Agenda item

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO. 1

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor P Standen will ask the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Operational Services, Councillor John Chesworth, the following question:-

“In last December’s Council I asked the portfolio Holder for Culture and Operational Services a question regarding what plans the Council had to clean and maintain the Kettle Brook within Wilnecote. In response to this question the Cabinet Member kindly supplied me with a copy of the 2012 survey he mentioned in his verbal reply. However on reviewing the survey I was surprised to find that it did not cover the section of the Kettle brook within Wilnecote, and as yet I have yet to receive the promised feedback to my question specifically regarding the Wilnecote section of the Kettle brook. Can the Cabinet member please provide an answer to the question - What plans are being made to clean and maintain the Kettle Brook within Wilnecote?”

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply in place of Councillor J Chesworth:-

“Thank you Mr Mayor. In the absence of Councillor Chesworth, who is with her Majesty today at the Palace, he has asked me to assure Councillor Standen that he is happy to discuss the matter with him to reach a satisfactory conclusion for local residents”

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO. 2

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor Dr. Simon Peaple will ask the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook, the following question:-

“What progress has been made in identifying the beneficial interest of the former Youth Club / Trust in the ownership of the site currently occupied by the old court buildings and Tamworth Community Radio?”

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:-

“Thank you Mr Mayor.

In answer to the question – No progress at present, but this is not to say we are ignoring it. The work being-undertaken presently is understanding what a masterplan for the site may look like and using the data obtained during the work our consultants have been doing to understand what the site will support in terms of need and use.

Specific detail around lease interests will occur more in the marketing/delivery phase”

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO. 3

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor Dr. Simon Peaple will ask the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook, the following question:

“What approaches have been made to Staffordshire LEP regarding future relations with them?”

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:-

“Thank you again Mr Mayor.

Councillor Peaple is of course aware that we are full members of the Staffordshire LEP, and while we have always looked towards Birmingham with our functioning economic geography, we maintain good relationships with the SSLEP.

It is worth recalling that while our focus is the GBSLEP, Tamworth as a place is in the SSLEP due to the County Council’s membership of the SSLEP. Thus as a town Tamworth is in the SSLEP whether this Council is or not. Thus, I agreed to join the SSLEP in 2013.

We have also recently been asked to submit more detailed business case/expression of interest for one of our projects (town walls) for further consideration by the SSLEP board

Further at last week’s Chief Executives meeting there was a presentation to update  how the Staffordshire Local Industrial Strategy work will be conducted, which is due to be presented to Government early next year – we will be a consultee as will every other Staffordshire authority.

I have also had conversations with the Deputy Leader of the County Council around future involvement in Staffordshire wide economics.

While this Council is still firmly orientated to the GBS LEP, we certainly are taking advantage of every opportunity we are able to when it comes to additional funding.

The government review of LEP’s in regards the West Midlands has been delayed after Tamworth’s MP Chris Pincher went to bat for us with the minister and obtained more time for us to continue to make our case and think through governance options around cross LEP boundaries.”