In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 9.2 to allow Members to ask questions about Council activities. The replies to any such questions will be given by the Chair of the Council or relevant Committee or the appropriate Cabinet Member. Questions must be received in writing or by email to the Monitoring Officer by 12 noon seven clear working days before the meeting.
(a) Question submitted by Cllr Ross Shipman to Cllr Martin Thacker MBE, Leader of the Council
Does Councillor Thacker believe that ward members should be briefed of issues relating to their area before the media receive copies of any press releases about said issues?
(b) Question submitted by Cllr Suzy Cornwell to Cllr Barry Lewis, Portfolio Holder for Partnerships & Leisure
Please could you inform the Council what the plans are for this administration to help people and communities in the District with their health and wellbeing?
Minutes:
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 9.2 Members were permitted to ask the Chair of the Council or relevant Committee or the appropriate Cabinet Member questions about Council activities.
Two questions had been submitted by Members under Procedure Rule 9.2 for this meeting.
(a) Question submitted by Councillor Ross Shipman to Councillor Martin Thacker MBE, Leader of the Council
Does Councillor Thacker believe that ward members should be briefed of issues relating to their area before the media receive copies of any press releases about said issues?
Councillor R Shipman was invited to ask his question of Councillor M E Thacker MBE, the Leader of the Council, as set out in the agenda for the meeting.
The Leader of the Council explained that when possible elected Members were informed of issues which affect their wards and especially when issues arise that might be of interest to the press. He made clear, however, that it may not always possible to do this because of the time constraints or because the issues involved are confidential.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
In exercising his right to ask a supplementary question of the Leader of the Council, Councillor R Shipman queried a specific issue where, he contended, the press had been informed at a significant time before he and other local Members were briefed. These specific points were answered by the Leader of the Council. He emphasised that the Council’s ability to keep Members informed can be made more difficult when they in turn talk to the press independently, without then subsequently informing the Council’s Communications Team.
(b) Question submitted by Councillor Suzy Cornwell to Councillor Barry Lewis, Portfolio Holder for Partnerships & Leisure
Councillor S Cornwell was invited to ask her question of Councillor B Lewis as set out in the agenda for the meeting.
Please could you inform the Council what the plans are for this administration to help people and communities in the District with their health and wellbeing?
Councillor B Lewis, Portfolio Holder for Partnerships & Leisure, explained the many different ways in which the Council makes a tangible contribution to the health and wellbeing of the District’s residents. These included promoting opportunities for exercise through its leisure facilities, protecting the most vulnerable and helping to meet the challenges of climate change in the District, which will benefit all of its residents.
Specifically, he highlighted the commitments on health and wellbeing in the new Council Plan. These commitments included work with communities to tackle issues, such as childhood obesity and lack of exercise, support for care leavers as well as children in care, tackling childhood poverty and developing an Older People’s Strategy.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
In exercising her right to ask a supplementary question of Councillor B Lewis, Councillor S Cornwell asked about the future of Clay Cross Hospital and the proposed closure of the Doctors Surgery at Pilsley. She argued that these and similar closures have had an impact on some of the poorest and most vulnerable people, with a consequent serious impact on their health and wellbeing. Councillor S Cornwell suggested that the service reductions had been driven by the financial austerity policies followed by national Government.
These points were addressed by Councillor B Lewis. He highlighted the increase in health service budgets that had been announced at a national level, the extra funding made available for health and wellbeing allocated by the current administration of Derbyshire County Council as part of its budget for 2019-20 and North East Derbyshire District Council’s own commitment to health and wellbeing. He agreed to provide a full written answer in relation to the detailed issues which had been raised.