To follow.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution a brief written report by each committee Chair and the Leader covering their area of responsibility will be circulated with the agenda for each Council meeting.

 

Any member may ask a Chair or the Leader a written or oral questions on:

(a)   any matter included in a Chair’s or the Leader’s written report; or

 

(b)   any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the Council’s area and which falls within the area of responsibility of the Chair’s committee.

 

(c)   Questions to the Leader’s report, should do not be a question that can be answered by a Committee Chair.

 

(d)  No question should be put to the Chair or the Leader if it relates exclusively to a ward, operational or resident matter that could have otherwise been resolved by reasonable use of the casework system.

The period allowed for the Leader’s and Chairs’ reports, written and oral questions and answers will not exceed 60 minutes without the leave of the Mayor and such leave will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

 

One written question was received from Cllr Poppy:

 

1.    To the Chair of FAIR:

Before last Mays election, The Leader of the Liberal Democrats group promised a forensic examination of the Councils finances if they become the administration. Can I ask if this has been carried out and if so, which company carried out this examination and when will the council see the results published?

 

Response:

 

I can reassure Cllr Poppy that one of the first acts of this administration was to request of officers details of any financial issues, problems or liabilities facing the Council. We had particular concerns regarding the size of the authority’s debt and its treasury management arrangements. We also had questions about the Council’s relationship with third parties, not just Seven Arches Investments (SAIL) but also any other partnerships. As Chair of FAIR, I also had concerns about the late external audit of the 2021/22 accounts.

 

At the first meeting of FAIR, I required reports in relation to the late 2021/22 audit, as well as potential errors in relation to historic treasury management accounting – specifically, Minimum Revenue Provision. These reports are a matter of public record. The late audit of accounts set out the findings of research conducted by the Council’s Section 151 Officer. The historic Minimum Revenue Provision issue was explained in the report and been subject to detailed investigation by the Council’s advisers as well as the external auditor, EY. Both issues will be addressed when the final audit report is presented in respect of the 2021/22 accounts.

 

A detailed report into the Council’s Treasury Management arrangements was conducted by Link, the leading adviser on treasury management across local government. The report will be presented to FAIR on 20 December. It has already been approved by Audit & Scrutiny Committee.

 

It is very difficult to reduce the size of the debt that this Administration has inherited, without selling Council assets – not something that this administration would like to do, on the scale required to make a difference. However, we have required a rigorous review, by the officers responsible for delivering the projects that go to make up the capital programme – with the aim of reducing the considerable amount of historic slippage. This slippage is jargon for delays in delivering projects that have been promised. Our intention is to re-set the programme, so that borrowing does not take place before it is needed, and not at all, if projects do not progress. It is an unfortunate legacy that the major past delays in delivering projects not only defer the benefits that can be derived from their implementation – it has also resulted in significant cost increases.

 

The relationship with development partners has also been an issue. Whilst SAIL is delivering good results for the Council, there remains an overall concern regarding the inherent risk of the business model: to fund the cost of borrowing from commercial returns. This issue is discussed in the above review of Treasury Management. We are also expecting expert legal advice in respect of a further development partnership. Finally, before the end of the financial year, BDO will be conducting an internal audit of development partnerships. This audit has been added to the audit plan since the Joint Administration took control.

 

Cllr Poppy had a supplementary question:

 

Thank you for a very comprehensive answer except for the fact that obviously Link are not a forensic accountant so a forensic examination of the books has not been done.  Secondly, did you actually commission this review from Link which is really on process of the finances of the Council which I believe with conversations with the 151 Officer were going on before you took over the Administration.

 

Cllr Kendall responded:

 

The term is open to interpretation as far as I'm concerned - there has been a full review of the finances.  When we took over we spoke to Mr Willis about this external audit by Link.  We discussed it in terms of whether it should go ahead, whether it should happen and I was very much in favour of that taking place.  I think it is a very useful report and it has already gone to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee and it will come to FAIR next week.  I'm sure we'll have a full and open discussion on that.  I think one of the situations is when you take over any situation, it's a bit like when the last Government took over and they said the coffers were empty, you find out a number of things and it's been a revealing process which is still ongoing.

 

 

 

Two written questions were received from Cllr White:

 

2.    To the Chair of FAIR

At the September Ordinary Council we were told that the combined average weekly income from Coptfold Road was £4,054.01 with an estimated loss to date of £10,000-14,000 due to system failures.  As of December how much income has now been lost due to failure to repair the system?

 

Response:

The combined weekly average of £4,054.01 included income for season tickets. Instead of issuing refunds the Council has extended season ticket holder permits by the time period that the MSCP payment season was not operational. The Council is expecting an estimated cash loss of £13,578. A new interim system is now in place at the MSCP and has been operational since 20^th November 2023, a new payment system including ANPR technology will be installed in the first quarter of 2024.   

 

Cllr White had a supplementary question:

 

I understand that part of the system temporarily places the use of QR codes.  I'm sure Members will be aware of reports in the media about how the use of QR codes and parking is becoming quite a prevalent crime where fraudsters are replacing QR codes to get money from victims.  In the event that because we've had to resort to this sort of a system in our Car Parks, what is the Council doing to make sure that none of this is activity is taking place in Coptfold Road, and if any of our residents do fall victim to such a scam will the Council hold them innocent?

 

Cllr Kendall responded:

 

I'm glad that Cllr White has come back on this point because on Good Morning Britain this issue came up about QR codes and I've spoken at length about this to Miss Barnes.  My understanding is that operatives are checking them on a daily basis to make sure they haven't been tampered with because there is some concern out there, so I can assure you that we do take it seriously, we're looking at it very closely.  Ideally would we have this system – no -  but it's the only system that's there so that's what we have in place at the moment.  What I have done is some further research on this point - under the previous administration the Council had seven meetings with the supplier of the ticket and barrier machines – the first one was 23rd September to the 28th February 2023 and that was looking to upgrade the system, discuss the system and express our concerns.  That was under the previous Administration so it showed there were problems already in place.  Since this Administration has taken over there's been a further seven meetings with the supplier to try and resolve issues.  What is concerning is that when the contract was first signed by the previous Administration, the Council did not have a service contract with the existing supplier which is a bizarre situation to be in so whoever was overseeing parking on your side of things, it's something that should have been looked at.  The supplier informed the Council that the existing system was in fact the oldest system of its type in the Country.  It was introduced in 2007 and was purchased by the Council back in 2014.  This system hasn't actually been produced or installed anywhere else in the last eight years.  We're hoping to have the new AMPR camera system installed at the Car Park in the first quarter and what I'm very pleased about this time is the terms and conditions of the contract with the supplier have gone through the whole legal process and that's something which was lacking in the past and it's been checked by the legal department and I hope that lessons can be learned from what has happened.  We are where we are at the moment and I want to make sure we get this new AMPR camera installed as soon as possible and we can resume normal service. 

 

3.    To the Chair of Clean and Green

At the September Ordinary Council in response to my question about what the council’s records monitoring the emptying of overflowing litter bins show - we were given the set schedule for the emptying of bids and told they have been emptied on schedule, as per plan, for the past 3 months; the Chair agreed in response to my supplementary to the release of the records – what do they say and where will they be published?  

 

Response:

 

I am happy to circulate this to you and any other Councillor on request as the document is 200 pages in total.  Please contact Democratic Services should anyone else require this information. 

 

Cllr White had a supplementary question:

 

Considering that I asked this question originally as a Written Question before the last Council meeting and in the 10 days or so that Officers were given, they were able to answer the question about the three months of emptying of bins, why has it taken three months to respond to my requests to be given a copy of those records?  Why were they not provided to me straight away after the last meeting as the Chair of Clean and Green said he was happy to do so.  I feel like I've had to use a Written Question to chase up an action and a promise that the Chair gave me at the last meeting.  If we have to keep coming back and using up our Written Questions every time something isn't working or we're just being ignored, I hope it's the former, that's still concerning.

 

Cllr Aspinell responded:

 

Obviously something isn't working - it's possibly the fact that as I responded to the Written Question an awful lot of weight of paper is going to be required.  On that subject at Clean and Green, I did ask that Clean and Green Committee be considered a paperless committee from now on and all agendas be on request only.  I hope that the rest of this Council and all the Committees can go that way to help reduce our carbon footprint and help in the battle against climate change.  So yes, a longer answer to your question but there is a large amount of paperwork that would be needed to provide you with that information.

 

One written question was received from Cllr Mayo:

 

4.    To the Chair of Housing, Health and Communities:

As raised in the September Housing, Health and Community committee meeting, there have been lift malfunctions this year across the Council's social housing stock, for example at Drake House and Victoria Court. What is being done to prevent further malfunction now and what options are being considered to ensure reliable lift access for all of Brentwood's tenants, where applicable, over the longer term?

 

Response:

 

The passenger lifts across the borough are reaching the end of their working life and unfortunately until they are replaced, there is likely to be some level of disruption. The Housing team are working with a lift consultant to prepare a design specification to modernise the passenger lifts and aim to commence consultations with residents and a programme of replacement in the next financial year. The project to complete all lift replacements is anticipated to be over a 3-year period, subject to available capital funding.

 

The inspection regime for all passenger lifts has been increased from bi-monthly to monthly to look to minimise any further disruption to residents whilst the replacement programme takes place. This has taken affect from 1 December 2023 and will be in place until lifts have been modernised.

 

Two written questions was received from Cllr Rigby:

 

5.    To the Chair of FAIR Committee:

What funding was allocated to litter collection schedules, street cleaning schedules and maintenance of the public realm plans for the following financial years:

2023/24

2022/23

2014/15?"

 

Response:

 

You can see the figures before you - I'm going to highlight the street cleansing net expenditure for 2023/24 -  it has net expenditure at £356,470 for 2022/2023 net expenditure £530,050 and back in 2014/2015 which is under the Accord Administration, street cleansing was £577,170 so you can see the differences quite clearly there.

 

Department	14/15 Expenditure	14/15 Income	14/15 Net expenditure
Litter collection	1,820,020	(2,427,120)	(607,100)
Street Cleansing	640,670	(63,500)	577,170
Public Conveniences	46,060	(250)	45,810
Total	2,506,750	(2,490,870)	15,880

 

6.    To the Chair of Housing, Health and Community:

Could you advise if the seven-day rule applies to our Axis contract? In many maintenance contracts, after seven days of reporting equipment failure, the landlord can seek an alternative contractor or supplier to remedy the failure if the contractor has not complied with the contract and repaired the faulty equipment within that timeframe.

 

Response

No this does not apply, the contract with Axis is a term partnering contract 2005 (amended 2013) ACA standard form of contract. There are escalation processes in place as part of the contract and we can seek full recovery of costs should we need to seek an alternative; however the ethos of the contract is to work together in partnership to remedy any such repairs and this step would only be taken in extreme measures and as a last resort.  

 

One written question was received from Cllr N Cuthbert:

 

7.    To the Chair of FAIR Committee:

What funding and staffing levels were budgeted for in 2023/24 for litter collection schedules, street cleaning schedules and maintenance of the public realm?

 

Response:

 

Department	Staffing Budget
Litter collection	1,980,285
Street Cleansing	309,230
Public Conveniences	33,930
Total	2,323,445

 

 

Department	Expenditure	Income	Net expenditure
Litter collection	2,426,520	(2,693,910)	(267,390)
Street Cleansing	413,470	(57,000)	356,470
Public Conveniences	45,830	0	45,830
Total	2,885,820	(2,750,910)	134,910

 

Two questions were received from Cllr Munden:

 

8.    To the Chair of Housing, Health and Community:

There has been a sustained period when door entry systems to many of our flats have not worked. In some flat blocks, Axis have just installed a new door entry system compliant in every aspect. Unfortunately, no doorbell rings in the flats, which means that guests and deliverers are left standing at the entrance waiting for somebody to let them in. There have been many complaints of failed deliveries. When is this to be addressed?

 

Response:

 

Like with some of our passenger lifts, many of the door entry systems across the borough are reaching the end of their working life and unfortunately until they are replaced, there is likely to be some level of disruption. Door Entry systems forms part of the Council’s proposed 3 year Capital Planned Maintenance programme and many will be replaced across the borough during this time. We are aware of the issues in Elizabeth House which I believe is the block you are referring to. No new door entry system has been installed here, but many attempts to repair the existing system have taken place. Unfortunately, this particular system is one that is now beyond its working life and cannot be satisfactorily repaired which is causing the current issues with the intercoms not connecting to the individual flats. The system is scheduled to be upgraded within the next 12-18 months and we are about to embark on a consultation exercise with the residents of Elizabeth House, to let them have their say on what interim arrangements they would like to see in place with regards to the door entry whilst we work through the process of completing the upgrade.  

 

9.    To the Chair of FAIR Committee:

What is restricting the Borough Council from upgrading the ticket machines in our car parks?

 

Response:

 

Attempts were made to bring the current system back online with the current provider however the system was not capable of doing this and the aged system requires replacing.  Work is still progressing with the procurement of a new system. The final contract documents have been received and have been reviewed by legal. The new system will utilise ANPR technology and increase the safety of the car park by creating a more secure car park. The ANPR technology will open the barrier and the gates of the car park on exit when payment is made on exit. Season ticket holders and Beckett House residents number plates will be entered into the system so they can enter and exit the car park.  This system will be installed and operational within the first quarter of 2024.

 

Cllr Munden asked a supplementary question:

 

When can it be expected for ticket machines to be upgraded across other car Parks in the Borough? 

 

Cllr Kendall replied:

 

I think there's members across the Chamber know this has been an ongoing issue for some time and a source of great frustration particularly to myself.  If I had the choice I would replace all the ticket machines tomorrow with ones that are fit for purpose because I think what we've got at the moment doesn't really meet the standard that our residents quite rightly deserve.  The problem we have at the moment is this Council entered into a contract some time ago and obviously it's got quite tight contractual agreements within it.  There were some changes to that contract when the Western Road Car Park system was utilised and we are in a position at the moment where the previous Administration took legal advice on the contract and we have again taken legal advice that is still ongoing at the moment.  We are reviewing what our options are.  What I hope to do at some stage if it's possible, is bring a report to Members if there's any change on that legal advice from what we've had previously in terms of what the options might be to this Council.  But where we are at the moment is we have these ticket machines but if I'm involved in the situation going forward, rest assured my aim will be to replace those ticket machines as soon as possible with ones that bring us up to the modern day standard.

 

 

One question has been received from Cllr Gorton:

 

10.To the Leader of the Council:

What engagement and involvement is offered by the County Council in regard to Highways maintenance and enhancement as a Borough Council?

 

Response:

 

As Leader of Brentwood Borough Council, the simplistic answer would be – none, but that would be disingenuous to both the County Council and yourself.

Until recently, and at a County level, I enjoyed regular contact with the previous Cabinet Member for Highways at Essex County Council. I was engaged in detailed and fruitful discussions surrounding Brentwood’s highways matters, including on the enforcement of parking restrictions. I alerted the Cabinet Member for Highways to plans put forward in the Borough that could have a notable effect on the highways network.

In short, there was a dialogue based on mutual respect.

As a Borough, we also enjoyed membership in the Local Highways Panel, comprised of the four County Councillors representing Brentwood, local Ward Councillors and Parish Council representatives. All had voting rights to make decisions on improving our highways, footpath networks, cycleways, bridles and by-ways.

Again, this was a dialogue based on mutual respect. It was apolitical, inclusive and pragmatic.

Sadly, things have now changed.  For starters, our Highways Rangers function, which, for many years, played an integral and vital role in maintaining and enhancing our roads, footways, and street furniture, has been cut due to a diminishing Highways Budget. Brentwood Borough Council is now picking up this service in the face of limited resources.

The County Council then made the astonishing decision to enable the Chairs of all Local Highways Panels to select their membership of these panels. In Brentwood’s case, the current Chair, Cllr Lesley Wagland, has decided to exclude membership of Borough and parish representatives, leaving the weight of decision-making on the shoulders of the County Councillors exclusively.

I could not justifiably claim, and sincerely hope, that the decision taken in Brentwood’s case was not political and that it is simply a coincidence that such a decision was taken after the previous Conservative-led Administration in Brentwood changed after last May’s local elections.

Such a decision flies in the face of other Local Highways Panels in the County, where they have chosen to keep local Ward and Parish representatives.

 

Councillor Barber had a point of information:

 

I don't believe that answer is respectful to Councillor Wagland.  I don't think the answer is factual, it's there's a political element in the phrasing of the words in those paragraphs, I think Councillor Wagland is owed an apology by being singled out in the reply to a Written Question by one of the Administration members.  I really do think that this is not consistent with the Nolan principles of how we should treat each other with respect, and at the very least I would ask that you record that in the minutes on my behalf. 

 

Mr Mayor responded:

 

The Chair of the Committee has a right to answer the question in how they see fit and will be held accountable for it both democratically and practically.  Councillor Wagland was named therefore if she has a point a personal explanation you can give it but it has to be explicitly on personal explanations you could, not on a policy position.

 

Councillor Wagland responded:

 

Even when making an award to an Alderman at a previous Council meeting,  Councillor Kendall felt it necessary to site me an unpleasant fashion.  I'm quite surprised to see the way in which this is being dealt with and I am going to address the question.  This is a matter of fairness and a matter of reasonableness because I am named in this matter and so I should have an opportunity to deal with it, but I would say in all of this and as I have said on a previous occasion, this  approach to matters does not represent the facts.  Firstly and importantly is where I appear is in relation to the Local Highway Panel.  It's important to understand that the Local Highways Panel has always dealt with what I think Councillor Gorton would have described as enhancements - it has not dealt with matters of maintenance and it has been projects originally - small projects subsequently and larger projects as more money became available.  This enabled us to enhance and all of us have had many successes in relation to that during the course of my Chairmanship of that panel.  However as a result of the extreme pressures that have come to bear on the County Council in relation to road maintenance and the extreme bad weather that has been experienced and the situation in relation to repairs, it was considered by the County Council that in order to make funding appropriately available schedules would be produced.  The Leader of this Council is a member of the Local Highway Panel and receives the paperwork.  Those schedules are matters of highway maintenance and they are not matters upon which there is very much decision making because had they not been endorsed they wouldn't have been done at all so this was more of a rubber stamping exercise.  It was considered by me looking at those documents that what was needed was the swiftest possible arrangements in order to be sure that the narrow remit was dealt with, and the issues of our pre-existing schemes were resolved and dealt with as quickly as possible.  Some of them having been dealt with, as the Leader also knows, by means of correspondence between the four members of the County Council. 

 

That is an explanation of the circumstance which is alleged against me that I did so as a matter of political convenience which I think follows from the subsequent paragraph.  The position in relation to the Parish Council is that much of Brentwood is not parished.  The experience of two successive Parish Representatives had been that they had not been able to secure requests and projects from other parishes than the ones that they operated from or in one case, were about to stand for as an elected member.  Therefore the consideration was that given we were dealing with the much reduced remit and given that we were in the position in which the matter was solely a maintenance matter and that we were retrieving and making sure those projects which were already in the pipeline were dealt with, the key question was one of speed and efficiency.  For that reason, I dealt with the matter in terms of the way in which this was dealt with.  There was no question of political animus or any kind.  This was a matter of deciding how to deal with it and in final point it is not true that others didn't do it as Rochford have done  precisely what I did and I think you will find that a large number of the panels had confined themselves to the County’s where they had the narrower remit.  Had this been raised with me beforehand I would have been able to give that answer more in a more succinct way and with correspondence. 

 

Councillor Kendall had a point of order:

 

I've just been accused of doing something with regards to comments I made when someone was put forward as Alderman and I'm supposed to have said something regarding Councillor Wagland.  I don't understand what I'm supposed to have said which has been disrespectful to Councillor Wagland - I've had a good working relationship with Councillor Wagland in the past and see no reason for that to change.  Any comment that I made was certainly not, as far as I'm concerned, disrespectful so I would like that to be recorded. 

 

Mr Mayor responded:

 

That is noted Councillor Kendall.  Councillor Wagland I would ask you to withdraw it unless you are prepared to evidence it?

 

Councillor Wagland responded:

 

Councillor Kendall said that Cllr Keble had cause – or something to that effect - to take matters up with me and I had had experience of him in that capacity,and I was singled out in effect and named. 

 

Councillor Kendall responded:

 

That explanation is totally ridiculous and I ask for a withdrawal.

 

Mr Mayor responded:

 

Councillor Wagland – are you prepared to withdraw that statement?

 

Councillor Wagland responded:

 

I will withdraw. 

 

Mr Mayor responded:

 

That statement is withdrawn and noted.

 

 

One question has been received from Cllr Worsfold:

 

11.To the Chair of Clean & Green:

How many litter bin collections have been made from the period May to November 2022 compared to the same period in 2023?

 

Response:

 

We undertake 1462 visits to empty bins every week throughout that period in 2022, in 2023, the records show that the number of bins emptied are identical.

 

Councillor Worsfold asked a supplementary question:

 

Do you believe that further investment in litter bin collections and the provision of litter bins should be brought forward in the budget for 2024/25?

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

 

We're constantly monitoring the amount of litter fly tips and litter that is put in our streets at all time and if there is a need for us to revisit the budget we will.  In fact, at the recent Clean and Green Committee we have asked for further resources for this purpose and I hope that we will have cleaner streets, cleaner roads and cleaner lanes going forward.

 

One question has been received from Cllr Naylor:

 

12.To the Chair of Clean & Green:

What is the level of flytip collections in the period March to November 2022 compared to the same period in 2023?

 

Response:

 

In 2022 there were 763 recorded fly tips, for the same period this year - a total of 1,028.

 

Councillor Naylor asked a supplementary question:

 

Could any factors have contributed to this considerable escalation of fly tips?

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

We understand that there are organised criminal gangs coming from outside the Borough in our beautiful countryside and in various locations.  The majority of this is in Warley and Navestock.  I believe at the period I was looking at, we have an increase of over 150 fly tips that we have actually collected.  The method of trying to deal with this is to obviously identify where these fly tips are, when we are told by local residents or passing motorists, and then allocate the required vehicle and crew to go and clear.  We know there are ways of trying to restrict that, we are undertaking through the marvellous work that Jonathan Woodhams and his Enforcement Team have been carrying out, and thanks to the Police and Crime Commissioner, we have received additional funding to allocate for cameras for safer streets and other projects.  We are allocating four of those cameras to Navestock in places that I'm not going to announce, but they're going to cover the main places where this criminal act occurs.  Cameras will not prevent people from doing it but if we can, with our colleagues in the Police, track back where these people are coming from - because they're doing this with false number plates.  If we can follow them through then perhaps identify where they've come from, we can start prosecuting.  One prosecution was scheduled for last Friday but unfortunately that person didn't turn up and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.  I hope that will add to whatever sentence that is likely to be handed down.  The Parish Council in Navestock, I have to thank them, have paid for four additional cameras and they will be located in places where the Parish Council believe that they would be most useful under the guidance of our enforcement team and Essex Police.  Essex Police have further patrols in the area because they consider this a serious enough matter to be more involved in than previously.  We hope to combat this serious matter in our Borough.

 

One question has been received from Cllr Barber:

 

13.To the Chair of Clean & Green:

The EV Charger timeline that was presented to Councillors back in June 2022 showed Hunters Avenue, Friars Avenue, Market Place, Bell Mead and the Multi-Storey Car Park as being included in the agreed scope of the rollout programme.  All EV sites were due to be delivered (i.e. procured, installed and operational) by October 2023.  However, the most recent update to the Clean and Green Committee now appears to reveal a substantially delayed new approach such that the rollout of EV Chargers at the above locations will now not even start until six months after the EV chargers have gone live in Chatham Way Car Park and KGPF.   

 

Such a change of approach will substantially delay the provision of infrastructure for electrical vehicles to residents in many parts of our Borough.  This is despite the council having declared a Climate Emergency.  Given this new delay to the rollout, can the Chair of Clean and Green confirm the new estimated dates for EV charging facilities being made available for use to the public at the car parks listed below?

·         Shenfield - Hunters Avenue & Friars Avenue

·         Ingatestone - Market Place & Bell Mead

·         Brentwood - Coptfold Road

 

Response:

 

On 20^th June 2022 an update was provided by the Chair of Community, Environment and Enforcement Committee that the Council was procuring in July 2022 for a company to install Electric Vehicle Chargers in the Council Car Park.

The update highlighted that Chatham Way and King Georges car parks were the car parks being procured in the procurement exercise. Once this exercise was completed the Council would move onto the next two car parks, however no commitment was made to what car parks and a timeframe.

The Council will be installing EV charges at the following locations

·         Chatham Way Car Park – 4 fast charging bays and 4 rapid charging bays with works are due to commence on 11th December and be completed by the 15th December.

·         King George’s Playing Fields – 4 standard charge bays in car park adjacent to entrance from Ingrave Road and 6 rapid charging bays and 4 fast charging bays in the central car park. Works are due to commence on 13th December and be completed by 22nd December

 

Since the Council begun looking at opportunities to install EV charges in its Council owned car parks, Essex County Council have launched their own EV charging strategy. The purpose of Essex’s strategy is to support the shift to EVs to ensure residents, businesses and visitors to Essex can access a reliable, convenient, accessible and fairly priced network of charging points. To help achieve this, Essex have now developed a draft Essex Electric Vehicle Charge Point Strategy which sets out what they want the charging network to look like in Essex, what they can do to unlock funding, and how they can work with businesses and public sector partners to help meet demand.

Officers believe that now is the appropriate time to review the EV chargers within Brentwood and to develop its own strategy for the borough that captures data and assess the need for the borough so that members can make informed decisions on how the Council can actively deliver EV charging points not just across it’s Council owned car parks but across the borough, supporting the Climate Emergency that has been declared.

Therefore, the Council’s own EV strategy alongside an action plan will be brought froward to the appropriate committee 6 months after the EV chargers at Chatham and King Georges have gone live. The Council can then capture the data usage of these car parks alongside the Town Hall EV chargers to make informed recommendations to members on hoe to progress it’s EV rollout.

Councillor Barber asked a supplementary question:

 

I can't agree with the second sentence in the second paragraph - I'd like to ask the Leader and the Chair of Clean and Green how that can possibly be true that the procurement process did not include those other sites when I actually have a screenshot of the presentation that was made to us as Councillors that's entitled: “Revised EV charger procurement timeline” which states quite clearly that the installation for the charges to Hunters Avenue, Friars Avenue, Market Place and Bell Mead would be completed in April, May and June and that the multi- story would be completed in September October 2023.  How can the answer we've been given here, which I believe to be factually incorrect, be consistent with a presentation made by officers.  This is factually wrong, the policy I asked about in two Ordinary Council meetings for an update on the EV charger timetable, and at the last one the Leader promised he would come back to me, that he should know but he didn't.  I had to, like Councillor White, waste another question in this meeting to get the information I previously requested twice and the information is not even provided with the estimated dates for those locations.

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

 

I have my original answer is what is there.

 

Councillor Reed asked a question to the Leader of the Council:

 

The copies of the Council's news magazine started to arrive, I've yet to receive mine - I couldn't find a budget being brought to any committee.  I'm wondering if we're able to obtain the costs that have been incurred including officer time, design, printing and distribution and how many issues are proposed to be made this financial year.

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

 

The figure is £41,000 and that includes two issues of this - this one which is very impressive I hope you think and that it's something that we are proud of.  That will go through every single door in the Town, the first time that all of our residents have been contacted by all of the Council outside of their Council Tax or Election correspondence so this is something new, something that I hope the residents of Brentwood will appreciate.  It is full of information, this one not as much as in information as we would like, the further issue that we hope to be with residents  around February will be enhanced and you'll have much more information on what the Council actually does and there'll be some other Members in it as well. 

 

Councillor Reed asked a question to the Leader of the Council:

 

The copies of the Council's news magazine started to arrive, I've yet to receive mine - I couldn't find a budget being brought to any committee.  I'm wondering if we're able to obtain the costs that have been incurred including officer time, design, printing and distribution and how many issues are proposed to be made this financial year.

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

 

The figure is £41,000 and that includes two issues of this - this one which is very impressive I hope you think and that it's something that we are proud of.  That will go through every single door in the Town, the first time that all of our residents have been contacted by the Council outside of their Council Tax or Election correspondence.  This is something new, something that I hope the residents of Brentwood will appreciate.  It is full of information, this one not as much but the further issue that we hope to be with residents around February, will be enhanced and you'll have much more information on what the Council does and there'll be some other Members in it as well. 

 

Councillor Russell asked a question to the Leader of the Council:

 

It's about the magazine - I got it today and I was impressed to receive it.  It's

something that I wanted to introduce as well and I've highlighted all these Conservative led initiatives that are all the way through it here - it's fantastic.  I thought the point of it though was for those that didn't have internet access could be sign posted to various cost of living advice etc.  When I go through the magazine it pinpoints me to Brentwood Borough Council website, signposting is via a website or QR codes.  With QR codes, I thought we was trying to steer away from that but everything here is signposting people via the Internet and even the back page.  Earlier on we were talking about climate change and going paperless on Clean & Green and then you’ve got 35,000 these going out – incredible.  My question is in the future do you think we could have more signposting that isn't just via the Internet but more telephone numbers in regards to pinpointing people to the cost of the living grants available and maybe news of the multi-story car par - more of those kind of updates than this which is not much more than a vanity project. 

 

Councillor Mynott had a point of information:

 

Page one of the magazine is how to contact Brentwood Borough Council, the Councils phone number - our phone lines are open Monday to Thursday 8:30 to 5:00p.m and Fridays 8:30 to 4:30 p.m.- it is a factually incorrect accusation.  That's a non internet way of contacting the Council.  It's right there. 

 

Councillor White asked a question to the Leader of the Council:

 

This is a follow-up to Councillor Reed's question, he said he didn't know that there had been any amendments to any budgets - so in terms of the cost of this magazine, this vanity project, how has it been paid for?  Where was the finance signed off for it and how much has it cost?

 

Mr Stephenson responded:

 

Just to clarify that it has come out of the existing budgets - there's no additional budget for that, it's got existing budget that’s been agreed at last year's budget.

 

Councillor Hirst asked a question to the Chair of Clean & Green Committee:

 

With reference to the Joint Lib/Lab Administration's commitment to a climate emergency, could the Chair of the Clean & Green Committee please tell me if they've decided on the location for the new Depot and what the impact of that change will be on the Council's carbon footprint.

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

 

We're still working under the previous Administration's directions and guidance and decision making - we have in place a replacement for the Depot.  I'm not sure that that is the right one and we still entering into negotiations with various parties as to find a better, more as you say, climate emergency measure than the one that is before us.

 

Councillor Barber asked a question to the Leader of the Council:

 

Can the Leader of the Council confirm to us the position of the Administration in respect to mandatory 20 mph limits across the Borough.  Is he and his Administration supportive of that?

 

Councillor Aspinell responded:

 

We already have 20 mph zones within Brentwood.  There was a debate at County yesterday regarding this where the Council opposition put forward a 20 mph zone for most estate roads and side roads in Essex which I really support.  I see no reason why on estate roads people should exceed that, it's proven that the speed collision to a personal injury far exceeds and gives more problems and more injury, more hurt if you go above that so I see it was a no-brainer to me to vote for it.  Unfortunately, the Conservatives at County voted it down so we have no 20 mph blanket zone through our own estate roads. 

 

Councillor Bridge asked a question to the Chair of Housing, Health and Communities:

 

How many meetings have been held with the NHS Estates team over a proposed location for a surgery in Ingatestone?

 

Councillor Dr Barrett responded:

 

I don't know the exact number myself I know there's been more than one - can I direct you to Jonathan Stephenson for that answer.

 

Mr Stephenson responded:

 

If I could respond outside the meeting just to be clarify 100% how many meetings have taken place since the last Council meeting.