Meeting documents

Written questions may be asked of the leader or any Cabinet Member if submitted to the Head of Democratic, Legal and Policy Services no later than 12 noon on Monday 11 July 2016. Questions will be submitted in the order in which they were received.

A questioner will have a maximum of 1 minute to ask a question and the answer shall not exceed 3 minutes. Any questioner may put one supplementary question without notice within a maximum time of 1 minute and the answer may not exceed 2 minutes.

(a)Question from T Snaith to the Leader of the Council

"The Chairman has started an initiative for his year "Let’s celebrate volunteers and make Wycombe the best place to be."

He urged Councillors to volunteer one extra hour a week, which would be very much appreciated by the community.

I would like to ask the WDC leader what is being planned and how WDC resources and staff will be used to meet the Chairman’s volunteering initiative and make Wycombe a better place to be?"

Response from Councillor Ms K Wood (Leader of the Council)

"I am very happy to offer support for the Chairman`s initiative which he is leading. Volunteers provide an invaluable service across the District. The latest copy of the Wycombe District Times highlights the work carried out by them at the museum, the Citizens Advice Bureau and in our woodlands, together with one off initiatives such as Clean for the Queen.

I am delighted that the Council is able to support projects through the Employer Supported Volunteering Policy enabling staff to take one day per year to volunteer for a cause of their choice."

Supplementary Question 

"Council volunteering is a secret to many, even its own staff. Only 4 people have participated in the scheme since its introduction 2 years ago. Out of respect for the Chairman`s volunteering initiative, can I ask that the Council reviews the internal culture that it has for volunteering allowing local groups to ask for WDC help and resources?"

Supplementary Response

"Staffing is a matter for the Chief Executive not the Council. The Chairman will decide how he wishes to take forward his plans during his year in office."

(b)Question from Mr M Chadwick to the Cabinet Member for Environment

"A report earlier this year by the Royal College of Physicians concluded that each year in the UK around 40,000 premature deaths were attributable to exposure to outdoor air pollution, much of which arises from emissions from traffic. In busy urban areas, nitrous oxide levels still exceed limits set in the 1990s which should have been fully achieved in 2010.

In 2002 Wycombe District Council designated an Air Quality Management Area along the M40 corridor because the target levels were being breached. Since then, annual progress reports have been published, including results from monitoring at other locations in the District. Every year since 2010, levels exceeding the guidelines have been found at several locations in urban High Wycombe, and, since 2013, central Marlow, with a resultant recommendation that new Air Quality Management Areas need to be designated. This has not happened.

Six years on, and with the dangers to health from poor air quality now undeniable, does the Cabinet Member agree that it is high time for steps to be taken to properly recognise and address the issue, and what plans does the Council have to do so?"

Response from Councillor Mrs J Teesdale (Cabinet Member for Environment)

"The Environment Act 1995 requires Local Authorities to undertake an air quality review in areas where the Governments air quality objectives are not anticipated to be met. If indeed the air quality objectives are not going to be met Local Authorities are required to establish Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA’s) to improve air quality.

In 2001 a review and assessment of the district indicated that levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) along the M40 were likely to exceed the national objective. In response to this an AQMA was declared and later an Air Quality Action Plan approved in respect of the M40 as it passes through the district.

The Council does monitor air quality throughout the district on a continuous basis and results have highlighted that levels of Nitrogen Dioxide exceed the national objective in three areas within the district. These are High Wycombe town centre, the main roads through Marlow town centre and a further area surrounding the existing M40  AQMA.

The Council is currently considering how best to move this forward and a report will be going to Cabinet in the autumn recommending  the declaration of a further two Air Quality Management areas and an extension of the existing M40 Air Quality Management Area."

Supplementary Question

"The pace of progress is disappointing. In the meantime would the Council consider some low cost steps such as providing advice to the public on behavioural changes to minimise exposure in the affected areas. In addition could the Council seek to enforce the directive to bus drivers to turn engines of in the bus station?"

Supplementary Response

"I am happy to look at this and discuss further with the Council`s Environmental Health Officers."

© Question from Mr R Colomb to the Leader of the Council

"I believe that on 16th June 2016 you and the Chief Executive attended an Achievements Awards Ceremony at the London Hilton, sponsored by the Municipal Journal.  The Council was shortlisted in the 'Commercialism in the Property Estate` - category

Would you please advise how much the Council spent preparing and submitting its bid and how much was spent attending the Awards Ceremony?" 

Response from Councillor Ms K Wood (Leader of the Council)

"In WDC we are extremely proud of the work that we are doing to regenerate the area.  We are involved in a half a billion pound regeneration programme over the years, which will create at least 2,000 new jobs.  This includes work on Handy Cross, Hughenden Quarter, NEXT, John Lewis, Eden, Desborough Square, etc.  We have heardonly last week heard from consultants working nationally that Wycombe is the most commercial regeneration programme of any local authority they have encountered in the country.  Our 10 year track record of this work is much greater than many LA’s.

Our programme provides much needed improved services and local facilities for local people.  It also provides significant revenue income and capital to enable us to continue running our services in the face of a current anticipated 84% reduction in government grant by 2020.  It also helps us keep our Council Tax as one of the lowest in the country.

We therefore submitted our programme for the National M J Awards and were delighted to be shortlisted alongside the likes of Leeds and Liverpool.  Just to be shortlisted for this award is a huge feather in Wycombe’s cap and is a demonstration of the great work we are doing for local people to improve their area.  A condition of the award was that we attended the awards ceremony.  There was a charge of £250 per head to cover the administration of the awards, judging by national judges and the awards event."

Supplementary Question

"What benefits did the Council obtain from participating in this event having failed to win an award?

This is particularly poor timing as it coincided with the first time in 6 years that WDC has imposed a Council Tax increase on its already hard pressed residents. This does however pale into insignificance when compared with the proposed £114,376 increase in Members` allowances.

Supplementary Response

"Simply to have been shortlisted for the award is a fantastic result. We should be proud of Members and staff to have achieved such a great outcome.

The recognition of Wycombe’s reputation in improving its area for local people has been much enhanced by our success in these awards and I repeat that we should all be rightly proud of the work our members and officers have put in to achieve such a fantastic outcome."