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, Proctor, Simpson and Walklate.

2.

FORMER COUNCILLOR RAY ASTLE AND ALDERMAN ELSIE ASHLEY

Minutes:

Following a minute’s silence, Members paid tribute to former Councillors’ Ray Astle and Alderman Elsie Ashley O.B.E.  J.P. M.U. (Keele) had both recently passed away. Councillor Hambleton had held many roles during his time with the Authority including that of Mayor.

 

Members described Ray as hard working, loyal, committed, and a gentleman who would be greatly missed.

 

Elsie was described as being like ‘royalty’.  She was a strict group leader, hardworking and a lovely lady who would be greatly missed.

 

On behalf of the Council, the Mayor passed on condolences and best wishes to Councillor Margaret Astle and the families of both former Members.

3.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

Minutes:

Councillor Loades declared an interest in item ten – the Motion for Universal Credit as his company has involvement with it.

4.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 115 KB

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting(s)

Minutes:

The Chair had been notified of an error in the previous Minutes at item 9 – Members’ Allowances.  Councillor Snell was reported to have foregone his Basic Allowance since May, 2017.  This was incorrect as it was actually February, 2017.

 

An apology was given to Councillor Snell for the incorrect Minute and also to Councillor Simon Tagg who had been given inaccurate information prior to the meeting.

 

Resolved:                 That, subject to the month being amended from May to February, the minutes of the meeting held on 6 September, 2017 be agreed as a correct record.

5.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

Minutes:

Councillor Simon Tagg asked the Leader if any progress had been made in respect of item ten of the Minutes regarding advertisement hoardings. The leader confirmed that she would look into this.

6.

MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Minutes:

The annual Fun Fair and Fireworks Display held at Lyme Valley had raised £2000 for the Mayor’s Charity Fund.

 

The Mayor’s Civic Carol Service will be held at All Saints’ Church, Madeley on 17th December, 2017 commencing 6.30pm.

 

Memorial services are to be held for:

 

Elsie Ashley, on 3 December, 2017 at 2pm at St Giles’ Church, Newcastle.

 

Trevor Hambleton, on 7 January, 2018 at 6.30pm at St Barnabus’ Church, Cauldon Avenue, Bradwell.  

7.

LOCALISED COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT SCHEME pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Customer introduced the Localised Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

 

Members were informed that it was the same as last year but some of the figures had changed.

 

Resolved:     That the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for the

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council area, as detailed, is adopted for the financial year 2018/19.

8.

STATEMENT OF THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL pdf icon PDF 82 KB

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

Minutes:

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 Leader added that at the last Council meeting, Members had asked about an expected Elections report and it had been anticipated that it would be brought to this evenings’ meeting.  The Leader had not received a report as yet and assured members that once received, a special meeting of Council would be called.

 

Councillor Sweeney made reference to the Cabinet agenda of 26 September and the item regarding the subways.  Councillor Sweeney commended Councillor Naylon on her work as Chair of the Cleaner, Greener and Safer Communities Scrutiny Committee and stated how beneficial working in partnership can be, referring to the work undertaken by this Council, the County Council and the B.I.D.

 

Councillor Simon Tagg raised a question from the 26 September Cabinet meeting regarding Business Rates and pooling in respect of the Innovation Centre 6 at Keele University.  The item had been withdrawn from the previous Cabinet meeting and was showing as abandoned on the Forward Plan.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Customer explained that Keele University had asked the Borough Council to waive £11,000 Business Rates for the next fifty years.  This was not the best use of the Council’s money which could be better spent on ‘the citizens’ of the Borough.

 

Councillor Loades referred to the item on Planning for Homes seeking assurance that the Plan had been updated and that  Neighbourhood Planning would be kept informed.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, at the 8 November Cabinet meeting had been given delegated authority to agree the final consultation response with officers.  Councillor Robinson had met with the Head of Planning and the consultation had been reviewed.

 

Resolved:                 That the statement of the Leader of the Council be

received and noted.

 

9.

REPORTS OF THE CHAIRS OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEES pdf icon PDF 51 KB

The following reports are attached:

 

a)         Finance, Resources and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee

b)         Active and Cohesive Communities Scrutiny Committee

d)         Economic Development and Enterprise Scrutiny Committee

e)         Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

f)          Cleaner, Greener and Safer Communities Scrutiny Committee.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Written reports had been submitted for all of the Scrutiny Committees.  Councillor Naylon spoke on her report.

 

Councillor Loades made reference to the Health Select Committee and Councillor Simon Tagg congratulated the Health Scrutiny Committee with respect to their work on the Space Programme.

 

Resolved:                 That the reports for the Finance, Resources and Partnerships; Active and Cohesive Communities;   Economic Development and Enterprise; Health and Wellbeing and Cleaner, Greener and Safer Communities Scrutiny Committees be received.

 

10.

REPORTS OF THE CHAIRS OF THE REGULATORY COMMITTEES pdf icon PDF 51 KB

Reports are attached for the following:

 

a)         Audit and Standards Committee

b)         Planning Committee

c)         Licensing Committee

 

A verbal report will be given for the Public Protection Committee.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Written reports were submitted for Audit and Standards Committee; Planning Committee and the Licensing Committee.

 

A verbal update was given by the Chair of the Public Protection Committee. Although not much could be said as the biggest majority of reports were confidential, the Chair stated that the Committee had met on several occasions and many taxi drivers, littering offenders and noise offenders had been considered.

 

Officers were also looking at tightening up policies and guidelines for taxis.

 

Resolved:     That the reports be received and the comments noted.

 

11.

ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR TO HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

Nominations:

 

Councillor Laura Dillon

Minutes:

Nominations were received for:

Councillor Dillon

Councillor Northcott

 

Resolved:      That Councillor Northcott be appointed Vice Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee.

 

 

 

12.

MOTIONS OF MEMBERS pdf icon PDF 41 KB

A notice of motion, under Appendix 7 – paragraph 12 other than those listed in Appendix 7 – paragraph 10 of the Constitution must reach the Chief Executive at least ten clear days before the relevant Meeting of the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Mental Health Challenge

 

The following motion was received, proposed by Councillor Gardner and seconded by Councillor Wright regarding the Mental Health Challenge:

 

“This council notes:


1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.

The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.

Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.

People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK.

There is often a circular relationship between mental health and issues such as housing, employment, family problems or debt.

 

This council believes:

To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge rub by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Providers Forum, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and YoungMinds.

We commit to appoint an elected member as “mental health champion” across the council.

We will seek to identify a member of staff within the council to act as “lead officer” for mental health.

 

The council will also:

 

Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, colleges, Keele University, neighbourhoods and workplaces.

Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.

Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.

Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.

Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health.

Sign up to the Time to Change Pledge”.

 

Resolved:     That the motion be carried.

 

 

Councillor Loades left the room during consideration of the following motion:

 

Universal Credit

 

A motion was received, proposed by Councillor Gardner and seconded by Councillor Olszewski regarding Universal Credit:

 

 

 

 

“This council notes:


That Universal Credit, the single monthly payment which replaces the six current working age benefits, is to be fully implemented in Newcastle in 2018.

This council also notes that within our area the number of people affected is likely to be in the thousands.

Council notes with concern that the move to a Full Service Universal Credit in other parts of the country has caused considerable financial hardship for many of those people moving onto this new system of benefit payments.

Before a full roll-out of Universal Credit the following problems need to be addressed:

·         The six -week  wait for claimants to receive their benefits.
The idea that all workers are in jobs where they are paid a month in arrears ignores the reality for the 1.5 million workers who struggle on zero hours, insecure jobs or forced self-employment. Claimants need to be paid from day one.

·         Payments going to one named member of a household.
Many claimants struggle to budget and payments should be paid to the separate claimants within a household and on a fortnightly rather than a monthly basis. With the present policy there is real danger that if the whole benefit goes to one named individual there is no guarantee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

QUESTIONS TO THE MAYOR, CABINET MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Minutes:

Councillor Gary White asked the Leader for an update regarding the position with Castle House.

 

The Leader stated that it was a County Council project which was being led by them and at the last time of speaking, they did not have a definitive date for moving across.  Councillor Atkins was, however, committed to providing updates when available.

 

Councillor Gary White felt that not enough pressure was being put onto the County Council and more should be applied.

 

The Leader confirmed that she had met with  Councillor Atkins at it was not just Councillors being affected  - it was officers and the public too.  Councillor Atkins had been made aware of the concerns.

 

 

Councillor Waring asked the Leader what progress had been made with the Kidsgrove Sports Centre Community Group regarding taking on and managing the existing building.

 

The Leader confirmed that the viability of the business case would need to be assessed and the County Council would be making their decision soon.

 

 

Councillor Simon Tagg asked the Leader if the Borough Council had submitted a response to the Staffordshire Subsidised Bus Review Consultation.

 

The Leader confirmed that she had checked her emails and had not receive the email that Councillor Tagg referred to.  However, it was confirmed that an email had been received by the Chief Executive and a response was sent on 16 September, 2017.

 

Councillor Tagg asked which of the three options from the consultation was the preferred one.

 

The Leader stated that the Consultation was limited and the only viable option for Newcastle was option one as it was the only one that retained a bus subsidy in the Borough.

 

 

Councillor Sweeney asked the Leader what cuts would be made to cover the shortfall of £200,000.

 

The Leader confirmed that an action plan had been developed.

 

Last year’s budget had balanced and the Leader stated that new ways of delivering all of the Council’s services had had to be explored.

 

 

Councillor Simon Tagg asked the Leader why a room would not be provided for a Mayor’s Parlour in Castle House.

 

The Leader explained that the cost of incorporating a Mayor’s Parlour into the new building would be £45,000 for a 15m2  room, excluding any alarmed cabinets.  To provide a room the same size as the existing (Civic Offices) one would cost in the region of £100,000.

 

Use of the ‘red’ room at the Borough Museum had been agreed for certain functions.

 

Councillor Simon Tagg asked the Leader to agree to work with Group Leaders to identify a room within Castle House that could be used as a Mayor’s Parlour.

 

The Leader stated that she had researched the use of the existing Parlour and in 2013/14 there were 15 visits, in 2014/15 and 2015/16  there were 18 visits in both years, in 2016/17, ten visits and in this current year, six visits to date.

 

 

Councillor Simon Tagg asked the Portfolio Holder for Town Centres, Property and Business to provide details of the Performance Indicators put in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

RECEIPT OF PETITIONS

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

Minutes:

No Petitions were received.

15.

STANDING ORDER 18 - URGENT BUSINESS

To consider any communications which pursuant to Appendix 7 – paragraph 7 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.

Minutes:

Approval of Absence.

 

The report was submitted as an item of urgent business due to there not being another Council meeting until February 2018 and a decision being required by 20 January, 2018.

 

The Leader of the Council sought an extension to the approval of absence for Councillor Margaret Astle under Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act, 1972 to 28 February, 2018.

 

Resolved:     That approval of an extension of absence for Councillor Margaret Astle  be approved on the grounds of ill health.