To answer Open Questions asked by Members of the Council under Rule No. 13.7.

The Chairman invited the Minority Group Leaders to ask a question each prior to the consideration of questions that had been placed in the Open Questions receptacle. 

1.            Councillor Murray sought assurance about the adequacy of home care support to elderly residents in Central Bedfordshire.

         The Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing referred to the domiciliary care framework which enabled quarterly performance monitoring of complaints to ensure that residents were well looked after and safe from harm.  If a contractor was not fulfilling their duties then the Council would take action.  The Council was also considering replicating a similar system for residential care homes.

2.            Councillor Aldis asked a question what the Executive Member for Children’s Services was doing to address numbers of residents within Central Bedfordshire classified as illiterate.

         The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that he was not aware of the statistics referred to, but he confirmed that he would look into this issue.

3.      Councillor Shadbolt asked for an update on impact of the Government’s Welfare Reform Strategy.

         The Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing explained that a working group had been set up to monitor the impact on a monthly basis and the Council was working with residents to help them. 

         The Executive Member explained that a Member Development session on housing would be taking place on 14 June 2013.  A document had been produced covering the Welfare Reform changes and this would be circulated to all Members.

4.      Councillor Miss Sparrow asked a question about converting land outside Priory House into a wildflower meadow.

         The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services agreed to pass the suggestion on to the ground maintenance team.

5.      Councillor D Lawrence welcomed the news that Biggleswade Hospital would remain open.  In response to his request that Biggleswade ward Members be kept informed of developments he was invited to attend the next meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 29 July where the matter would be discussed.

6.      Councillor Miss Sparrow asked a question about the cutting of grass verges and requested that this should be no more than 12 to 24 inches into the verges to allow wildlife to prosper.

         The Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services explained that a rural verge grass cutting trial was taking place this year to reduce costs and to increase bio-diversity.  He explained the cutting process and agreed to pass Councillor Miss Sparrow’s comments to the contractor.

7.      Councillor Aldis asked a question about the standard of the grass cutting, and enquired about the steps being taken to ensure that public open spaces were appropriately maintained.

         The Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services undertook to look into the perceived problems and respond to Councillor Aldis.

8.      Councillor Aldis asked a question about recent articles in the local press that had not shown the Council in a good light. 

         The Leader explained that the description of the cases concerned in the media did not necessarily reflect the full position.

9.      Councillor Williams asked a question about the Council’s policy on parking on grass verges and the wooden posts installed in Court Drive, Dunstable.  He commented that there were areas in Houghton Regis that needed similar action.

         The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services explained that a draft policy on parking on grass verges would shortly be submitted to the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  He indicated that he would look into the problems referred to in Houghton Regis.

10.    Councillor Murray asked the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources to ensure that officers make every effort to provide a substantive response to a member enquiry within two workings days.

         The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources indicated that he would take the appropriate action.