Cabinet will receive any questions from Elected Members.
In accordance with Executive Procedure Rule 2.3 (2.3.1.6) a period of up to 30 minutes will be allocated.
Minutes:
Cabinet received the following questions in accordance with Executive Procedure Rule 2.3;
Question from Councillor Cooper
“Pursuant to the Cabinet Member’s response to the public question, in regards to the comment that gritting won’t be provided if the road is declassified, a large proportion of it is a bus route and so gritting would be retained. In regards to the bridge impacts, we’ve seen pictures of the vehicle that did the damage, and the impact is by large vehicles. In regards to navigation, on a daily basis HGVs are getting jammed up, damaging walls and vehicles and stopping the flow of traffic. We achieved a weight restriction on that stretch of road but it isn’t enforced and so it would be easier to have the road declassified to stop vehicles using the route in the first place. I’d like more detail on the answer that the Cabinet Member has provided. In regards to lineage, I’m pleased that Bankfoot Lane is being done, but more generally we’ve got lineage in the town centre and permit parking zones which isn’t being done and that’s reducing a revenue stream for the council and also means that people who have paid for parking permits are not receiving the service they pay for because lineage in parking permit areas can’t be enforced. So, can we look again at Armitage Bridge and the claims that declassification won’t make a difference?”
A response was provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways (Councillor Ahmed).
Question from Councillor J D Lawson
“I welcome the new Government initiative to get tough on fly tipping but I hope there will be money to address the causes of fly tipping. Kirklees needs to look at how we stop fly tipping with a two-pronged approach, opening the tip 7 days a week, maybe a token bulky goods fee charge to encourage residents to use Kirklees services and not unregistered operatives. We could also look at initiatives use in other authorities whereby wagons and trucks go to hotspots to collect waste and household goods and residents bring the items to the wagons.
I wish to raise the state of Yews Hill play area. The latest fly tip was reported in the middle of March, the pile has now grown and still we are told that it doesn’t warrant covert monitoring. I also have concerns regarding the lack of collection of bags of fly tipping collected by volunteers. There are bags still waiting collection from a litter pick that took place in my ward in February. The Calder Conservation Group in Dewsbury have been waiting six weeks for their litter pick to be collected.
Councillor Arshad asked me to raise the work of litter pickers on Sands Lane, Dewsbury, who are still waiting after nine weeks for the litter to be collected, and have had to go and re-bag the waste as it was being ripped by vermin. The sight of the bags has also attracted further fly tipping at the site.
We should be championing volunteers. If we have people cleaning out street for us surely we should take the waste away in a timely fashion?
Could you tell me how much Kirklees Council is paying to remove fly tipping, what is the whole time equivalent for the fly tip team, and does this differ from this time last year?”
A response was provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways (Councillor Ahmed).
Question from Councillor Bramwell
“My question relates to fly tipping and maintenance cutbacks. On Moor end Lane there is a huge access point to an open space to the back of Moorside estate. The maintenance of this land was cut back. According to my HMOs this area hasn’t been maintained or cut back for over six years, who have made requests. It has now become a hotspot for fly tipping and we are seeing referrals coming almost daily from residents, which have been passed to the HMOs. Officers are at a stalemate as the fly tipping won’t be removed until the land has been maintained and the land won’t be maintained until the fly tipping has been removed.
I would like advice. Its having a massive impact on the residents on Moorside Road. Their gardens are close to vermin and rat faces. Where do we turn as Councillors with this issue if this is the feedback that we are getting from Officers?”
A response was provided by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Transport (Councillor Crook).
Question from Councillor Safdar
“Residents have asked me a couple of questions regarding tips. On a number of occasions the Vine Street/Emerald Street tip has been closed 12/15 minutes early with queuing traffic, so can we ask the Cabinet Member to find out why residents are left stranded in their cars? How much money has the Council saved by ceasing the operation of rubble skips at the household waste and recycling centres? In our ward we are seeing building waste, diy waste, rubble etc being dumped. We need to think about extending the hours of the sites. Environmental enforcement have told us that further signage and cameras can’t be provided but let’s try to find another way to put a camera up on the Lees Hall estate area.”
A response was provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways (Councillor Ahmed).