Council meeting held on 23 March 2026 – Questions
At every Council meeting, councillors and members of the public have the opportunity to ask questions and receive either written or oral responses. At the Council meeting held on 23 March 2026, Chislehurst Matters submitted a number of questions, which are set out below.
Written replies provide several important benefits. They ensure responses are accurate and comprehensive, create a transparent public record, and strengthen accountability by requiring formal, documented answers. They also make information more accessible to residents who are unable to attend meetings, promote consistency in communication, and allow a greater number of questions to be addressed efficiently.
Questions from Members of the Council for Written Reply
- From Cllr Alison Stammers to the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Highways, and Road Safety
Can you confirm that the cost of the new traffic island in Centre Common Road, Chislehurst, will be met by the contractors rather than the Council because of the errors made during the installation?
Reply:
Yes.
- From Cllr Alison Stammers to the Portfolio Holder for Children, Education, and Families
In the past couple of years, we have seen a big increase in the turnover of SEN caseworkers, which has meant that many parents of SEN children are dealing with a series of caseworkers – in one instance five in less than 10 months. As this can have a detrimental impact on the support parents and children receive, what steps can she take to ensure effective handovers and accurate updating of the SEN management system?
Reply:
The SEN Service has recently concluded a restructure and expansion of its staff base, undertaking recruitment to 12 permanent positions. We expect the SEN Service to have significantly increased capacity and stability once all appointees take up post.
- From Cllr Mike Jack to the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Highways, and Road Safety
The ongoing issues with potholes on our roads can be exacerbated by contractors refusing to repair potholes that are just a few feet away from ones that they are actually in the process of repairing.
Given how inefficient this is, would the Council consider giving instructions to contractors to repair other potholes within a reasonable distance from where they are working?
Reply:
Wherever possible the contractor is encouraged to programme repairs in the same location at the same time.
- From Cllr Mike Jack to the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Highways, and Road Safety
The Community Roadwatch scheme was very effective in raising awareness of road safety and safe driving.
As this has now been disbanded, what steps can the Council take to ensure a similar scheme with the same benefits is provided?
Reply:
Community Roadwatch is a Police scheme which only the Police have powers to undertake.
TfL advises that Roadwatch has not been disbanded but has been moved under a different Police team – the MPS Road Danger Reduction Team. There will apparently be a pause before Roadwatch continues.
- From Cllr Mark Smith to the Portfolio Holder for Children, Education, and Families
What plans does the council now have for the land at Bushell Way, Chislehurst that had been earmarked for a new SEN school now that the school is no longer going ahead on that site?
Reply:
The Council does not currently have any plans for the land at Bushell Way.
- From Cllr Mark Smith to the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Highways, and Road Safety
What steps are being taken to reduce the backlog in Traffic Management Orders?
Reply:
The team is continuing to work through the Traffic Management Order (TMO) backlog by progressing the existing list of schemes in a systematic way. To support this, we currently have one officer working temporarily on clearing outstanding TMOs, while another officer focuses on new projects as they arise.
We must manage new requests as they come in, while also completing the statutory TMO process for older schemes. In essence, we are working through the caseload as efficiently as possible within the resources available. We hope to have this backlog cleared in the next 6 to 12 months.
Cllr Mike Jack
Cllr Mark Smith
Cllr Alison Stammers
