Agenda item

To receive reports from Cabinet Members on their portfolios.

Cllr T Adams - Executive Support & Legal Services

Cllr H Blathwayt – Coast

Cllr A Brown – Planning & Enforcement

Cllr W Fredericks – Housing and People Services

Cllr C Ringer – IT, Environmental & Waste Services

Cllr L Shires – Finance, Estates & Assets

Cllr J Toye – Sustainable Growth

Cllr A Varley – Climate Change & Net Zero

Cllr L Withington – Community, Leisure & Outreach (Including Health & Wellbeing)

Members are reminded that they may ask questions of the Cabinet Member on their reports and portfolio areas but should note that it is not a debate.

No member may ask more than one question plus a supplementary question, unless the time taken by members’ questions does not exceed 30 minutes in total, in which case, second questions will be taken in the order that they are received (Constitution, Chapter 2, part 2, section 12.2)

The Chairman advised members that there was 30 minutes allocated for this item.

Cllr J Boyle asked Cllr A Brown, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enforcement, for a brief update on the Local Plan. Cllr Brown said that the next phase of the Local Plan would be a visit from the Planning Inspector from 8^th to 11^th April. He would visit the Council Offices and look at aspects of modifications to the plan. This would include issues such housing trajectory, deliverability of site allocations, the effect of nutrient neutrality and if the Council was compliant with habitat regulations. He concluded by saying that it was intended that the Local Plan would be agreed before local government reorganisation took effect.

Cllr A Fitch-Tillett asked Cllr L Withington, Portfolio Holder for Community Outreach, about call waiting times. She welcomed the fall in waiting time but asked if it was possible to have more detailed information and how the waiting times compared on a benchmarking basis. She referred to the service sector where calls would be answered within 3 rings and asked if a similar approach was taken at NNDC. Cllr Withington said that she would provide a written response.

Cllr J Punchard asked the Leader for an update on 9 Norwich Street, Fakenham. He said that the saga had gone on for a number of years. Concerns had been raised about economic viability in the town and the need for more residential places. Refurbishing this property would address both issues. Cllr Adams said that the property was not owned by the Council and that made it challenging. He said that a decision on this matter would be coming forward to Cabinet in the near future to determine legal routes of action.

Cllr T FitzPatrick said that he had always been supportive of Eastlaw, the Council’s legal arm and asked for an update on current workstreams and the opportunities to provide additional income for the Council. Cllr Adams replied that the Council was very proud of Eastlaw and the work that it did. A Coastal Transition Lawyer had recently been recruited and it was hoped that they would be able to provide support to other coastal authorities.

Cllr K Bayes said that he wanted to ask Cllr A Varley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, a question but in his absence he would put it to the Leader, Cllr Adams. He referred to a recent social media post on collaboration with ‘Make my House Green’ . He asked how the collaboration had come about. He understood that it was a national company based in London and he felt that a local company could provide the same service and offer discounts where possible. He asked whether it was unfair to local businesses by promoting a national company and its services. Cllr Adams said that he would ask Cllr Varley to provide a written response.

Cllr M Taylor spoke about the increasing number of housing developments proposed for Stalham and asked whether the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Cllr Brown, would commit to meeting with local members and the Assistant Director for Planning to discuss the establishment of Stalham Infrastructure Fund, which would be funded via s106 contributions. Cllr Brown said that he would be happy to meet and discuss this matter further, although it would be helpful to have more detail to ensure it complied with legislation and the Council’s Local Plan. Cllr Taylor said that it would relate to seeking to fund safety improvements to the A14. Cllr J Toye said that he would be happy to be involved in any discussions as Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Development.

Cllr L Vickers asked the Leader, Cllr T Adams, for assurance that every penny raised from the second homes council tax would be spent on housing and addressing homelessness. Cllr Adams confirmed that this was the case. He said that the agreement with the County Council would need to be renegotiated annually so the Council would need to demonstrate that it was spending the full use of that money on the terms agreed.

Cllr K Leith asked the Portfolio Holder for Environmental and Waste Services for an update on the introduction of the collection of food waste for businesses. Cllr Ringer confirmed that separate food waste collection for trade would commence in April for larger businesses (more than 10 full time equivalent employees), approximately 10% of businesses. He said that the service would be available for all of the Council’s trade customers, including those with less than 10 employees and that all customers had received a leaflet advising them of the changes. He offered to provide an email briefing to members if that would be helpful.