Agenda item

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by Councillors in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

Please note that the list of Member questions is shown under item 10 in the agenda pack.

A full transcription of the public and Member question and answer sessions are available from the following link: Transcription of Q&As.

(a)       The question submitted by Councillor Dennis Benneyworth querying whether the Council was ready to support those in economic hardship would receive a written response from the Leader of the Council.

(b)       The question submitted by Councillor Tom Marino on the subject of whether the Council would be signing up to the government’s £2bn Kickstart scheme to help young people between the ages of 16 – 24 on Universal Credit into the work place was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Internal Governance.

(c)        The question submitted by Councillor Peter Argyle on the subject of what the Council was doing to help young people in to employment was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Education.

(d)       The question submitted by Councillor Rick Jones on the subject of why the Culture Strategy and the Leisure Strategy were being developed in the midst of Covid-19 was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Leisure and Culture.

(e)       The question submitted by Councillor Garth Simpson asking what provision was still in place in the district, after the ending of government food parcels, for those in our communities who were in clinical need of further support or experiencing food poverty was answered by the Leader of the Council.

(f)        The question submitted by Councillor Dennis Benneyworth on the subject of what preparation the Council had made in order to deliver the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment announced by the Government as part of the more recent response measures to Covid-19 would receive a written response from the Leader of the Council.

(g)       The question submitted by Councillor Tom Marino on the subject of how the Council’s commercial property portfolio had been performing over the sixth months or so since the Covid pandemic emerged was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Economic Development.

(h)       The question submitted by Councillor Peter Argyle on the subject of how the Council was supporting young unaccompanied asylum seekers was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Education.

(i)         The question submitted by Councillor Rick Jones on the subject of Covid testing capacity in the district was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Leisure and Culture.

(j)         The question submitted by Councillor Phil Barnett on the subject of what measures were proposed to ensure the animals on Greenham Common were safe from vehicles along the perimeter roads was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Countryside.

(k)        The question submitted by Councillor Carolyne Culver on the subject of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Environment.

(l)         The question submitted by Councillor Steve Masters on the subject of potential approaches by private security companies to be covid wardens in West Berkshire would receive a written response from the Leader of the Council.

(m)      The question submitted by Councillor David Marsh on the subject of the benefit to businesses in Newbury Town Centre from “people driving past their shops and restaurants” was answered by the Leader of the Council.

(n)       The question submitted by Councillor David Marsh on the subject of progress with implementing an agreed speed limit reduction was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Countryside.

(o)       The question submitted by Councillor David Marsh on the subject of whether targets had been achieved from the introduction of the 24-hour traffic-free zone in parts of Newbury Town Centre would receive a written response from the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Countryside.

(p)       The question submitted by Councillor David Marsh on the potential to reintroduce the 24-hour traffic-free zone in parts of Newbury Town Centre would receive a written response from the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Countryside.

(q)       The question submitted by Councillor Lee Dillon on the subject of the steps taken by the Council to ensure the impact of the withdrawal of services for clients and their carers (introduced in the March Coronavirus Act) has been understood and mitigated against was answered by the Portfolio Holders for Adult Social Care and Children, Young People and Education.

(r)        The question submitted by Councillor Alan Macro on the subject of the Council’s commitment to the local mental health concordat was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Community Wellbeing, Leisure and Culture:

(s)        The question submitted by Councillor Lee Dillon querying whether the Council would be submitting a response to the Government consultation paper on Transparency and Competition was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing.

(t)         The question submitted by Councillor Adrian Abbs on the subject of the timeframe for the build out of large housing schemes and ‘local centres’ was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing.

(u)       The Question submitted by Councillor Alan Macro on the subject of the proposal to create wildflower verges on our rural roads and the impact of this on the safety of pedestrians and horse-riders who often needed to use verges to avoid traffic was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Countryside.

(v)        The question submitted by Councillor Alan Macro on the subject of covid marshals would receive a written response from the Leader of the Council.

(w)       The question submitted by Councillor Alan Macro on the subject of the condition of Walnut Close Care Home would receive a written response from the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care.

(x)        The question submitted by Councillor Erik Pattenden on the subject of the support being provided to those children in West Berkshire who were self-isolating at home was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Education.

(y)        The question submitted by Councillor Erik Pattenden querying how many early years providers in West Berkshire were at risk of closure due to financial difficulties would receive a written response from the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Education.

(z)        The question submitted by Councillor Adrian Abbs on the subject of additional solar capacity in West Berkshire was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Environment.