Agenda item

 

(i)        Questions on Notice to the Executive:-

 

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

 

“Unfortunately, meetings of the Assets Board are closed to the public and elected members. Would you support making these meetings more transparent by including the Assets Board as an agenda item at a committee meeting?  For example, an update about the Assets Board could be included as a regular item on the Audit Committee’s Agenda. This would enable councillors to scrutinise the disposal of assets in a much more effective way. Alternatively, do you feel that it is time to open up Assets Board meetings to the public and ward members?”

 

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

 

A.     Questions on Notice

 

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

 

“Unfortunately, meetings of the Assets Board are closed to the public and Elected Members.  Would you support making these meetings more transparent by including the Assets Board as an agenda item at a Committee meeting?  For example, an update about the Assets Board could be included as a regular item on the Audit Committee’s Agenda.  This would enable Councillors to scrutinise the disposal of assets in a much more effective way. Alternatively, do you feel that it is time to open up Assets Board meetings to the public and Ward Members?”

 

(A)      The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, gave the following reply:-

 

“Thank you for your question Councillor Allen.  The Assets Board is an internal advisory meeting only with no decision making functions.  It therefore falls outside the Council’s formal decision making structures.

 

The activities of the Assets Board operate in accordance with Standing Orders and Financial Procedure Rules.  Proposed asset transactions including acquisition, disposal and leases in and out of the Council, are considered by the Assets Board process, which includes Ward Member consultation prior to decision making.

 

The Assets Board provides a framework for consultation with Local Ward Members to occur before decisions are taken.  Decisions regarding individual property disposals and acquisitions are made as set out in the Council’s Constitution and in accordance with Standing Orders.  Depending on the values involved, such decisions are taken by either the Property Officer, the relevant Portfolio Holder or Cabinet.  All decisions are published on the Council’s website in accordance with legislation and subject to any exemptions due to confidentiality.

 

Consultation also forms part of the decision making process and Ward Members are involved where appropriate, but where there is a level of commercial sensitivity and confidentiality, access to information discussed cannot be made freely available as a matter of course.”

 

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.

 

Q.   Councillor Jane Cox asked the following question:-

 

“Does the Mayor agree that given the circumstances around a recent resignation of a Labour Councillor, that at a very minimum, DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks should be done on Elected Members?  I understand the policy is to not do this because we as Elected Members should not be left with children or vulnerable people on our own, but this is not always possible, and I think the public deserves to know who is representing them.  Part of the training that is given to new Councillors is around what to do when they are in a home with somebody, so we do acknowledge that Councillors find themselves in these situations.”

 

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

 

“As this is part of an ongoing situation, it would be wrong of me to make any further statement because it is a Police investigation.”

 

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

 

Q.   “I am not asking about a comment about an ongoing Police investigation, I am asking about Council Policy.  The Council Policy is for us not to have DBS checks on Elected Members.  I feel that we should have DBS checks on Elected Members and it should become Council Policy?”

 

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

 

“There are different levels of DBS checks as you know, and therefore, the required DBS checks are carried out in accordance with the processes the Council has in place at the moment.”

 

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

 

Q.   Councillor Steve Cox asked the following question:-

 

“Would it be possible to know why the Welcome Back Fund was not used?  On the report you gave to Cabinet on 23rd June, 2021, one recommendation was that the fund would be spent quickly; what went wrong?  Has there been any Covid-19 funds that have had to be clawed back to Government?”

 

A.     The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones, gave the following response:-

 

“If you had given me prior warning about this question, I could have got a detailed response for you, but I am not aware at this moment in time, of any funding that has had to be returned to Central Government.  That is not to say that has not happened because as we know with this Government, everything is very short-term and has to be spent in very short timescales which sometimes cannot be achieved.  I will find the answer and provide you with a response.”

 

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

 

Q.   “I look forward to the response.  Could you also look into what has been stated as ‘Navel Gazing’ undertaken by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority in holding back funds and taking their time in making the decision how much Doncaster gets?”

 

A.   The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones, gave the following response:-

 

“I am not certain which element of funding you are talking about, but if you can furnish me with the details, I will do my best to find out the answer and take the issue forward.”

 

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

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Joe Blackham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Enforcement.

 

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

 

Q.   Councillor Steve Cox asked the following question:-

 

“What has gone wrong with the consultation on the Localities Model?  We have been informed numerous times in meetings about the ‘Great 8’ Priorities.  Half of our Ward has been missed out since 2015 and it still seems that in the consultation for this Locality Model, half of our Ward has been left out again.  We were told this by Officers.  I have emailed you to ask why half of the Ward is missing.  Could you just tell me why it is not there?”

 

A.     Councillor Rachael Blake gave the following response:-

 

“Regarding your original point in respect of the lack of consultation on the Locality Model, I disagree that this is the case.  I think all Members in this room have attended briefings to understand what was happening with Locality Working.  I believe there have been 4 Locality meetings which has included an Elected Member who has been chosen by their Ward to be the lead Ward Member.  I understood that the first meetings have taken place and there is another meeting tomorrow night.  I do not think there has been a failure of consultation.  From what I can see up to now, Members attendance has been excellent.  I will be attending all the Locality meetings in the next two months to be sure about the progress.

 

The purpose of Locality Working, as outlined in the Corporate Plan, is that we have a Locality Plan.  At the heart of the Locality Plan is what our residents want based on the consultation which has taken place in the Wards.  I understand that the next step of Locality Working is for lead Ward Members to see the Locality Plans which will come to Cabinet in March, 2022.

 

So I disagree that there has been a failure.  The consultation has been very robust and I think Members have engaged in the process.

 

In terms of your specific question, I totally understand your frustration in terms of where your Ward sits.  I do not think you have been missed out.  In Locality Working, my understanding is that you sit in 2 areas; you could be represented in the Central Area, but equally, you need to be represented in the South Area.  I will speak to the two Directors responsible to ensure you are provided with an update before the next round of Locality meetings.”

 

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

 

Q.   “I am glad you referred to our Ward sitting in the Central Area.  We have been saying this since 2015 and it is still not clear in there that half of our Ward sits within the Central Area.  We have not been asked to put anyone forward, so therefore there is a flaw in the consultation process?”

 

A.     Councillor Rachael Blake gave the following response:-

 

“I will get back to you this week because it is not right that any Ward Members cannot attend their Locality meeting.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Rachael Blake, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

 

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

 

In the absence of Councillor Jane Kidd, Members were asked to submit their questions in writing to the Scrutiny Team within Governance Services, and a written response would be provided.