Agenda item

Leader's Question Time

The Leader to answer questions from Members in relation to the Executive functions.

 

Minutes:

The Leader received questions from Councillor Sashi Mylvaganam on the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, the Leader advised that he was confident that the Council’s response to a second wave would mirror the excellent response earlier that year. He also reported that the Council had strong reserves and that Business Rates and Council Tax collection rates remained high. He undertook to provide details on rental income collected during the pandemic in writing.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Victoria Wheeler, the Leader advised that he had not received a reply to his recent letter on cuts to the Fire Service from the Leader of Surrey County Council or the Chief Fire Officer of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. If no reply was forthcoming soon, he would seek a response.

 

The Leader, in response to a question from Councillor Victoria Wheeler, indicated that he was confident that this Council would encourage joint working between the borough/ districts authorities and Surrey County Council in response on future unitary proposals.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Kristian Wrenn, the Leader undertook to circulate details on increases to Universal Credit applications in Surrey. He also referred to the approach being taken to prepare for any potential reduction of collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates caused by the economic downturn.

 

The Leader, in response to a question from Councillor Rodney Bates, supported a suggestion to review the last few potential Gypsy and Traveller sites looked at by the Local Plan Working Group in order to ascertain whether there was any new evidence available about any of those sites.

 

Following a question from Councillor Rodney Bates, the Leader confirmed that a review of governance matters regarding planning appeals, as referred to at minute 39/C, would be added to the Governance Working Group’s Work Programme.