Agenda item

To receive any questions from members of the public addressed to Members of the Cabinet in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.  There is up to 5 minutes for each question, one supplementary question may be asked arising from the original question.

 

Questions must relate to any matter the Council has power or which affects the Borough, except no questions may be asked in relation to

 

a)    A specific planning or licensing application

b)    A specific staffing appointment or appeal, or Standards determination

 

Public question time will last up to 30 minutes; questions will be taken in the order of receipt.

 

The deadline for submission of questions is 12th December 2024 at 12 noon. Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk   

1.    Question submitted by Asghar Ali, a Worthing Resident, to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration

 

Worthing is the most ethnically diverse Borough Council in the county, with a substantial number of Muslims. This ethnic minority group is particularly concerned about Halal food provision because of its cultural and religious sensitivity. There is no Halal food provision on the Worthing, Goring, Lancing, and Shoreham beaches. The provision of halal food on beaches will help communities unite. We understand that Worthing Borough Council has Commitments to Inclusion and Cohesion for all and encourages communities to collaborate and integrate to celebrate diversity, foster belonging, and promote shared responsibility in shaping a collective future.

 

 

On behalf of the Muslim community, may I request Worthing Borough Council make necessary arrangements to provide Halal food on the beaches?

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration thanked Mr Ali for the question and completely agreed that seeing and experiencing foods from different cultures was a way of bringing us together, a way of uniting different  communities. 

 

The food offering on the seafront across Worthing, and Adur, was decided through an open application process and the Council welcomed and encouraged applications from all sections of the community who wished to trade on the seafront and parks.

 

The Council had a winter and summer programme - the next application window would open for the summer programme in the new year and it would be great if halal providers wanted to come forward. The Cabinet Member was happy to talk to Mr Ali about how the Council could encourage Halal food providers to be part of that application process.

 

 

2.    Question submitted by Rod Thick, a Worthing Resident, to the Leader

 

As a local resident and chair of the Transition Town Worthing transport group, I attended the recent workshop looking at the possibility of reducing speed limits in some of the residential streets in Goring. The workshop which was organised by the Borough Council in conjunction with Aberystwyth University was well attended and well run. The workshop considered how 'slower speeds can create safer streets, encourage more walking and cycling, improve air quality and enhance the overall sense of wellbeing for everyone'.

 

The vast majority of those who attended were in favour of proceeding with a pilot project in the area around West Park, Goring primary and Oscar Romero schools.

 

 

Could the Leader of the Council please say what will happen next and when we might see the start of the pilot project.

 

 

The Leader thanked Mr Thick for attending the 20mph workshop held last month, which the Leader also attended.

 

 

The Leader advised that she had responsibility for Active Travel in her portfolio, and would be meeting with officers and the Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Vicki Wells, early next year to review all the feedback and analysis from the workshop and review next steps.

 

 

There were a number of comments and ideas that were put forward in the workshop which needed further thought so the Council needed time to listen to what was discussed and raised at the workshop.

 

 

3.    Question submitted by Derek Prentis, a Worthing Resident, to the Leader

 

As a member of Worthing Climate Action group, we welcome the fact that the council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and is taking steps to reduce carbon emissions locally. But extreme weather events are becoming more frequent & severe. It is predicted that Coastal areas of Sussex are at risk of being underwater by the end of the decade. The yearly COP climate meetings are also failing to make any progress on a global energy transition away from fossil fuels.

 

 

In Worthing this year our Group joined with local Global Justice members to get support from members of the public in the town & at other local events and churches for a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty calling for a planned transition away from fossil fuels, working in cooperation with other like minded countries. We now have 550 signatures on the petition, with a further 130 on a similar online petition to Worthing council.

 

 

We are now asking if Worthing council will promote the concept of this Treaty to combat the threat of increasing emergencies created by climate change & emissions from burning Fossil Fuels.

 

 

Will Worthing Council endorse the call for a Fossil Fuel Non proliferation Treaty, as many UK towns & cities and our neighbouring Councils have already done? 

 

 

The Leader thanked Mr Prentis for his question, advising that she would be listening to the debate later this evening where the Council would decide whether or not to support the Motion.

 

           

4.    The question below had been submitted in advance of the meeting by Russ Cochran, a Worthing resident, to the Leader. Mr Cochran wasn’t present at the meeting and the Mayor advised that a written response to the question would be provided.

 

Is this Administration still championing that they are a council for the community?

 

The Leader provided the following written response to the question.

 

The Council was absolutely still championing being a council for the Community - and had been - the Council knew how important it was to support local people, groups and organisations - and to work with them to put the community at the heart of everything we do. Sometimes this means working with our communities and other times it’s taking decisions on behalf of our communities.

 

In the ward of Northbrook, in the last 6 months, this Council for the Community had:

 

1.   Advocated for residents on the West Durrington estate to extract from developers a delivery plan for a community park which will be completed next summer;

2.   Got the same developers to commit to the construction of a new community centre and run a community engagement exercise to hear what residents want to happen in the building;

3.   Opened a new playground in the north sector;

4.   Granted planning permission for a new construction trades centre at      Northbrook College;

5.   Worked with the College and contractors to ensure the College was a good neighbour during the construction process;

6.   Installed new goalposts on Northbrook rec;

7.   Commissioned a new artificial cricket pitch on Northbrook rec;

8.   Provide CIL funding for Northbrook Barn;

9.   Provided CIL funding for Humber Avenue allotments;

10.   Provided CIL funding for a Kids cooks project at Hawthorn School;

11.   Provide CIL funding for a Time to Care therapeutic project at Hawthorns School;

12.   Lobbied Tesco to change their parking rules for taxis, and people using the Tesco franchises.

 

The Council was also investing in local ideas and projects that tackled issues such as the cost of living and cohesion. It was commissioning a delivery partner that would support projects tackling the cost of living, grow and extend their impact so more people could benefit, and would launch a community fund to enable people to develop solutions to practical needs in the spring.

 

There were ways the Council could improve how best it develops its aims to be a council for the community and the Council would listen as it moved forward in that ambition.

  

 

 

5.    The question below had been submitted in advance of the meeting by Jean Fraser, a Worthing resident, to the Leader. Ms Fraser wasn’t present at the meeting and the Mayor advised that a written response to the question would be provided.

 

 

Will the council restore the festive spirit of Worthing to previous years, in the 2025 budget. As Worthing is lacking in seasonal cheer this year without a real Christmas tree in Chapel road and South street. If the Christmas trees cannot be included in next year's budget, will the council allow for fundraised Christmas trees in these locations.

 

This year the Council’s CEO refused permission for a fundraised Christmas Tree near the town hall as she said "It was not only the cost of things like electricity but also the staff time and support needed to help make this happen." 

 

 

Will the council make a concerted effort to restore these festive elements, which have long been an integral part of the town’s Christmas celebrations.

 

 

The Leader thanked Ms Fraser for her question - although the Leader did dispute the fact that there was no seasonal cheer in the town. There was a large Christmas Tree in the Town Centre along with the lights and series of Christmas Trees organised by the Worthing BID.

 

 

In terms of a tree outside the Town Hall, I think it’s important that where we’re using Council funds to pay for a Christmas Tree that we focus on a focal centre tree in Montague Place to ensure most of the visitors to the town can enjoy it and support our town centre businesses.

 

 

Chapel Road outside the Town Hall was a quieter end of town and the Council wanted to best use taxpayers money. However the Council was looking at a sustainable option of planting some new trees outside the town hall that could be enjoyed all year around and be decorated in future years. The Council would welcome crowdfunding campaigns for both these and the town centre tree to maximise what it was able to spend.