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:
A question was received from Councillor Ball who asked if the Leader had full confidence in the Cabinet Members who remained silent after the Jay Report?
The Leader indicated he had full confidence in the Cabinet Members, including those appointed in the interim period and rejected the idea that they had remained silent in the wake of that piece of work. He also rejected the idea that they had remained silent in the build up to that piece of work. That piece of work had been commissioned by members.
In his supplementary Councillor Ball noted a Cabinet Member had been selected and then withdrawn from selection to stand as an MP due to the backlash of the survivors. He asked why the Cabinet Member was not good enough to stand as an MP yet good enough to remain in the Cabinet, was this an indignity to the survivors.
The Leader responded to explain that the Cabinet Member had been selected, through a democratic process to stand for parliament, they then took a dignified decision, because they were a person of integrity to stand back from it, in response to comments made by some people. The Leader praised that Cabinet Member’s work and confirmed he was proud to have them as a member of his Cabinet and would like them to continue in their role.