Agenda item

6.1

Martin Brighton raised the following questions and responses were provided as follows:-

(a)

Could the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee arrange for the answers to all the questions he raised at the meeting on 19^th July 2012, to be included in the minutes?

The Chair apologised that Mr Brighton had not received answers to all the four questions raised at the last meeting, and requested that relevant officers respond to Mr Brighton at the earliest possible opportunity.  The Committee Secretary added that responses to questions raised by members of the public, which were not answered at meetings, would, at the questioner’s request, be incorporated on the Council website with the agenda papers for the Committee’s next meeting.

(b)

Further to the submission of source discs for the Multiple Indexes of Deprivation at the Committee’s last meeting, and the consequent responses provided at Council and Cabinet meetings, which indicated that such information was opinion and not fact, why was the Council allowed to dispute such facts and what could this Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee suggest in terms of action to put right what was done wrong and to prevent a repeat of this happening again?

The Chair stated that justification of the responses provided at the Council and Cabinet meetings were not a matter for this Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee to deal with, but he would ensure that relevant officers were made aware of his comments.

(c)

Could the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee please take note that, in his opinion, a two-tier rent system was not acceptable to tenants, following the issue of early introduction of rent conversions?

The Chair stated that the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee would bear this in mind.

6.2

Mick Watts referred to the monitoring report on the Housing Revenue Account, which was considered by the Cabinet at its last meeting, indicating that there was reference to a £1 million underspend, and questioned why this was the case as he believed that the Council should be allocating as much as possible from its budget?

Richard Palmer stated that he would provide a written response on this issue to Mr Watts.