Agenda item

Under Standing Order No.14 Members asked the following questions:

·        Councillor Dyke commented that he was proud of the Labour majority group for bringing Council Services back in house. Councillor Dyke asked the Leader if savings had been made and jobs saved as a result.

The Leader provided a verbal response confirming that ending the Arvato contract and bringing Council Services back in house had resulted in recurring savings of £484,086 per annum, which was to be welcomed at what was a difficult time for local government. The Council had also honoured the contracts of all transferring staff.

The Council had also benefitted from the fact that £48 million of small business grants had been administered without the need to transfer the additional capacity funding that the Government had made available for that purpose to external contractors.

·        Councillor Fordham noted that the Council had received a letter from the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner asking for CCTV to be introduced in all taxis operating in the Borough. The Councillor sought assurances that, if this was to be adopted, the purpose would be to tackle crime and not to generate headlines.

The Leader provided a verbal response assuring Councillor Fordham and all members that Chesterfield Borough Council would continue to carry out its licensing duties to ensure the continuing safety of its residents.

·        Councillor Redihough asked, given that some Conservative Councils and a local Labour controlled authority are opposed to Vision Derbyshire, why the Leader was in support of the programme.

The Leader provided a verbal response advising that most Derbyshire councils are in support of the programme, united behind a common belief that Vision Derbyshire represents a positive way to bring benefits to the people of Derbyshire without the need for local government reorganisation.

·        Councillor Borrell referenced that the following day Derbyshire County Council was expected to make a decision on the Chesterfield East West Cycleway. Councillor Borrell commented that many people that should have been consulted had not and, given that the Borough Council also had reservations about the proposed Cycleway, asked if the Leader would support the notion that the County Council’s decision be delayed to allow a more thorough public consultation to take place.

The Leader provided a verbal response advising that the proposed Chesterfield East West Cycleway was ultimately a County Council responsibility. The Leader had already expressed her concerns, in writing, on behalf of the residents of Brimington, and had also raised with the relevant Cabinet member at County Hall the need for the opinions of the people of Chesterfield to be taken into account. The Leader emphasised that she was not in agreement with many aspects of the Cycleway proposals for Chesterfield and hoped that members of the public would make their feelings known at the County Council meeting scheduled for the following day.