Agenda item

Question and Answer Session for Members of the Public

Minutes:

Questions to the Leader of the Council

 

Mr Fergus Wilson asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

 

Given the current delays in the delivery of Planning Services is the Mid Kent Partnership fit for purpose and should Maidstone Borough Council withdraw from it?

 

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

 

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Mr Wilson asked the following supplementary question of the Leader of the Council:

 

What timescale are we aiming at to process an application to determination?

 

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

 

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Mrs Geraldine Brown asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

 

Have Parishes made known to the Leader, other Cabinet Members and Officers their concerns about the 18,600 figure for Objectively Assessed Housing Need?

 

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

 

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Mrs Geraldine Brown asked the following supplementary question of the Leader of the Council:

 

I understand that you have had a lot of meetings with a lot of different organisations, but at the outset you promised regular meetings with the Kent Association of Local Councils representing the Parishes.  Can we return to that because it is not happening?

 

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

 

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Question to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development

 

Mr John Hughes asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development:

 

The GL Hearn report (para 4.117) states that the Borough had a “significant oversupply (of housing) over the past decade”, and this recent oversupply has been trended forward to form the basis of the housing needs assessment for the draft Local Plan.  Why hasn’t a lower, more balanced, longer term trend been used, as allowed by Para 36 of the Government’s Planning Practice Guidance?

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development responded to the question.

 

Councillor Harwood, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Mr Hughes asked the following supplementary question of the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development:

 

Paragraph 36 of the National Planning Practice Guidance clearly allows previous oversupply of housing to be taken into account in calculating the Housing Needs Assessment.  Would it not be a good idea to explore and pursue the flexibility given by paragraph 36 to reduce the high level of growth proposed to a more balanced reasonable level with a less adverse effect on infrastructure, the environment and attractiveness of the Borough?

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development responded to the question.

 

Councillor Harwood, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

The time allowed within the Council’s Procedure Rules for questions by members of the public having expired, the Mayor announced that the remaining four questions would be held over to the next meeting of the Council unless the questioners requested a written answer in the meantime.

 

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

 

http://live.webcasts.unique-media.tv/mbc185/interface