a)    Helen Price of Park ward will ask the following question of Councillor Lenton, the Mayor:

Why are there prayers preceding a Council meeting?

b)   Carole Da Costa of Clewer North ward will ask the following question of Councillor Dudley, Leader of the Council:

During a radio interview on the Andrew Peach show on 9 January 2018, Cllr Dudley stated that, “Everyone has been offered, high quality housing.” He also said that he was going to visit the Southall unit. What Health and Safety Rating System does the RBWM use for its emergency housing including the Southall pay & sleep unit?

(A Member responding to a question shall be allowed up to five minutes to reply to the initial question and up to two minutes to reply to a supplementary question. The questioner shall be allowed up to 1 minute to put the supplementary question)

a)    Richard Endacott on behalf of Helen Price of Park ward asked the following question of Councillor Lenton, the Mayor:

Why are there prayers preceding a Council meeting?

The Mayor responded that the practice of saying prayers before aCouncil meeting had been a tradition and custom for most Council’s for many centuries. The practice of saying prayers before RBWM Council Meetings had been applied since 1 April 1998 when the Royal Borough became a unitary Authority. The legal basis was given by the Local Government (Religious Observances) Act of 2015. The Royal Borough was a multi faith society and prayers could be, and had been, said by members of various faiths in the community.  Future Mayors may wish to invite representatives of different faiths to say prayers before Council.

By way of a supplementary question, Richard Endacott commented that at the council meeting held on 29 January 2018 the prayers by Reverend Drake had included reference to wisdom, knowledge and understanding and that the work of the council would be pleasing in the sight of God. In view of what took place during the meeting, how would the Mayor asses the behaviour of council Members in relation to the prayers?

The Mayor responded that it was unlikely that God would wish to go into such detail of discussions at Council.

b)    Carole Da Costa of Clewer North ward asked the following question of Councillor Dudley, Leader of the Council:

During a radio interview on the Andrew Peach show on 9 January 2018, Cllr Dudley stated that, “Everyone has been offered, high quality housing.” He also said that he was going to visit the Southall unit. What Health and Safety Rating System does the RBWM use for its emergency housing including the Southall pay & sleep unit?

Councillor Dudley referred the question to Council McWilliams as Principal Member for Housing. Councillor McWilliams responded that all properties were inspected by a council officer before being used as temporary accommodation. This included checking that all the necessary certification was in place and the property was safe and suitable for use.

By way of a supplementary question, Carole Da Costa commented that the borough website displayed a link to the health and safety rating system. She had recently visited a family living in a band b where a heavily pregnant mother fell and fractured her leg due to cramped and overcrowded conditions. This was the least of her concerns when she had to take her two day old baby into the room with black mould growing up the walls and into their beds. Could the councillor explain why the housing paid for by the borough, far from being the high quality described did not meet the standards on the website, and did inspections include electrical wiring, water temperature and bathroom temperature?

Councillor McWilliams responded that the council’s inspections met the national standards as required but if Mrs Da Costa had a specific case where she felt this had not been done then she could write to him with details and he would take it up with officers.