Agenda item

Question and Answer Session for Members of the Public

Minutes:

Question from Mr Peter Coulling to the Chairman of the Democracy and General Purposes Committee

 

With regard to questions from the public at a Council meeting, the Constitution states at paragraph 14.10 that “If the webcast has failed prior to the start of the meeting, a summary of the answer will be included in the minutes”.  In that event, is it reasonable to expect Committee Services staff to be able to provide a reasonable summary of such answers?

 

The Chairman of the Democracy and General Purposes Committee responded to the question.

 

Mr Coulling asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Democracy and General Purposes Committee:

 

It is good to hear that you have confidence in the Committee staff to give a gist of questions and answers, that would be helpful to the public.  As YouTube archiving is not long term assured, and as current Minutes go beyond simple statement of decisions, why not use that distilling skill for all questions and answers?

 

The Chairman of the Democracy and General Purposes Committee responded to the question.

 

Question from Mr Duncan Edwards to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee

 

The MBC Maidstone Walking and Cycling Strategy 2011-2031 has action:

"Action C5: Support the Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum (MCCF) as a group to promote the cycling cause in the Borough; in order to ensure the Walking and Cycling Strategy and the Integrated Transport Strategy provide a coherent strategy for the promotion of Active Travel in the Borough."

 

And yet, Planning Officers refuse to work with MCCF.

 

How can we develop the situation where Council Planning Officers embrace Maidstone Policies and Strategies and are positive in working with groups like MCCF for the best interests of Maidstone?

 

The Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee responded to the question.

 

Mr Edwards asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee:

 

It will be great to move forward with a positive structure for working together with the Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum in the interests of residents.  How can we proactively assure ourselves and our communities that all the supporting infrastructure such as connected cycle routes that have been planned in as part of the Local Plan and supporting policies have been delivered in line with those Plans and that objectives such as the increased use of sustainable forms of transport are actually realised?

 

The Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee responded to the question.

 

Question from Mr Russell Chidwick to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee

 

We have seen examples in recent planning applications where National Planning Policy and supporting national guidelines for cycle infrastructure are not fully complied with in the application.  Will the Council require Officers' reports to specifically highlight all aspects of National and Local Policy which are not being met by a proposed application so that Councillors can easily consider these within their decision making?

 

The Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee responded to the question.

 

Mr Chidwick asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee:

 

When conditions are imposed as a result of a planning application or appeal, how can we ensure that Officers keep interested parties, Councillors and organisations such as the Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum fully informed of how they are interpreting and implementing those conditions?

 

The Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee responded to the question.

 

To listen to the responses to these questions, please follow this link:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD1L6jdBvII&t=3076s