Agenda item

To consider any questions submitted by Members of the Council, in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11 (b).

Members submitted questions on the following:

(A)       Joint Waste Contract – Emptying of Brown Bins

(B)       14/15 Brand Street, Hitchin

(C)       14/15 Brand Street, Hitchin

(A)       Joint Waste Contract – Emptying of Brown Bins

In accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11(b), the following question had been submitted by Councillor Steve Jarvis to Councillor Michael Weeks (Executive Member for Waste, Recycling and Environment):

“When does the Council expect to advise residents the details of the system of how the correct brown bins will be emptied once charging is introduced?”

Councillor Weeks replied that the Council proposed to launch a communications campaign in early February 2018, which would include flyers through letter boxes, online and in the Council’s “Outlook” Magazine.  To identify those residents whose garden waste scheduled to be collected on a particular day the new vehicle fleet would contain in-cab technology which would inform the Collection Team of those properties to be collected from.

Councillor Weeks commented that it was likely that there would be some teething problems in the early stages, but he was confident that these would be overcome in due course.

As a supplementary question, Councillor Jarvis asked if Councillor Weeks considered that, with the operatives having to regularly consult the vehicle cab to ascertain which brown bins to collect, this would be an impediment to the speed and efficiency of future collections?

Councillor Weeks replied that the existing method of operatives walking ahead of the vehicles to group together brown bins for subsequent collection appeared to be the most ergonomic was of collecting under the current scheme.  However, once the charging regime commenced it would be the case that not everyone would have a brown bin in the street, and that the “genuine” ones would need to be identified.  There were other ways in which bins could be identified, possibly via stickers on the bins, but he-re-iterated his earlier comment that he was confident that any teething problems would be overcome.

(B)       14/15 Brand Street, Hitchin

In accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11(b), the following question had been submitted by Councillor Paul Clark to Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham (Leader of the Council):

“In light of the recent issue with Hitchin Town Hall how does the Leader of the Council propose to resolve the issue of 14/15 Brand Street?”

Councillor Needham replied that she would very much like to see the matter of 14/15 Brand Street resolved so that the Museum could open with an impressive entrance.  This was clearly her view, otherwise she would not have allowed the urgent item on the matter to have been considered at the March 2017 Cabinet meeting, when he had thought that the agreement was just waiting for all parties to sign.  However, other issues had been put on the table since then.

Councillor Needham reminded members that Hitchin Town Hall was open, and many excellent events had been held, with the Council enjoying a level of income from that facility.  The Museum was also open for guided tours, and had hosted a number touring exhibitions which had proven to be very popular with the residents of North Hertfordshire.

Councillor Needham further reminded Members that the Council was not in control of resolving the matter, and that officers had been trying to negotiate a solution for the past 18 months with Hitchin Town Hall Limited and Hitchin Town Hall Finance Limited for the Council to acquire the land.  Those negotiations were continuing, but she emphasised that any deal must be in the interests of the Council Tax payers of North Hertfordshire.

Councillor Needham stated that the Council had offered a date in early February 2018 for a meeting with an advisor, prior to negotiations re-commencing.  Report on 14/15 Brand Street were due to be presented to the Cabinet meeting on 23 January 2018 on alternative options to try to resolve the matter should the re-commenced negotiations fail to yield satisfactory results.

As a supplementary question, Councillor Clark asked, as Hitchin Town Hall Limited and Hitchin Town Hall Finance Limited were properly constituted organisations, what right did the Council have to choose which Directors of those organisations it dealt with?

Councillor Needham replied that this had been an agreement that was put on the table by Hitchin Town Hall Limited right at the very beginning of the process.  It was Hitchin Town hall Limited’s idea to draw a line under past events, and those that might have affected past events.  Hitchin Town Hall Limited had therefore chosen with whom the Council would be negotiating, and the Council had agreed to that choice.

(C)       14/15 Brand Street, Hitchin

In accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11(b), the following question had been submitted by Councillor Ian Albert to Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham (Leader of the Council):

“In the light of the continuing delays to fully open the North Herts Museum, at the cost of local residents and Museum staff, can the Leader provide an update to this Council meeting on progress of negotiations with HTH Ltd and HTHF Ltd?”

Councillor Needham referred Councillor Albert to the response she had given to Councillor Clark in respect of Question (B) above.

As a supplementary question, Councillor Albert drew attention to Paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2 of the report being presented to the Cabinet meeting on 23 January 2018, which referred to the latest version of the draft agreement, and therefore for the avoidance of doubt, could Councillor Needham ensure that the Chief executive did everything in his powers, including liaising directly with Hitchin Town Hall Limited and Hitchin Town Hall Finance Limited to ensure that the draft agreement to be discussed by Cabinet was mutually agreed, if at all possible, as the latest position to which discussions had reached?

Councillor Needham replied that, in accordance with her earlier answer to Councillor Clark’s question, she was hoping that negotiations would re-commence in early February 2018.  As the Cabinet would be meeting on 23 January 2018 she would not be able to look at the results of those negotiations until after the early February 2018 meeting.  If she had to call an emergency Cabinet meeting after the early February 2018 meeting then she would not hesitate to do so.