Agenda item

The Leader, Councillor Simon Tagg presented the statement that had been circulated about the activities and decisions made by Cabinet to allow questions and comments. Reference was made to the Council’s Annual Report and the Leader stated that this Council ‘made things happen’ and this Statement reflected that.

 

Questions were raised and responses were provided as follows.

 

On paragraph 2 – Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 to 2029/30

 

Councillor Stubbs stated that Appendix A went to the Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee and showed £100,000 for restructuring.  The Portfolio Holder was unable to provide details for it.  Would the Leader be able to provide details.  Also, given the average public sector pay awards, was the Leader happy with the proposal in the MTFS as it did not seem to be overly prudent.

 

The Leader stated that the restructuring was to build capacity in the legal team.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth stated that the Council’s Section 151 Officer had meetings with other 151 officers across the County who discussed what they felt would be an appropriate figure. 

 

Councillor Holland welcomed the MTFS and was struck by how positive the outcome was. Reference was made to the One Council Programme and its success in bringing savings to the Council and transforming the way the Council worked.

 

On paragraph 3 – Bradwell Dingle Play and Recreational Facility Improvements

 

Councillor Fox-Hewitt asked the Leader for assurance that all ward councillors would be involved in any meetings with partners or consultants regarding the dingle.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment confirmed that it would be a good idea to get both the ward councillors and Friends of Bradwell Dingle involved.

 

The Leader stated that a commitment to include local members was made at Cabinet.  A consultation had also taken place to include local residents.

 

 On paragraph 5 – North Staffordshire Local Air Quality Plan

 

Councillor Gorton asked if the Basford Bus Gate had now been abandoned and also asked the Leader for the schemes and measures that would be put in place to improve air quality along Basford Bank.

 

Councillor Holland stated that earlier in the year, the government minister at the time had said that there was no longer a need for a bus gate and it would therefore be scrapped.  Councillor Holland wondered if the new government were of the same opinion as he was concerned that they would take a different view and reintroduce it.

 

Councillor Reece asked why councillors from the Wolstanton ward had not been briefed on the work that had been undertaken by this Council, Stoke on Trent City Council or Staffordshire County Council and why hadn’t the Health, Wellbeing and Environment Scrutiny Committee been provided with any updates.

 

The Leader stated that the issue had been in flux for a number of years and had now reached a point where it would not need to be put in place.  Members were advised that Stoke on Trent City Council took a confidential report to their Cabinet on the preferred solution which would then be submitted to the government for a business case.  Members would be able to view the confidential report that went to Newcastle’s Cabinet meeting.  Once more information was known, it would go through Cabinet and Scrutiny.

 

The Leader state that during Covid, the traffic levels dropped and the levels had not returned to pre-Covid levels and therefore there were not the air quality issues on Basford Bank that had been there before.

 

On paragraph 6 – Quarter 1 Finance and Performance Report 2024/25

 

Councillor Parker asked the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment for details on the increases in collection rates.

 

The Portfolio Holder referred to the Annual Report at item 5 of this agenda stating that 48% of the waste had been sent for reuse/recycling or composting.  In the Finance and Performance Report this had been increased by 5% taking recycling up to 53% and residual waste being at 47% going to incineration.  Garden waste collection was also up.  Forty seven percent of households were participating in food waste collection with 2,900 tonnes being collected in the past year.

 

Councillor Stubbs asked what measures were being taken to establish why the sickness rate figure was higher than the target.  Also, the Leader or Portfolio Holder were asked to comment on the percentage of complainants informed within the required timescales of any action.

 

The Leader stated that sickness figures were heading in the right direction but there were still issues with staff trying to get hospital appointments.  Policies were in place which HR were enforcing to ensure that the Council was doing all it could to help members of staff get back into work.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning stated that it was always disappointing to see indicators dip.  However, some enforcement issues did take a lot of time due to complex issues or legal arguments for example.  It was hoped that the new Enforcement Policy would push things in the right direction. 

 

The figures did not include informal resolutions of problems and the Portfolio Holder was looking to try and capture that.   

 

On paragraph 7 – Borough Local Plan Regulation 19 Consultation

 

Councillor Bryan asked the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning how the governments new housing figures would affect the local plan.

 

Councillor Whitmore asked the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning how this Council could ensure that housing estates would not be built on the Borough’s green spaces.

 

Councillor Crisp stated that if the local plan had not been agreed at the previous meeting of Full Council, the housing figures for the Borough would have fallen under the new government’s NPPF housing calculations.  

 

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning, at a recent scrutiny committee, had been asked what he had been most worried about regarding the local plan and his concern had been that the incoming government would change the rules and the figures.   This had now occurred but because this Council had moved promptly there would be no affect.

 

Regarding the green spaces, the local plan preserved them.  A lot of areas had become carbon capture areas which, in the past had been scheduled for housing.

 

Councillor Dave Jones asked what proportion of the total land in the local plan designated for housing or employment was currently in the Green Belt.

 

The Portfolio Holder stated that he would forward the information to Councillor Jones as he did not know the answer at this time.  However, the Council had tried its best to prioritise Brownfield sites but government figures had not made it possible to develop entirely on those sites.

 

Councillor Parker asked, when all submissions had been forwarded to the independent government Planning Inspector, did the Leader or Portfolio Holder have an idea of when the results would be known.

 

The Portfolio Holder stated that this would depend upon how the Planning Inspectorate felt about the robust nature of the Plan.

 

The Leader stated that the decision made at the last Council meeting had been the correct one as, if it had not been passed, the housing quota numbers would have been a lot higher.

 

On paragraph 8 – Queen Elizabeth II Statue

 

Councillor Whieldon asked the Leader if he agreed that the unveiling of the statue would be a proud moment for the Borough.  The design, being at ground level would invite interaction and serve as a lasting legacy to the late Queen.

The Leader agreed and stated that the unveiling would be an excellent occasion.  It was a good link to the Borough’s 850^th Celebrations last year as it tied in with Queen Elizabeth II’s  visit to the Borough in 1973.  The statue would be unique to Newcastle.

 

On paragraph 9 – Heart of England in Bloom awards success

 

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment stated that he was extremely proud of this achievement of securing the 33^rd consecutive gold award.

 

Councillor John Williams said that the Queens Gardens were the pride of the Borough.  However, reference was made to the state of grass cutting in Douglas Road, Cross Heath.

 

The Leader stated that this year the Council had partnered with the BID and entered a new category and won gold plus had been the category overall winner and were now through to the finals.

 

Referring to the grass cutting in Douglas Road.  As part of the Grass Management Strategy, that area of grass had been left long deliberately to promote nature. However, he agreed that the area did look a bit too neglected and at the end of the current growing season, local members would be included in a review of the site.

 

On paragraph 10 – Forward Plan

 

Councillor Dave Jones asked about the availability of reports and background papers in a suitable timeframe ahead of meetings.  The Leader was asked if he agreed  that all papers and reports for any council meeting should be made available seven days ahead of meetings to enable Councillors to be prepared for them.

 

The Leader agreed on the principle but sometimes there were cases where the latest information was awaited in order for Members to receive the most up to date position.   The comment was taken on board in respect of future reports.

 

Watch the debate here