Agenda and minutes

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

There were no declarations of interest stated.

To consider the decisions of the previous meeting(s)

Resolved:                 That the minutes of the meetings held on 17^th May and 28^th June, 2023 be agreed as correct records.

To consider an e-petition, containing more than 1500 signatures, submitted to the Council regarding the emerging Borough Local Plan.

A petition was received asking the Council to review its targets for new housing in the Borough. Mr Hancock gave a presentation on behalf of signatories which was then debated by the Council.

The Leader stated that it was important to get a Local Plan in place to protect the Borough’s green spaces.

Resolved:    

(i)         That the contents of the petition be noted and that it be recorded as a consultation response to the First Draft Borough Local Plan. Consultation on the First Draft Local Plan ends on the 14 August 2023.

(ii)        That the petition, alongside a summary of other responses to the consultation on the First Draft Local Plan, be considered at a future meeting of the Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet.

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Members were informed of the resignations of Sue Moffat and Stephanie Talbot who were both wished well for their futures.

Councillor Susan Beeson would be taking a brief leave of absence for personal reasons. On behalf of Council, the Mayor sent her best wishes.

The Mayor also made one announcement regarding his Ball on 21^st October, 2023 at Keele Hall.

The Leader introduced a report regarding the appointment of Barbara Beardwell as the Interim Monitoring Officer.

Resolved:     That the appointment of Barbara Beardwell as the Council’s Interim Monitoring Officer be confirmed in accordance with section 5 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989.

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The Leader introduced a report seeking to receive the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge report and the Action Plan.

Peter Fleming and Helen Murray from the LGA gave an update on some key findings and the next steps.  A team would return in January, 2024 to see how the Council was progressing with the recommendations that were made.

Resolved:    

(i)            That the LGA’s Corporate Peer Challenge report be received; and

(ii)        That the Action Plan prepared in response to the LGA’s recommendations be approved.

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The Leader introduced a report advising of changes to committee membership following changes in political group membership. The changes followed the resignations of two Members as announced earlier in the meeting.

Resolved:    

(i)            That the urgent decision taken by the Chief Executive to amend the allocation of committee seats to the political groups to reflect updated proportionality requirements (Appendix 1) be noted.

(ii)          That the appointment of Councillor Panter to the newly allocated Conservative seat on the Audit and Standards Committee be noted.

(iii)         That the appointment of Councillor Grocott to the vacant Labour seat on Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee be noted.

(iv)         That Councillor Holland be appointed to the newly allocated Conservative seat on the Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee.

(v)        That the vacant Labour seat on the Planning Committee be advised.

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The Leader presented the statement that had been circulated about the activities and decisions made by Cabinet to allow questions and comments.

The Leader provided a verbal update on two items: national judging for Britain in Bloom would take place on 27th July at Castle House and there had been a large incursion of travellers on Wolstanton Marsh; the Council had obtained the Section 78 order and they had been moved off the site in the evening.

The Leader thanked the local Newcastle LPT Police Commander for his proactive approach to the removal of travellers.  

Questions were raised and responses were provided as follows.

On paragraph 2 – Walleys Quarry Odour Issues

Councillor Adcock advised that there had been good feedback on the Community Engagement event held at the Fire Station and asked the Leader if he would support another such event, should there be demand for it.

The Leader stated that he would support such an event and hoped the Environment Agency would arrange another in the community soon.

On paragraph 3 – Town deal and Future High Street Fund

Councillor Brockie asked for assurance that the scale and appropriateness of developments in the town centre would remain under active review.

Councillor John Williams asked for assurance that the Ryecroft site would be designed and built to complement the existing town centre.

The Leader stated that there was a blueprint for the development that had been to Cabinet, part of which was about having a good standard of design on the sites which would complement existing buildings and any other buildings on the Ryecroft.

Councillor Williams also asked if the proposed Wammy Changing Rooms could be used for other sporting activities in the area.

Councillor Parker asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth how the relocation of the remaining York Place tenants was progressing.

Councillor Sweeney stated that there were two tenants still on there, the Cooperative Bank and Specsavers, both were scheduled to vacate by Christmas and would be remaining in the town centre.

Councillor Paul Waring made reference to the Shared Services Hub which would improve Kidsgrove Town Centre.

Councillor Gorton asked the Leader for reassurance that the Philip Astley Centre would not be a stand-alone body but would work with the Museum, Newcastle College and other performing arts groups.

Councillor Gorton also asked the Leader if he would impress upon the team who take the project forward that collaboration, particularly with overseas links, would be essential to its success.

The Leader stated that Andrew Van-Buren was part of the steering group for the project and he did have links overseas, particularly in Monaco and with Newcastle College.

Councillor Fox-Hewitt asked if he was correct in his understanding that the amount spent on the performing arts centre had increased by £100,000.

The Leader confirmed that there was no increase in spending.

On paragraph 4 – Sustainable Environment Update:

Councillor Panter asked the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment for the progress in the Council’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Written reports are attached for the following:

a)              Health, Wellbeing and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee

b)              Economy, Environment 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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Written reports are attached for the following:

a)              Licensing and Public Protection Committee

b)              Audit and Standards Committee(a verbal update will be given for the meeting held on 17 July, 2023)

A verbal update will be given for the Planning Committee

Reports for the Licensing and Public Protection Committee and the Audit and Standards Committee were attached to the main and supplementary agendas.

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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A motion has been received regarding Staffordshire Fire Service.

A Motion was received concerning Fire Appliance Crewing proposed by Councillor Stubbs and seconded by Councillor Brockie.

Following a debate on the substantive motion, a vote was taken.

In Favour (Y) – 14

Against (N) – 21

Abstain – 0

The Motion fell.

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Nine questions were received:

1) Question from Councillor Gorton to the Leader of the Council:

“The publication of the draft Local Plan, which highlights the importance of residents having access to public transport, coincided with the decision by First to axe the bus service between Audley and Hanley. The frequency of services on other routes has also been reduced. 

Does the Leader of the Council agree that the time is right to: a) reconsider the current arrangements for operating bus services across the Borough; b) for the Borough Council to work with the City Council and other authorities across Staffordshire to put in place a new structure for providing bus services which could involve services being run by new bus operators?”  

The Leader stated that this was in relation to Route 7 that originally came through Audley which had been picked up by D&G.  The Council did not have any specific powers around bus services but did feed into the County wide Policies. The Government had brought forward a national Bus Strategy that was asking County Councils / Highways and Transport Authorities to set up enhanced partnerships with the bus services and to bring forward an improvement plan. The Council was working with the County Council through the Leaders Board and was looking to put in a bid to Government for devolved powers, one of which could be around the area of transport.  There could also be a North Staffordshire Bid Public Transport Improvement which would include bus services.

2) Question from Councillor Edgington-Plunkett to the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment:

“In the Leader’s statement it expresses that the administration will continue to improve the recycling and waste service, can the portfolio holder for sustainable environment please tell the residents and members what his action plan is for this service to improve? It also states that agency staff will be employed to help with the service, can the portfolio holder also inform members how many agency staff will be employed, how much this is costing the council and how many colleagues in the waste and recycling service are currently off on long term sickness?” 

Councillor Hutchison stated that there were 7 staff currently on long term sick leave out of a workforce of approximately 77 drivers and loaders. Pressures within the NHS were leading to appointments being cancelled and therefore delaying actions to help staff back into work. Against this, short term sickness causes temporary service disruption.

To increase resilience, the Council was increasing the driver / loader team posts through existing staff who would be able to do both.  Four new drivers had been recruited and the Council would be advertising for four more. The Council was in the process of developing a Workforce Strategy to attract younger people with career progression opportunities.

The garden waste service was seasonal in nature. Agency staff were brought into the service as required to cover absences such as annual leave. This was the most efficient way to manage the variation in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

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

The petition pertaining to the Borough Local Plan had been discussed under item 6 of the agenda. No other petitions were received.

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.

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 for consideration.