Agenda item - Written questions from members of the public.

A list of public questions received by the due date of the 14^th October 2010 will be circulated separately as part of an addendum at the meeting.

 

24.1         The Mayor reported that ten written questions had been received from members of the public and invited Ms. Weir on behalf of Mr. Kirk to come forward and address the council.

 

24.2         Ms. Weir asked the following question; “Does the Council agree that the government's plans for the NHS in its recent white paper, involve such a degree of reorganisation that it should be implemented only once adequate consultation with the medical profession and the wider public has taken place, and only when the policy has been proved effective by pilot schemes?  Further, the timing of this policy, involving massive transitional costs when the government is planning extensive cuts in public spending, is ill advised”

 

24.3         Councillor K Norman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health replied, “The Coalition Government’s plans for NHS reorganisation are contained in the White Paper as you probably know: it is commonly known as Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS.  A White Paper, by definition, is a consultation document and I’ve heard a lot about consultations in meetings this morning and other meetings recently about what consultation is, and a wide range of organisations and individuals have already been asked to respond to the initial proposals.  Legislation will be introduced which will reflect the results of this consultation.  Further consultations will be taking place on particular aspects of the plan at a later date – for example, adult social care, patient choice, public health.  We’ve already had some announcements yesterday and so we will be looking forward or expecting other announcements within the next few weeks or months.  Extensive and ongoing local consultations are also taking place between GPs, health managers and the local authority.  Therefore, I really don’t accept the premise of your question.

 

In terms of the transitional costs, the important point here is the overall savings figure once the reforms have been implemented.  The Government has guaranteed that health spending will increase in real terms, and we’ve heard that already, for the duration of this Parliament whilst at the same time making efficiency savings and reductions in management costs.  These figures dwarf even the most pessimistic estimates of reorganisation costs and will allow more money to be invested in NHS frontline services and treatments.”

 

24.4         Ms. Weir asked the following supplementary question, “In that case and if the consultation has been a real one, does the council agree that the White Paper should now be withdrawn as the range of opinion of the professional bodies is against many aspects of the White Paper proposals?  The British Medical Association believes it will pit clinicians against each other in a complex healthcare market place creating waste, bureaucracy and inefficiency and that removing the private patient income cut for Foundation Hospitals could lead to a two-tier health service and potentially destabilise local hospitals.

 

The question is whether the council agrees that if it has been a real consultation that the council would agree that the White Paper should be withdrawn because of the opposition of the professional bodies to many of the White Paper proposals?”

 

24.5         Councillor K Norman replied, “The consultation on the White Paper has yet to be concluded, I mean that’s an ongoing process and there are still discussions taking place between many organisations, individuals and bodies and that is something that will come out in the following weeks, months or even further ahead, so I’m not prepared to try and answer the detail of some of the statements that you have made because that is totally irrelevant to the question that you originally asked and it’s irrelevant to your supplementary question.”

 

24.6         The Mayor thanked Ms. Weir for her questions and invited Mr. Lowe to come forward and address the council.

 

24.7         Mr. Lowe asked the following question, “How confident are the council about youth services continuing to meet the needs for disabled young people?”

 

24.8         Councillor Brown replied, “The council remains confident that both specialist and universal youth services will be accessible to and meet the needs of the city’s disabled young people.  Two key reviews - youth services and services for disabled children - are being carried out in the city and are due to report in January 2011.  Both of these have included all key stakeholders, children and young people and parents and carers in the development of themes and strategies.

 

Within the youth services review the aims are to develop a commissioning strategy that:

 

·         Jointly commissions inclusive activities for all young people across the city.  There will be a process for involving young people from each community of interest in decision making about the services they want.

·         Commissions youth access points for young people who are most in need and at greatest risk of poor outcomes.

·         Implements a workforce development programme which will include mandatory training to ensure services meet the needs of all young people – including those with disabilities.

 

The review of services for disabled children is designing a continuum of provision to meet a range of needs.  Currently there are specialist youth clubs, holiday schemes and befriending activities specifically for young people with disabilities and all other city youth provision aims to be inclusive.  Where there are access problems these are addressed on an individual basis as appropriate.

 

The task in going forward is to ensure that the current reviews and those in the future take a joined-up approach to the needs of all young people, including those with disabilities or other additional needs.  Joint working between commissioners in the new structure of the council will enhance this approach and ensure coherent and appropriately focussed services built on current knowledge, expertise and experience to address the needs of all young people.”

 

24.9         Mr. Lowe asked the following supplementary question, “So, obviously you don’t know the findings of the report until the New Year.  I was going to say how do you intend to carry on with your services but you don’t really know the outcomes until the report has been published, do you Councillor Brown?”

 

24.10    Councillor Brown, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People replied, “No, we don’t know the outcomes but we will make them very public in January and so I thank you very much for your question and please be assured that we will look very favourably towards any services for disabled children.”

 

24.11    The Mayor thanked Mr. Lowe for his questions and invited Mr. Walter to come forward and address the council.

 

Mr. Walter asked the following question, “In June of this year a large piece of concrete fell nearly 8 floors outside the front entrance of Dudeney Lodge on Upper Hollingdean Road. To date, the only action taken by the Council has been the construction of scaffolding at the bottom of the building. Will the Cabinet Member commit to carrying out a full maintenance survey of Dudeney Lodge to determine the cause of the incident and to reassure the residents that a similar episode can be prevented?”

 

24.12    Councillor Caulfield, Cabinet Member for Housing replied, “The scaffolding was erected as a safety measure to help protect residents from any possibility of future falling concrete debris as it was not possible from the ground to identify the condition of the concrete and the possibility of further concrete falling, so a specialist survey was commissioned by the Housing Repairs service, both for Nettleton and Dudeney because both blocks are of a similar age so we need to look at both of them together. 

 

I am pleased to inform you that a detailed concrete report has now been produced; and the report concludes that although there are several areas that require remedial concrete repairs none of these areas are in any danger of breaking free from the building.

 

As there is no danger of further concrete falling, the scaffolding covering the entrance to Dudeney Lodge is now being safely removed.

 

Our repairs contractor, Mears, is currently providing a cost for the concrete repair work and this will be programmed into a proper Programme of Works in the near future. 

 

A newsletter was delivered to residents last week to inform them of the outcome of the concrete survey and the repair work to be undertaken.  A further newsletter will also be sent out nearer the time when the future works are to be undertaken.”

 

24.13    The Mayor thanked Mr. Walter for his question and noted that there was no supplementary question so invited Mr. Philo to come forward and address the council.

 

24.14    Mr. Philo asked the following question, “I am a concerned resident of Withdean Ward and user of the facilities of Withdean Stadium.  At a time of cuts in public spending I am concerned about its future post the departure of the football club next year.  Can the Council please reassure me that that the stadium will not be closed down or the facilities reduced next year?”

 

24.15    Councillor Smith, Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Tourism replied, “I can say definitely that Withdean Stadium is there as far as this authority is concerned forever and it’s going to be improved but I will give you the official answer here.  The Council is fully committed to retaining the wide range of facilities at Withdean Sports Complex. In fact, we hope to retain some of the additional facilities that have been brought in by Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club such as the West Stand and the new changing rooms.  A planning application is to be submitted to retain these with a view to securing the Stadium’s future as a top class regional athletics stadium. 

 

We are also in discussions with local football clubs regarding the future use of the facilities and aim to make the most of the legacy left by the Albion when they move to Falmer next June.”

 

24.16    Mr. Philo asked the following supplementary question, “Just really to have a little bit more detail on it.  I am interested myself in all of the facilities which go on round the running track and in the ex-football stadium like the indoor tennis, the various keep fit activities and the squash court and things like that.  Is that part of the package?”

 

24.17    Councillor Smith replied, “It definitely is, everything that’s at Withdean at the moment and what we want to do is to enhance the stadium as I said to make it a regional centre for sports.”

 

24.18    The Mayor thanked Mr. Philo for his questions.  He noted that Ms. Shanks was unable to attend and therefore a written response would be sent to her.  He then invited Mr. Jarrett to come forward and address the council.

 

24.19    Mr. Jarrett asked the following question,             "Would Councillor Theobald please ask Highways to investigate the feasibility of installing pedestrian crossing lights at the junction of Cromwell Road and The Drive in Hove, on the two arms of the junction which do not currently have them?   This would remove an anomaly and make it safer for residents to cross these busy roads road rather than taking their lives in their hands.  This would be of particular benefit to parents with pushchairs and people in mobility buggies."

 

24.20    Councillor G Theobald, Cabinet Member for Environment replied, “All requests for pedestrian crossings, including this one at Cromwell Road and The Drive, are always taken seriously and will be assessed and implemented if they deliver some basic criteria. 

 

As part of the development of our third Local Transport Plan (which is called the LTP3), and in conjunction with the Environment & Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee (ECSOSC), my officers are currently revising and developing a detailed assessment methodology to determine the relative priority of pedestrian crossing requests throughout the city.  However, in the meantime I will ask officers to fully investigate this location which is one that I know well.”

 

24.21    Mr. Jarrett asked the following supplementary question, “As I recently experienced when accompanying my elderly aunt that crossing many of the road junctions in Hove is extremely difficult in a mobility scooter, will the officers investigating and carrying out this survey please take into account the ability of the scooter to get across in any central reservation space, particularly where it’s chicaned with steel railings?”

 

24.22    Councillor G Theobald replied, “I think that’s a very good point and I will certainly ensure that officers take that point into account.”

 

24.23    The Mayor thanked Mr. Jarrett for his questions.  He noted that Ms. Ogmore was unable to attend and therefore a written response would be sent to her.  He then invited Mr. Guy to come forward and address the council.

 

24.24    Mr. Guy asked the following question, “Could the Cabinet Member provide me with the following information with regard to the proposal to turn Portslade Community College into an Academy:

 

            Where the funding to finance the proposal is coming from;

            How much will be earmarked for the new build;

            The time-scale for the release of these funds;

            What conditions are going to be imposed on the sponsor in order to secure the sponsorship and therefore the funding; and

 

            Is the sponsor going to be required to make any financial commitment at all in order to secure the agreement of the local authority to award the sponsorship deal?”

 

24.25    Councillor Brown, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People replied, “The proposal for PCC to become an Academy was submitted to Government in July 2010.  This proposal was put on hold by the new Government until the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

 

Once the CSR has confirmed what spending will be made available for future academies and school building developments we expect to receive indicative figures for refurbishment of the existing PCC site and an allocation for project development costs.  These figures will also include any conditions identified by government for the proposal to be accepted.

 

The likely timescale is that we would expect to hear from government by the end of December.  Any allocation of funding would then enable planning and development work at the PCC site to begin after Easter 2011 with an expected completion date in 2014.

 

The proposal for PCC to become an Academy includes the possibility that PCC could become an Academy in September 2011 prior to any building works.  For this to occur a formal consultation would have to be carried out as part of the statutory process for closing the existing school.

 

Under current academy rules sponsors are not required to make a financial commitment to an academy nor do they have to seek the agreement of the local authority.  However the Council as co-sponsor have worked closely with the Aldridge Foundation on the PCC proposals as we believe this development is in the best interests of the school, its students and the local community.”

 

24.26    Mr. Guy asked the following supplementary question, “In view of the pressures on the public purse, especially after yesterday’s swingeing announcement by the Chancellor, should not the sponsor be required to make a financial contribution, at the very least to the public consultation for which I believe the figure of £100,000 has been mooted.  If Mr Aldridge is so keen to run the Academy should he not be required to make at least some financial commitment towards it, would the council not agree?”

 

24.27    Councillor Brown replied, “I’m afraid as a local council we can’t change Government rules, Mr Guy.  Mr Aldridge committed to working with us to have an Academy at Portslade and I am sure he will do everything he can to help that process.”

 

24.28    The Mayor thanked Mr. Guy for his questions and invited Ms. Statham to come forward and address the council.

 

24.29    Ms. Statham asked the following question, “The report Agenda Item 34 presented 11th October is flimsy - literally and metaphorically. Could the councillor(s) substantiate claims therein by providing:

 

 i)    details of all subsidies from CYPT budget for comparison;

 ii)   revised figures showing how subsidy/deficit reduction  with a) 10% increase in fees and  b)  full occupancy rate;

 iii) justification that the future of this city and Bright Start attendees will be best served by having another library, art gallery or museum instead of pre-school nursery provision

 iv) evidence that £12K is a meaningful overspend in the overall budget;

 v)   the difference between bottom and top end of staff pay scales”

 

24.30    Councillor Brown, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People replied, “No decision has yet been taken at all about closing Bright Start Nursery.  We propose to commence a consultation with parents and staff at the nursery shortly when the issues raised by you can be more fully explored.

 

I can, however, confirm at this time the answers to some of the factual issues you have raised.  There is no other council nursery that receives a council subsidy from core CYPT council budgets.  The Children’s Centre nurseries are subsidised from the Sure Start revenue grant for Children’s Centres which comes directly from the Government.

 

The Children’s Centre nurseries are based in the areas of most disadvantage and we give priority to children in the most need, including those with child protection plans and special needs.  The costs of these subsidies for Cherry Tree, Acorn, Tarnerland, Roundabout and Jump Start are between £100,000 and £193,000.

 

The issues you raised with regard to the subsidy and deficit reduction and an increase in fees are best dealt with in the consultation process.  With regards to the alternative use of the buildings, the officer’s report merely illustrated examples of what could be abuses of the building, although until decisions are taken no alternative usage is being explored.

 

With regards to your point about the overspend highlighted within the officer’s report, the £12,000 is an overspend above the budget of £87,000 and was based on the September occupancy figures of 70%.  The occupancy rate slightly increased in October and if they remain at the same level the final subsidy would be approximately £87,000.  However, it needs to be noted that this is not the true cost of the subsidy to the nursery from the core budget as it doesn’t include the indirect costs from finance and HR, for example, so it is a high cost and it’s an ongoing cost year upon year.

 

You also asked about the nursery practitioners and in Bright Start they are on Scale 4 of the Local Government pay scale and the difference between the bottom of this particular scale and the top is approximately £2,000.”

 

24.31    Ms. Statham asked the following supplementary question, “An announcement was made in yesterday’s Comprehensive Spending Review that 15 hours of free nursery care per week will be extended to 2 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds under the fairness premium. 

 

Considering the knock-on effect that this is likely to have on the demand for nursery places do you, Councillor Brown, agree that a consultation with the possible outcome of closure is at best ill?timed at this moment?  Would it be more prudent to put any decisions on hold until details about the expected level of increased demand are available and the future need for nursery provision and how and where it is located can be assessed?”

 

24.32    Councillor Brown replied, “All these matters will be looked at during the consultation period but I can tell you that we have already extended the Roundabout Nursery so that it is capable of taking a lot more 2 year olds.”

 

24.33    The Mayor thanked Ms. Statham for her questions and invited Mr. Jones to come forward and address the council.

 

24.34    Mr. Jones asked the following question, “Could the councillor please explain why the report to CYP Cabinet Member meeting on the 11th October on Bright Start nursery contained misleading information such as the cost of building work, some of which wasn’t seen as necessary a year ago, and was only £5000?   It appears the building work will happen regardless of what will happen to the nursery in April 2011.”

 

24.35    Councillor Brown, Cabinet Member for Children & Young people replied, “The report to the CMM did not contain misleading information.  The report stated that the flooring in the children’s toilets and the heating needed urgent attention and that the estimated cost was £5,000.  The work is being done this month together with essential maintenance on the lighting. 

 

The report also stated that a feasibility study estimated that the total cost of bringing the nursery up to a good standard was £230,000.  More information about the feasibility study will be included in the consultation document.”

 

24.36    Mr. Jones asked the following supplementary question, “I put it to you that it was deliberately misleading information as with all the stuff about vacancies to parents offering individual consultation and offering individual help.  My question is do you not think that by saying oh well all these things we’ll deal with it in consultation is actually very damaging to the staff, the parents and the children of the nursery?  It will make parents take their children out of the nursery and do you not think that you should have done your report in a way that answers all the questions that have been raised before you did this damaging thing of putting it out to consultation, which is going to cause a lot of damage to some of the children in this town, including the ones with special needs that you talked about the importance of?”

 

24.37    Councillor Brown replied, “We considered that the report was full enough to make a recommendation to go out to consultation and we do know that the state of the building is very poor.  It has high windows, little light, damp, we’ve had rodent infestations, so we do know that that building needs a lot of money spent on it but all these issues will be talked about in the consultation period.”

 

24.38    The Mayor thanked Mr. Jones for his questions and noted that this concluded the public questions.