To provide an opportunity to pose questions to Cabinet Members in line with Standing Orders.
Process:
No more than 10 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for questions to each Cabinet Member.
Members must submit their proposed questions in writing in advance in accordance with Standing Orders. If members are unable to ask their question orally within the allocated time, remaining questions will be answered in writing. The question and response will be appended to the minutes.
The question must be addressed through the Mayor or the person presiding at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned.
Questions will be posed to Cabinet Members in the following order:
i. Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Assets and Member Development
ii. Cabinet Member for Education and Skills
iii. Cabinet Member for Social Services
iv. Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing
v. Cabinet Member for Community and Resources
vi. Cabinet Member for Streetscene
vii. Cabinet Member for Licensing and Regulation
viii. Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure
For information: A digest of recent decision schedules issued by Cabinet, Cabinet Members and Minutes of recent meetings of Committees has been circulated electronically to all Members of the Council.
Minutes:
i. Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing
Councillor Ray Mogford asked the following question that had been submitted:
‘From the 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2019, how much money has been given to Newport Council from the Welsh Government as part of the Homelessness Prevention Grant - and - what has this money been spent on?’
The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded:
‘The Council has been provided with funding under the Welsh Government’s Homeless Prevention Grant programme which was linked to the introduction of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, recognising the additional pressures and burdens placed upon all Local Authorities in delivering the requirements of the act. The funding allocated and the scheme/services this was spent on is as follows:
2016/17 - £149,400
Staffing – NCC – Accommodation Officer roles – Working with the private rented sector
Homeless Prevention fund – NCC – Funding used to prevent homelessness and help to access alternative accommodation
Mediation Service – Llamau
2017/18 - £139,440
Homeless Prevention fund – NCC – Funding used to prevent homelessness and help to access alternative accommodation
Mediation Service – Llamau
Young Person’s Pathway Project – POBL Group – Staffing costs
Gwent Homeless Strategy Officer – Torfaen CBC – Funding across Gwent LA’s to employ an officer to undertake the review of homelessness in each area and to develop the Gwent Homeless Strategy
Civica Housing System – Civica UK – IT system
Night Shelter – Eden Gate
2018/19
Young Persons Shared Accommodation – Llamau – Staffing costs
Supported Lodgings Project – Llamau – Staffing and running costs
Night Shelter – Eden Gate
Intensive Outreach Service – Wallich
The funding is the awarded sum from the Homelessness Prevention Grant and does not include funding that the Council has applied for under separate cover for other interim schemes and initiatives.’
As a supplementary question, Councillor Mogford asked if a breakdown of the figures could be provided to councillors.
ii. Joint Question to the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and City Services
Councillor Joan Watkins asked the following question that had been submitted:
‘Does the Cabinet Member for Education communicate with Gwent Police in respect of safe walking routes to and from Newport Schools.’
The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills responded:
‘Safe Walking Routes to school is led, managed and mapped by City Services. Naturally where Service Areas and Cabinet Member portfolio’s cross (as in this circumstance) joint Cabinet Member briefings occur. This ensures that I am consistently informed of any issues and project work linked to safe routes and encouraging active travel. I will pass on to Cllr Jeavons to give you further details on the question you present.’
The Cabinet Member for City Services responded:
‘When assessing School Walking Routes, the Council has historically contacted the Police to establish any areas of concern through which the proposed route passes. The surveyor now utilises the Police.uk website, which holds a map based database of all Incidents recorded by street.
If the assessment identifies any areas of concern, the surveyor contacts the local policing teams to discuss the implications on the proposed route.’
Councillor Watkins asked a supplementary question with regard to a Freedom of Information Request submitted in August, The response received was that there had been no emails or discussions on safety for children walking to school received from this Council by the Police.
This would be investigated and a written response would be circulated.
iii. Cabinet Member for City Services
Councillor Ray Mogford asked the following question that had been submitted:
'Councils have power over local speed limits while the Government has control over the national limit.
Can the Cabinet member update this council on any initiatives with regard to reducing traffic speeds locally that that his department is involved in. Does the council plan at any stage to follow the lead set by Cardiff and Swansea in reducing traffic speeds limits in some residential areas? If so could the Cabinet Member give some examples?’
The Cabinet Member for City Services responded:
‘Newport City Council, as Local Traffic Authority, have powers to vary speed limits on the local road network, including the introduction of 20mph speed limits where considered appropriate. Potential introduction or variation of speed limits in Wales are at present assessed in line with current standards set by Welsh Government Circular 24/2009 “Setting Local Speed Limits in Wales”.
The Member will be aware that the First Minister confirmed on 7 May 2019 that the Welsh Government believe that 20 mph should be the default speed limit for residential areas. The Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport, together with the Welsh Local Government Association, have taken forward work to identify the practical actions needed to implement such a default 20 mph speed limit across Wales.
The Council therefore awaits the outcome of Welsh Governments deliberation on the reduction of the national default residential speed limit and until such time will continue to manage the network within current Welsh Government standards.’
As a Supplementary Question, Councillor Mogford asked if the Cabinet Member would be attending the RGS Road Safety Conference at the Celtic Manor on 11 October. The Cabinet Member had been invited the previous year and would therefore look into whether he would be invited this year.