Meeting documents

There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions of individual Cabinet Members and Committee Chairmen.

Members had the opportunity to ask questions of individual Cabinet Members and Committee Chairmen about issues affecting their portfolios/Committee activities:-

(a)          Modernising Local Government (Councillor C Adams) – the Leader of the Council advised Members that both unitary representations were with the Secretary of state pending a final decision. The next steps would be decided following a further announcement from the Secretary of State.  AVDC’s priority was to serve its residents and it was felt that the North-South model best achieved this.

(b)          Aylesbury Vale Broadband (Councillor Monger) – the Leader of the Council informed Members that legal advice was being sought regarding the percentage of shared ownership AVDC had in AVB.

(c)          Planning Applications (Councillor Stuchbury & Councillor B Adams) – the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure provided Members with information regarding two applications in Buckingham. The Cabinet Member encouraged Members to contact her directly if they had particular concerns on applications so that she could be seek further information from the Officers.

(d)          River Great Ouse (Councillor Stuchbury) – the Cabinet Member for Waste and Licensing empathised with Members over the perceived lack of notification from the Environment Agency over the polluting incident and thanked local Members for the work they had done in response to it.

(e)          Vale Commerce (Councillor Mills) – the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources informed Members that the now dormant Vale Commerce had generated profits for the Council that exceeded the £50,000 loaned to the company.  Members were also informed that the company’s accounts had been lodged with Companies House.

(f)           Waterside Theatre (Councillor B Adams) – the Cabinet Member for Civic Amenities informed Members that theatre production companies had provided positive feedback on their experience of performing at the theatre.

(g)          Grass Cutting and Pathway Maintenance (Councillors B Chapple, S Chapple, Harrison, Morgan and Russel) – the Cabinet Member for Waste and Licensing responded to concerns raised from a number of Members on unkempt land on the Elm Farm estate, including at Charmfield Road, and on a site adjacent to Alfred Rose Park. Private landowners were under no obligation to maintain their grounds.  While it was not possible for AVDC to undertake works such as grass cutting on private land, the Cabinet Member gave an undertaking to further investigate the legalities in relation to this matter.  The Cabinet Member also asked to be provided details of unkempt passageways in the Aylesbury Town area so that he could have this investigated.

(h)          Adoption of Land owned by AVDC (Councillor Christensen) – the Leader of the Council concurred with the Member that a piece of work should be carried out to identify land owned by AVDC that might be suitable to be adopted or passed on to a third party.

(i)            HS2 Design Submissions (Councillor Newcombe) – the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure gave an undertaking to have the Council’s website updated with information regarding Schedule 17 powers.

(j)            Aylesbury Town Centre (Councillor King) – the Cabinet Member for Civic Amenities informed Members that bollard installation in Aylesbury Market Square and their location was the responsibility of Buckinghamshire County Council.