Agenda item

Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

 

No urgent items.

 

At this juncture, Members were informed that there would be three questions put forward as follows:

 

(i)              Mrs Pauline Wheeler of Corwen, raised the following question:

 

“Could the Lead Member please explain the policy regarding the school transportation of epileptic children and young adults who require rescue medication in Denbighshire?”

 

Response by the Lead Member for Highways, Planning and Sustainable Travel, Councillor Brian Jones:

 

“The Council has a Learner Transport Policy, which is published on the Denbighshire County Council website. Section 3 of the Policy covers discretionary arrangements, and Section 3.10 specifically allows for discretion to be applied by the Head of Education and Children Services on medical grounds.  Therefore, the policy allows for each specific case to be evaluated according to the specific circumstances and medical needs of the individual pupil.  Discretion can be applied, based on evidence of medical need.”

 

Mrs Wheeler then asked a supplementary question:

 

“What about specifically in relation to rescue medication for epilepsy?”

 

Councillor Brian Jones confirmed he would send Mrs Wheeler a detailed response within 7 days.

 

 

(ii)             Councillor Glenn Swingler raised the following question:

 

“Could the Lead Member please advise on whether Denbighshire County Council, from the end of March, are preventing hotels on Rhyl seafront from accepting emergency homeless families?”

 

Response by the Lead Member for Well-being and Independence, Councillor Bobby Feeley:

 

“The Council has a duty, under the Housing Wales Act 2014, to provide emergency and temporary accommodation for individuals and families who meet the homelessness criteria within the Act.  As members will be aware, such provision of such accommodation is, indeed in Rhyl, and has often centred on hotels and Bed & Breakfasts, with potential impact on the tourist and economic regeneration programmes for the town.  We all know how much money we have been spending on regeneration in Rhyl.  There are currently over 100 households in emergency and temporary accommodation, 58 of which are in Rhyl.

 

In January two of the seafront hotels were heavily occupied by homelessness households, potentially in contradiction of their planning consent.

 

Community Support Services are working closely with planning & public protection and facilities, housing & assets to explore alternatives to this type of accommodation, including developing provision in other parts of Denbighshire in order to avoid moving families away from their communities and schools and work.  In order to facilitate this, Community Support Services are aiming to provide an alternative provision for households living in one of the hotels by the end of March, linking the owners from economic regeneration colleagues to support and refine business model by assisting them to compete better in the hotel market.

 

I would just like to add, that the Homelessness Team in Denbighshire are working extremely hard on prevention but, obviously, that takes time to work through the system.  We have a really superb action plan.  We have our first Homelessness Strategy and we are aiming, in future, to reduce the need for homeless provision. 

 

Legislation coming from Government, whatever it may be, whether it is universal credit or under 35’s meaning that they can only pay a cap of £55.  That has all affected the homelessness situation, which is across Wales, not just Denbighshire.

 

That is the bigger picture, but I hope you can understand I have answered your question as well as I can.

 

Obviously, a hotel which is full of homeless people, they are going against the provision of their planning application which they applied for.”

 

Councillor Glenn Swingler thanked the Lead Member for her response and agreed the Homeless Prevention Team had a difficult job. 

 

He stated:

 

“They were attempting to find places for the people in the hotels but still had 26 families staying in the Westminster Hotel.  We were now having to place emergency housing out of the county.  Problem could arise if other counties start placing their homeless people within Denbighshire.  Homelessness is everyone’s business, whether it is housing, mental health, children’s services but need to place those families in suitable accommodation.”

 

 

(iii)            Councillor Emrys Wynne raised the following question:

 

“Regarding period poverty and in response to an email sent by Councillor Mabon ap Gwynfor highlighting a survey in Wrexham schools.  In November, we were told that … “we are going to do something similar in terms of devising a questionnaire for pupils”.  Could the Lead Member please update us with progress so far?”

 

Response by the Lead Member for Education, Children and Young People, Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts:

 

“The same survey as was sent to Wrexham schools, was issued to all schools in Denbighshire together with Pupil Referral Units and Focus Groups were also held.  Responses were not received from every school but one underlying message was everyone had access to free sanitary products.  There were responses from 150 pupils from one school.  There was also feedback that it would be more convenient if the vending machines were situated within the toilet cubicle rather than in the middle of the toilets.”