Issue - meetings

Councillor Mrs J C Stilts advised that she had provided the Leader of the Council with her question ahead of the meeting.  She asked the Leader regarding changes to the annual season ticket at Promenade Park, explaining how the changes only allowed ticket holder 2 hours per day and raised concerns regarding this.  The Leader of the Council thanked Councillor Stilts for her question and advised that the policy for Promenade Park permits for 2023 / 24 had not changed.  There had been a change of policy and charges agreed by Members for 2022 / 23 and she provided some background information regarding this.  Going forward the Council had secured funding to undertake a review of car park charges and develop a car park charging strategy during 2023.  The Leader outlined some of the work this would include and how Members would be involved through Working Groups and Committees.  Members were advised for 2023 there were two charges available for the Promenade Park, a full permit that allowed parking all day and a two-hour permit for people such as dog walkers.  The Leader advised that she would circulate her detailed response to all Members.

Councillor W Stamp asked the Leader of the Council if in the future things changed at the Council, whether as Leader she would support a cabinet system with all its challenges and why.  In response the Leader advised that the Council had previously tried a cabinet hybrid system but following consultation the Council returned to a Committee system.  She highlighted some of the benefits of both systems, including other Local Authorities that had also reverted back to a Committee system and advised that the Council had the right to consider governance structures but that she supported a Committee System.

Councillor K M H Lagan asked the Leader of the Council if she would support a global publication strategy to allow the residents of the District to know that the Council Offices are open.  The Leader confirmed she would.

Councillor A S Fluker asked the Leader of the Council if she was satisfied with the income generated through the Corporate Project Strategy.  The Leader highlighted that the Commercial Strategy which she believed Councillor Fluker was referring to had been discussed by the Finance Working Group and projects sat within the remit of different Working Groups.  She advised that the Strategy had recently been refreshed and renewed and referred to a number of private and confidential reports coming forward relating to this on which she could not comment at this stage of the meeting. 

Councillor Fluker referring to a proposed Motion to the Council regarding the Local Development Plan and emerging policies and comments made that the HELA (Housing and Economic Land Availability) document was not an emerging policy.  He asked the Leader of the Council to explain bearing in mind those comments why the Planning Inspector had concluded that they were.  The Leader explained this was a complex issue and she referred to a response provided in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 680