Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies.

To receive declarations of interest from Members  on items included in the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th October 2012.

Resolved:     That the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th October 2012 be agreed as a correct record.

(a)       That Cabinet notes the contents of the Strategy.

(b)       That Cabinet approves the Strategy and requests that it is made available throughout the Borough via the Council website and also in hard copy format where necessary.

A report was submitted to provide Cabinet with the latest draft of the Stronger and Safer Communities Strategy 2012-2017.

A version of the report had been presented to the Cleaner, Greener and Safer Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 5^th October 2012, following previous presentations of the Strategy at the Scrutiny Committee in February 2012 and at Cabinet in March 2012. The document had also been out for public consultation between May and August 2012, and had been amended as a result

The Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities stated that the new strategy would seek to focus on practical outcomes and that key areas for prioritisation had been reduced from 21 to 2 areas which dealt with economic growth and vulnerable individuals.  The Strategy would take a multi agency partnership approach working towards a Cooperative Council and Community driven services. The Strategy also sought to incorporate responses to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act and the Localism Act and would not be dependant upon external funding.

Resolved:     (a)       That Cabinet notes the contents of the Strategy.

(b)       That Cabinet approves the Strategy and requests that it is made available throughout the Borough via the Council website and also in hard copy format where necessary.

That Cabinet notes the outcome of the procurement process and accepts the appointment of the print and distribution providers.

A report was submitted to inform Cabinet of the final outcome of the procurement process for printing the council’s newspaper the Reporter

As a result of the procurement process, Yorkshire Web, a company based in Barnsley had been awarded the contract for printing the Reporter. The contract would run for two years beginning on 1 April 2013 with the first Reporter under the new contract scheduled for print on 16 May 2013.

It was noted that the agreement would ensure an increase of around 30 per cent in the number of pages printed in the Reporter each year without the need to increase the Reporter print budgets.

Members thanked the Head of Communications and his team for the hard work undertaken in securing the contract.

Resolved:      That Cabinet notes the outcome of the procurement process and accepts the appointment of the print and distribution providers.

(a)        That the strategic significance of the sports centre be recognised and the Councils role as the applicant for grant funding for the project be noted.

(b)        That a further report be submitted to Cabinet in the spring of 2013 reporting progress made on the project and the outcome of external funding applications.

Cabinet received a report providing it with an overview on the strategic significance of Clayton Sports Centre and the key issues concerning its long term sustainability.

The Portfolio Holder stated that the facility had strategic significance in terms of the provision of a multi use publicly accessible sports hall which could be used for a range of sports such as football, badminton, cricket and others.  The location of this facility, within the same general location as Newcastle Rugby Club, Newcastle and Hartshill Cricket Club, Newcastle Town Football Club and the cycling velodrome, with all the associated sports development activities that took place, increased the importance of the venue.

For the past forty two years Clayton Sports Centre had been directly managed by the SDSA as a charitable trust.  During this period the centre had been exceptionally well used by the local community, and had an annual footfall of circa 35,000.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance Budget Management confirmed that Cabinet was not being asked for capital funding but officer time to help with fundraising.

The Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities requested that a safeguard be included in the resolution to ensure that a management process was put in place at the sports centre to ensure that a contingency fund would be available in the future should funding be required again. The Leader confirmed that this would be written into the final agreement with the Sports Centre but that care had to be taken to ensure that this did not lead to an increase in prices.

Resolved:      (a)        That the strategic significance of the sports centre be recognised and the Councils role as the applicant for grant funding for the project be noted.

(b)        That a further report be submitted to Cabinet in the spring of 2013 reporting progress made on the project and the outcome of external funding applications.

 (a)       That the approach to providing quality indoor and all weather sports facilities in Kidsgrove as outlined be approved.

(b)        That Cabinet agrees to receive further reports as the options are developed to direct the strategic planning and provision of sports facilities in Kidsgrove.

A report was submitted to update Members on the re-opening of the Swimming Pool at Kidsgrove Sports Centre on Saturday 17^th November 2012 and to outline current and future development opportunities for sports facilities in Kidsgrove. The Portfolio Holder stated that there were still concerns regarding the ongoing condition of the building and the plant but that work continued to be undertaken with Clough Hall School and the County Council regarding this and future reports would be submitted to Cabinet to keep it updated.

Cllr Astle stated that a large scale campaign had been launched by the Ward Councillors in Kidsgrove to encourage the County Council to sort out the roof of the Sports Centre and requested that Cabinet continue to push the County Council to obtain funding.  The Leaders confirmed that this would be done.

Resolved:      (a)        That the approach to providing quality indoor and all weather sports facilities in Kidsgrove as outlined be approved.

(b)        That Cabinet agrees to receive further reports as the options are developed to direct the strategic planning and provision of sports facilities in Kidsgrove.

(a)        That a contract be entered into for the servicing and maintenance of the combined heat and power unit at Jubilee 2.

(b)        That the Executive Director – Operational Services be authorised to accept the most economically advantageous tender following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure.

A report was submitted to seek approval to enter into a five or ten year contract with an external provider to maintain and service the combined heat and power unit at Jubilee 2

RESOLVED:   (a)        That a contract be entered into for the servicing and maintenance of the combined heat and power unit at Jubilee 2.

(b)        That the Executive Director – Operational Services be authorised to accept the most economically advantageous tender following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure.

(a)        That cabinet approves the use of Section 106 Agreement funding secured for the Lily Street Development for the installation of a drainage scheme to one full size football on the area identified as ‘pitch drainage area A’.

(b)        That the findings of the Value for Money assessment in relation to the proposed specialist drainage contractor be accepted.

(c)        That Cabinet grant a waiver of part 3 of Standing Orders, section 8, paragraph (f) on the grounds that there would be no genuine competition in the supply of the service,as the preferred method is the use of the proprietary Hydraway Pitch Drainage system

A report was submitted to request that Cabinet grant a waiver to Standing Orders to allow the use of a proprietary drainage system for the implementation of a drainage scheme for two football pitches at Wolstanton Marsh and to seek approval to utilise funding secured from a Section 106 Agreement to implement the drainage scheme to the pitch for which funding is currently unallocated.

It was confirmed that no other tenders had been sought as no other contractors carried out this service.

RESOLVED:   (a)        That cabinet approves the use of Section 106 Agreement funding secured for the Lily Street Development for the installation of a drainage scheme to one full size football on the area identified as ‘pitch drainage area A’.

(b)        That the findings of the Value for Money assessment in relation to the proposed specialist drainage contractor be accepted.

(c)        That Cabinet grant a waiver of part 3 of Standing Orders, section 8, paragraph (f) on the grounds that there would be no genuine competition in the supply of the service,as the preferred method is the use of the proprietary Hydraway Pitch Drainage system

(a)        That Cabinet formally adopts the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Waste Boards’ recommendations for a collaborative approach to develop the Councils Commercial Recycling and Waste Service with partner authorities in Staffordshire, to include the development of a trade recycling service.

(b)        That Cabinet agree the principle of a common pricing structure across partnering authorities.

(c)        That Cabinet agree with the development of a collaborative marketing campaign for the service. 

Cabinet received a report presenting recommendations to develop the Councils Commercial Recycling and Waste Service to ensure it provided customers with a cost effective high quality service.

RESOLVED:   (a)        That Cabinet formally adopts the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Waste Boards’ recommendations for a collaborative approach to develop the Councils Commercial Recycling and Waste Service with partner authorities in Staffordshire, to include the development of a trade recycling service.

(b)        That Cabinet agree the principle of a common pricing structure across partnering authorities.

(c)        That Cabinet agree with the development of a collaborative marketing campaign for the service. 

(a)        That Cabinet endorse the issues identified in the report.

(b)        That the Active and Cohesive Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee undertake a review of the issues identified with particular reference to local management, meeting future demand and reducing the current cost.

(c)        That a report on the outcome of the scrutiny and consultation process be brought to a future meeting of the Cabinet, in conjunction with a draft reviewed Allotments Policy.

A report was submitted to inform Cabinet of progress with the review of the Allotments Policy and issues which have arisen out of the preliminary work and to present an issues and options report for Cabinet to consider.

The report also sought endorsement from Cabinet of the identified issues for referral to the Active and Cohesive Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration of the options available to progress the review. 

A large amount of work had already been carried out by Officers regarding the allotments review and it was requested that the Active and Cohesive Overview and Scrutiny Committee focus on the following three areas:

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• Local Management.
• Meeting demand.
• Reducing current and future costs.

The Chair d the Active and Cohesive Overview and Scrutiny Committee stated that he was please to see the topic before Cabinet as there had been a significant increase over the last 12 to 18 months in residents requesting allotments. Scrutiny took this topic very seriously especially as rising unemployment and rising food costs made allotments a perfect way to help with family budgets and would also help increase income for the Council.

The request was made that ward members who did not sit on the Active and Cohesive Overview and Scrutiny Committee be involved in the review and this was agreed by the Committee Chair along with a standing invite to the Portfolio Holder to attend all meetings where the topic would be discussed.

RESOLVED:   (a)        That Cabinet endorse the issues identified in the report.

(b)        That the Active and Cohesive Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee undertake a review of the issues identified with particular reference to local management, meeting future demand and reducing the current cost.

(c)        That a report on the outcome of the scrutiny and consultation process be brought to a future meeting of the Cabinet, in conjunction with a draft reviewed Allotments Policy.

(a)        That the information regarding the culture and arts partnership be noted.

(b)        That Cabinet approve the objectives for the group, definition of arts activities and the development of the arts strategy.

(c)        That Cabinet agree the timetable for the production of the arts strategy and agree to receive a further report on the strategy in the spring of 2013.

(d)        That Cabinet agree the establishment of a project group to investigate the opportunity to develop a Newcastle town centre outdoor performance space.

(e)        That Cabinet agree to undertake the feasibility work to develop proposals to improve visitor circulation, displays and the general lay out and zoning of the museum.

Cabinet received a report seeking approval to develop an Arts Strategy to harness the support of the culture and arts sector to support the desired outcomes of the Council Plan, particularly in relation to town centre regeneration.

The Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities stated that it was a good strategy and the Leader stated that he welcomed the report. It was confirmed that the Strategy would cover the whole of Newcastle under Lyme, including Kidsgrove.

RESOLVED:   (a)        That the information regarding the culture and arts partnership be noted.

(b)        That Cabinet approve the objectives for the group, definition of arts activities and the development of the arts strategy.

(c)        That Cabinet agree the timetable for the production of the arts strategy and agree to receive a further report on the strategy in the spring of 2013.

(d)        That Cabinet agree the establishment of a project group to investigate the opportunity to develop a Newcastle town centre outdoor performance space.

(e)        That Cabinet agree to undertake the feasibility work to develop proposals to improve visitor circulation, displays and the general lay out and zoning of the museum.