Issue - meetings

Councillor S White referred to questions she had raised at the last Council meeting regarding the protection of trees in the District, the importance of nesting birds and how following agreement at the meeting she was still awaiting a response from the Leader of the Council. She asked the Leader if he would agree with her that protected characteristics, namely disabilities, should never be brought up in any Council business whatsoever. In response, the Leader of the Council advised that he had raised the questions from Councillor White with Officers and was awaiting a response, however as advised at that meeting, he did completely agree with Councillor White’s position. The Leader agreed that there should be no raising of protective characteristics and expressed the importance to show respect and protect people’s privacy. In response to a request from Councillor White to meet with the Leader regarding this matter, the Leader advised if Councillor White was to email him, he would happy to meet with her.

Councillor A S Fluker referred to previous Motion he had raised regarding not going ahead with the affordable housing project in Heybridge, how the Motion was being dealt with by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (O&S) and the time it was taking Officers to prepare a lessons learnt document. He asked the Leader of the Council if he would agree with him and help him get sight of this much needed document. In response the Leader of the Council reminded Members how he did not attend the O&S but was sure that the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the O&S would take responsibility to ensure that items were reported in a timely matter so the Committee could scrutinise how that work took place. Councillor S J N Morgan, Chairperson of the O&S advised that he would be seeking to put forward an emergency meeting of the O&S and it was his intention to raise this matter at the same time.

Councillor W Stamp asked the Leader of the Council if he agreed with her that everybody in the opposition groups, Leaders, deputies and their members had worked extremely hard in the last municipal year. She felt the Leader should congratulate past Members who had worked tirelessly to put this Council in a better place. The Leader of the Council agreed with Councillor Stamp and commented how the Council was a different place, organisation, culture and atmosphere. He welcomed that the Groups had worked together along with the non-aligned Members, and they should all be proud of what had been done, working together in the best interests of the Council and the District and how the longer this could continue the better it would be for everyone, including residents and Officers.