Lib Dem Councillors' Questions to Full Shepway Council tonight

The Liberal Democrats have asked questions to the full Shepway Council meeting of 19th February on issues as diverse as the Shepway's response to the Credit Crunch, uncollected Shepway Parking fines, moves towards merging Shepway with other local authorities, the Greatstone Governance review and upholding the Council constitution.

The questions put forward for the meeting are:

• To the Cabinet Member for Economic Development - Councillor M J Dearden from Councillor Mrs L E Beaumont.

Council notes the increasing pressure placed on Shepway businesses due to the 'credit crunch', and the resulting economic downturn. Figures released show that nearly 500 Shepway businesses have been threatened with court action in the 8 month period up until November 2008.

I am sure we all understand the vital role that all business in Shepway plays in the wider community, and particularly notes, the importance of small and medium sized enterprises in the local economy.

Therefore, the Liberal Democrat Group requests that Shepway District Council

1) Identifies a senior officer to undertake a dedicated liaison role, between the local chamber of commerce, federation of small business, and independent traders associations, to assess the scale of the problem, and feed this back as a matter of urgency, to cabinet, council, and central government

2) To formally write to the secretary of state for communities and local government, to ask for discretion in granting local firms extra time to meet their business rate liabilities.

• To the Cabinet Member for Economic Development - Councillor M J Dearden from Councillor Mrs L E Beaumont.

Given the information that came to light last week when requested under Freedom of Information, would the Cabinet member responsible for the Parking Strategy, agree that over £1,000,000 has failed to be collected in parking fines over the last 5 years, and this is totally unacceptable.

Can the Cabinet member please inform this council how he is going to rectify this situation.

• To the Leader of the Council - Councillor R H C Bliss from Councillor Mrs V I Loseby.

How will Shepway District Council satisfy the opinions and aspirations of the Greatstone coastal electors to have a Council of their own?

• To the Leader of the Council - Councillor R H C Bliss from Councillor Mrs V I Loseby.

When is it envisaged that the Greatstone Governance Parish Review will be undertaken - it's nearly three years since the Petition was handed in to Shepway District Council and the coastal people are feeling very frustrated by the constant delays?

• To the Leader of the Council - Councillor R H C Bliss from Councillor T Prater.

Are current arrangements to share departmental work and proposals to share a Chief Executive with Dover District Council steps towards creating a merged Shepway and Dover Local Authority, and what discussions and planning have the Council and the Conservative group had towards the creation of any joint Local Authority?

• To the Chairman of the Council - Councillor G Bunting from Councillor T Prater.

It is clear that a number of supplementary questions from Conservative Councillors are being supplied in advance, as evidenced by Cabinet members reading a pre-prepared response to those Supplementary questions. Under the terms of the Council Constitution (Part 4, Rules of Procedure) '9.6 Supplementary Question A councillor asking a question under rule 9.2 or 9.3 may ask one supplementary question, without notice, of the councillor to whom the first question was asked. The supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or the reply.' pre-giving of notice of a supplementary question is explicitly prohibited. What action will the Chairman take to ensure there are no more such breaches of the Council constitution in pre-submitting supplementary questions and the consequent pre-writing of answers to supplementary questions?