To receive questions submitted to the Leader under Standing Order No.14
Minutes:
Under Standing Order No. 14 Members asked the following questions:
• Councillor Fordham asked whether a permanent memorial to Violet Markham could be installed in the town and if consideration would be given to more female and BAME individuals being commemorated on plaques, given that they had previously been underrepresented.
The Leader provided a verbal response, commending Councillor Fordham’s participation in the consultation, confirming that all suggestions would be given due consideration and acknowledging Violet Markham’s legacy to the town and impact on her own life and career as an inspirational role model.
• Councillor K Falconer asked if any additional resources had been allocated to the Borough’s parks and open spaces following their increased usage throughout the lockdown periods.
The Leader provided a verbal response, advising that no requests had been received for additional resources to be allocated to the Borough’s parks and open spaces as yet but that any such requests would be given due consideration.
• Councillor Caulfield asked whether the Council had investigated the possibility of making a bid to the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme following the question asked by Councillor Snowdon at the December meeting of the Council.
The Leader provided a verbal response, confirming that she had asked the Chief Executive to consider if a suitable site or sites existed within Chesterfield Borough for the potential development of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s new fusion prototype plant. Key requirements included a minimum 100-hectare site, proximity to a source of cooling water and grid connectivity. It was concluded that Chesterfield Borough Council was not in a position to nominate a site or an aggregation of sites at this time that met the key requirements. The only appropriate sites within the D2N2 LEP area would be existing or decommissioned power stations. It had been communicated to the LEP that should one of these sites become the location for the STEP programme, Chesterfield Borough Council would wish to be engaged and involved as part of the wider ecosystem for innovation in the generation, transmission and storage of clean energy.
• Councillor Lisa Collins asked what the Leader was looking forward to doing most once the national lockdown restrictions had eased.
The Leader provided a verbal response stating that she was looking forward to swimming at Staveley Healthy Living Centre and would very much like to climb a mountain.