Councillors and committees

Agenda item

Members' Questions

Decision:

There were ten member questions. The questions and responses were published as a supplement to the agenda.

 

Minutes:

There were ten member questions. The questions and responses were published as a supplement to the agenda.

 

With regards to the first question, Hazel Watson queried when the link to the East Surrey College curriculum offer would be put on the county council website. The Cabinet Member for Education and Learning stated that it was a priority to get this link on the site as soon as possible and an update would be provided as soon as the link went live.

 

With regards to member question three, Catherine Baart asked from the 674 children awaiting transport provision how many of these children were on a EHCP. The Cabinet Member for Education and Learning would make enquiries of the service and would come back to the member.

 

With regards to member question four, Catherine Baart asked if the council would commit to repairing defects on bus routes as they would a priority road A. The Cabinet member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth explained that the Horizon programme was being reviewed and that he was of the view that bus routes should be on a higher level within the horizon prioritisation programme.

 

With regards to member question five, Catherine Baart said that she had been informed that trees at Pixham Lane had been removed due to a property deal. She asked if the Cabinet Member agreed if the property team should be changing their behaviour in line with the wider council's policies on climate change and biodiversity and specifically asked if the team had undertaken carbon literacy training. The Cabinet Member for Property and Waste confirmed that a number of officers within land and property had undertaken carbon literacy training. The trees on site had been inspected by the Mole Valley tree officer who said they were fine to be removed. The trees that were removed did not have much value although Stonegate Homes would be replanting 1000 trees at the location.

 

With regards to member question six, Jonathan Essex queried if Surrey County Council modelling separated out the outcomes of a scheme in terms of flows of public transport separate from cars and other motor vehicles. The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth confirmed this was happening.

 

With regards to member question seven, Lance Spencer queried what form a stakeholder community involvement exercise would take and if the exercise would take place prior to the business case going to Cabinet. The Cabinet Member for Property and Waste explained that the business case would need to be approved by Cabinet before the community involvement exercise could take place which would probably be in early 2023. With regards to member question eight, Lance Spencer asked if bulk schemes for community buildings included places of worship. The Cabinet Member confirmed that religious buildings were included within the bulk scheme support. With regards to member question nine, Lance Spencer asked how many of the 138 Stage 1 appeals would be going to Stage 2. The Cabinet Member for Education and Learning stated that she did not have this detail to hand but would follow up with the member. Last weeks figures had been updated and there were now 119 stage one appeals and 14 stage two appeals.

 

With regards to member question ten, Lance Spencer queried if the number of children that fall under the category of Emotionally Based School Non Attendance had increased due to Covid or if this was a new trend the council was seeing. The Cabinet Member for Education and Learning explained that the term Emotionally Based School Non Attendance was used in Surrey but was not a widely accepted category of absence from school. The emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people had been critically affected by Covid and there was a link between Emotionally Based School Non Attendance and Covid. Covid did however create many alternative ways of learning which were more productive for some children. The service was working hard on inclusion practices to make sure that all children were supported to adjust better with their education and engage in the best way that they possibly can.

Supporting documents: