Agenda item

Councillor Duncan, the Leader of the Council, presented the following statement:

 

“This is our last Full Council meeting of 2019 - and what a year it has been. We have had an election, seen familiar faces go and new ones take their places. We also started to make progress on some of the key issues in need of attention.

 

Tonight’s meeting covers some of those issues, and there will be plenty of chance for debate and discussion on them. Therefore, I would like to use this pre-Christmas statement instead to give a festive message.

 

I would like to say thank you to those who will be working over Christmas, the staff of this council and those working for other authorities, charity organisations and the emergency services. We won’t notice their work, but are safe in the knowledge they are there if we need them. Let us also remember those less fortunate than ourselves, in Ryedale and elsewhere, on Christmas Day.

 

And finally - thank you to all of you, the members of the council, who in the past few months have stepped up to deal with the extra workload demanded from us. I hope new members have enjoyed their first months on the council, and those who have been around a little longer are still (just about) enjoying the role.

 

Merry Christmas - and let’s hope we have a prosperous 2020.

 

The following questions were received on the Leader’s Statement:

 

1.    From Councillor Burr

 

“Following the May election and regarding your notice of motion tonight re wording, coalition can you confirm is there now an official coalition in this Council between the Conservative party and the Ryedale First Independents, as it is in the agenda tonight re the Notice of Motion? And my second question is while you are thanking the people in your statement, could we also give a thought to the desperate people who are actually using our food banks in Norton, Malton and Pickering and thank the volunteers who work there. Whilst no one should be subject to using food banks, could I ask for your commitment as our Leader to write to whoever is elected as our Prime Minister that we are very concerned the numbers of people using our food banks is growing and this needs urgent attention for that to reduce?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“Thank you for your questions, none of which relate to the statement that is before us however I am happy to answer the questions that you have put forward. The first one regarding food banks I would very much like to say well done and thank you to all of the volunteers that work at the food banks within Ryedale and in particular to my colleague Cllr Mackenzie who, as people may know, is a key volunteer at the food banks in Ryedale and does a lot of good work so particularly well done to him and also the team that he works with. He spent a lot of time initially at the set up of the food banks in Ryedale making them work so well done to him and the people that he works with. Turning to your first question around a coalition I need to be very clear that this group, the Conservative group does not have a majority on this Council, we can only achieve things if we work with other groups. We are happy to work with our colleagues in Ryedale First, we are happy to work with colleagues from any group on this Council. You ask about a formal coalition and I would just like to point out that the Conservatives were the only political party in Ryedale to fight every single seat in Ryedale, all 30 seats. We went head to head with our colleagues in Ryedale First through bitter electoral fights, most of them were successful, some of us were successful and quite a lot of us weren't successful  in our fights but we fought and contested every single seat. There is however something I think we do need to point out and that is that some people do believe that there are other coalitions or certainly political games are being played across Ryedale when it comes to elections. The Lib Dems in the district present themselves as a new force that is taking over the district, they've got a new leader, they're going to block Brexit and in the local elections they're presenting that they would like to win. However, there are a number of seats and places in the district where the Lib Dems have historically been extremely strong and have won seats in the past and where they have not contested elections in recent times and one of those, Cllr Burr, is your ward of Malton where there was no Lib Dem candidate, no Lib Dem fight to yourself, obviously you were previously a Lib Dem, so we have fought for the seats we've got against our Ryedale First partners, we're happy to work with the ones that have been successful but I think the question does need to be turned round and asked how are other groups working with each other in this district?”

 

Councillor Burr then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“You didn't answer the part about writing to say that we need to reduce people using food banks, so I take that. I do need to just remind you that at the previous meeting of the Leaders group you were the one that said you didn't want to get political tonight and the first opportunity you've launched into the Lib Dems but if it's not an official coalition that's fine but it's just a little bit confusing because you have actually put it in your Notice of Motion.”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“Cllr Burr had a comment and I would have the chance to respond to her comment in the supplementary question. I don't quite know where she's referring to the word coalition that's been mentioned in there.”

 

2.    From Councillor Keal:

 

“Cllr Burr has addressed one of the points I was going to raise, we did say at the Leaders meeting that we wouldn't be scoring political points this evening because we are in a period of purdah. My actual question to Cllr Duncan is with reference to his Leader's statement where he says let us also remember those less fortunate than ourselves in Ryedale and elsewhere on Christmas Day. Would he not agree with me that we actually need to be remembering them for the rest of the 364 days a year?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“The statement that has been put forward has been put forward in the spirit that Christmas is approaching and we have our staff that are working hard on our behalf over Christmas and that we do have people who are less fortunate than us sat in this room. That's what's been mentioned Cllr Keal and again, people talk about political points scoring and it seems OK when some members of this Council do that and not when others do so.”

 

Councillor Keal then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“Sorry I didn't mention politics in my question. It was a simple question. We have to remember that there are people less fortunate than us all year round so it's just really the wording of what you're actually saying.”

 

Councillor Arnold, Deputy Leader of the Council, then gave the following response

 

“I've already been questioned about this this afternoon from Cllr Burr and Cllr Keal and I completely denied there was a coalition. They can ask my group members is there a coalition and there isn't a coalition. I don't see where it says in here there's a coalition between the Ryedale Firsts and the Conservative party - it doesn't say that in here - it's how you read it. So it's completely wrong, I completely deny it. We might agree on things and that's the same as John Clark might agree with other people but not very often.”

 

3.    From Councillor Riby:

 

“My question is an answer to whether as a newcomer to the Council I've enjoyed my period - is that valid question?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“The question is have you enjoyed your time on the Council so far? Have you? I'm please Cllr Riby that you're enjoyed your time on the Council so far, I'm happy to take a supplementary question on your feelings and thoughts.”

 

Councillor Riby then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“I would like to thank our Council Leader for his final statement of 2019 and I remember his first one quite clearly as a new boy - and I say boy - I am the senior by a long way of the new incoming group. I admire his confidence and his forwardness. The word I wanted to use about myself as a Councillor was naivety, I forgot what the word I wanted to use, I nearly changed it for gullible.   I came into the Council via standing with Ryedale First group, being encouraged to stand as an Independent, not as a political in my view but as a representative of Kirkby, Welburn and Wombleton, not as a politician but as an independent representative. I listened with incredulity comments about the duplicity of Conservative councillors and was quite intrigued by all these comments by the guys that wear the pink ties however I refused to be part of them when I realised that there was a letter that I needed to sign so I became part of the whatever you call the coalition. So that was my first point of being naive, I didn't understand what was going on.  The second was - I've already touched on it - was your opening statement of inclusivity. I now doubt some of the things you say and the constitutional amendments that you're making - planning to make - I'm really apprehensive about this. However I would like to say I still admire your leadership and I would like to return your regards for Christmas and I hope you have a good Christmas.”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

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4.    From Councillor Clark

 

“In the pre-meeting our Leader asked us not to make it political tonight and I'm glad to see he's leading his own group by example and not making it political at all. So on that basis I'd like to point out that we fought against the Conservatives on 5 occasions only, 5 head to heads and won all 5 but I'll try and keep it non-political. If there are food banks in Ryedale, why are there food banks in Ryedale and what have you done as Leader of this Council to remove the need for food banks in Ryedale, not just at Christmas but all the year round?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“Cllr Clark again the same that's been put forward, wishing people a very happy 2020 and a merry Christmas is being twisted and turned into something which is not meant to be and it's a shame that has happened. I've mentioned that we have within our group someone that has more knowledge than I think anybody on this Council and their use and the reason why they are there and I don't wish to make comments on something which I've not had first-hand experience of and have not been involved with. Other than to say that this Council I think, I'm very proud of this Council that anyone who needs support who comes to us is guided towards where they need to get that support in order to survive, to eat, to live. Our Housing service is particularly impressive, our homelessness count is amongst the lowest in the country. We are a caring council and when people come to us we do our very best to support them.”

 

Councillor Clark then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“I don't like being accused of twisting things. I asked you which you have totally ignored, why is there a need for food banks in Ryedale and what have you done to remove their need? That is not asking how a food bank works, or how much time you should spend in one and anyone who does deserves the highest respect but I suspect there isn't anybody working in a food bank that thinks it's a good idea having food banks rather than having it not done in the first place. So if we're into a question of those who have been discriminated against would you say this council's to be held up high? Why are we discriminating against families in this Council that have more than 2 children? That's the supplementary, don't bother with the food banks we'll take your first not answering it as your answer. Why are you discriminating in the Policy and Resources Committee against families with more than 2 children?”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“Cllr Clark will have the opportunity to ask his question when we come to the Council Tax Support Scheme for the ensuing year and I will answer his question at that point.”

 

5.    From Councillor Wass:

 

“The Leader in his statement says we also started to make progress on some of the key issues in need of attention. Could the Leader define what the key issues are and actually what progress has been made?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“He's asking there about some of the key issues we've been working on. Cllr Wass you're a member of the Policy and Resources Committee we have set up in recent times three key working parties, some of which you are a member of, the Milton Rooms working party, the Local Plan working party, Car Parking working party. We have a massive piece of work ongoing at the moment in terms of our enforcement and trying to improve on that and there is lots of work that members are doing, so much more work than we have probably ever done as members of this Council. Taking much more of an interest in the development of policies along the way and I'm very pleased with the work ethic that members have got and the progress that we are making. Of course things could always move faster than they are doing and maybe if we could get past our Leaders Statement and the questions on the progress that we're making on the key issues, we may then get to the key issues and actually make that progress.

 

Councillor Wass then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“How many people in Ryedale are in fact in a better position air quality wise and how many people feel reassured by the non-decreasing greenhouse gases especially as the clock is ticking? And how much is the ratio between wages and house prices going down under a Tory government?”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“I do feel Mr Chairman that I've given quite a lot of goodwill in terms of questions a statement that do not mention any of the issues that have been raised in the questions. There's 3 others there that I could take all night to answer and I feel like I've exhausted my goodwill on the Leaders Statement.

 

6.    From Councillor P Andrews

 

“I've got 2 questions, one of which I've given Cllr Duncan notice of and one I haven't. Coming back to the Notice of Motion that we discussed earlier and that he gave answers on - at the bottom of the first page there is a reference to the controlling coalition. I haven't really heard what that coalition is, could he please define it?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“Your question with regards to the Notice of Motion should come when the Notice of Motion is being discussed and debated and I'll be happy to answer that question at that point.”

 

Councillor P Andrews then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“Can I also suggest to you that if the answer to that question when you come to the  Notice of Motion is that there is no controlling coalition then that motion should be withdrawn.”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I will pick up any questions on the  Notice of Motion when we come to discuss the  Notice of Motion.”

 

7.    From Councillor P Andrews:

 

 

“In your Leaders Statement you refer to key issues which require attention and I'm sure one of those issues relates to housing and I'm sure, as you yourself said to the working party on local plans which has been set up, so I would say that this question does relate to your leaders statement. I have received information which suggests that Council officers or senior members may be secretly exploring the potential of the sites listed below for the purpose of building new houses in Malton. Please could you confirm yes or no that there are no plans or intentions by officers, senior management or members to secure or permit the building of houses on the following sites. The livestock market site in Malton, the one where the estate was going to build a medium sized supermarket, the second is anywhere on the land in the area earmarked for a cattle market and industrial centre on Eden Road, the third is the land at the top end of Highfield Road, Malton ie the Old Malton end of Highfield Road and fourthly Ryedale House and the adjoining properties owned by NYCC, the Police or Social Services? Can you please answer those questions, I do believe they relate to your statement.”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“I disagree that they relate to my statement. Those questions should have been submitted as a question on Notice as other members have done so. If you'd like to submit it for the next Full Council I will answer your question in full and comprehensively.”

 

8.    From Councillor Oxley:

 

“Would the Leader agree with me that the proposal on notice that's been referenced already is just that. It's for a future motion and that anything that is in that will only apply if this becomes part of the constitution? The coalition that is referred to is that if there is a coalition should this become part of the constitution, it is nothing to do with any existing coalitions so I fail to understand why anybody has a problem with that, it only becomes an issue if this gets debated and if it becomes part of the constitution. So to suggest that there's any coalitions now that are anything to do with this, I think is erroneous. Would you agree with that?”

 

The Leader replied:

           

“I'll just say yes. Thank you Cllr Oxley for your question.”