To receive questions from members of the public who wish to ask a general question in respect of matters within the Council’s area of responsibility or influence.
Subject to the Chair’s discretion, members of the public may ask one question and one supplementary question, which should relate to the original question and answered received.
Councillors may also ask questions under this agenda item.
Minutes:
(1) A member of the public described his concerns about the allocation of housing, his perceived breaches of the law, influence of staff for property suitability, waiting times, tenant suitability and adaptations.
The Leader acknowledged the member of the public concerns, but pointed out allocations were all carried out appropriately. The Council's Choice Based Lettings (CBL) scheme advertised all available properties and if a tenant was eligible could express an interest in properties.
If the member of the public had any examples he wished to share then the Cabinet Member and the Housing staff would be happy to pick this up.
(2) Councillor Cooksey, Ward Member for Rotherham East, referred to the report on the agenda relating to the proposed Public Space Protection Order for Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham. She had noticed that one of the recommendations was for Cabinet to receive a further report in June of this year before a final decision was made. Following that decision she asked how long would it then take for the implementation of the Public Space Protection Order.
Councillor Hoddinott, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, thanked the Rotherham East Ward Members for putting this proposal together. If approval for consultation was approved then a report for a final decision would be submitted to Cabinet in June, 2019.
The report was seeking approval to proceed to public consultation. If the report submitted to Cabinet then in June, 2019 was approved with Rotherham’s experience in terms of introducing Public Space Protection Orders with the protocols, the guidelines for officers and all the support in terms of resource required was currently in place so implementation could happen fairly quickly especially as the summer months would be fast approaching when noise and disturbance would be more prevalent with people being outside.