Agenda item - Public Questions

Written Questions: to receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on 6 June 2019.

4.1         It was noted that one question had been received from Ms V Paynter who at the Chair’s invitation put the following question:

              “I note this committee has been reduced from 12 Members to 10. I further note that two Rottingdean Councillors are now regular members of the committee, and there is no Portslade and only one Hove Councillor on the committee. How is this unbalanced, Brightoncentric, distortion justified?”

4.2         Councillor Hill, the Chair responded gave the following response:

“Thank you for your question. The full Council approved the revised membership for the committee of 10 councillors, which was based on feedback from the Members Constitution Working Group and a desire to bring it into line with the other committees. The actual make-up of the committee is determined by the respective Groups who will take into account their own members’ preferences for which committees they wish to sit on.

              I note your point about the overall make-up of the committee and would suggest that is something you raise directly with the Group Leaders.

4.3        Ms Paynter was invited to put a supplementary question and referred to the fact that previously Councillor Moonan had sat on the Committee representing Central Hove Ward and that Portslade Wards had also been represented. That was no longer the case enquiring as to the reason for that omission. The Chair re-iterated her earlier response stating that it was the Committees responsibility to determine applications consistently on a citywide basis bearing in mind the needs of the city as a whole. However, Members were advised of applications coming forward for consideration and could make representations or speak in respect of any within their ward, that occurred on a regular basis and was also the case in respect of that afternoon’s meeting.

4.4    RESOLVED – That the position be noted.