Agenda item

13.1    Urgent Questions (Part 4 - Paragraph 9.2.(b) of Constitution – Page 4-9)

With the permission of the Mayor, questions on urgent issues may be tabled with the proviso of a subsequent written response if the issue requires research or is considered by the Mayor to be minor.

Please note that the Mayor will decide whether a question is urgent or not. 

The definition of an urgent question is “An issue which could not reasonably have been foreseen or anticipated prior to the deadline for the submission of questions and which needs to be considered before the next meeting of the Council.”

Submission of urgent questions to Council requires the Member when submitting the question to specify why the issue could not have been reasonably foreseen prior to the deadline and why it has to be considered before the next meeting. 

A supplementary question is not permitted.

13.2    Councillors’ Questions (Part 4 – Paragraph 9.2(a) of Constitution – Page 4 - 8)

The twenty three questions and responses are attached to the agenda.

1.         Urgent Questions (Part 4 - Paragraph 9.2.(b) of Constitution – Page 4-9)

None received.

2.         Questions by Councillors

NOTED

1.         the twenty three questions, on the Council’s agenda, which received a written reply by the relevant Cabinet Member.

2.         the following supplementary questions received for the questions indicated below:

Question 1 from Councillor Dreblow to Councillor Neville, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene

“Can Councillor Neville advise why fair-trade products are currently not being provided at the Civic Centre, Dugdale House and Community House and can we have an assurance that they will be used in the future?

Reply from Councillor Neville:

“Fairtrade tea is being served, the coffee machines currently in use are not able to use fair-trade coffee but this will be addressed in due course, fair-trade sugar will also be provided shortly. Progress is being made.”

Question 2 from Councillor Giladi to Councillor Vince, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services

“Is Councillor Vince comfortable that the same person who is the Chairman of the Turin Grove Governing Body which built up a significant deficit was also the Chairman of the Schools Forum which is responsible for deciding on the use of surpluses held by other schools.  That same person is also the Chairman of the Schools Forum Appeals Panel that determines appeals received from schools on this issue.  Does she agree with me that this golden triangle is inappropriate?”

Reply from Councillor Vince:

“The Schools’ Forum is an independent Panel which chooses its own membership. Councillor Giladi should raise her concerns directly with the Schools’ Forum.”

Question 3 from Councillor McGregor to Councillor Neville, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene

“With a public body appearing to be going against the recommendation of the Independent Review Panel that transport must be focused on as a priority, Transport for London (TfL) appears to be distancing themselves from the process by not attending all Transport Working Group meetings.  How does Councillor Neville propose to pursue this further?”

Reply from Councillor Neville:

“I have sympathy with the point expressed by Councillor McGregor, TfL remains the main transport provider in London and they do appear to have disengaged themselves from this process. I have raised with TfL this issue and they have confirmed that they do not have the resources to attend all public meetings. The Mayor of London’s Transport Adviser, has given me an assurance that this issue will be given proper attention. I can also confirm that the Mayor’s new Transport Strategy emphasises the need to ensure that health care services are accessible to all.”

Question 4 from Councillor Rodin to Councillor Rye, Leader of the Council:

“In my question I was referring to the recent wrap-around in the Enfield Advertiser regarding the Environment and Street Scene Department.  Can Councillor Rye give an assurance that this waste of public money will not happen again.”

Reply from Councillor Rye:

“I can assure you that the answer provided is accurate and that our adverts do comply with the Council’s protocols. The Council has a duty to communicate with residents and following the concerns recently expressed across London regarding Local Authority publications undermining local newspapers, this type of advert helps to sustain our local press. The publications produced by this administration are not party political, this contrasts with those produced by the previous Labour Administration which were criticised by the District Auditor.”