Issue - meetings

Councillor R G Pratt asked the Leader of the Council if he would help him make the Hythe Quay more accessible to visiting yachtsmen.  He referred to the silting at the quay and was happy to discuss the matter outside of the meeting.  In response the Leader confirmed he was happy to do this with the Director of Service Delivery and his team, commenting that silting had been an issue for a while.

Councillor W Stamp asked the Leader of the Council if he would support, within three weeks, an all Member briefing on the Burnham-on-Crouch Pontoon project.  She was concerned regarding the status and escalating costs related to the project.  The Leader confirmed he was happy to support any engagement with Members regarding an update on this project.  The Director of Service Delivery confirmed that the briefing would be arranged.

Councillor A S Fluker referred to the Leader of the Council having confirmed or reconfirmed the importance of Members treating each other with respect and dignity and the importance of the Nolan principles.  He referred to a meeting of the Strategy and Resources Committee (S&R) where the Leader had made comments about some members of the Committee for which he later apologised.  Councillor Fluker asked the Leader if he agreed with him that he was a hypocrite and if he could explain to the Council and residents why he wouldn’t do the right thing by his own words to the Council and resign.  In response the Leader informed the Council that at the S&R meeting he made no personal comments regarding any Councillor but had made reference to a political party, his apology had been accepted by the Chairperson of that Committee.  At no point had he had an issue with his behaviour and always abided by the Nolan principle.  The Leader advised he welcomed a conversation with anyone that felt he had behaved inappropriately.

Councillor K Jennings asked the Leader of the Council when a picture of the King would be put up in the Chamber.  In response the Chairperson outlined the procedure following the death of her late Majesty and that an official portrait of the King had been requested by Officers.  It was his understanding that the official portrait was not being taken until early January 2024.  The Chairperson advised in relation to this he had requested that the portrait of her late Majesty be taken down and placed in the Members’ Room whilst the Council awaited the new official portrait of the King.

Councillor S White advised her question followed on from that previously asked by Councillor Pratt. She asked the Leader of the Council if it was possible for interested Members to form a group regarding the siltation or a Blackwater group to support Maldon and the District.  The Leader of the Council referred to the Council’s Working Groups and advised that the Hythe Quay was an asset and therefore it would be appropriate to take this to the Asset Management  ...  view the full minutes text for item 370