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

The Speaker advised that six questions from Members had been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 15 (copy of the report containing the detail questions and their formal responses is attached to the signed minutes).

i)     Received from Councillor D Turner and answered by Councillor S Davenport, Portfolio Holder for Highways and Carparks, in relation to Highways issues.

By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Turner asked for the Portfolio’s comments on problems with drainage which created unsafe road conditions.  The Portfolio Holder responded that it was not a problem confined to Much Wenlock and addressing flooding issues had been identified as a highway priority.

ii)    Received from Councillor D Vasmer and answered by Councillor S Charmley, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Assets, Economic Growth and Regeneration, in relation to the rents received from retailers situated in the Shrewsbury shopping centres.

By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Vasmer asked the Leader to comment on the downturn in rental income from the shopping centres.  The Leader responded that the Shopping Centres in Shrewsbury had been purchased as a long-term investment with the expectation that this would happen.  He continued that the investment return was still greater than the return the capital would have received from the banking sector.

iii)   Received from Councillor A Boddington and answered by Councillor S Davenport Portfolio Holder for Highways and Carparks in relation to highway repairs by the utility companies and the disruption this caused.

Councillor Boddington had no supplementary question.

iv)   Received from Councillor A Boddington and answered by Councillor S Charmley, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Assets, Economic Growth and Regeneration, in relation to the Community Lottery.

By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Boddington asked to see the Officers report advising not to continue with the lottery scheme.  The Chairman responded that this would be discussed outside the meeting.

v)    Received from Councillor C Mellings and answered by Councillor G Butler, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Place, Planning and Regulatory Services, in relation to creating a market towns vitalisation fund.

By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Mellings asked if the revitalisation package was going to be available to support all market towns in Shropshire.  The Portfolio Holder responded that he was in agreement that the agenda to revitalise the market towns needed to be set out again. He continued that the successful completion of Place Plans provided useful intelligence across the county to identify the important issues for individual areas.

vi)   Received from Councillor C Mellings and answered by Councillor S Davenport Portfolio Holder for Highways and Carparks in relation to the performance of the highways contract.

By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Mellings asked if the contract with Keir would be terminated in the event that performance did not improve.  The Portfolio Holder responded that that the company’s performance would be considered by the Place Overview Scrutiny Committee on 5^th September 2019.  Contract termination would not be considered until the company had been given a period of time to improve its performance.