Agenda item

Questions by Elected Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 15.2 and 15.3

(i)        Questions on Notice to the Executive:-

 

(a)     Question from Councillor Nick Allen to the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones:-

 

“Do you agree that Doncaster Council should have done more to engage with the public during the consultation for the Local Plan?” 

 

(b)     Question from Councillor Jane Cox to the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones:-

 

“I would like to ask the Mayor if she is confident following on from her meeting with the PCC, that Doncaster will get its fair share of the 269 new Police Officers in South Yorkshire?  Historically, Doncaster has not been prioritised and has had less than the other South Yorkshire Boroughs.”

 

(ii)          Questions without Notice to the Executive and the Chairs of Committees.

Minutes:

 

A.     Questions on Notice

 

Q.   The following Question on Notice, had been received from Councillor Nick Allen:-

 

“Do you agree that Doncaster Council should have done more to engage with the public during the consultation for the Local Plan?”

 

A.     The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, gave the following response:-

 

The Doncaster Local Plan has been through a robust and comprehensive process over a 7 year period to reach the milestone of now being ready to adopt, including being examined in public by a Government appointed Planning Inspector, and been found to be ‘sound’ and ‘legally compliant’.

There have been numerous opportunities for residents to engage with the local plan process.  I understand the concerns and objections that some of our residents and communities have.  There will be individual sites identified that Councillors from across the Borough will have objections to, but this is about the whole of Doncaster and has been prepared following all the correct legal processes and procedures.

The Council undertook extensive consultation as part of the Plan’s preparation.  Indeed, the Inspector notes in his report that there has been more stages of consultation carried out by the Council than that required by the relevant government legislation.”

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.7, Councillor Nick Allen asked the following supplementary question:-

 

Q.   “How many responses did the Council actually receive in total to the consultation?”

 

A.    The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, gave the following response:-

 

“I do not have the total number.  However, the Planning Inspector was satisfied with the numbers and as I have said before, it is the Planning Inspector who said it was robust.  I will read out what was said. The Council’s Regulation 22(1)(c) Statement of Consultation thoroughly demonstrates how the consultation carried out during the various stages of Plan preparation was in compliance with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement adopted in July 2015.  More stages of consultation were held than required by the regulations.  Whilst not explicitly setting out the weight that the Council attached to consultation responses, that is not a legal requirement, and it is clear that they were taken into account.  The documented evidence sets out the relevant planning issues.  Where necessary, I consider those issues in my assessment of soundness in the subsequent sections of this report’.  This justifies why we have all just approved this Local Plan.  If you require numbers, I am sure the Planning Team can provide them in writing later.”

 

Q.   The following Question on Notice, had been received from Councillor Jane Cox:-

 

“I would like to ask the Mayor if she is confident following on from her meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner, that Doncaster will get its fair share of the 269 new Police Officers in South Yorkshire?  Historically, Doncaster has not been prioritised and has had less than the other South Yorkshire Boroughs.”

 

A.     The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, gave the following response:-

 

“It is important to remember that we have lost over 500 frontline Police Officers across South Yorkshire since 2010.  We have seen local Police Stations close across the Borough and the wider public sector has faced similar if not larger reductions in Government funding.  This is all due to 10 years of Austerity; our residents and communities are facing the consequences of a failed Austerity programme through rising crime.

 

I have made my views clear in the strongest terms that Doncaster is not adequately policed to combat crime and anti-social behaviour, and also to give ongoing reassurance to the public.  I do not feel that Doncaster is getting the best possible service from South Yorkshire Police, but in the spirit of partnership, I do want us to work together to resolve concerns.  I am grateful to Dr Billings and South Yorkshire Police colleagues for acting upon my concerns and I look forward to more appropriate Policing levels, and activity that is more visible to myself, the Council and the residents and businesses in Doncaster, and which achieves results.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner has promised to review the allocation of Police resources across South Yorkshire as part of the budget setting for the next financial year.  So in answer to your question, yes I am hopeful that Doncaster will get its fair allocation of new Police Officers, if not more.  The timing of when we get the additional Police Officers is crucial.  We need more officers on our streets and in our communities as a matter of urgency.  I will of course continue to keep pressing for our fair share.”

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.7, Councillor Jane Cox asked the following supplementary question:-

 

Q.   “Given the Mayor is reassured that we will get our fair share of Police Officers, will she confirm, as Superintendent Thomas did in the Annual Scrutiny meeting, that any anti-social behaviour reports to 736000 are fed directly into the Police statistics?”

 

A.     The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, gave the following response:-

 

“I believe we will get the right number of Police Officers, but we will continue to press and anything reported needs to go through to the correct number.  I would urge people to actually report on the 101 number because this is part of the process that is being used in the allocation of resources.”

 

B.     Questions Without Notice

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.2, the Chair of Council sought questions from Elected Members during Question Time.

 

A.     Questions to the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones

 

There were no questions put to the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones.

 

B.     Questions to the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Business

 

There were no questions put to the Deputy Mayor, Cabinet Member for Housing and Business.

 

C.     Questions to Councillor Lani-Mae Ball, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Young People

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Lani-Mae Ball, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Young People.

 

D.     Questions to Councillor Nigel Ball, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Culture and Planning

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Nigel Ball, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Culture and Planning.

 

E.     Questions to Councillor Joe Blackham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Enforcement

 

In the absence of Joe Blackham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Enforcement, the Vice-Chair of Council informed Members that any questions for Councillor Blackham should be submitted to the Executive Office after the meeting, and a response would be provided.

 

F.     Questions to Councillor Rachael Blake, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Communities and Equalities

 

In the absence of Councillor Rachael Blake, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Communities and Equalities, the Vice-Chair of Council informed Members that any questions for Councillor Blake should be submitted to the Executive Office after the meeting, and a response would be provided.

 

G.    Questions to Councillor Phil Cole, Cabinet Member for Finance

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Phil Cole, Cabinet Member for Finance.

 

H.     Questions to Councillor Mark Houlbrook, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Waste

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Mark Houlbrook, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Waste.

 

I.       Questions to Councillor Jane Nightingale, Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Jane Nightingale, Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources.

 

J.    Questions to Councillor Andrea Robinson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Andrea Robinson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

 

K.     Questions to Councillor Austen White, Chair of the Audit Committee

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Austen White, Chair of the Audit Committee.

 

L.      Questions to Councillor Ian Pearson, Chair of the Elections and Democratic Structures Committee

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Ian Pearson, Chair of the Elections and Democratic Structures Committee.

 

M.    Questions to Councillor Rachael Blake, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board

 

In the absence of Councillor Rachael Blake, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Vice-Chair of Council informed Members that any questions for Councillor Blake should be submitted to the Executive Office after the meeting, and a response would be provided.

 

N.     Questions to Councillor Jane Kidd, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Jane Kidd, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.