Agenda and draft minutes

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 22 January, 2025 be agreed as a correct record.

The Mayor made three announcements regarding the following and asked Members for their support at the events:

·       Annual Civic Mass on Sunday 2 March 2025

·       Mayor’s Charity Ball on Saturday 29 March, 2025

·       A Covid Day of Reflection to be held in March 2025

The Leader introduced the report and moved the recommendations which set out the recommendations of Cabinet for Revenue and Capital Budgets for 2025/26. 

The Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 to 2029/30, Capital Strategy for 2025/35, the Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26, Investment Strategy 2025/26 and the Commercial Strategy for 2025/26 were also recommended for approval.

Following a debate, a named vote was taken in respect of the proposed budget:

In Favour (Y) –  23

Against (N) - 0

Abstain – 14

Resolved:    That recommendations (a) to (p), as set out in Appendix ‘1’ of the agenda report be approved.

Watch the debate here

The Leader introduced a report seeking Council’s approval of the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26. 

This was an annual requirement of the Localism Act, 2011 setting out the remuneration of chief officers and the lowest paid employees and the changes in roles and titles of senior officers. 

Resolved:    That the content of the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26, as set

out at Appendix A be approved, with a view to this being published on the Council’s website by 31^st March 2025.

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The Leader introduced a report to note changes in political proportionality following a change in political balance of the Council, as a result of the recent by-election.

Resolved:              (i)       That it be noted that, following a by-election in     

                              Town  Ward, the political balance of the Council had changed following the election of Cllr. Casey-Hulme to Council on 23^rd January 2025.

(ii)             That it be noted  that as a result of this change, the seats allocated to the Conservative Party on the Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee be decreased by one seat, with a corresponding increase of one seat for the Labour Party.

(iii)           That the nomination of Councillor Grocott to the Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee, be approved.

(iv)           That the change to Economy & Place Scrutiny Committee for the Labour Party, be noted.

Watch the debate here.

A Motion has been received regarding changes to the state pension triple lock and protecting pensioners from poverty

The Motion was withdrawn.

Question from Councillor Rupert Adcock to the Leader of the Council:

“The petition www.saveourborough.uk has reached over 2,100 signatures in a little over a week. Can the Leader update the Council on the Labour’s forced local government reorganisation plans that could mean a takeover of Newcastle Borough by the City of Stoke-on-Trent?”

The Leader advised that, in addition to the online petition, paper petitions had also been circulated across the Borough.  Since the last meeting of Full Council, a letter had been received from the Minister, Jim McMullen setting out a criteria and a request for information by 21 March, 2025.  The Leader stated that he would continue, with colleagues across the County, to see if there was a united approach to this.  In addition, the local MP would be contacted again to ensure that he too was supporting the Borough.  The Leader read a response from the Local Government Association regarding the local government reorganisation plans.  The Leader was working closely with the Chief Executive and would be bringing a timetable that would be referred back to Members at a Special Meeting of Full Council for a decision.

Councillor Adcock asked a supplementary question:

“Does the Leader agree that, given what we had heard about some Councils tonight – the larger, bigger geographical ones being in financial difficulty, bigger is not always better.”

The Leader agreed and stated that this Council’s role was to keep pointing that out.  An extract from an article was read out from the Municipal Journal paper which stated that it was not a devolution paper but a centralising agenda.

Question from Councillor Robert Bettley-Smith to the Leader of the Council:

“Would the Leader share my delight and satisfaction that Walleys Quarry Ltd were not successful in their injunction against the Environment Agency's Closure Notice and that residents have been saved from further waste being deposited, pending Walleys Quarry Ltd's appeal against the Closure Notice.”

The Leader agreed and stated that it was pleasing to see that judgement and the Council now awaited the appeal process to the closure notice which, he stated, should happen as soon as possible.  The Leader had written to Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, asking him to bring it forward but no response had yet been received.  People wanted to see this resolved, with hopefully the permanent closure and full capping off and restoration of the site.

Councillor Bettley-Smith asked a supplementary question:

“Would the Leader stress the importance of residents and others continuing to report the continuing problems with Walleys Quarry to the Environment Agency and to the Borough as noxious odours and toxic gasses are as bad as ever .  It seemed that the site was still being mismanaged and the Leader was asked if the Leader agreed that the cause needed to be investigated by the Environment Agency and a prescription for remedy issued as a matter  of urgency”.

The Leader agreed and stated that, along with the closure notice, the Environment Agency  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

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

No petitions were received.

To consider any communications which pursuant to Section B4, Rule 9 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.