Question 1

Councillor Hesketh

Subject

Timeline and interaction with NDA, RWM & NWS

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

Can I summarise from your response that the nuclear ambitions are being driven by LCC?

Response:

We are partners in the process having being invited onto the working group and community committee which is progressing.  Initial contact was with LCC and we willingly joined the process.

Question 2

Councillor Hesketh

Subject

Costs occurred with the GDF

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

With regards to LCC advertising for a permanent Lincoln based job to promote activity that enables the council and the area to benefit from the proposed GDF and investigate nuclear reactors, funded by NWS, can you confirm that our impartiality will not be compromised by taking NWS money and we will show leadership by investigating other uses of the Theddlethorpe site?

Response:

We want to find out as much information for residents and share this with them, both the pros and cons and this will involve a lot of work, seeking additional studies.  Our position as a council is of neutrality, we intend to remain neutral on the matter so we can look after the interests and make sure information is given to residents as clearly as possible.

Question 3

Councillor Hesketh

Subject

Host Community - GDF

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

Will you support Cllr Robert Watson and my self’s Motion for a referendum in the next 12 months and what arguments will you put forward for a local referendum to test willingness by the public towards a GDF before this thing gets completely out of hand?

Response

I haven’t seen the Motion yet, because I didn’t want to be compromised but it is for you to present to the next Council meeting.  ELDC is engaged openly and the decision made by Executive Board to engage with this process was as neutral as possible

Question 4

Councillor Jackson

Subject

Running costs for Charles Street Recreation Ground.

Response by

Councillor Marsh

Supplementary

None

Question 5

Councillor David Hall

Subject

Solar Energy Panel Applications

Response by

Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

None

Question 6

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Housing Supply Figures

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

None

Question 7

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Sale of Tedder Hall

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

How much was Tedder Hall sold for?  We were also told the Hub would be cost neutral – how much are East Lindsey residents paying for the shortfall?

Response

I am happy to provide a detailed response.  The cost neutral element is over a period time and we also got a GLEP grant for the element of Boston College at the Hub, but I will provide details on how the building was funded, although it was carefully detailed at the time and communicated to Councillors.

Question 8

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Furniture and equipment at Tedder Hall

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

Why was Tedder Hall not completely cleared out on the completion of the sale?

Response

The reality is that during the disposal of a property, there will always be remnants that need sorting out and there comes a point where it is not worth the Council’s efforts.  The new owner of the building chose to auction off the elements that were left and the money was given to a local charity.

Question 9

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Magna Vitae – Skegness BID

Response by

Councillor Marsh

Supplementary

I did ask what the benefits were for MV, the response was not full enough?

Response

I understand that the café at Skegness did really well through the BID.  MV is an independent company and I’m sure if you ask them directly they will provide you with this information to help with your enquiry.  I’m not sure I entirely understood your question, I am happy to speak with you outside of the meeting.

Question 10

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Working days for Planning officers/consultants

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

With regards to the consultants the Council employs and their locations, is that a good use of money?

Response

Modern days of working would not necessitate travel to a great degree, and we seek the best advice from wherever it comes.  This shows the challenge of recruitment and I have no qualms that we employ consultants from different parts of the country.

Question 11

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Percentage of planning applications/timescales

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

None

Question 12

Councillor Aldridge

Subject

Response times by planning officers

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

Will you check further to ensure that officers are responding to people including Councillors as I have lots of evidence that correspondence has not been answered?

Response

I am happy to look at this, it is important that members of the public and interested parties should be able to contact the planning department and get a response.  If Councillor Aldridge wants to chat with Councillor Ashton I’m sure that can be discussed.

Question 13

Councillor Makinson-Sanders

Subject

Shopping outlets on Louth Industrial Estate

Response by

Councillor Grist

Supplementary

I note that new shops are opening on the Fairfield Industrial Estate, for example one selling baby equipment, when there is spare retail space in the town.  Why has there been no sequential test undertaken for those sorts of uses?

Response

You make a valid point, and maybe this question is more relevant to Councillor Ashton.  However, we want to move some focus towards our market towns and is important to do this, given the current climate and the challenge that towns are facing nationally.  We can’t solve all issues, the way people shop is changing immeasurably but I feel there is much we can and will do, so watch this space.

Question 14

Councillor Makinson-Sanders

Subject

Council tax levies on renovated properties

Response by

Councillor Fry/Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

Don’t we allow people a concession when people are renovating a property?

Response

We have a very able system for properties that have been empty over a long period of time and if there is a justified reason a person can apply for a reduction or have the charge removed.

Question 15

Councillor Horton

Subject

Overview Committee holding Executive Board to account.

Response by

Councillor Fiona Martin

Supplementary

None

Question 16

Councillor Horton

Subject

Increase of planning schemes underway or finished being received by Parish Councils.

Response by

Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

None

Question 17

Councillor Horton

Subject

Reviewing procedure for Planning Call-in

Response by

Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

None

Question 18

Councillor Horton

Subject

Large Edition Games – Café Culture

Response by

Councillor Grist

Supplementary

Would it not have been better to have put the equipment in the Meridian Centre where it could have been used daily?

Response

We can look at that, yes.

Question 19

Councillor Horton

Subject

Criteria for membership on a scrutiny panel

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

None

Question 20

Councillor Makinson-Sanders

Subject

Dangerous dogs

Response by

Councillor Foster

Supplementary

My resident has found much difficulty with those involved in the process – can you reassure this lady?

Response

I will speak to the back-office team and we need to tighten up our communication between the Dog Warden, RSPCA and the Police so that we accept the roles and understand them better.

Question 21

Councillor Yarsley

Subject

Legislation changes - planning and land use for renewable technologies

Response by

Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

Is there any way to make clear to the Planning Department what constitutes BMV land and what goes on it and what is to stop the whole of our area being covered in solar panels?

Response

The balance of where both you and I would like to see it is not where national policy sees it.  The most effective thing that prevents the large applications in East Lindsey is that we don’t have the grid connections for them.  I will continue to do everything I can to make sure the goalposts on this reflect where we would like to see it but we are guided by national policy and appeal decisions.

Question 22

Councillor Yarsley

Subject

Council’s stance with regards to renewables

Response by

Councillor Leyland

Supplementary

None

Question 23

Councillor Yarsley

Subject

Income received from business rates from Hatton Solar Farm, Viking Link, Tritton Knoll, GDF and National Grid pylons.

Response by

Councillor Fry

Supplementary

Further to your response, is there no way to get a ball-park figure for these?

Response

The answer is no because we are not qualified to do so, and there is no point in setting hares running with information that is not appropriate or accurate.

Question 24

Councillor Dawson

Subject

Issues with Local Plan policies

Response by

Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

Will you be instructing the Planning Department and the Planning Committee to take into account the new and emerging evidence from the existing review when assessing the application?

Response

It’s not my role or that of any Councillor to instruct planning officers n what they should and should not be taking into account on an individual application.  As the Local Plan moves through its processes and policies are reviewed it does not mean that the Plan is out of date and until the review is much further on it doesn’t carry full weight.

Question 25

Councillor Dawson

Subject

Lessons learned from traveller incidents

Response by

Councillor Ashton

Supplementary

Will the post-event review following the recent encampments in Skegness and Boston, Chapel St Leonards and now Addlethorpe be shared with town and parish councils so they can learn how to best respond to these situations as they arise?

Response

I’m not entirely sure as this crosses over more portfolios than just mine, however in my experience the responses received from the councils in the Partnership over the last weeks in relation to these incidents have been most efficient and we have learned from past experiences.  I am more than happy for town and parish councils to be able to learn from what we have learned in this council on making sure we are on the front foot each time.