Agenda item

(i)            Councillor Robinson asked the Leader how long the former Civic Offices would remain boarded up.

The Leader stated that Councillor Robinson will be aware of the recent Members briefing (on the Agenda) and a press release detailing the current situation relating to the HDD student & retail development.

The key issue is the 18 months ‘back stop’ which was agreed and signed off by the previous administration of the council that expires in September 2019. This means that the developer has until that date to start the permitted development.

During that time the Council is still responsible for the building (and therefore such things as the business rates and the security of the building) and it was envisaged in that agreement that there would be a period of boarding up to secure the building.

Officers have been in talks with the developer to gain an insight on their plans and the current position remains as previously stated in the member briefing and press coverage and they say that they would find it difficult to deliver the previous administration’s  ‘retail aspirations’ for the site. 

An agreement has now been made with the County Council to work towards a back-up scheme for a mix of accommodation on the site with appropriate supportive retail.

This will hopefully enable people of all ages to live on the edge of the town centre and to contribute to footfall which will help the town centre to adapt to become a live, work and service led centre.

Updates will be reported to members and the public in due course.        

(ii)          Councillor Stubbs asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency how much the Council would be paying each year in non-domestic rates for the empty Civic Offices.

Councillor Sweeney advised that the rates were £162,169.15p.  Once empty, there would be an exemption period of three months and once the building had been decommissioned, the Council’s Property Section would put forward proposals to reduce the amount.

Councillor Stubbs asked if the rates had been budgeted for and would the amount be built into next year’s budgets.

Councillor Sweeney stated that there was a budget for this and had been put onto the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

(iii)         Councillor Kearon asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency what impact the continued delay in obtaining a capital receipt for the sale of the Civic Offices had on budgetary  pressures for the Council.

Councillor Sweeney stated that there was no impact on the budget as £200,000 had been included for 2018/19 and it was still included for 2019/20. 

Councillor Kearon queried whether the former Civic Offices site would be more appealing to developers if the building was demolished and asked what the cost of such a project would be.

Councillor Sweeney would provide a written report for this.

(iv)         Councillor Burnett  asked The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency whether the external auditor’s final report, discussed at the previous council meeting,  had been received and what the final out-turn figure was.

Councillor Sweeney confirmed that it had been received and had been taken to the Audit and Standards Committee on 30 July.  There Was no change to the final outcome figure.  Councillor Sweeney thanked the Finance Team for their hard work.

(v)          Councillor Gardner asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency what measures had been put in place for people suffering domestic violence to arrange for Universal Credit payments to be made separately.

Councillor Sweeney stated that single payments could be requested by a single member of a partnership and fully trained teams were in place at job centres and they were also trained in Safeguarding.  The Department for Work and Pensions were currently considering a report on this to suggest further improvements.  The Government would respond in due course.  At Newcastle, there was the ability to separate Universal Credit payments if there was evidence of domestic violence.  The Council would give support and advice to anyone but had no control over the actual payments.

Councillor Gardner asked what provision had been made in respect of those with ‘digital exclusion’ – namely the elderly and people without computer devices.

Councillor Sweeney stated that front line staff were trained and could help when it goes live.  Councillor Sweeney would give a fuller, written response to this after the meeting.

(vi)         Councillor Gardner asked the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Wellbeing, Councillor Jill Waring what extra resources and support the Council were providing to ensure that the problems surrounding ‘Monkey Dust’ were tackled effectively.

Councillor Jill Waring agreed that the drug was cheap and easy to obtain. The Council supported the Police and Crime Commissioner in what had been raised and to have it reclassified as a ‘Class A’ drug.  The Council needs to ensure that it is better informed and that people are educated and awareness be raised on the problem.  A meeting on this was due to take place next week.

Councillor Gardner stated that the police and social workers had highlighted problems and asked if support was being given to officers on this.  Councillor Waring would give a written response.

(vii)        Councillor Robinson  asked the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling, Councillor Trevor Johnson why missed waste and recycling collections were still happening.

Councillor Johnson stated that the number of missed collections had reduced and that refresher training was currently underway for staff.

Councillor Robinson stated that a resident had recently been told that his recycling would not be collected because there were too many steps to the property and had been told to bag it but it wasn’t collected.

Councillor Johnson had not been made aware of this but reminded Members that they should contact himself – as Portfolio Holder if any problems were reported.

(viii)      Councillor Dymond asked the Leader what was happening in respect of the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with the County Council for Kidsgrove Sports Centre.

The Leader stated that an item on this would be going to Cabinet on 19 September and the County council would be taking a report to their Board.  In addition, a Business Plan, from the community group was also ready to go.

Councillor Dymond asked the Leader if any work had been carried out prior to the Memorandum of Understanding in respect of the commitment to open within six months.

The Leader stated that, until now they were not in a position to commit to a scheme because of the reasons already stated but have been working with the community group to develop their plan.