Agenda item

In accordance with the Council Procedure Rules (Section 8.3) of the Council's Constitution, to receive oral questions from Members of the Council

In accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules (Section 8.3 of the Council’s Constitution), the Chairman proceeded to conduct a period of oral questions addressed to Executive Councillors and Panel Chairmen as follows:-

Question from Councillor J E Garner to the Leader of the Council, Councillor I C Bates

In response to a question regarding the possibility of publishing a book of the former Mayors of authorities in Huntingdonshire, Councillor Bates expressed an interest in viewing a similar publication on Sheriffs of Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire and offered to discuss the suggestion with the questioner after the meeting.

Question from Councillor M G Baker to the Executive Councillor for Operations, Councillor Mrs P J Longford

In response to a question regarding the implications for the District of the decision by Cambridgeshire County Council to close the household recycling centre at Brampton in 2008, Councillor Mrs Longford concurred with the concerns expressed by the questioner and confirmed that she had submitted representations to the Cambridgeshire Councils Waste Forum and had lobbied for the closure to be postponed. 

Question from Councillor P J Downes to the Leader of the Council, Councillor I C Bates

In response to a question regarding the outcome of the report of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government, Councillor Bates indicated that he was disappointed that an Inquiry of such length did not appear to suggest solutions to the reliance on Council Tax for local authority revenue generation and that the exercise appeared to have been fruitless having regard to the Government's initial response.

Question from Councillor K M Baker to the Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy, Councillor P L E Bucknell

In response to a question regarding the likely adverse consequences for the District of the proposed closure of the overnight truckstop for HGVs at Alconbury, Councillor Bucknell concurred with the opinion of the questioner and confirmed that discussions were ongoing with Cambridgeshire County Council with a view to securing an alternative location for this purpose.

Question from Councillor R W J Eaton to the Chairman of the Council, Councillor P A Swales

In response to a question as to whether the Council intended to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force, Councillor Swales replied that he was unaware of any specific plans for the event but that he would confirm the position with the questioner after the meeting.

Question from Councillor R W D Bailey to the Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy, Councillor P L E Bucknell

In response to a question which highlighted the concerns of local residents at the perceived increase in caravans and holiday homes on a site in Mill Lane, Buckden, Councillor Bucknell invited the questioner to consider instituting a review of the licence for the site.

Question from Councillor J J Dutton to the Leader of the Council, Councillor I C Bates

In response to a question regarding the issue of discretionary rate relief to St. John’s Ambulance, Councillor Bates undertook to liaise with the Executive Councillor for Finance, Councillor T V Rogers and to reply to the questioner in writing.

Question from Councillor K J Churchill to the Leader of the Council, Councillor I C Bates

In response to a question regarding the appointment of the District Council’s Strategic Directors as champions for each of the market towns, Councillor Bates confirmed that each Director had been allocated specific responsibility for a market town as a way of demonstrating the District Council’s commitment to the towns in Huntingdonshire and to enhance and develop the existing working relationship between the District and the respective town councils/town centre initiatives.