WRITTEN QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
A period of not more than fifteen minutes shall be allowed for questions submitted by a member of the public who either lives or works in the area of the authority at each ordinary meeting of the Council.
Every question shall be put and answered without discussion, but the person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer. The person who asked the question may ask one relevant supplementary question, which shall be put and answered without discussion.
The following written question has been received from a member of the public.
1. QUESTION From: Rob Shepherd
As custodian of part of England’s transport infrastructure, the City has a statutory duty to keep traffic flowing in and beyond its own boundaries and to liaise with other authorities, as set out in the 2004 Traffic Management Act (Network Management, Duty Guidance, Section 31) .
As the predicted traffic delays from Valley Gardens Phase 3 and Black Rock will significantly add to the problems on the already congested A259, please detail the discussions you had with ESSC to ensure traffic flows will be protected on this important section of the Major Road Network?
Councillor Heley, Chair of the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee will reply.
2. QUESTION From: Nigel Smith
Having missed your Transport Carbon Emission Reduction targets by 70% year on year since they were set post-Kyoto, please explain why they were missed and confirm that all parties involved in 2030 zero emissions planning will be fully briefed on this historic failure, so it is not repeated.
Do you agree “that reduction pathways are as important as reduction targets” or in other words that setting a nice sounding 2030 target has little value unless the path to get there is set out and monitored?
Councillor Heley, Chair of the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee will reply.
3. QUESTION From: Bryan Cole
Whitehawk is one of the most deprived areas in the city. East Brighton food co-op has been supplying over 700 hot meals per week to needy people during this crisis. What percentage of funding from the Covid emergency food fund has been allocated to this?
Councillor Gibson, Joint Deputy Chair (Finance) of the Policy & Resources Committee will reply.
4. QUESTION From: Rose Bunker
Why has the South Downs National Park's objection to the proposed Joint Venture Development on the Coldean Lane Site not been fully and publicly addressed?
They called the development 'an inappropriate scale and density for this hillside urban fringe location within the setting of the SDNP' and said that 'It would also appear to conflict with Policy SA4 of the City Plan Part One, and with the proposed designation of the site as a Local Nature Reserve'.
The number of dwellings was subsequently reduced from 250 to 242, but this in no way answers the SDNP's concerns.
Councillor Littman, Chair of the Planning Committee will reply.
5. QUESTION From: James Noble
Rejection of petitions submitted to full council:
People across our city sacrifice their time to publicises and collect signatures about issues that are important to them. Does the Mayor, therefore, agree that the unconstitutional rejection of petitions submitted to full council for debate sends a message that our council doesn’t want to listen?
The Mayor, Councillor Robins will reply.
6. QUESTION From: Anna de Wit
Councillor Littman, Chair of the Planning Committee will reply.
7. QUESTION From: Jiva Masheder
I would like to know why you are still investing in oil and gas and when you plan to divest this money and move it into funds that do not damage the climate and our living world? oil and gas companies are not aligned with the necessity of urgent carbon cuts. The emergency is now, there is no more time left to dither and not act.
Councillor Druitt, Joint Deputy Chair (Finance) of the Policy & Resources Committee will reply.