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)          Devolving assets to Town and Parish Councils (Councillor C Adams) – the Leader of the Council informed Members that until the final reorganisation order was laid for the new Council it was premature to make any firm statements on matters moving forward, which included looking at the devolution of assets and services to Town and Parish Councils.

(b)          Roadworks / Traffic Congestion (Councillor Cooper) – the Deputy Leader of the Council informed Members that he shared Councillor Cooper’s concerns on the number of temporary traffic lights and unplanned roadworks that seemed to be popping up on main arterial roads around Aylesbury and that were causing considerable traffic congestion and gridlock.  However, the Deputy Leader had not received any complaints or evidence that the congestion was impacting on the economy of Aylesbury.  The Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure (who was also the Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport at BCC) informed Members that the County Council shared the same concerns and had contacted Thames Water to raise the matter and complain about the disruptions.

(c)          Aylesbury Vale Estates (Councillor Lambert) – the Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure assured Members that there no plans to move AVDC controlled assets into AVE ownership so that they could not be transferred to either the new Council or Town/Parish Councils.

(d)          Email Sharing Protocols (Councillor Lambert) – the Leader of the Council informed Members that she expected the Member / Officer protocol regarding the sharing of information to be followed.  The Leader was happy to speak to the Member after the meeting if he had any particular concerns.

(e)          Discounted Housing Payments (Councillor Bateman) – the Cabinet Member for Communities gave an undertaking to provide the Member with information on whether there had recently been any increases in discounted housing payments.

(f)           Osier Way, Buckingham (Councillor Stuchbury) – the Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement informed the Member that he had emailed him today with information in relation to Section 106 arrangements.  Arrangements had not yet been put in place but the Member would be notified as soon as something had been agreed.

(g)          Unitary Council (Councillor Stuchbury) – the Leader of the Council informed Members that it was important for all Councils to continue with business as usual for local residents until such stage as arrangements for the Shadow Authority and/or the new Council came into force.

(h)          Merry Christmas (Councillor Rand) – the Leader of the Council concurred with the Member in wishing all Members of staff, Councillors and their families a very Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year.

(i)            Buckingham Christmas Parade (Councillor Whyte) – the Cabinet Member for Civic Amenities agreed with the Member that AVDC was happy to support the Buckingham Christmas parade this Saturday by offering free parking in the town.

The Cabinet Member also informed Members that AVDC was again this year providing free parking on Thursdays after 3.30pm in AVDC town centre car parks in the run up to Christmas and every Sunday in December in the Walton Street car park.