Agenda item

 

(i)           Questions on Notice to the Executive:-

 

None received for this meeting.

 

(ii)           Questions without Notice to the Executive and the Chairs of the Audit Committee, Elections and Democratic Structures Committee, Health and Wellbeing Board and Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.

 

A.     Questions on Notice

 

No questions on Notice from Elected Members had been received for this meeting.

 

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 Tosh McDonald asked the following question:-

 

“It’s been mentioned already in this session about the Town Centre and the need to sort out problems such as begging, such as rough sleeping and substance abuse.  We had the seminar a few weeks ago where we discussed it.  Can you give us an update on how well we are doing at clearing these issues up in the Town Centre, but also attached to that, problems that may be coming about by migration into the residential areas around the Town Centre.  Only recently, I have spoken to somebody on Craithie Road, where the alleyway between Craithie Road and Zetland Road, has had a rough sleeper.  It does seem to be moving further out of the Town.  Can you give us an update on how things are; thank you?”

 

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

 

“We are certainly seeing some improvement, but we have always said it will not be an easy issue.  However, I am going to pass this to Councillor Chris McGuinness because he has got the most up to date statistics that we have got.  Thank you.”

 

A.     Councillor Chris McGuinness gave the following response:-

 

“I did have some figures on the cohort of people, but I don’t have them at the moment. I think your main issue is about the displacement.  If you recall, there was a senior Police Officer sat where I am now, who in September said if there are issues or if people perceive issues of displacement, they would do everything that they could to address it.  If you want to give me some of the areas that you are concerned about, I will take that up with them first thing tomorrow and next week.  We have done the Town Centre earlier on and I think there is some real progress there.  The problem is, one of the things I keep coming back to is every now and again, somebody new presents themselves in any particular week and they are not necessarily from Doncaster.  But, I will follow up on the displacement issue.  Thanks.”

 

Q.   Councillor Rachel Hodson asked the following question:-

 

“Ros, in the Chancellor’s budget last month, he pledged that austerity was coming to an end.  So I ask, how much additional funding will Doncaster be getting.  Is austerity really over for the people of Doncaster, or is it still actually the case that we are having to cut services and our budgets?”

 

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

 

“I would be delighted if I could sit here today and say austerity is over as far as this Council’s budget is concerned.  We know we are facing £24m of deficits that we need to make good in this year.  We have had one off funding, so in this financial year, we got £2m for highways and potholes and £1.5m for Adults and Social Care.  A further £2.6m for Adults and Children’s Social Care next year.  However, these figures are drops in the ocean; they go nowhere near meeting the demands of our services.

 

We are facing further Government cuts.  We expect that we will get our announcement of what we are going to get this year on December 6th.  I will be so elated if I can come back to this Council and say all the further cuts that have actually been levied on us, have been waived and we are now truly going to start seeing increases in the funding.  But, what we are actually given at this moment is one off funding, which is no way to run any organisation.  You cannot plan with that in order to deliver.

 

As you know, we brought forward the Medium Term Financial Plan. We are having to go back and revisit that.  We have continuing growth in Children’s and Adults Social Care requirements.  We are given a levy that we can put on which goes nowhere near to what we need.  We have just approved a one off sum of £6m because of our Children’s Services; that’s the Trust which requires more funding because more of our children are requiring this funding.  And do you know what, universal credit does have an influence on this, as more and more families are under the strain of this.  Therefore, December 6th will be the date that we know the figure.  I do not expect ‘mega’ sums of monies.  What I would say to any Government is we need to have one assurity, but also funding on a one off basis will not deal with the problems that we are facing.  As I say, we have got £24m that we will have to find in 2019/20.  I am sure that we will find ways to bridge this gap, but we are like very many other Authorities within this country that are creaking at the seams.  So, thank you for your question.  I wish I was giving you the right answer of saying austerity is really over and funding is being restored, but I do not believe that will be the case, come December 6th.  We will wait and see.”

 

 

Q.   Councillor Chris McGuinness asked the following question:-

 

“There is a question coming, trust me.  The report that Councillor Nigel Ball referred to earlier from the United Nations.  I just want to read a couple of sentences out from that.  It says here that 14m people, that’s a fifth of the population of the UK, live in poverty, 4m of these are more than 50% below the poverty line and 1.5m are destitute, unable to afford basic essentials.  The widely respected Institute of Fiscal Studies, predicts a 7% rise in child poverty between 2015 and 2022.  Various sources predict child poverty rates as high as 40%.  For almost every one in two children to be poor in 21st Century Britain, is not just a disgrace, but a social calamity.  Does the Mayor agree?”

 

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

 

“Of course it’s a social calamity, because it’s not us saying this, it is the independent Review Panels, and therefore we need to see greater funding and greater sums of money coming our way and the surety of that funding.  It’s not only us saying this, it’s across the country.”

 

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

 

There were no questions put to the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Equalities.

 

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

 

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

 

D.     Questions to Councillor Joe Blackham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Trading Services

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Joe Blackham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Trading Services.

 

E.     Questions to Councillor Rachael Blake, Cabinet Member for Adult  Social Care

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Rachael Blake, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

 

F.     Questions to Councillor Nuala Fennelly, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Nuala Fennelly, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools.

 

G.    Questions to Councillor Chris McGuinness, Cabinet Member for Communities, Voluntary Sector and the Environment

 

Q.   Councillor Ian Pearson asked the following question:-

 

“Back to your favourite subject of the day.  There have been many comments about the sterling work being done by the Council in improving Doncaster and the surrounding areas, but comments have been made about ‘interlopers’ who come to beg for the day in Doncaster and the impact in and around the Railway Station.  Would you agree that more help from the British Transport Police that are not controlled by our own Police and Crime Commissioner, would be a good step regarding inter-city begging and the information shared by the British Transport Police when it happens with the same people at numerous Railway Stations?”

 

A.     Councillor Chris McGuinness, gave the following response:-

 

“I certainly do.  As far as I am aware, the British Transport Police have been involved to some degree in ‘Complex Lives’, but I will find out the extent of that next week and I will come back to you.”

 

H.     Questions to Councillor Bill Mordue, Cabinet Member for Business, Skills and Economic Development

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Bill Mordue, Cabinet Member for Business Skills and Economic Development.

 

I.       Questions to Councillor Jane Nightingale, Cabinet Member for Customer and Corporate Services

 

There were no questions put to Councillor Jane Nightingale, Cabinet Member for Customer and Corporate Services.

 

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

 

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

 

K.     Questions to Councillor Phil Cole, Chair of the Elections and Democratic Structures Committee

 

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

 

L.      Questions to Councillor Kevin Rodgers, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

 

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

 

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

 

Q.      Councillor John Cooke asked the following question:-

 

“I had a letter recently from one of my residents regarding flash glucose monitoring.  It is obviously a great concern to him. If you can indulge me just a minute.  It is only a short one. I can read it out for you.  It says flash glucose monitoring is a life changing diabetes technology that helps people monitor their blood glucose levels.  It is easier to use and less painful than the current finger pricking tests.  It can also help improve people’s self-management.  This is vital in helping to reduce the risk of serious and classic long-term diabetes related complications.  In addition, it is also cost effective for people with diabetes who are treated with insulin and tested frequently.  The NHS announced it could be made available on prescription in November 2017.  Wales and around 65% of areas in England have already made it available.  However, in my CCG, it is not.  This means only those who can afford the cost of over £1,000 a year can benefit.  It has become a real post code lottery.  He asked me basically, can we look in to remedying this situation?”

 

A.      Councillor Rachael Blake gave the following response:-

 

“Thank you for your question.  I also received similar emails, as did a number of colleagues, so I had a meeting with the Chief Executive of the CCG and that system is now available for people in Doncaster, as long as they meet the NICE guidelines.  So if you want to send the information about that particular person to me, I can find out whether or not they will meet those guidelines.  But yes, there has been concern raised about it and the CCG has now said that it is available in Doncaster.  If anybody has similar residents that are asking the same question, please let them know that it is available.  They obviously need to get it through their G.P. who will let them know whether they are eligible or not.  So, that will hopefully avoid the post code lottery.  What we can’t influence is those national guidelines which dictate who are the people who would most benefit from that situation.”