To answer Open Questions asked by Members of the Council under Rule No. 12.7.

The Chairman presided over Open Questions asked of Executive Members and Deputy Executive Members under Procedure rule 12.7.

1.         Councillor Murray asked about employment issues at LuDun and whether any help was being provided to disabled employees to find employment.

The Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing advised  that a LuDun employee had secured employment through the redeployment pool.

2.         Councillor Mrs Chapman asked for an update on the position regarding Flitwick Town Centre Development.

The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities - Strategic Planning and Economic Development indicated that he would provide a written reply.

3.         Councillor Aldis asked when the vehicle that would enable local residents in a particular area to use re-usable bags for garden waste would be introduced.

The Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities advised that the vehicle was due to be in use the week commencing 14 November 2011.

4.         Councillor Smith asked a question about claims of staff bullying and harassment as referred to in recent press publications.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources advised that he was satisfied that policies and procedures to prevent  bullying were in place.

5.         Councillor Murray asked whether it was fair to move employees’ bases of work during the extensive restructuring process.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources advised that a scheme for compensation payments was in place where staff were required to travel longer distances due to a change in their main place of work.

6.         Councillor Bowater asked the Council to joint him in commending  the Finance team who had worked hard to be the first Council in the East of England this year  to  complete and submit the end of year accounts.

7.         Councillor Smith asked a question in relation to the provision of mobile phones for Council employees and Councillors.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources advised that a review of the provision of mobile phones to staff had been undertaken and that the Executive would soon be considering a report  reviewing Councillors’ ICT allowances.

8.         Councillor Aldis asked why the Mayor of Sandy had not received a response to a petition presented to Council in February 2010 and when a reply might  be provided.

The Leader of the Council assured Councillor Aldis that he would follow up Councillor Aldis’s query.

9.         Councillor Zerny asked how  council tax payers could be certain that there had been no irregularity in the process of an order given to Deloitte and Mitie to a value of £25,000, as  the Executive Member for External Affairs had a registered  interest in connection with that company.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources advised that all appropriate procedures had taken place and undertook to look into this matter.

10.       Councillor Murray commented on the increasing proportion of Academies locally and asked what the Executive Member for Children’s Services was doing to prevent deterioration in schools’ performance.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that schools in Central Bedfordshire were already of a good standard and were continually improving.  Reference was made to the fact that some schools in Central Bedfordshire had been praised by Ofsted.