Agenda item

In response to a question from Councillor A S Fluker regarding the recent Leisure Contract extension and report to consider the new Leisure Contract, the Leader of the Council referred to the delay in bringing the report forward, explaining that the new contract would be a 20-year contract and it was important for Members to be involved in the decision-making process. Part of the delay was also to enable involvement of the new Chief Executive who started on Monday 14 October.

Referring to the Government’s decision to restrict the winter fuel payment to only pensioners in receipt of means tested benefits, Councillor W J Laybourne asked the Leader of the Council if he would consider writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer urging a review of the decision and asking the Government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim pension credit, were protected from fuel poverty. She also requested that the Leader encourage local efforts to promote pension credit uptake through Council services and partnerships with local charities and community organisations. In response the Leader agreed with Councillor Laybourne’s comments and advised he would write a letter if it was what Members wanted. He provided further information relating to the Government’s decision and commented on the work done by the Council’s Revenues and Benefits team to support customers.

Councillor S J N Morgan referred to the Strategy and Resources Committee’s recent decision regarding dredging at the Hythe Quay and asked the Leader of the Council if consideration could be given to the barge owners and visiting yachtsmen using the town quay paying a dredging surcharge to contribute towards the cost of the dredging. The Leader of the Council disagreed and provided the Council with detail regarding the dredging, importance of the barges for Maldon’s heritage and how carrying out the work would ensure the situation did not get any worse. He explained that the Working Group appointed by the Strategy and Resources Committee would need to ensure the work took place and the dredging was maintained for the future to ensure future visits from barges and yachtsmen.

Councillor M F L Durham referred to the current Government’s policy to reform Local Government this parliament and asked the Leader if the Council if the Council had been taking account of the fact that it may not exist in five years. In response the Leader of the Council advised that he had been discussing this with the Corporate Leadership Team. In addition, having recently attended a meeting of the Essex Leaders where this was discussed he understood that the three Labour Councils in Essex had met with ministers, but it was unknown at this time what would happen. He was aware that the Government did not want devolution with three tiers, just two tiers.

Councillor K M H Lagan asked the Leader of the Council if he could advise him in writing when in respect of the Leisure Contract the Council determined a 20-year contract would be let rather than a 15-year contract. The Leader agreed to respond to Councillor Lagan in writing.

Councillor M E Thompson felt that the Leader had not answered the question from Councillor Morgan regarding whether main users of the wharf should make a contribution towards the dredging to show they were the main users of the facility. In response the Leader advised that he didn’t think such a contribution should be made. He reminded the Council that the barges paid wharfage and the Council made money from visitors using the Promenade Park car parks.