Minutes:
Questions were submitted by Councillor P Hames and Councillor L Ford.
In accordance with the Constitution a written answer to the question had been circulated to Members.
Question from Councillor P Hames
An outline application for 36 houses at Wooda Road, Appledore was registered with this Council on 21 February 2022. As registration was over two years ago why hasn't the application been determined?
Cllr P Hames
Answer
The outline application is in the process of being determined. There have been ongoing discussions with the Applicant to ensure the Council can demonstrate it has acted reasonably should there be a future appeal.
Councillor P Hames asked the following Supplementary Question:
Given the excessive and unacceptable amount of time since the planning application was registered for 36 houses at Wooda Road, Appledore and repeated assurance to me over the period that determination was imminent can we be assured that determination will occur within the next month?
In accordance with the Constitution a written answer to the question had been circulated to Members.
Question from Councillor L Ford
Please could the council explain to me and the electorate who decides on what questions are acceptable to be discussed and what is the process used and which councillors are consulted in said process.
Answer
Please see the below extract from the Constitution
A9 Written questions by Members
A9.1 Questions on notice at Full Council
Subject to Rule A9.3, a member of the Council may ask:
a) the Chair; or
b) the Chair of any committee or sub-committee
a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the district.
A9.2 Questions on notice at committees
Subject to Rule A9.3, a member of the Council may ask the committee a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the district and which falls within the terms of reference of that committee.
A9.3 Notice of questions
A member may only ask a question under Rule A9.1 or A9.2 if either:
a) they have given at least one clear working days’ notice in writing of the question to Chief Executive; or
b) the question relates to urgent matters and they have the consent of the Chair to whom the question is to be put and the content of the question is given to the Chief Executive and/or Democratic Services on the day of the meeting
Questions received and written answers (see A8.3(c)) shall be printed in order of their receipt and circulated amongst Members at the commencement of the meeting and no discussion shall be allowed upon the question or on the answer.
Written questions are to receive a written response.
A9.4 Supplementary question
A member asking a question under Rule A9.1 or A9.2 may ask one supplementary question without notice of the member to whom the first question was addressed. The supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or the reply.
A9.5 Time Limits
Time shall be limited as follows:
a) The questioner – one minute supplementary;
b) The respondent - two minutes supplementary.
A9.6 Response
An answer may take the form of:
a) a written answer provided for the meeting;
b) where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication; or
c) where the reply cannot conveniently be provided for the meeting, a written answer circulated to the questioner within 5 working days.
The Constitution was voted on at Full Council.
Councillor L Ford did not ask a Supplementary Question.