Agenda item

Report No: OAS/SE/17/017

The Leader of the Council has been invited to the meeting to provide an annual account on his portfolio and to answer questions from the Committee.

The Committee was reminded that on 8 June 2016, it had received a presentation from the Leader of the Council, setting out his responsibilities covered under the portfolio.

At this meeting, the Leader of the Council had been invited back to provide a follow-up presentation on his portfolio.  Report No: OAS/SE/17/017 set out the focus of the follow-up presentation, which was to:

• Outline the main challenges faced during the first year;

• Outline some key successes and any failures during the first year and any lessons learned; and

• Set out the vision for the Portfolio through to 2019, and whether on target to meet that vision.

Councillor John Griffiths opened his presentation by thanking the Committee for the invitation and for its support over the past year.  It had been an extremely busy and challenging year, and was proud of the successes members had achieved together as a council, and in partnership with Forest Heath District Council. 

He then provided a number of examples, outlining challenges faced; successes and lessons learnt; and the vision through to 2019, such as:

• Devolution: the outcome was disappointing but had provided greater working across East Anglia;
• Driving forward growth and investment;
• Single Council: Agenda moving forward;
• Housing: continuing to face challenges of availability and affordability;
• Families and Communities: Supporting lots of local projects through our Community Chest and Locality Budget funding

Members discussed the update in detail and asked questions of the Cabinet Member and officers, to which comprehensive responses were provided.  Discussions were held on Civil Parking Enforcement and whether it would be “cost neutral” the future of West Suffolk (Single Council); the disbandment of Western Area Highways and progress on the proposed works at Bury St Edmunds Train Station. 

In particular discussions were held on Suffolk County Council’s (SCC) performance with regards to highways.  Reference was made to concerns raised by members of the public and parish councillors at four parish council AGMs, where they had expressed disappointment with the lack of response from SCC on poor quality pothole repairs; no repairs at all; and the general lack of care and performance.

The Leader informed members that the effective delivery of highway works, whether new roads or the maintenance of existing roads was crucial to the council achieving its goal of balanced growth and strong and connected communities.  Council officers were continuing to try and improve the way of working with SCC and West Suffolk whether through major projects; planning decisions; or through our families and communities officers working in their localities.  He further advised that the Committee might wish to consider adding Highways and Maintenance to its work programme and could invite the SCC Highways Portfolio Holder and relevant officers to future meeting of the Committee to talk about planned maintenance and issues around rural road.

The Committee acknowledged that this was an issue of concern and Councillors Susan Glossop and Diane Hind agreed to complete the relevant Work Programme Suggestion Form, which would be submitted for further consideration by the Committee at its July 2017 meeting.

The Chairman thanked the Leader of the Council for the update on his portfolio. 

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the presentation.