Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Silvia Burgess, Bert Proctor, Amelia Rout, Elizabeth Shenton, Gary White and Simon White.

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

There were no declarations of interest stated.

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting(s)

Resolved:                 That the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May, 2021 be agreed as a correct record.

The Mayor advised that some Members had  forms on their tables which needed to be completed and returned.

 The Leader, Councillor Simon Tagg, introduced a report updating Members on ongoing work to address problem odours in the Borough and to report back on actions agreed at the Special Council Meeting held on 18 March, 2021.

The report outlined the history of the problems on the site and gave the number of complaints which had been received. The actions arising from the meeting held on 18 March, 2021 were also listed.

Members all showed concern for the health and wellbeing of the residents.  They discussed the financial and legal procedures involved in the action being taken by the Council.

Resolved:     That the current position regarding the persistent foul odours from

Walleys Quarry and the work being undertaken to address this issue, be noted. 

Report to follow.

Members were advised that the Independent Remuneration Panel were still in the process of considering a draft report.  This item would therefore be brought to a future meeting of the Council.

To receive a statement by the Leader of the Council on the activities and decisions of Cabinet and items included on the Forward Plan.

The Leader submitted a report which provided an update to Members on the activities and decisions of the Cabinet, together with the Forward

Plan.

The Statement was taken a paragraph at a time to allow for questions to be asked.

Paragraph 2: One Council Programme.

Councillor Jones stated that he had received concerns from residents regarding digital exclusion and sought reassurance that any process would include an appropriate impact assessment on residents who were less digitally accessible.

The Leader stated that there were no plans to turn off the traditional

means of communication.  That would also become more streamlined with the One Council approach as it was the back office being digitised as forms and other paperwork would all be electronic. 

Councillor Holland asked the Leader if he agreed that it was nice to see that, within the Authority, so many people were working productively and that there was an excellent working relationship in Human Resources between the Council and the Trade Unions. 

The Leader agreed that the Unions were working closely with the Council and there was a good relationship with them. A Dying to Work Charter had just been signed which had been a cross-party venture.  It was crucial to work with the staff, work with the Unions and keep Members involved.

Councillor Fear asked the Leader if he agreed that a much more streamlined and obvious website was needed.    

The Leader agreed that the website, with the multi-click feature needed to be streamlined which it would be under the new website and would have a more professional look.  In addition the ‘One Front Door’ would be launched in September.

Councillor Robinson asked if the Kidsgrove Customer Service Desk would be returning

The Leader stated that no decision had been made, as yet, on the reopening of the Contact Centre in Kidsgrove but it was something that the Leader wanted to see and working with the Town Council, there was - through the Town Deal Fund a commitment for a hub of some description.  The future of the centre would be a multi-purpose use with a Council operation in there along the lines of the ‘One Open Door’.  Therefore, for anything that could be done, now was the right time to take it forward and keep it sustainable in the long term.

Councillor Lawley asked for assurance that the ’contact us’ details for the Council’s website would be at the forefront and not hidden.

The Leader agreed and would ensure that that would happen on the design for the new website.

Paragraph 3: Back on Track – Coronavirus Pandemic Recovery Update.

Councillor Fear asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth, what was in the pipeline because as High Street’s began to change, the Market would play an important part of generating prosperity in the Borough

Councillor Sweeney stated that other events in the pipeline were: Artisan Markets on the third Sunday of the month and there was a waiting list for stalls there; on 29  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Reports attached:

a)         Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee

b)         Economy, Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee

c)         Health, Wellbeing and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee

Reports were submitted for the Committees that had met since the last Council meeting. 

Resolved:     That the reports be received.

Reports attached:

a)         Audit and Standards Committee

b)         Licensing and Public Protection Committee

A verbal update will be given for the Planning Committee.

Written reports were submitted for the Committees that had met since the last Council meeting. 

Councillor Fear gave a verbal update for the Planning Committee which had met on its regular cycle.  These had now moved to hybrid style meetings and had been well attended.  At the last meeting there had been an excellent set of performance reports from the Committee and officers were thanked for their hard work in very difficult times.  However, Enforcement performance figures were slipping.  Members were assured that the Planning Committee was addressing this issue with the Head of Planning.

Resolved:     That the reports be received.

Councillor Parker asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth for an update on the demolition of the former Civic Offices.

Councillor Sweeney advised that plant and equipment had now arrived on site and was now in the mobilisation stage.  Works to start pulling the building down would commence on 9 August, 2021 and would continue for 44 weeks, being completed by mid-June, 2022.

Councillor Parker asked what Business rates would be saved when demolition commenced.

Councillor Sweeney stated that, currently, £157,440 was being paid in Business Rates for the building.  As soon as bricks started to be removed, that would become zero.

Councillor Maxfield asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth for the latest figures for the amount of grants given out by the Council, to local business as a result of the recent lockdowns.

Councillor Sweeney advised that £39,422,374 had been passported out from the Council to local businesses.  It was an amazing amount of money and showed that the Government had listened to the people.  It also did the Council credit that the money had been distributed so quickly.

Councillor Maxfield asked if the Portfolio Holder envisaged any Central Government grants, either for businesses or the Council.

Councillor Sweeney stated that he understood that the general feeling of the officers was that there would be no more grants unless something major occurred. 

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

There were no petitions handed in at the meeting.

To consider any communications which pursuant to Appendix 7, Procedure Rule 8 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.