To receive the following questions from councillors in accordance with Council procedure rule 33.
1. Question from Councillor Catherine Webber to Councillor Roger Cox, Cabinet member for Planning.
Please can the Cabinet member for Planning tell us how many electrical car charging points have been in planning applications that were approved in the last two years? Of those, how many have been delivered? If there’s a gap, please can you tell us what action Enforcement are taking to remedy it?
2. Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to Councillor Charlotte Dickson, Cabinet member for Waste.
Over the past several months, service from Biffa in my ward has been reliably poor. Repeated instances of missed service have brought in complaints from residents to me, to Biffa, to the Vale and to our local MP. In 2016, I was told the poor service in my ward was due to staff shortages. In 2017, I’ve been told it is due to old lorry stock. Please can the Cabinet member tell us how many complaints have been received so far this year (since 1 May 2017) in my ward of Botley and Sunningwell. What is the penalty to our contractor for such poor service? If we received such poor service from a private company, most of us would ask for our money back. How do residents apply for a refund for services paid for but not delivered?
3. Question from Councillor Catherine Webber to Councillor Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for Environmental Protection.
It was widely reported in September 2015 that nearly 200 councils in England and Wales exceeded the NO2 limits in 2013; Vale is sadly one of them. Approximately 50 Vale residents die prematurely each year due to air pollution. We've heard before that solutions are difficult and take cross-boundary cooperation. What actions are Vale taking and how is council actively working with other authorities to improve our air quality? What is Vale's current position with respect to any moral obligation to do all we can to reduce the impact of our poor air quality on the mortality rate of our residents?
4. Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to Councillor Eric Batts, Cabinet member for Facilities.
Does the Cabinet member for Facilities agree with me that the front door to our council offices building sets the tone of the districts' professionalism for people who come to call on us? Paper signs are blu-tacked up telling people the doors don’t work and to close them behind you, which contradict the other signs saying ‘automatic doors’. Council staff working nearby suffer by having to repeatedly get up and close the doors. This has been going on since we moved into the building. Is this Vale’s responsibility or Vinci’s? Please can the Cabinet member tell us when will these doors be properly functional?
5. Question from Councillor Emily Smith to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for Property.
Old Abbey House in Abingdon has been empty for some time, and concern is growing for the future of this historic building. Please can you tell council how long Old Abbey House has been vacant. In that time, how much has this council spent on maintenance, security and other costs? In that time, what offers of use has council received? What are your plans now for the sale or rent of the building?
6. Question from Councillor Judy Roberts to Councillor Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for Grants.
Children’s Centres in the Vale are trying to fund themselves now that their county council funding has been cut. At our February 2017 Vale budget council meeting, the Leader of the Council said, "the centres could access the existing grant schemes for funding”. But in fact, recent applications by children’s centres for Vale grants have been refused. Applicants were told they didn’t qualify as our current grant system cannot provide funds for services previously provided by the County Council. At that February 2017 council meeting, a motion to form a grants pot for these children’s centres was voted down after the Leader assured members that our current grants system could help. Now we learn that is doesn’t help, and that in fact it denies the organisations the right to apply and be considered. Please can the Cabinet member explain what has happened, and how these children’s services charities can apply for Vale grants? The deadline for applications is 15 October.
Minutes:
1. Question from Councillor Catherine Webber to Councillor Roger Cox, Cabinet member for Planning.
Please can the Cabinet member for planning tell us how many electrical car charging points have been in planning applications that were approved in the last two years? Of those, how many have been delivered? If there’s a gap, please can you tell us what action Enforcement are taking to remedy it?
Answer
Councillor Cox responded that the current adopted Local Plan and saved policies do not include for the provision of electric charging points. As there is no current policy basis for electric car charging points, this is not something the council currently monitors. However, the following sites have, through conditions, secured electric charging points on the market units:
· P16/V3224/FUL – Land off Sheepstead Road Marcham – 47 new houses in total – 31 market units.
· P16/V1705/FUL – Land at Manor Farm, Drayton – 57 dwellings – 38 market units.
· P15/V0612/FUL – Land West of Hyde Copse Marcham – 61 dwellings – 40 market units.
· P14/V1976/O – Land off Packhorse Lane, Marcham – 37 dwellings – 25 market units.
· P17/V0050/O – Land at North Abingdon – resolution to grant planning permission subject to the signing of the S106 (aiming to complete by end of the month) – 950 new houses in total. 618 market units.
As electric charging points are not something the council monitors no checks are undertaken as to whether these are being delivered on sites. Therefore, in relation to enforcement action, this is not something the enforcement team has investigated.
Supplementary question
In response to a supplementary question asking why Vale of White Horse did not follow the example of South Oxfordshire, which requires the provision of electrical car charging points, Councillor Cox referred to the LPP2 Supplementary Papers issued for Council on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at page 8 which positively addressed this point.
2. Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to Councillor Charlotte Dickson, Cabinet member for Waste.
Over the past several months, service from Biffa in my ward has been reliably poor. Repeated instances of missed service have brought in complaints from residents to me, to Biffa, to the Vale and to our local MP. In 2016, I was told the poor service in my ward was due to staff shortages. In 2017, I’ve been told it is due to old lorry stock. Please can the Cabinet member tell us how many complaints have been received so far this year (since 1 May 2017) in my ward of Botley and Sunningwell. What is the penalty to our contractor for such poor service? If we received such poor service from a private company, most of us would ask for our money back. How do residents apply for a refund for services paid for but not delivered?
Answer
In response Councillor Dickson stated that the council had received six formal complaints relating to the waste service across the district one of which relates to Councillor Hallett’s ward of Botley and Sunningwell.
The penalty to the contractor arises where there is a failure in service provision and Biffa fail to rectify the problem. In such circumstances the contract allows for a Service Failure Deduction. The cause of the disrupted service in recent months is due to significant mechanical faults with Biffa’s collection fleet as they reach the end of their operational life. The council and Biffa acknowledge the frustration of residents caused by the delayed bin collections. Biffa has continued to provide a weekly collection service by hiring additional vehicles and undertaking collections at weekends. Therefore, the service has been delivered although on some occasions delayed. The payment of council tax is not a payment for services. Although money from the council tax funds services such as the refuse collection it is a statutory tax and legislation does not allow for refunds to be issued to customers who are dissatisfied with the level of service provided.
Supplementary question
In response to a supplementary question Councillor Dickson undertook to check whether any of the continued missed collections were due to the breakdown of new vehicles.
3. Question from Councillor Catherine Webber to Councillor Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for Environmental Protection.
It was widely reported in September 2015 that nearly 200 councils in England and Wales exceeded the NO2 limits in 2013; Vale is sadly one of them. Approximately 50 Vale residents die prematurely each year due to air pollution. We've heard before that solutions are difficult and take cross-boundary cooperation. What actions are Vale taking and how is council actively working with other authorities to improve our air quality? What is Vale's current position with respect to any moral obligation to do all we can to reduce the impact of our poor air quality on the mortality rate of our residents?
Answer
In response Councillor Ware stated that the council has an Air Quality Action Plan and that generally air quality in the district is very good but with areas where, usually due to traffic issues, air pollution can exceed the levels set by European and UK Regulations. In such circumstances, and where there is a risk to the public, the council can create an Air Quality Management Area. The council works closely with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), Highways England, the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Thames Valley Police alongside other key stakeholders and the public to improve air quality. The council is also part of the Oxfordshire Air Quality Group, a multi agency body with Public Health England in attendance. Work to date has included a successful joint funding bid which led to the creation of a new joint air quality website for Oxfordshire. Air quality has been included in the joint strategic needs assessment and on the health and wellbeing board as well as being an addendum to OCC’s local transport plan. The group continues to work together to share best practice and accelerate where possible improvements in air quality.
The council works within DEFRA and Central Government guidelines to minimise the impact of air pollution to Vale residents. The council has a statutory duty under the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess air quality in order to establish if air quality objectives are being, or are likely to be, exceeded. Where exceeded the council has a duty to produce an action plan with measures to help improve air pollution within these areas.
An Annual Status Report is produced and submitted to DEFRA for ratification. The Cabinet member referred to the 2017 report which she would pass to Councillor Webber after the meeting. Once ratified by DEFRA the report will be published on the council’s website.
Supplementary question
In response to a supplementary question as to whether local residents had to ask for diffusion tubes or whether the council undertook checks Councillor Ware suggested that Councillor Webber reads the report and then discusses any issues with her.
4. Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to Councillor Eric Batts, Cabinet member for Facilities.
Does the Cabinet member for Facilities agree with me that the front door to our council offices building sets the tone of the districts' professionalism for people who come to call on us? Paper signs are blu-tacked up telling people the doors don’t work and to close them behind you, which contradict the other signs saying ‘automatic doors’. Council staff working nearby suffer by having to repeatedly get up and close the doors. This has been going on since we moved into the building. Is this Vale’s responsibility or Vinci’s? Please can the Cabinet member tell us when will these doors be properly functional?
Answer
Councillor Batts responded that officers are aware that the doors to the main reception are not fit for purpose. The doors met the original specification when Milton Park was being fitted out for the council’s use. However, this specification has proven not to be suitable for the volume of footfall the council reception area receives. The motors open and close the doors relatively slowly and this has resulted, on occasion, in the outer and inner doors being pushed / pulled by visitors and officers which causes the motors to go into fault mode, effectively disengaging the motors and returning the doors to manual operation.
Officers have identified a solution to the issues and are working with the contractor who fitted the doors originally to replace the motors with spring return motors which will allow the doors to open and close more efficiently by using the push to open button DDA compliant radar button or by pushing or pulling the doors by hand. The new motors will not go into a fault mode when pushed or pulled manually, thus overcoming the existing issues raised in the question.
Supplementary question
In response to a supplementary question regarding the difficulty of addressing this issue Councillor Batts confirmed that on a scale of 1 to 10 it would score a 9.
5. Question from Councillor Emily Smith to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for Property.
Old Abbey House in Abingdon has been empty for some time, and concern is growing for the future of this historic building. Please can you tell council how long Old Abbey House has been vacant. In that time, how much has this council spent on maintenance, security and other costs? In that time, what offers of use has council received? What are your plans now for the sale or rent of the building?
Answer
In the absence of Councillor Murray, Councillor Barber, Leader of the council, responded. He stated that the council had explored options for the use of Old Abbey House which has been empty for 15 months at a cost of £20,000 in security and maintenance costs. The council has published its intention to redevelop the site for affordable housing.
Supplementary question
In response to a supplementary question regarding the suitability of the site for housing and feedback from local historical societies Councillor Barber stated that the building is not listed or listed as an asset of community value and thatfinancial contributions from other housing developments including the nearby Old Gaol would be used to redevelop the former town council offices at Old Abbey House.
6. Question from Councillor Judy Roberts to Councillor Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for Grants.
Children’s centres in the Vale are trying to fund themselves now that their county council funding has been cut. At our February 2017 Vale budget council meeting, the Leader of the Council said, "the centres could access the existing grant schemes for funding”. But in fact, recent applications by children’s centres for Vale grants have been refused. Applicants were told they didn’t qualify as our current grant system cannot provide funds for services previously provided by the County Council. At that February 2017 council meeting, a motion to form a grants pot for these children’s centres was voted down after the Leader assured members that our current grants system could help. Now we learn that is doesn’t help, and that in fact it denies the organisations the right to apply and be considered. Please can the Cabinet member explain what has happened, and how these children’s services charities can apply for Vale grants? The deadline for applications is 15 October?
Answer
Councillor Ware responded that the council had not received or refused any applications for funding of children’s centres in the Vale.
The council’s current policy cannot fund projects or services that usually fall to another public sector body to provide. However, if an organisation can show they are independently set up with their own constitution, premises, bank accounts and financial business case to show the service being provided is different to the statutory responsibility then it could be eligible for a single one off New Homes Bonus Grant.
For start-up costs the council requires a financial forecast showing how the service will be funded. The council can only fund a specific service once. Any revenue funding that the council provides would only be a short-term solution for children’s centres. A number of grants have been offered to organisations who have met the criteria including Abingdon Bridge Youth Worker provision, Branches Youth Services and Faringdon Town Council.
In 2016 Oxfordshire County Council set up a transition fund of £1,000,000 to support community led solutions to deliver open access services for children and families. Details of the funds available and dates for future rounds of applications are available on the county council’s website. The funding is one off pump priming and any proposals need to demonstrate sustainability and the ability to self-fund in the long term. In addition, match funding is strongly encouraged and all applicants need to submit a robust business case showing how the project will self-fund in the long term.
Supplementary question
In response to a supplementary question which asked whether there would be a change in the rules and an increase in available funds to allow groups to apply for funding Councillor Ware stated that there would not because funds were already available.