In accordance with the Council Procedure Rules, all questions –
· Must be relevant to an item which the Council has powers or duties;
· Must not relate to an item which is included elsewhere on the Agenda;
· Should be limited to obtaining information or pressing for action; and
· Should not exceed two minutes in duration.
Questions should not divulge or require to be divulged, confidential or exempt information.
Contact:15 Minutes.
Minutes:
In response to a question from Councillor R Tomlinson, the Executive Councillor for Planning, Councillor B Mickelburgh, advised that confirmation of the programme would need to be informed by the latest scheduling and project management information. By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Tomlinson sought assurance that St Neots Town Council would be notified promptly and directly should there be any risk to the planned completion date of March 2027.
Councillor B Mickelburgh acknowledged that a range of factors could affect project delivery timescales and noted that any assessment of risks to the programme should be based on a detailed review of current project plans and scheduling information. It was therefore considered appropriate to review the latest programme data before providing further assurances regarding the project timeline.
Councillor Burke asked for an update on repair works to the skate ramps at Hill Rise Park, St Ives, and on the potential delivery of a second phase of improvements. In response, the Executive Councillor for Parks, Countryside, Waste and Street Scene, Councillor J Kerr, advised that repair works to the skate park were underway and expected to be completed by the end of the week.
Members were informed that a second phase of improvements was being developed through the Council’s Play Sufficiency Project. To support this work, officers from the Play and Funding Team attended the St Ives Carnival to engage with residents and gather feedback on the skate park and wider local play provision. This information would be used to inform the next stage of the project. It was reported that the Council had allocated £730,000 of capital funding over a three-year period to improve outdoor play spaces across the District. Investment priorities would be determined based on factors including site condition, age, accessibility, inclusivity, community need, usage levels and location.
Members noted that Hill Rise Skate Park had been identified as a priority scheme within Phase 1 of the Play Sufficiency Programme for 2026/27. Other planned improvements during this phase included sites in Huntingdon North, Huntingdon East and St Neots. Community engagement exercises were being planned to help shape the scope of improvements at each location.
Councillor R Martin raised concerns regarding the safety of Councillors, citing recent incidents. following recent reports of the murder of Anne Widdecombe, credible death threats made against a Fenland Councillor, and incidents of intimidation and harassment experienced by elected Members. He requested that Officers urgently review the protections available to Councillors and consider further training to help Members recognise and respond to intimidation, harassment and threatening behaviour. Concern was also expressed about instances where individuals had supported perpetrators of such behaviour, highlighting the importance of appropriate training and support.
In response, the Executive Leader, Councillor S Conboy, acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and noted that the Local Government Association (LGA) Member safety training had previously been provided and should be considered for inclusion in future induction programmes. Members were encouraged to access the online training resources available. It was also noted that updated guidance on reporting concerns to the police had been circulated to Councillors earlier in the day. Members experiencing safety concerns were advised to contact Democratic Services, who could coordinate appropriate support and advice.
In a supplementary question, Councillor Martin thanked officers for their existing support and requested that personal safety devices (such as lone worker alarms or SOS devices) be made available, on request, to any Councillor who felt they would benefit from them when undertaking Council duties, including community engagements and surgeries.
Councillor S Conboy confirmed that this proposal would be explored and indicated support from Senior Officers. Members were reminded to undertake appropriate risk assessments and avoid situations where they may be placed at risk. Whilst such incidents remained relatively uncommon, the importance of member safety was emphasised.
Councillor A Bulat referred to comments made by Executive Councillor for Planning, Councillor T Sanderson on social media, stating that they suggested his views had been misrepresented during the earlier debate on government housing targets. She apologised if any misrepresentation had occurred and invited Councillor T Sanderson, as Executive Councillor for Planning, to clarify his position for the record. Councillor T Sanderson responded that it was unsurprising that the Government had increased housing targets, given that insufficient homes had been built under the previous Government. He stated that it was therefore important for the Council to progress a sound Local Plan and move out of the current position of tilted balance.
Councillor J Hunt asked Councillor T Sanderson what percentage of planning applications were currently being processed within the required timescales.
Councillor T Sanderson reported that year-to-date performance was:
Councillor T Sanderson added that there was a backlog of approximately 11 applications and commended the Planning team for its performance.
Councillor R Ioannides raised concerns regarding Councillor safety and advised that he had submitted a report under Operation Ford on 2 July, followed it up the next day, and received an initial response shortly afterwards. The Member stated that they had received no further communication since and expressed concern that, despite assurances regarding Councillor safety, the case had not progressed.
In response, Councillor Conboy apologised that the Member felt unsupported and advised that she was not familiar with the specific protocol in this case. She undertook to follow up with Officers to establish how the matter had been handled, whether it had been reported through the Council or directly to the police, and what level of feedback the Member could reasonably expect. She acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and agreed to ensure the Member received the appropriate information.
By way of clarification, the Member advised that the matter had been reported to both the police and the Monitoring Officers at the District and County Councils, and reiterated that they had not yet received a further response.
Councillor D McIlwain referred to comments made regarding the promotion of 4G and 5G connectivity across Huntingdonshire and highlighted ongoing issues with mobile phone coverage in Warboys and Ramsey. He requested that these areas not be overlooked when improvements to digital connectivity were being considered.
Councillor J Francis noted that Yaxley has similar connection issues.
In response, Councillor S Conboy acknowledged that mobile coverage varied across Huntingdonshire and undertook to raise the matter with Officers and seek an update on progress. She advised that the Council worked with partner organisations to support the delivery of telecoms infrastructure and invited Members to provide details of other areas experiencing poor coverage so that these could also be considered.
Councillor S Claffey asked what practical measures the Council had taken to protect the wellbeing of refuse and recycling crews during recent periods of exceptionally hot weather, including arrangements for drinking water, rest breaks, modified working practices and welfare monitoring.
In response, Executive Councillor for Parks, Countryside, Waste and Street Scene, Councillor J Kerr stated that the welfare of frontline staff was a priority for the Council, particularly during increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat. She explained that crews received toolbox talks on safe working practices in high temperatures and that, where extreme heat was forecast, collection rounds were started earlier to reduce exposure during the hottest part of the day. Staff were provided with caps, sunscreen, UV-protection safety glasses and bottled water, with additional supplies made available throughout the day. She also noted that an ice cream van visit had recently been arranged to recognise staff for their work. She added that the Council's commitment to staff welfare extended throughout the year, with appropriate clothing and equipment provided for all weather conditions. She thanked frontline staff for their continued dedication in delivering essential services.
In response to a supplementary question from Councillor Claffey, Councillor J Kerr confirmed that these arrangements already formed part of the Council’s standard response to hot weather conditions. She noted that any decision to bring collection rounds forward would continue to be communicated to residents when required.