Agenda item

Subject to the required notice being given, Members of the Council can ask questions of the Chairman of the Council, the Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holders or Chairmen of Committees or Sub-Committees.

 

The time allocated for receiving and disposing of questions shall be a maximum of 45 minutes. Any question not disposed of at the end of this time shall be the subject of a written response, copied to all Members unless withdrawn by the questioner.

 

Four questions have been received, on notice, from Members.

 

Subject to the required notice being given, Members of the Council could ask questions of the Chairman of the Council, the Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holders or Chairmen of Committees or Sub-Committees.

 

Four questions had been submitted as set out below:

 

Question One

 

From Councillor Pemberton to Councillor Talbot, Portfolio Holder for the Environment:

 

“Beach Litter

 

What is going on with this beach contract? 

 

We are starting to look very silly, and this is doing nothing to enhance the image of our town. I look forward to your comments on this.”

 

Councillor Talbot replied along the following lines:-

 

“I thank you for your question and in particular I share your concern about the “Image of our Town”, a question which on this occasion you have addressed, just to me alone, rather than the 185 people on your mailing list, to whom you usually also write to with any complaint you send to me and my officers. How these 185 people help your very sincere desire to “enhance the image of our town”, I just do not know, as I would have thought it was in danger of having the opposite effect!

 

My officer has provided me with an answer to your question in the following terms:

 

This summer has been an exceptional year with unprecedented temperatures for prolonged periods. This has resulted in an unparalleled number of tourists visiting Tendring’s tourist destinations including a large organised group of day trippers turning up in coaches one Sunday.

 

Whilst this increase in tourist numbers spells good news for the resorts, businesses and District as a whole it has also placed an unprecedented pressure upon the resources deployed to clean the seafront areas including the beaches.

 

During the summer months we place over an additional 130 wheeled bins along the seafronts areas which are emptied twice daily and beaches are litter picked every morning with extra beach cleaners deployed during the day. Following the issues highlighted this summer of large amounts of litter being left on the beaches in Clacton by tourists and extra 20 wheeled bins were deployed in Clacton to help provide beach users to dispose of their waste responsibly but we should not forget that the emphasis remains upon the individuals who make the conscious choice to just leave their rubbish on the beach, making no attempt to dispose of their waste in an appropriate manner. The public need to be educated to dispose of their waste responsibly, consequently   signs have been placed on the A133; the gateway to Clacton to remind the public to take their waste home with them. Additionally discussions have been made with our contractors to provide a more flexible beach cleaning service for future summers with the potential of beach cleaning operatives working into the late evenings to help remove any large litter accumulations left by beach users.”

 

Councillor Pemberton then asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Talbot then replied.

 

Question Two

 

From Councillor I J Henderson to Councillor Stock OBE, Leader of the Council:

 

“I am sure that every member of this Council is angry and disgusted at the knowledge that modern slavery exists and is a growing issue within society.  To this end, will the Leader of the Council arrange for Tendring District Council to sign up to the Co-operative Party’s Charter on Modern Slavery which confirms that signatories will:

 

Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for non-compliance.

Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

 

Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

 

Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

 

Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

 

Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery.

 

Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually?”

 

Councillor Stock replied along the following lines:-

 

“I would like to thank Councillor Henderson for raising this very important issue.

 

I am sure that every member of the Council is utterly appalled by the very notion of modern day slavery and human trafficking.  It is really quite difficult to comprehend that in today’s society in twenty first century Britain people choose to treat other human beings in such a demeaning, cruel and exploitative way.

 

Members will be aware that a recent operation was carried out by Essex Police in this District, targeting a suspected modern day slavery operation running from a local car wash. The shocking truth is that this is not a problem restricted to a far off inner city this is happening right under our very noses.

 

The Tendring Community Safety Partnership has declared that Protecting Vulnerable People from Hidden Harms is one of its key priorities and this includes addressing the issues of human trafficking and modern day slavery. This Council’s Safer Communities Team has a responsibility for making referrals to the National Referral Mechanism which is a framework for identifying victims of human trafficking or modern slavery and ensuring that they receive the appropriate support. The Safer Communities Team also has a role in dealing directly with potential victims of modern day slavery to arrange and co-ordinate support. Information is regularly shared between partners at tasking meetings on any issues or locations of interest.

 

However, as implicit in your question Councillor Henderson, the Council not only has a responsibility to take action with partners but also, where it can, to monitor and check its contractors.

 

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 is the quite recent legislation which covers this important area and it includes a requirement for businesses to issue a statement about the actions they have taken to ensure that there is no modern day slavery in their supply chains. This Council has a statement on its website which covers training, requirements for the award of contracts and whistle blowing.

 

The Council continues to undertake work to fully embed these actions including the revision of our contractor competency framework to check the contractor’s commitment to addressing modern day slavery and identify any potential issues. 

 

Given that we are fully complying with the legislative requirements and taking a pro-active role in the fight against modern day slavery and human trafficking I do not consider that it is necessary or indeed appropriate for this Council to sign up a charter that is being promoted by one particular political party. However, I do agree that the principles of the Charter are sound and I have asked Officers to make sure that these are taken into account in developing and embedding our work to prevent modern day slavery from becoming part of our supply chains.”

 

Councillor Henderson then asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Stock then replied.

 

Question Three

 

From Councillor Gray to Councillor P B Honeywood, Housing Portfolio Holder:

 

“Taking into consideration the new Government green paper on social housing, together with the Armed Forces Covenant, I would like to seek assurances on the level of support and advice council staff, in particular, within housing services, are providing ex-service personnel.

 

I have been approached by retired members of our armed services who are suffering either mental or physical injuries or an accumulation of both.

 

According to the Home Office Covenant, Government and local authorities have a legal obligation to assist ex-service personnel with friendly advice and maximum assistance in enabling them to secure safe and affordable housing.

 

Taking these facts into consideration, I respectfully request that an officer be assigned as a specialist in this field, giving the ex-service personnel a genuine contact. Thus providing them with a friendly face that they feel they can trust, especially given the fact that a lot of these people may be suffering from invisible injuries such as P.T.S.D.

 

Due to the increasing number of homeless ex-service personnel, I think this would be a very welcome and humane move on the part of this Council, perhaps leading the way for other Councils to follow. 

 

What assurances can you give me in response to my request?”

 

Councillor Honeywood replied along the following lines:

 

“The Council adopted its current Housing Allocations Policy in June 2013 following the passing of the Localism Act 2011. The Localism Act gave the Council the power to make some of its own rules on who could apply for housing such as adopting a residency qualification. The Council adopted a rule that a person could not apply for housing unless they have been living in the district for a period of 3 years. 

 

If a person wants to join the housing register or seek assistance as a homeless person, they are routinely asked if they are a current or former member of the armed forces.

 

The Council does not apply this residency qualification to current or former members of the armed forces who have been discharged in the last 5 years. It does not apply a residency requirement on bereaved spouses or civil partners who have to leave Service Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or civil partner. It does not apply this residency requirement on members of the reserve forces who have been seriously injured or disabled as a consequence of service.

 

The Council’s policy grants additional priority to households who meet these armed forces criteria. This gives households who are current or former members of the armed forces a better chance of being offered accommodation.  Since the Housing Allocations Policy was adopted in June 2013, 15 households have been awarded additional priority as a consequence of time spent in the armed forces.

 

In terms of homelessness, the Council is rarely approached by households leaving the armed forces because of the financial support and other support that is given prior to discharge by the armed forces themselves and service organisations such as the Royal British Legion and SSAFA. In the last 5 years, there have only been 2 direct approaches from homeless service personnel and both were provided with temporary accommodation in the Council’s housing stock. The Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in April 2012 and the Council has a duty to prevent or relieve homelessness for all households and it is recognised that ex-service personnel may have additional needs than other homeless households.

 

In the event that any person is sleeping rough which might include ex-service personnel, the Council currently employs a Rough Sleeping Co-ordinator whose role is to work intensively with rough sleepers and co-ordinate support services around the individual. The Council does not have a specialist officer or contact point for current or former members of the armed forces in the housing department. However, the Council will be adopting a new homelessness strategy later this year and if Members felt this was needed, this could be passed onto Officers for inclusion in the new strategy.” 

 

Councillor Gray then asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Honeywood then replied.

 

Question Four

 

From Councillor Stephenson to Councillor Stock OBE, Leader of the Council:

 

“Could the Leader of the Council please give an update on the following carried motions concerned with Road Safety in Tendring?

 

I only ask as I have seen little to no action by Essex County Council or by Highways England despite this Council's formal requests for action on either area described in the motions.

 

For reference, I have included the wording of the motions as agreed by Council.

 

5th April 2016 - Urgent Matters for Debate - Motion submitted by Councillor Mike Brown on the grounds of the recent fatalities on the A133 and ensuring the safety of the travelling public.

 

“That this Council –

 

•      Is appalled that another serious accident has occurred on the A133 on the Weeley and Little Clacton by-pass last week leading to another fatality. In the last ten months there have been a total of 5 fatalities;

•      Demands that the Highways Authority take urgent action to investigate the causes of these accidents and implement all, and any, safety measures as soon as practicable.; and

•      Calls on the County Council and local Members of Parliament to support this motion and to do everything possible to ensure that the A133 Weeley and Little Clacton by-pass is made safe for all road users.”

 

9th May 2017 - Motions to Council - Presented by Councillor Zoe Fairley - Proposed Road Safety Measures at Brickmans Bridge on the B1352

 

A. “This Council calls upon Essex Police Serious Collision Unit to prioritise and disclose the causation report into all the serious injury and fatal collisions at Brickman’s Bridge, on the B1352 between Mistley and Bradfield.

B.    Furthermore, this Council calls upon Essex County Council to provide all necessary structural amendments to the bridge, together with supportive traffic calming measures, advance warning signs and speed limit reductions, which will take full cognisance of the Essex Police report and provide improved safety conditions for motorists, passengers and all other road users.

C.   This Council implores Essex County Council to introduce these changes and improved safety measures without delay and at the earliest possible opportunity.

D.   This Council nominates its own representative to work with Essex County Council in order to bring about these improvements to the highest standards.””

 

Councillor Stock replied along the following lines:-

 

“Brickman’s Bridge

 

Following consideration of this motion at Council in May 2017, I wrote to Essex County Council and Essex Police regarding the safety implications at this location.

 

A specification for safety measures including reflective bend warning signage is being drawn up but further details and dates for the work are still awaited.

 

A133

 

A motion on the A133 was first considered by this Council in April 2016 following a number of fatalities on that road. Following that meeting I wrote to our MPs and to the then Cabinet Member for Highways at Essex County Council requesting that an urgent safety review be undertaken. A safety review was carried out and in November 2016 this Council considered the outcomes from that. I again wrote to Essex County Council endorsing the safety improvements proposed and suggesting other improvements agreed by this Council.

 

I am sure that Members will be pleased to hear that Essex County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership have made £5.43m available to fund improvements to the A133.  These are designed to support economic growth as well as providing safety improvements to the route, increasing journey time reliability through highway capacity improvements for motorists as well as improving signage along the route.

 

The proposals for the stretch of the A133 from the Frating roundabout to Clacton include:

 

·       Implementation of a variety of safety improvements between Frating roundabout and Progress Way roundabout  including a review of speed limits and junction movements with regards to safety to reduce the likelihood of collisions and investigation of  average speed cameras between Weeley Roundabout and Progress Way.

·       Introduction of a segregated left turn lane from A120 / A133 spur and Colchester Road (east arm) to reduce conflict and congestion. 

·       Widening of the northbound approach at the Weeley Roundabout as well as road marking and signage improvements.

·       Rationalisation and decluttering of signage along the whole route.

 

The main construction is anticipated to begin in Winter 2018 and will be undertaken in a phased approach over a period of approximately 2 years.”