General Question – 24 April 2008

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Under Standing Order 14, Councillor Caroline Nichols asked the following question:

“This question is with reference to the Executive decision of 15 January 2008 that a Leader's task group be set up to work with officers on the draft specification of the Grounds Maintenance Contract.  Given that the Liberal Democrat group has been denied the opportunity to participate in the drafting process on both the Leader's task group and the scrutiny task group, will the Leader please give an update on the draft specification of the Grounds Maintenance Contract.   Have all the milestones for week 22 of the project been met?”

 

Councillor Mrs D.L. Grant responded as follows:

“Thank you for your question Councillor Nichols.

 

You may not be aware that the Executive also received a report on 12 February 2008 with an updated Gantt chart, which updates that of 15 January 2008. 

 

In reference to week 22 of the revised schedule, we are about two weeks behind, but we have a leeway of about five weeks built in to the schedule, which will enable us to catch up.  The reason for the delay is that officers have, as I am sure you are aware, successfully taken on the highway verge maintenance from Surrey County Council.  This work had been anticipated to start on 21 January 2008 but couldn’t start, for logistical reasons, until mid March 2008.  A new schedule is being finalised and will be presented to future working groups.”

 

 

In accordance with Standing Order 14.2, Councillor Mrs C.E. Nichols asked the following supplementary question:

“Could we have an early Seminar on the outcomes, so that all Members can have the opportunity to feed into the process?”

 

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People Services, Councillor Mrs D.L. Grant, responded as follows:

“I will keep this in mind if assistance is needed. However, at the moment all boxes have been ticked.”