Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2AG

Contact: Jayne Briscoe / Geoff Durham  01782 742231 / 742222

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Astle, Fear, Heesom and Welsh.  Councillor Parker apologised for lateness.

2.

Declarations of Interest

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

Minutes:

Councillor Loades declared in interest at item 9 on the agenda relating to the Better Care Fund in Staffordshire as a support member for the Adult Social Care Committee of Staffordshire County Council.

3.

Minutes of a previous meeting pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting(s)

Minutes:

Resolved:     That with the clerical amendment to the officer attendance, the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September, 2016 be agreed as a correct record.

4.

Mayors Announcements

Minutes:

Councillor Snell was welcomed back to the Authority as an elected member following the Silverdale and Parksite by-election. 

 

The Annual Fun Fair and Fireworks display would take place at The Lyme Valley on 23 October, 2016 and the Mayors Ball would be held on 21 April 2017 at Keele Hall.

 

The Mayor promoted copies of a CD recorded by members of the locality and which was for sale in support of the Mayors Fund.

5.

Reports of the Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees pdf icon PDF 76 KB

Chairs are requested to submit written reports to the Democratic Services Manager by (TWO DAYS BEFORE MEETING)

 

a)       Finance, Resources and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee

b)       Active and Cohesive Communities Scrutiny Committee

c)       Cleaner, Greener and Safer Communities Scrutiny Committee

d)       Economic Development and Enterprise Scrutiny Committee

e)       Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

 

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the report of the Chair of the Cleaner, Greener and Safer Communities Scrutiny Committee and the Chair of the Economic Development and Enterprise Scrutiny Committee be noted.

6.

Reports of the Chairs of the Regulatory Committees pdf icon PDF 30 KB

Chairs are requested to submit written reports to the Democratic Services Manager by (two days before meeting).

 

a)       Audit and Risk Committee

b)       Planning Committee

c)       Licensing Committee

d)       Public Protection Committee

 

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the report of the Chair of Audit and Risk Committee and the Chair of the Licensing and Public Protection Committee be noted.

7.

COUNCIL SIZE SUBMISSION TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND pdf icon PDF 66 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader introduced this item to enable the Council to make a submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on its view of the future size of the Council at the start of the review process.

 

 

Resolved:     That approval be given to the proposal to reduce the council size from 60 to 44, effective from May 2018 and the Council Size Submission September 2016 document be submitted to the Local Government Commission for England.

8.

Civic Hub and Ryecroft pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Customer introduced this report which informed members of a decision which had been made under the urgency provisions of the Councils Constitution concerning the effects of the delay in the Ryecroft redevelopment project.

 

Resolved:     That the report be noted.

9.

Notice of Motion pdf icon PDF 41 KB

A notice of motion other than those listed in Standing Order 19 must reach the Chief Executive ten clear days before the relevant Meeting of the Council.

Minutes:

The following motion was received, proposed by Councillor Snell and  seconded by Councillor Jones regarding the cuts made by Staffordshire County Council as a result in the shortfall of funding to the Better Care Fund:

 

This Council notes that Staffordshire County Council is facing a £15m shortfall as a result of

Staffordshire CCGs removing their contribution to the Better Care Fund and that Staffordshire

County Council’s response to this shortfall is a series of swingeing, unfair and potentially damaging

cuts which will disproportionately affect older and vulnerable people in our communities.

This Council further notes that the cuts identified by Staffordshire County Council are focussed on:

Scrapping the ‘Casserole Club’ which supports at home hot meals for older people

Reducing funding to prevent ‘Social Isolation & Loneliness’ in Staffordshire, inc. Newcastle

Cutting funding for Carers Services – affecting 14,731 people in Newcastle alone.

Ending ‘Crisis Support’ meaning Newcastle BC will no longer be able to assist the most

vulnerable people who have been offered a home due to homelessness to gain support from

the Crisis Support Fund towards food, fuel and white goods.

Restricting support for Direct Payment and ending the ‘Self Advocacy’ service which provides

help and support to disabled people in Staffordshire to make the most of their direct

payments and have a voice to tell Staffordshire County Council what isn’t working well.

This Council believes that these changes, which the County Council claim are necessary because of

funding shortfalls, will have an severely adverse impact on the older, disabled and vulnerable people

in Staffordshire.

This Council further believes that the saving achieved by these savage cuts (£3.725) represents a

false economy whereby the overall cost to the public sector will increase due to the more acute

services the older, vulnerable and disabled people may access as a result of being abandoned by the

County Council.

This Council resolves that:

1. the Council Leader write to the Leader of Staffordshire County Council to set out our

opposition to these changes as outlines above.

2. the Cabinet and Executive Management Team investigate repatriating the Disabled Facilities

Grant funding to Newcastle Borough Council from Staffordshire County Council in order to

be able to continue to support Newcastle residents in need of adaptations.

3. The response from Newcastle Borough Council to these changes reiterate our objection to

these changes.

 

An amendment to this motion was proposed by Councillor Loades and seconded by Councillor Holland concerning accuracy.    A  vote  to amend the motion was  lost  

 

10.

Questions to the Mayor, Cabinet Members and Committee Chairs.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 11, questions must be submitted at least 24 hours before the meeting. Any questions considered urgent will only be accepted with the agreement of the Mayor prior to the meeting.

 

Minutes:

The following questions were submitted to the Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Customer:

 

From Councillor Julie Cooper:-

 

Can the Portfolio Holder explain why customers on contacting the number to complain were left holding on the telephone for in excess of 50 minutes and even cut off after 15 minutes with no holding message.  Can he confirm that this has improved.

 

From Councillor Naylon:- 

 

I am aware of the heavy demand on the Council switchboard resulting from the ‘teething problems’ incurred by the switch to a new system of recycling. The burden placed on the system and the staff has been immense It seemed very late in the day that any contingency measures were brought in. These seemed to be members of the planning staff engaged to take and handle some of the calls.

 

As a Councillor needing to report fly tipping and other problems lately, it is very evident in the Keele area that this has been a very frustrating and deeply unsatisfactory experience trying to get through to officers of the Council. This is of course the same experience as any other person will have had, phoning in to the Council, for whatever reason.

I was hoping that as the recycling problems have settled somewhat things would have improved. My experience week beginning Aug 29 (30th the working day) were as bad as ever. I resorted to driving in to report a major fly tipping incident

 

I have always believed that the MOST important interface of the Council with its residents is and always will be the initial experience after the dialling 717717

 

What plans are in place to restore the system to what it should offer ...rapid and efficient handling of all calls?

 

The following question was submitted by Councillor Sweeny to the Portfolio holder for Leisure and Culture:

 

This administration has pledged itself to deliver a new Leisure Centre in Kidsgrove. Can the portfolio holder tell me what proposals she has to fund it?

 

The following question was submitted by Councillor J Cooper to the Portfolio holder for Operational Services: –

 

Why has the planning of the new recycling service failed to meet the need?

 

 

 

 

The following question was submitted by Councillor Snell to the Leader of the Council:

 

"During the recent Silverdale & Parksite by-election, I spoke with hundreds of people. Many of whom wished to discuss the new cross-party endorsed recycling system - often praising the ambition of a weekly recycling system and the reduction in the number of bags, bins and boxes of the previous system. However, some residents did also raise the matter of missed collections.  

 

Increasing not only the frequency of kerb side recycling but also the variety of materials that can be recycled was always going to come with some teething problems. 

 

As such could the Leader, therefore, outline the actions that she and her cabinet have taken since the inception of this system to deal with the initial problems that occurred with the introduction of the new system and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Receipt of Petitions

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

 

Minutes:

There were no petitions received.

12.

Standing Order 18 - Urgent Business

To consider any communications which pursuant to Standing Order No18 are, in the opinion of the Mayor, of an urgent nature and to pass thereon such resolutions as may be  deemed necessary.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

13.

Disclosure of Exempt Information

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 1, 2 and 3 in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

Resolved:-              That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration if the following matter because it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1,2, and 7 in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972.

 

14.

Civic Hub and Ryecroft

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the report be noted.