Questions to be asked by Members of the County Council of the Leader of the Council, a Cabinet Member, or a Chairman of a non-Scrutiny Committee. The question will be answered by the relevant Member and the Member asking the question may then ask a follow up question which will also be answered
Minutes:
Ms S. Woodward asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing whose reply is set out below the question:-
Question
At the beginning of the year, only 2.5% of the Staffordshire Local Crisis Support Scheme funds had been spent i.e. approximately £35,000 from an allocation of £1.4 million. Can the Cabinet Member tell me what the current position is?
Reply
The Staffordshire Local Crisis Support Scheme fund is a two year time limited fund of £1,475,587.00 per year running from 1st April 2013 to 31st March 2015. This fund is used in two distinct ways:
· Direct Crisis Support
· Crisis Prevention
The Direct Crisis Supporthelps people with food, services and/or goods who experience an unusual emergency, disaster, unforeseen circumstance or a pressing need, or if someone is vulnerable but wants to remain living independently in their community. Food and fuel are provided within 12 hours of approval of application and white goods are provided within 3 days. To date we have spent £52,637 on direct crisis support and this has supported over 500 people.
Supplementary Question
Given that, by my calculation, there is still only around 3.5% of this fund that has been spent and considering that there is still nearly funding of £1m remaining, will you consider giving the unspent funding as a donation to the food banks that are in operation across the county?
Reply
We are not just working on providing direct assistance. So far, we have allocated £498,700 on crisis prevention schemes. We are trying to spend as much as we can on preventing people from getting into crisis situations rather than sorting out the crisis once it has happened.
Ms M. Compton asked the following question of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation whose reply is set out below the question:-
Question
In the original plans for Staffordshire Place 1 and 2, it was decided that the ground floor would be used for shops, cafes or restaurants. After two years, why are these spaces still empty?
Reply
Staffordshire Place achieved Practical Completion on 12th September 2011. Marketing of the retail units had commenced in April of that year by GVA Grimley who were appointed as the County Council’s agents. By Practical Completion, Head of Terms for a lease had been agreed with two tenants but the leases had not yet been signed. A third unit was also subject to serious interest and was likely to progress to Heads of terms.
Shortly after the County Council’s occupation of Staffordshire Place, a series of cladding failures occurred which called for a thorough review and rectification of the design and installation faults. The Developer (Stoford) and Contractor (Volker Fitzpatrick) then undertook the complete strip down and reinstatement of the façade. In addition they progressed the rectification of a large number of other defects which affected the retail units. Due to the extent of the repair works the retail units were unlettable and as such the leases were not completed. At the time the work was undertaken a general loss of retail confidence was felt throughout the UK which combined to drive the would-be tenants to withdraw from the potential leases.
The rectification works were finally completed on 18th December 2013 which has now enabled the remarketing of the units.
GVA Grimley have been re-commissioned and marketing will commence.
Compensation for the loss of rental income has been included within the settlement agreement which was made with the Developer and Contractor.
Supplementary Question
How can marketing begin again when just last week rain water was getting inside Staffordshire Place and the damp course is being rectified?
Reply
It is frustrating that we haven’t been able to get retailers into the ground floor space at Staffordshire Place but it will happen. The remedial work will be completed shortly and, as I indicated, marketing of the retail units is proceeding.
Mr P. Davies asked the following question of the Leader of the Council whose reply is set out below the question:-
Question
As a result of the changes that have taken place recently at East Staffordshire Borough Council, does the Leader of Staffordshire County Council envisage any positive improvements in relations with the new administration at East Staffordshire, and if so, how?
Reply
I look forward to working with Julian Mott, the new Leader of ESBC, and have written inviting him to attend the Staffordshire Partnership Board meetings and Staffordshire Hundred events, which the previous Leader of ESBC, Richard Grosvenor, regularly attended. Until then I have to wait and see what changes will come about.
Supplementary Question
I, like the Leader, would like to see relations between East Staffordshire Borough Council and the County Council improve. They have been somewhat strained over the years and I look forward that with the change in administration those relations will improve.
Reply
We will work with anybody, whatever their political party and I look forward to working with the Borough Council and achieving fruitful things together.
Mr G. Adamson asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Economy and Infrastructure whose reply is set out below the question:-
Question
Is the Cabinet Member satisfied with the reply from the Secretary of State for Transport to his letter dated 3rd February 2014 concerning HS2 Phase One Major Projects Authority Assessment?
Reply
As Mr Adamson will be aware, we debated this matter at Full Council. I am satisfied that the Secretary of State for Transport took the time to respond to my letter and give me the key arguments for the decision he took. A copy of this response has been circulated to members and I would urge them to read it, however my concern is to focus on the matter at hand – pushing for the mitigation and compensation which residents in Staffordshire deserve. Fighting yesterday’s battles hardly seems fitting when there are issues to be addressed here and now.
Supplementary Question
You appear to have given up the fight already despite the fact that the route of HS2 has not yet been confirmed. There is an awful lot to fight for and the report you appear to have given up on is vitally important; residents in Staffordshire should have the chance to see it. Do you now wish you had been more assertive in seeking release of the document?
Reply
The Secretary of State, in his reply, explains why he has not released the document. He exercised his right of veto on the advice of the Cabinet. We should be concentrating on fighting the battle on behalf of our communities, concentrating on securing compensation and mitigation for our residents.
Ms M. Compton asked the following question of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation whose reply is set out below the question:-
Question
Could we please have a definitive answer as to whether this Council intends to sell the Shire Hall?
Reply
I would reiterate my response from a previous full Council meeting that the County Council has not made any decision at this time to sell Shire Hall. We are simply considering it in the wider context of Stafford's development. Therefore discussion at this stage is premature.
Supplementary Question
Can you confirm that you are not going to sell the Shire Hall please? I’m not sure how the Shire Hall will fit into the context of Stafford’s development either?
Reply
There are a number of interesting and historic buildings in the centre of Stafford which are empty at the moment. It does leave an interesting opportunity for the town centre, to make it more vibrant, build on its economy, and attract more visitors for example. We don’t make enough of our town centre and its historical importance. We don’t just want to sell the Shire Hall – we want it to remain the dignified building we currently enjoy. We want to be part of designing and developing its future. It is an asset that is currently underutilised and we could do something more with it along with the rest of the buildings in central Stafford.