Issue - meetings

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8, to allow members of the public to ask questions about the Council’s activities.  The following submission was received:

(a)   Question submitted by Christina Hope to the Portfolio Holder for Resources

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8, members of the public were able to ask questions to an Executive Member about the Council’s activities.

(A)      Question submitted to Councillor Jane Yates, Leader of the Council by

            Ms Christine Hope:

          “When will Bolsover District Council be able to report fully to all elected members and the public on their involvement in the current multi million pound financial debt crisis at Elmton With Cresswell Parish Council?”

          Councillor Jane Yates responded to the question as follows:

          “Thank you for the question, Elmton with Creswell Parish Council is being investigated by NALC, the National Association of Local Councils, so it is therefore inappropriate for Bolsover District Council to comment while the investigation was taking place.  We don’t know how long the investigation is going to take so we can’t give a specific date as to when we can report on it.  I do understand it is going to be probably by the end of this full year.  So, I am sorry I can’t expand on that further.”

          In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.8 Ms Christine Hope put the following supplementary question:

          “Given the supposed extent of the supposed involvement of council and officers are the council prepared to assist the NALC appointed investigative team, Derbyshire Association of Local Councils who are also involved and the Local Government Association who are all now actively together involved in that investigation of Elmton with Cresswell Parish Council?”

          Councillor Jane Yates provided the following response:

          “Yes, obviously we will be contributing to the investigation as and when we are asked. That is why we can’t comment further on it at the moment and we can’t compromise the investigation by commenting.  But we will be co-operating with it.”