To receive any questions from Members, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2.

The Speaker advised that the following 9 questions had been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 15 (copies of the report containing the detailed questions and their formal responses are attached to the signed Minutes).

a)    Received from Cllr Turner and answered by Cllr Nutting, the Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for University and Strategic about the Council’s financial position.

By way of a supplementary question Cllr Turner thanked the Leader for his reply and the clarification.  Back in May the Leader suggested that the Council’s financial situation had been overplayed.  In November he talked of having to make some difficult decisions about next year’s budget and, when the delay since he coming to office in May was queried, he suggested that he was giving new members a chance to get to grips with how the Council worked.  I suggest that this six-month delay has jeopardised a potential budget saving of some £3m which we will never get back.  In the private sector I know and understand, this would be described as no way to run a business.  Does he agree? And if not in what way is my logic flawed?

In response, the Leader stated that progress would be seen in the coming weeks.

b)    Received from Cllr Kidd and answered by Cllr Macey, Portfolio Holder for Planning, and Regulatory Services and Environment about affordable housing.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Kidd asked to be involved in the Task and Finish Group.

In response, the Portfolio Holder stated that he would look at this.

c)     Received from Cllr P Moseley and answered by Cllr Charmley, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Support about the use of agency staff.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Moseley stated she was concerned about temporary staff and the lack of continuity of care this created.  She requested that measures be introduced to recruit permanent staff in the future.

In response, the Portfolio Holder stated that he would prefer to use permanent staff as far as possible but it was not always easy to recruit.

d)    Received from Cllr West and answered by Cllr Nutting, Leader about the good outcomes achieved by staff in Council activities and services, notably the recent Ofsted report for Shropshire Children’s Services.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr West asked how similar outcomes could be achieved in the future, given the redundancy programme that was about to be considered.

In response, the Leader hoped that the Digital Transformation would help.  It would be challenging times ahead, but he felt the Council could do better and be more commercial in its approach.

e)    Received from Cllr Boddington and answered by Cllr Macey, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services about plastic recycling.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Boddington asked if China’s ban on recycling plastics had had an impact on Shropshire yet?

In response, the Portfolio Holder agreed to look into this and report back to Cllr Boddington.

f)      Received from Cllr Evans and answered by Cllr Macey, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services about the balance of CIL payments held by Shropshire Council.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Evans queried if that was the best way to spend the CIL monies.

In response, the Portfolio Holder stated that he would provide Cllr Evans with a written response.

g)    Received from Cllr Evans and answered by Cllr Charmley Portfolio Holder for Corporate Support about transfers of staff subject to TUPE regulations

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Evans queried again (bottom of page 129) were any known vacancies included in these transfers and if so how many were there in each of the last 3 financial years?

In response, the Portfolio Holder stated that he would provide Cllr Evans with a written response.

h)    Received from Cllr Boddington and answered by Cllr Minnery, Portfolio Holder for Finance about discretionary business rate relief.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Boddington asked why 9 companies had refused relief and were in effect giving the money back to the Government.

In response, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that he understood that the majority had not, but he did undertake to look into this and then get back to Cllr Boddington with a written response.

i)       Received from Cllr Tremellen and answered by Cllr Macey, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services about the review of future Planning Committees.

By way of a supplementary question, Cllr Tremellen requested more clarity.

In response, the Portfolio Holder confirmed this was currently being worked on and he would get back to Cllr Tremellen with a written response.