementary Question

 

"Whatever the Leader believes about the competence of her Cabinet, the financial implications of the failure of this system would cost residents dear.

 

The ANPR system cost £680,000 and was expected to save a minimum of £200,000 a year. Now Cabinet estimates that WDC would get about half a million less in revenue a year from the new system than it previously calculated.

 

In fact this loss of revenue would consume all of the new revenue to be raised from the proposed rate increases – and more. Money raised from the rate increases wiould go straight into paying for the failure of the ANPR system.

 

I know Cabinet is finding financial management difficult so I have a simple question.

 

The new system was brought in to effect in 2014. On the old calculations, it should have paid for itself by 2018. Can I ask when you know estimate the ANPR system would pay for itself?"

 

Supplementary Response

 

"There are many contributing factors with regards to less income in relation to ANPR, these include less footfall due to the internet shopping, and people now being able to pay for the time they use."

 

(g)      Question from Councillor B Pearce to the Cabinet Member for Housing

 

"Is the member concerned, like I am, that morale in the company carrying out maintenance work for Red Kite is very low.

 

Before Red Kite was set up, and the housing stock maintained by WDC, Mears, the company carrying out maintenance work had a logo on the side of the vans saying 'Invest in people'.

 

As you may recall I worked for Mears until the contract was not renewed so I have an interest to declare.

 

We are now on the 3rd company carrying out routine maintenance since Mears contract ceased and morale with the workforce seems to be getting lower as each company is removed from the contract.

 

Do you agree with me that this is of great concern because the tenants for Red Kite were once tenants of WDC? And the morale of the workforce had a direct effect on tenants."

 

Response given by Councillor Mrs J Langley (Cabinet Member for Housing)

 

"I do not think it is appropriate for us to comment on another organisation’s staff morale. We would not wish to intervene in a matter for Red Kite and it’s contractor and would suggest that the Member contact Red Kite directly to discuss his concerns in accordance with the agreed protocol for Members enquiries."

 

Supplementary Question

 

"Did you know that morale was that low?"

 

Supplementary Response

 

"I was not aware, obviously during the maintenance of properties it could be a very stressful time. You could contact Red Kite directly, or alternatively I would be happy to discuss this with you in more detail."

 

Questions 8, 9, 10 and 11 were not put as the 30 minutes time period had expired.  In accordance with Standing Orders, a written reply would be sent to the questioner by the appropriate Member within 10 working days, and would also be appended to the Minutes of the next meeting.