Public Issues
To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which is available to view at the following link:
https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1
The deadline for the submission of a public question is 4 clear working days before the meeting.
The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.
The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.
Minutes:
The Chairman advised that as some questions and statements had been carried over from the previously postponed meeting that the questions and statements on this occasion would be heard in the order they were received in rather than questions first followed by statements.
Public Question from Ian Clark
I cannot understand on the busiest weekend of the year why the visitor centre was closed. There would have been a lot of visitors that would have welcomed the information and products in the visitors centre.
Why was the visitor centre not open over the bank holiday weekend.
Response from Councillor Mark Anderson, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place
I would like to thank Mr Clark for his question,
We endeavour to ensure Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre is open to the public to experience and enjoy as much as possible. Regrettably this Summer owing to marketplace recruitment difficulties and wider staff shortages we have been unable to always keep the visitor centre open as much as we would ordinarily seek to achieve and apologise for any disappointment this has caused.
Working to a rota, those staff directly employed to manage the centre and the wider countryside team who are also based on site, work hard to ensure that closures are kept to a minimum. We are thankful to the volunteers who play a huge role in supporting the centre and keeping it operational and open to the public, however, a member of staff is required to always be on site with them and at times throughout this year this has not been possible.
Public Question from Daniel Parkin
Can the leader explain why he told Council on 22 February that a 'detailed report' from KPMG did 'not exist', whereas in fact two reports existed at that stage - a 55-page report with two appendices, dated September 2021; and a second report entitled 'Commercialisation of assets', completed six days prior to the meeting. It would also be good to have an apology from whoever withheld these reports from elected members; had they seen the warnings on page 43 of the first report, re 'SPV borrowing', they might have voted down the budget and a costly fiasco could have been avoided.
Response from Councillor Drew Mellor, Leader of the Council
The statement I made on 22 February was not incorrect, as the report which existed at that stage was still in development and subject change. The relevant advice from KPMG was included in the content of the Cabinet/Council report.
Public Question from Alex McKinstry
Can we have a detailed explanation of how and why the KPMG reports were withheld from councillors in the run-up to February's budget. This came up at the recent scrutiny meeting, ... view the full minutes text for item 30
Public Issues
To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which is available to view at the following link:
https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1
The deadline for the submission of a public question is 4 clear working days before the meeting.
The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.
The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.