Agenda item

Members question time will last up to 30 minutes, with questions being taken in the order of receipt and in rotation from each political group on the Council. The deadline for submission of questions is Friday 10 July at 12 noon. Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

 

Questions can be asked of the following:

a.            The Mayor

b.            A Member of the Executive

c.            The Chairman of any Committee

d.            The Council’s representative on any outside body

 

Questions cannot be asked in relation to the following:

a.            A specific planning or licensing application

b.            A specific staffing appointment, appeal or Standards determination

 

The Mayor announced that the Proper Officer had received 9 questions from Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12. He advised that one supplementary question could be asked which must arise out of the original question, or, the reply. 

 

Questions would be asked in rotation of the Groups represented in the Chamber and there was 30 minutes allowed for questions with 9 rotations of speakers possible. At the end of 30 minutes the Mayor explained that he would extend the time to conclude the current rotation of questions.

 

The Mayor announced that the following Councillors had submitted questions:

 

Councillors Carl Walker, Dawn Smith, Sally Smith, Margaret Howard and Jim Deen

 

First rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Carl Walker to the Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing

 

Lockdown left millions in the UK feeling isolated, with young people most likely to experience loneliness. What specific measures are being put in place in Worthing to alleviate both short and long-term loneliness?

 

The Executive Member replied that the Council and it’s partners did undertake work in the last 18 months around loneliness and thrive in relation to what loneliness means, it’s impact and which profiles are most affected by it with young people experiencing this most acutely.

 

During covid-19, the Council's focus had been on connecting people (over 18) with local volunteers for check-in and chats in the short term and working with local mutual aid groups to connect people to local residents where possible, knowing this could help connect people into their communities in a more effective way.  In the longer-term the Council would be seeking to develop a more participatory approach to address loneliness and also had the Social Prescribing and Wellbeing Hubs service that worked with people around health and wellbeing and loneliness.

 

Regarding young people, the Council was developing a young people’s framework through the Safer Communities Partnership, to develop a more systemic approach to health, wellbeing and safety (including connectedness). This would include a mentoring programme (year 6 pupils) and a community-led approach, which also included the work of Find it Out Plus as a service/ approach for young people around their wellbeing and mental health.

 

Councillor Carl Walker asked a supplementary question regarding specific public health planning around young people's loneliness and mental health in the event of a second lockdown in the autumn or winter.

 

The Executive Member replied that most of the issues raised fell under the remit of West Sussex County Council and their responsibilities towards children, however, the Council did work with other agencies in order to support people of all ages in the town. 

 

 

 

 

Second rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Dawn Smith to the Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing

 

Is there sufficient and adequate PPE for all front line Council staff as part of a contingency plan in place for a potential local lockdown, or second Wave of the Coronavirus?

 

The Executive Member replied that the Council currently held 1000 masks, 25 litres of sanitiser and 100's of gloves. The type of PPE was sufficient for the work undertaken and this approach had been agreed across all Sussex Local Authorities Health and Safety advisors. The Council had established accounts with multiple suppliers for resilience. The stock was closely monitored and refreshed as and when required. Notably, when there was a change in Government advice or horizon scanning suggests that a local outbreak was possible.

 

The Council also had access to a central stock managed by the Sussex Resilience Forum for additional supplies. Currently there was enough stock to meet current demands for over 365 days in most cases and this was also monitored on a weekly basis by the logistics and supplies cell.

 

 

Third rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Dawn Smith to the Executive Member for Customer Services

 

Can you please confirm the current number of recorded rough sleepers in Worthing?

 

The Executive Member for Customer Services replied that there were currently 22 rough sleepers identified in Worthing.

 

Councillor Smith asked a supplementary question in relation to planning for the provision of safe accommodation for vulnerable rough sleepers in the event of further outbreak.

 

The Executive Member for Customer Services replied that planning for the winter and any second spike of infections had already commenced in Worthing and across Sussex more widely.  

 

 

Fourth rotation:

 

Councillor Sally Smith to the Executive Member for Customer Services

 

Could you please advise how many residents are currently on the Worthing Borough Council Housing Register and if there has significantly increased in applications since March due to the impact of coronavirus?

 

The Executive Member for Customer Services replied that as at 14 July 2020, there were 1,433 households on the Housing Register. COVID-19 had not had an impact on the housing register applications. At the end of the last quarter March 2020, there were 1,405 households on the housing register.

 

Councillor Smith asked a supplementary question regarding the numbers of people on the Housing Register who were in temporary accommodation.

 

The Executive Member agreed to provide a written response.

 

 

Fifth rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Margaret Howard to the Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing

 

The Council very generously set up a Food Depot in the Assembly rooms to help coordinate distribution of food to food banks and people in need during Covid19. The current advertised price to hire the Assembly room, Richmond room and Reception from the Trust ranges from £25 to £30,000 per week.

 

The Council is bound by Freedom of Information Law so can we be advised how much the Council paid the Trust for the use of the premises for the food depot per week and for how many weeks?

 

The Executive Member replied that the Assembly Hall was made available for no fee, however the Council did pay a contribution towards the running costs.

 

The total cost was £2094 which was broken down as follows:-

·       Electric cost was £926.62;

·       Water cost £360.42; and

·       The bill for gas had not yet been received. As the last bill the Council paid was for £1346.13;  it was agreed to pay 60% of the bill which was estimated to cost £807.68.  

 

The food depot was open 20 April to 12 June 2020 ( 8 weeks).

 

Councillor Howard sought clarification as to whether the figures provided were per week or for the period of use.

 

The Executive Member replied that it was for the period of use.

 

 

Sixth rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Margaret Howard to the Executive Member for Customer Services

 

Worthing Theatres and Museum Trust have issued a letter to staff offering redundancies and reduced hours, an email to patrons confirms the redundancies and an article in the Herald also tells us that the new Trust is in serious danger of becoming insolvent. This may have serious consequences for the operation of Cultural Services.

 

The contract between the Council and Trust says that there will be annual as well as quarterly reviews of the operation of the Trust.

 

The Trust can serve a Contractor Notice of Change on the Council and likewise Section the Council can serve a Council Notice of Change.

 

In view of the latest developments can we be advised if:

a)     Any reviews have taken place?

b)     Has a Notice of Change been served by either party?

 

The Executive Member replied that the regular quarterly reviews had taken place.  At the most recent quarterly review meeting in March 2020, the Trust provided the Council with financial and service provision updates for delivery against its annual business plan. 

 

A Notice of Change was to enable the Parties to adopt a flexible approach, enabling the Parties to agree a variation to the current business plan, having regard to the prevailing economic and social conditions.  No Notice of Change had been served by either Party and none would be expected at this stage, as the Trust put together its plans for recovery.

 

Councillor Howard asked whether the Council had been asked to provide additional funds or take back any venues as a supplementary question.

 

The Executive Member replied that it had not.  

 

 

Seventh rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Margaret Howard to the Executive Member for Customer Services

 

Worthing Theatres and Museum Trust are contractually obliged to inform the Council of any changes in its management & operation of Cultural Services. The Invitation To Tender informed us that before the transition that Worthing theatres  supported 129  full-time equivalent  jobs  in  the  local  Worthing  economy.

 

The Trust is not bound by Freedom of Information but the Council is, can we be advised how many full time equivalent redundancies are currently planned?

 

The Executive Member for Customer Services replied that WTM had already issued the following public statement:

 

The proposed staff changes included redundancies and reduced hours. WTM had a staff of 150 and had sadly added 19 staff members, from across all departments but weighted towards public facing, to a redundancy consultation list. A further 29 staff members would be facing a temporary reduction in hours and pay.

 

 

Eighth rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Jim Deen to the Executive Member for Digital & Environmental Services

 

In view of the very clear and urgent need to make Worthing, and particularly the town centre, as attractive as possible to residents and potential visitors, to encourage them to spend more time there and support the very hard-pressed retail and hospitality businesses to recover lost revenue as a consequence of the Covid 19 lockdown, does he regret the decision he took to cancel the contract for the floral displays in hanging baskets and containers which has left the town centre and the roads leading into it, looking drab and unattractive?

 

The Executive Member replied that there were several reasons for cancelling the contract this year, and it was not a decision that was taken lightly. Consideration had been given to the fact that the Council risked spending £60k on hanging baskets that nobody would ultimately see due to Covid. Retailers closed, and nobody was on the highstreets. The decision was taken to steer clear of these risks and use the money for more sustainable planting projects that needed minimal maintenance - i.e. the bedding at Beach House park, which is looking beautiful, and the public had been enjoying daily.

 

There were also practical reasons for the cancellation. Nurseries and garden centres went into lockdown early, furloughing staff and closing their doors. Bedding plants were not available for some time as there were no staff to raise or tend stock. Also, the Council’s contractor was not available to install or tend to any baskets or troughs, so even if the Council wanted to persist with the contract, it would have been unlikely that it could be delivered.

 

Cllr Deen asked a supplementary question seeking confirmation of there being a contract to remove the infrastructure that supported hanging baskets and floral displays in Worthing. Cllr Deen also wanted to know whether the hanging baskets and floral displays would be returning next year.

 

The Executive Member for Digital & Environmental Services agreed to provide a written response to the question. 

 

 

Ninth rotation:

 

Question from Councillor Jim Deen to the Executive Member for Resources

 

Could she confirm whether the Centre of English Studies and other English language schools for foreigners based in Worthing will be given a financial lifeline in the current Covid 19 crisis by granting them exemption from Business Rates, something which neighbouring local authorities have committed themselves to for similar businesses in their areas.

 

The Executive Member replied that the principal of CES in Worthing had written to her outlining their situation and requesting business rate relief for 2020/21. Only one neighbouring authority, Brighton & Hove City Council, had committed themselves to business rate relief.

 

The CES in Worthing received a response to their request from the Executive Member for Regeneration, advising that the Council could only work within the guidance set by central government. However, Cllr Jenkins also gave an undertaking to look at the specific circumstances again, without prejudice, taking into account the circumstances that had been set out.     

 

Following discussions with both the Revenues and Benefits Team and Legal Services, Cllr Jenkins wrote to the CES in Worthing on the 11 June, advising that the initial response to their request was upheld. The case was assessed against the criteria provided by MHCLG on 2nd April when business rate relief had been expanded to Leisure, Retail and Hospitality. Language Schools did not fall within the categories set out in the guidance.

 

The CES in Worthing did receive a communication from the Council last week, referring them to the Discretionary Grant Funding which had been made available to local businesses who had not been able to apply for the initial round of grant funding. This was followed up by another email from Cllr Jenkins encouraging the CES in Worthing to apply, as the Council was keen to distribute the full amount of grant funding available.

 

The Executive Member had been advised that disappointingly, as of yesterday, the CES in Worthing had not applied for the funding. The deadline for such applications was Sunday 19 July.    

 

Cllr Deen asked a supplementary question regarding the making of representations to central government as this was a situation that had seemingly slipped through the gaps between the classification of different businesses. 

 

The Executive Member replied that a number of businesses had not been able to apply for any kind of grant funding, or anything discretionary, but there was now a pot of money available for those businesses and the Council welcomed applications.