Questions and answers from B&NES Cabinet 20th June 2007

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
Is the Leader aware of the debate in the letters pages of the Bath Chronicle which was sparked by a letter from Mr Steve Devrell published on 31st May 2007? What steps are planned to address the issues he raised?

Answer from:
Councillor Francine Haeberling
1. Yes.
2. I’m afraid that after 12 years of Liberal Democrat dominance on Bath and North East Somerset Council and, in particular, the previous five years of a Liberal Democrat Council Executive member overseeing issues such as bins, litter, and public toilets it is quite rich for Cllr Symonds to demand a plan to address the concerns expressed on the Bath Chronicle letters pages after just one month of the new administration.
However, let me take this opportunity to assure local residents it is a priority for the new administration to improve the condition of Bath’s urban environment and create a greener, cleaner community throughout the district.

Comment - I asked this question because I was asked to raise the issue of the letter with councillors. Some of the issues raised were indeed the responsibility of Cllr Gerry Curran, but equally some were, and still are, the responsibility of Cllr Vic Pritchard. The question about what steps will be taken was not answered.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
This Council collects plastic bottles for recycling if they are made of PET, PVC and HDPE, but it will not collect other plastic containers made of these particular types of plastic. Why not?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
It is interesting that despite the Liberal Democrats holding the Cabinet position of Sustainability and the Environment for the last five years, Councillor Symonds has decided to raise this issue at the first meeting of the new Conservative administration.
Perhaps the former post holder, his Liberal Democrat colleague Councillor Gerry Curran, would be in a better position to brief him about this issue and why such a commitment was not contained within the Liberal Democrat May 2007 Local Election Manifesto?
Another suggestion would be for Cllr Symonds to contact me so a comprehensive briefing about this subject can be arranged with Officers.

Supplementary question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How long will the Cabinet member continue to blame the previous administration for things which were not their responsibility?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
I agree that this needs closer examination. This administration has committed to improving the Council's recycling percentages.

Comment - I will accept Cllr Gerrish' invitation to a briefing.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
Licenses are regularly given permission for events in Bath and North East Somerset, but rubbish created at such events is not separated, so for example cans, bottles and paper are sent directly to landfill. A simple condition in the License permission for the applicant to recycle cans, bottles and paper would enable the Council to extend its recycling to events. What action will the Cabinet member take to make sure that waste is recycled from these public events?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
The authority stipulates this as a condition of issuing a contract to use our land.
For events where we do not control the land, we state in the Council's Licensing Policy for any application for a Premises Licence, which includes open spaces, that we, the Licensing Authority, will consider in particular a number of additional criteria one of which includes the steps taken or proposed by the applicant with particular regard to the recycling of glasses, bottles and cans from their premises.
Whilst this above statement is in our policy as something we would expect the applicant to include in their operating schedule, if the applicant does not provide a satisfactory statement on this and we do not have any representations against the application then the licence may be granted because Licensing is not legally empowered to insist on its inclusion.

Supplementary question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
Can the Cabinet member explain then why there is only one event where there has been separate collections?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
The question has a historical context and I will need to investigate and will report back to him in the future.

Comment - There must be a way round this without having to object to each and every licence. I will find out why this condition is not applied to events on Council land. It is done in other cities including Bristol. It is not enough to persuade people to recycle in their homes, the principle should be continued at public events and on our streets, so that recycling becomes second nature to everybody.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
What is the target quota for converting areas for Living Over the Shops (LOTS) and for bringing basements into use for accommodation in the B&NES Local Plan and is the Council anywhere near meeting this target?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
There are no specific targets for converting areas for 'Living Over the Shops' or for bringing basements into use for accommodation in the Local Plan that was agreed by Full Council on 29th March 2007

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How many people are there on the Homeseekers register and on Somer Housing‘s books either without homes or living in temporary/unsuitable accommodation in B&NES?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard
At the time of writing there are 5,624 households on the Homeseekers Register, of which 63 are in Band A. Band A includes all households who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation, are statutory overcrowded or have an urgent medical or social need to move. Please note that a “household” can range from a single individual to a large family, and as such is not the same as number of people. In addition the above figure will not include those households who are sharing with friends or family, unless the sharing results in either statutory overcrowding or an urgent social or medical award.
There are currently 641 households on the Somer CHT transfer list. While all of these households are housed and in permanent accommodation, it is likely that some of these will be living in overcrowded and hence unsuitable accommodation. However, it is likely that some of these clients will also be on the Homeseekers Register.
In future, because of the continuous fluctuation of these figures could I suggest that factual information of this kind could be obtained by contacting the relevant officer, Graham Sabourn, or me outside the formal Cabinet meeting question process.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
What does the Cabinet Member intend to do about the chronic shortage of Social and Affordable Housing in the Authority?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard
The Council and Local Strategic Partnership agreed the Housing Strategy 2005-2010 in July 2006. Nine Delivery Plans are being developed, including one specifically focused on the delivery of affordable housing. This Delivery Plan is nearing completion and along with the remaining Delivery Plans will ultimately be presented to the Cabinet for approval early next year following extensive consultation. A copy of the draft affordable housing delivery plan has been sent directly to Cllr Symonds for his consideration.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How many empty homes are there in Bath and North East Somerset?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard
483 private sector empty homes.
In future, because of the continuous fluctuation of these figures could I suggest that factual information of this kind could be obtained by contacting the relevant officer, Graham Sabourn, or me outside the formal Cabinet meeting question process.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How many houses in the Council’s area have been brought back into occupation under the powers given to the Council under the Government’s Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) that were introduced in the Housing Act 2004?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard

None.