Democracy in Crawley

How decisions are made and who represents you

Agenda item

Councillors' Questions Time

There will be a maximum of 30 minutes for Councillors’ Question Time (CQT). Councillors may ask questions relating to either a Portfolio issue or with regard to the functions delegated to a Committee.

 

There are two methods for Councillors asking questions:

 

1.    Councillors can submit written questions in advance of the meeting and written answers will be provided on the evening of the Full Council.

 

2.    Councillors can verbally ask questions during the CQT.

 

Councillors have the opportunity to ask oral supplementary questions in relation to either of the methods above.

Minutes:

Name of Councillor asking the Question

Name of Cabinet Member(s) Responding

 

Councillor Crow to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development

 

It is very good to see the market is up and running again in its current location and it’s been good to see the reopening of the town centre.  But what I would like to ask is given the works to Queensway are complete is the Cabinet Member able to let us know when the market will be moving to its new planned location and also if the council is currently the market operator how long is that arrangement likely to continue? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope we can get a successful market up and running in the location we planned for and adopted. I wasn’t aware there were going to be additional costs but if the Cabinet Member could keep members informed I’d be very grateful.

 

Councillor P Smith – (Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development)

 

We have designed the Queensway and The Pavement to be the long term permanent location for a market and that includes installing facilities and infrastructure under the paving for water and power and to have a market that complements the shopping offer in that area that actually works for both for the shops in the retails units adjacent but also for the market so they can have complementary offerings. We do recognise however that the market we operate at the moment (the borough council operates it directly) is a temporary arrangement. We put that together because the previous arrangement delivered very little. We have been running the market on an ad hoc basis for several years now. This was particularly due initially to the hard work of Alfredo Mendes who has now retired and I thank him for his hard work. The question about when are we going to launch the market in the new location is interesting as we have invested a lot of time and effort in the infrastructure to support a long term solution to the market, to have a quality market that works within a retail environment. We therefore need to have proper funding in order to set up and decide on the method of operation, perhaps arrange a community interest company, or a co-operative but no decisions have been made.  But the launch is important to get the market going successfully and it depends on budget.

 

Yes I’ll consult and keep members informed. We do this on the Economic Regeneration Working Group. The costs would be around launch costs, setting up the publicity etc.

Councillor T Belben to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development

 

Sadly the number of cases of Covid19 have risen in Crawley. Are you happy that Crawley Borough Council has done everything possible to ensure residents practise social distancing particularly in Queens Square?  Also is there anything all members could do to assist in promoting social distancing please?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is good that we’re allowing retailers to put cordons out for people to queue. Unfortunately some pedestrians still walk very close.  It’s important that we get the message out there that we fight this disease together.

 

Councillor P Smith – (Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development)

 

I think you raise a very good point.  We have increasing footfall in the Square following national government announcements.  We have quite a few comments on social media and other media regarding people’s behaviour in general and it’s very difficult to find or say in an absolute way what is right or wrong. Particularly when we’ve seen government announcements on a Sunday for activities which are allowed to take place within 24 hours in some cases. 

 

However having said all that, the Economic Development Team led by Clem Smith have hired Consultants around the processes and procedures to be in place to encourage social distancing and most importantly to support our businesses across the whole of the town centre and County Mall.  They installed all the signage you see, improved signs over the top of our monuments using our branding, installed footfall signs, produced guidance for store operators, worked with County Mall manager and others.  It’s tough to police regulations that are fairly loose.  I think it’s been reasonably successful. I think the situation around masks is going to open up a can of worms as very few people appear to be wearing them and there is a perception that it’s business as usual. It’s not like that.  Officers at the council have been enforcing government policy to the best of their ability with the funding available.  I would like to encourage the public to visit our shops but recognise proper social distancing. It is in the interests of other people as well as yourself to wear a mask and I would recommend it.

 

 

Councillor Pendlington to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development

 

This question refers to the pedestrian connection between the Queensway/ Queens Square part of the Town Centre and the Memorial Gardens.  Whilst it has been upgraded which is brilliant it is still not providing a safe and clear right of way for pedestrians there. Cars still drive away too fast. I was wondering on your thoughts as to whether anything further could be done?

Councillor P Smith – (Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development)

 

This project we’ve done in the Queensway, particularly in the Memorial Gardens and The Pavement interchange has some fairly risky elements to it. One was to reduce the hedge, blend the two areas together and the second was to make the road part of the scheme a shared space. When vehicles enter from College Road they have to go up a ramp, the texture and colour of the pavement changes and more people are moving across that space.  There are very low volumes of traffic along there and most people have been recognising that it is a shared space and progressing at a cautious speed.  The thing that is not working successfully at the moment is that vehicles have been halting across the road from Sainsburys and British Heart Foundation and been parking on the pavement which is illegal and also damages our infrastructure. We need to encourage the community to respect the considerable investment we’ve made in our town. We will be doing more publicity to recognise the shared area but we wanted to let it all bed down first as we don’t want lots of signage.

 

Councillor Eade to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development

 

There has been a vacant shop on the Furnace Green parade for several months. Is it likely to be let soon by the council or will it continue to be vacant for the rest of the year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Councillor P Smith – (Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development)

 

I’m afraid I don’t know the full answer to the question and I don’t receive frequent updates. However, at the Overview and Scrutiny Commission the officers updated the meeting that there is only 1 vacant unit on our asset register and I was passing Furnace Green and the Graves Jenkins sign says ‘under offer’. I will be happy to find out the current status and let you know.

 

Councillor B J Burgess to the Cabinet Member for Wellbeing

 

As you know the Memorial Gardens lost its Green Flag due to circumstances at the time. It looks like going forward specialisms involved in the management plans, applications and assessments and the plans have been reviewed and assessed as you know and the management template has been altered to reflect the Green Flag criteria. With this and the present crisis in mind, how hopeful are you that the Memorial Gardens will get a Green Flag in the near future?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree totally with what you have said Councillor Mullins. We have the most amazing staff in Crawley. The people that do the parks and gardens are exceptional. They have our town looking really good again. I know during the Covid height they were doing other work and they need our thanks.  Any award we receive is for the staff. 

 

Councillor Mullins – (Cabinet Member for Wellbeing)

 

I’ve always been so delighted when I’ve gone to events with our staff but also a little guilty to some extent as I go as a Portfolio Holder to help them receive these honours when I know very well that it’s those staff that have done all the work.  That is something we must never ever forget when we receive awards. People like us receive these awards on behalf of the council but we’re receiving them on behalf of the staff, working in the wind, rain and sun. I always like to think about questions like this about the staff, who have done an excellent job but also through this Coronavirus crisis have really gone and done whatever management have asked them to do.  Of course I want us to win the Green Flag again, we’ve consistently won it in the past and there’s no reason why we can’t win it again. At the moment, we just don’t know how things are going to turn out, but my ambition is always to take these honours for the staff, for the people that deserve them and have the town put on the map.

 

 

 

 

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