Agenda and draft minutes

To receive declarations of interest from Members on items contained within this agenda.

Councillor Dave Jones and interest on an item contained within the Leader’s Statement (‘Keele in Town’) as an employee of Keele University and would not take part in the debate on that item.

To consider the Minutes of the previous meeting(s)

Resolved:              That the minutes of the two meetings held on 14 February be agreed as correct records.

The Mayor had no announcements to make.

Gordon Mole left the room during consideration of this item.

The Leader introduced a report seeking Council’s formal agreement to the appointment of the new Chief Executive and the extension (if required) to the current interim arrangements. The Leader advised Council of Gordon’s previous experience.

Following Council’s approval of appointment, Gordon addressed Council stating that he was delighted to have been appointed, to give continuity of officer leadership and to bring some new perspective and insights as the Borough further develops its key agenda.  

Resolved:    (i)       That the appointment of Gordon Mole as the Council’s

Chief Executive (including the statutory roles of Head of Paid service, Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer) such appointment to commence from a date to be agreed between Mr Mole and the Leader of the Council.

(ii)      That Mr Mole be appointed on a salary of £116, 530.65 per

annum (plus expenses for additional election related

duties).

(iii)      That should it be required, for the current interim arrangements to be extended for up to a month should a start date for Mr Mole fall outwith the agreed acting up period for Mr McEneny (originally approved for up to 3 months).

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The Leader introduced a report which set out the proposed fees to be paid for undertaking the various duties in connection with the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Election being held on 2 May, 2024.

Resolved:    That the proposed election fees for 2024-25, as set out in

Appendix 1, be noted.

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The Leader introduced a report updating Council on the latest position regarding the odours associated with Walleys Quarry.

A breach in the Abatement notice, earlier this year had been announced by officers yesterday and legal action was being prepared against the operator.

Officers would now work up a legal case with King’s Counsel advice, which would take as long as was necessary.  No time limit on this should be set as officers needed to have a watertight case and for the legal action to be sound.

The Environment Agency (EA) had recently issued a brief suspension notice however, the Council still urged them to issue a closure notice and ensure that the site be capped off and restored.

Reference was made to the funding for legal action.  The Council had put £300,000 into the Walleys’ reserve fund at the Budget setting meeting in February and a further £300,000 could be drawn down from reserves, as and when it was needed.

The recently formed Walleys Quarry Working Group had, this week, met for the first time and had put together a Work Programme.

Councillor Dave Jones stated that his Group would be supporting this item and stated that it was a shame that it had reached the stage where the Council had to use its Abatement powers.

Councillor Bettley Smith raised two points – as ward Councillor and as Chair of the Working Group, firstly, welcoming the issuing of the letter to Walleys Quarry notifying them of the breach of the abatement notice.  Regarding the Working Group, Councillor Bettley Smith stated that it had been very constructive, agreeing a way forward.  A further meeting had been arranged for 1 May, 2024.

The Leader stated that the public would be kept updated as much as possible

Resolved:    (i)       That the contents of this update report, be noted.

(ii)      That the breach of the Council’s Abatement Notice, be noted.

(iii)      That it be noted that the Council has issued a letter to

Walleys Quarry Ltd notifying them of the breach of the Abatement Notice.

(iv)     That it be noted that the Council will continue dialogue with

Partners via the Strategic Coordinating Group regarding any further enforcement activities to seek to alleviate the suffering of the community.

(v)      That it be noted that the Council’s legal team have been

instructed to prepare appropriate legal proceedings in line with the above.

(vi)     That it be noted that the £300k Walleys Quarry Reserve to

undertake the above and if additional funds are required, a separate report will be brought to Council in due course

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The Leader introduced a report regarding the requirement to update the current Corporate Enforcement Policy.

The Policy had previously been through Cabinet and Scrutiny and set out the Council’s approach to regulation and enforcement across all service areas – except Planning which had its own enforcement policy.

Resolved:    That the Corporate Enforcement Policy 2024 be approved.

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The Leader, Councillor Simon Tagg presented the statement that had been circulated about the activities and decisions made by Cabinet to allow questions and comments. Reference was made to the Council’s Annual Report and the Leader stated that this Council ‘made things happen’ and this Statement reflected that.

Questions were raised and responses were provided as follows.

On paragraph 2 – Newcastle and Kidsgrove Regeneration Update

Councillor Holland stated that a lot of levelling up money had gone unspent and said that it was great that this Authority was delivering the levelling up money awarded to it. 

Councillor Holland referred to a document, produced by the Labour Party as part of the local elections campaign and raised concerns at a quote from the paper “we will widen devolution by asking all Councils, outside of an existing or combined authority to begin preparatory work to join together”.  Councillor Holland was concerned that this was a plan to take away Newcastle Borough Council’s independence.  The Leader was asked if he too felt that this was a concern.

The Leader had read the document and shared the concerns stating that it was something that this Council needed to be aware of.  All Groups had stated in the past that they wanted to keep the independence of the Borough.  The Leader stated that he was prepared to write to all of the candidates for the upcoming elections asking them to commit to preserving the history, integrity and independence of the Borough.

Councillor Parker asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centre’s and Growth for an update on the developments for the free market on Monday’s. 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centre’s and Growth stated that Monday’s had always been the quietest day on the market so a decision was made to make Monday’s a free market day.   Prior to the decision, average usage had been four stalls and now was nearer to ten and on one day there had been fourteen new traders using twenty five stalls.

On paragraph 3 – Procurement of Streetscene and MMF Vehicles and Plant

Councillor Gary White welcomed the fact that electric technology was being embraced across the Borough and asked Council to recognise that there was only 22% of the UK generating electricity through solar and wind power.  Keele University were leading the way in terms of green hydrogen.  The Leader was asked if there was any intention to liaise with the University on this approach.

The Leader referred to a previous paper to Cabinet regarding a possible solar farm in Keele Cemetery.  A report would be going to Cabinet later in the year with an update on that, and the work being done with Keele University.

The Council was liaising with the University regarding hydrogen power.

Councillor Edgington-Plunkett welcomed this and asked the  Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment, apart from the six electric pick-up vehicles, what was the rest of the Council’s fleet like and were any still to be replaced and were there plans for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Written Reports are attached for the following:

a)       Health, Wellbeing and Environment Scrutiny Committee

b)       Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee

A verbal update will be given for the Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee

The reports for the Health, Wellbeing and Environment Scrutiny Committee and Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee had been circulated with the agenda.

A verbal update was given for the Finance Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee detailing the items discussed at previous meetings.

Resolved:    That the reports be received.

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A written report is attached for the Licensing and Public Protection Committee.

The Audit and Standards Committee has not met since the last meeting of the Full Council.

A Verbal update will be given for the Planning Committee.

A report for the Licensing and Public Protection Committee was attached to the agenda.

The Audit and Standards Committee had not met since the last meeting of the Full Council.

A verbal update was given for the Planning Committee detailing the items discussed at previous meetings.

Resolved:    That the reports be received.      

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There were no questions.

To receive from Members any petitions which they wish to present to the Council.

There were no petitions.

To consider any communications which pursuant to Section B4, Rule 9 of the constitution are, in the opinion of the Mayor, of an urgent nature and to pass thereon such resolutions as may be  deemed necessary.

There was no urgent business.

To resolve that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report(s) as it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs contained within Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no confidential items.