5 November (Part 3) - Councillor’s Question Time
Councillor Seymour (Conservative, Crayford) asked Peter Craske what he (not
Bexley Council) had done to address climate change. The question had already
been asked by Felix Di Netinah which allowed the two Councillors to exchange
some quite good jokes.
“I am going to be very energy efficient and refer to the answer I just gave.”
Back came “I am all for recycling.”
The Cabinet Member who only a few years ago announced that Bexley would plant no more street trees
unless a resident paid directly
(£230) for each one said that he had planted 1,100 street trees.
Councillor Moore (Conservative, Longlands) was next with a question about County Gate
which was reported yesterday.
Labour
Councillor Wendy Perfect (Northumberland Heath) asked Cabinet Member Sue Gower to report on the
discussions she has had with Orbit about the many problems at Becton Place.
There has been almost daily communications with Orbit’s Directors.
Orbit has apologised for missing the October meeting and another is scheduled
for mid-November. Every resident should have been provided by
now with a circular explaining the situation.
Councillor Perfect said there was “a clear disconnect between residents and
Orbit.” The Leader, the Chief Executive, Sue Gower, the MP plus Cabinet Member
John Fuller and Councillor Perfect had all been involved in pushing Orbit
into taking their responsibilities seriously. “It is not good enough.”
Councillor Nicola Taylor (Labour, Erith) asked Cabinet Member Gower to elaborate
on the Council’s use of the term “suitable housing”. Is Councillor Gower
still confident that the housing provided by Bexley is “suitable”. She was.
Councillor Taylor brought up the example of a woman rehoused close to her abuser
and the disabled man with “a leg in a frame offered a flat on the second floor
with no lift”. Then there is the documented case of a family living in
a house
with no roof for three weeks. Can the Cabinet Member be honest?”
The answer was that “case work can only be discussed confidentially in full
knowledge of the facts. It is not in the Council’s interests to put people into unsuitable housing”.
Councillor Richard Diment (Conservative,
Sidcup) has the knack of asking questions more pertinent than some. “How is suitability determined”. It is done on “a case by case
basis based on the information supplied by the applicant at the time. Out of
borough placements have proved to be particularly successful with families
taking a new quality of life and job opportunities”.
Time was then up leaving 26 questions unanswered.