Question to the Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee

Mrs Susan Hogg asked the following question of the Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee:

With over 18,000 new homes to be built in Maidstone, will the Borough Council make serious considerations to lobby Kent County Council to build another tip site to relieve pressure from the Tovil tip for safety of residents living in Tovil?

The Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee replied that:

I can assure you that we have been looking at this for a long time through the Kent Waste Partnership. 

Kent County Council is currently consulting on their draft Waste Disposal Strategy which includes the provision of Household Waste Recycling Centres.  Maidstone Borough Council will be replying to this consultation and has previously raised its support for the provision of an additional facility to improve access to Maidstone residents.  The consultation response will be considered by the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee prior to being submitted to Kent County Council at the end of September.

The Mayor then asked if any Group Leader/representative present would also like to respond.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Adkinson, on behalf of the Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Mrs Blackmore, the Leader of the Conservative Group, and Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, responded to the question.

Mrs Hogg asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee:

With the pressure of traffic generated from the use of the tip and increased fly-tipping within Maidstone, and especially Tovil, would Maidstone Borough Council agree that there is a great need and that it is vital for them to apply pressure on Kent County Council for an additional tip thus saving the rising cost of the Council using taxpayers’ money to tidy up fly-tipping due to the ever growing demand placed on one facility for the whole Borough?

The Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee replied that: 

The Council takes recycling very seriously and only a small percentage of Maidstone waste is sent to landfill.  There are household waste recycling facilities at Tovil.  The Council will continue to put pressure on Kent County Council as there is demand for another site taking into account population and housing growth in the Borough.

The Mayor then asked if any Group Leader/representative present would also like to respond.

Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, responded to the question.

Question to the Chairman of the Democracy Committee

Mr Mike Hogg asked the following question of the Chairman of the Democracy Committee:

With no Borough elections next year and the Borough expecting to build a further 18,000 plus new homes, will this Council undertake a review of all the Borough ward boundaries, for most wards will become even larger if the boundaries are not moved.

Furthermore split South ward, for the Tovil section of the ward is expecting to take a further 1,000 plus new homes, making it one of the largest wards in Maidstone, or merge Tovil and the Coombe Farm estate together to form a new South ward and merge North Loose together with Loose.

The Chairman of the Democracy Committee replied that:

At its first meeting of the municipal year the Democracy Committee considered its work plan.  As part of that consideration the Committee agreed to the creation of a working group to consider the options for an electoral review.  The decision was based on a number of issues that includes the estimated growth in registered electors over the forthcoming five years.

While the group has not yet met it is intended to work through the potential benefits of and options for a boundary review; a review of the number of Councillors; and the potential for four yearly elections.  The results of the review will be reported to Democracy Committee later in the year and the Committee will be asked to consider making a recommendation to Council based on the outcome of the review.  Any such recommendation can only result in a request for a formal review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

At this time I am unable to say if your suggested amendments would form part of any review.  The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has responsibility for completing reviews and, along with the size of electorate, the Commission include a number of factors in their considerations, these include:

·  Ward patterns and electoral equality;

·  Community identity;

·  Number of Councillors; and

·  Rurality.

Should the Commission choose to make a recommendation for change, they would publish a consultation in due course.  The Council can make representations to them as can any local elector.

The Mayor then asked if any Group Leader/representative present would also like to respond.

Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Harper, the Leader of the Labour Group, and Councillor Powell, the Leader of the UKIP Group, responded to the question.

Mr Hogg asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Democracy Committee:

If boundary changes are not considered by this Borough Council, how will the Councillors who already exist in the wards be able to cope with representing a larger number of people and a larger workload to the high standard the electorate deserves without compromising any area of service supplied by the Council?

The Chairman of the Democracy Committee replied that:

We are in danger of letting the process undermine the principle.  Personally, I believe there is a case for fewer Councillors.  You look at Councils that have undertaken boundary reviews and often they come out with fewer Councillors; it means representing more people.  If that increases the quality of Councillor and the quality of decision making, then I am all for it.  This will all be covered in the review, and I am sure that your points will be taken into consideration in due course.

The Mayor then asked if any Group Leader/representative present would also like to respond.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, responded to the question.

To listen to the questions asked by members of the public and the responses, please follow this link:

http://live.webcasts.unique-media.tv/mbc409/interface