Agenda and minutes

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

NOTED the interests declared as shown in the schedule circulated at the meeting.

Other than the Council recording in accordance with usual practice, there were no declarations of intention to record the meeting.

The Chairman made presentations to the following winners of the staff Pride Awards for 2017:

We’re Proud of You Award – Brain Rawlinson, Parking Services Manager; Caz Meakin, Administration Officer; and Vicky Marshall, Environmental Health Technical Officer from  Environmental, Licensing and Parking Services.

Unsung Hero Award – Lynn Preece, e-Communications Officer, Customer Services and External Communications.

Team of the Year Award – two awards - Customer Services and ICT Teams.

The Mark Henry Award – the Moving Ahead Team.

The Acting Chief Executive advised that an Extraordinary Council Meeting would be held on Tuesday 10 April 2018 to confirm the appointment of a new Chief Executive.

Councillor R.V. Blaney advised that the Council had been named as a finalist in the category of Strategic Local Authority of the Year in the 2018 UK Housing Awards.  This was testament to the work of our Officers.

Councillor R.B. Laughton, as the Chairman of the Homes & Communities Committee, advised the Council that Southwell had been successful in gaining funding totalling £5million for flood alleviation work.  He also announced that the Council had been successful in its bid to the Homes & Communities Agency for grant funding which could amount to £1.9million for the council house building programme.  He expressed his thanks to all those involved with these two initiatives.

The Council considered the report of the Acting Chief Executive which proposed two changes to the schedule of meetings for 2018/19.  It was proposed that the Planning Committee meeting scheduled for 8 January 2019 be changed to 15 January 2019 to enable the publication of the agenda after the Christmas holiday period.  In addition it was necessary to remove the meeting of the Planning Committee which had been scheduled for 7 May 2019 as there would be no Committee in existence following the elections scheduled for 2 May 2019.

AGREED (unanimously) that the following changes to the Schedule of Meetings for    2018/19 be approved:

Planning Committee – move from 8 January to 15 January 2019.

Planning Committee – 7 May 2019 to be removed from the Schedule.

The Council considered the joint report of the Director Safety and Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer concerning the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2018/2019.  Under the Council’s Constitution the Housing Revenue Account Self Financing Business Plan would be formulated and reviewed by the Policy & Finance Committee and recommended to Council for approval.  A major element of the Business Plan comprised the annual Housing Revenue Account budget.

The annual Housing Revenue Account budget for 2018/19 and financial plan to 2021/22, including proposals for rent levels for 2018/19, was considered by the Policy & Finance Committee at their meeting held on 25 January 2018. 

The report considered by the Policy & Finance Committee on 25 January 2018 was attached as an appendix to the report.  This detailed proposals for the Management Fee, rent levels and service charges. The Policy & Finance Committee also considered recommendations to adjust rent levels and service charges with effect from April 2018.  These had been calculated in accordance with the announcement made by Government on 8 July 2015 that local authorities must reduce social rents by 1% each year for four years from 2016-17. It was therefore recommended that rents for HRA properties were reduced in line with the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.  The deadline for notifying tenants of the rent levels effective from 2 April 2018 was 5 March 2018.

AGREED (unanimously) that:

(a)        the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2018/2019, as set out in Appendix 1 to the Policy & Finance report, be approved;

(b)        the management and maintenance fee of £8,265,360, included within the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2018/19, be noted;

(c)        the rent of all properties in the Housing Revenue Account, as at 31 March 2018, be decreased by 1% in accordance with Welfare Reform and Works Act 2016 with effect from April 2018;

(d)        the rent on temporary accommodation be increased by CPI plus 1% (3.8%) from April 2018;

(e)        that all services charges and support charges should be increased by September CPI plus 1% (3.8%) with effect from April 2018; and

(f)        garage, garage plot and garage port rents be increased by 3.8% in line with CPI plus 1%, with effect from April 2018.

The Council considered the report of the Director – Safety which sought to establish a Shareholder Committee for the Council’s Development Company. The Policy & Finance Committee approved the establishment of a Development Company at their meeting held on 25 January 2018. The purpose of the Company, which would be limited by shares and wholly owned by the Council, was to undertake residential and commercial developments to generate revenue returns back to the Council and thereby contribute towards meeting the anticipated funding gap by the year 2020/21.

The Shareholder Committee would oversee the relationship between the Council and the Company. The proposals for the governance arrangements and functions in relation to the Development Company and the split between Council, the Shareholder Committee and Policy & Finance Committee, were set out in full in the report. The remit of the Shareholder Committee was set out in the report and it was proposed that the Committee should comprise of 5 elected Members in accordance with the political balance of the Council.

AGREED (with 32 votes for, 1 against and 2 abstentions) that:

(a)        a Shareholder Committee be established with the remit as set out in paragraph 3.2.3 of the report;

(b)        Councillors R.V. Blaney, P. Handley, D.R. Payne, P. Peacock and D. Staples be appointed to the Shareholder Committee; and

(c)        the Director – Safety, as Monitoring Officer, be authorised to make all necessary changes to the Council’s constitution to reflect the establishment of the Shareholder’s Committee and its remit, and the remit of Full Council and the Policy & Finance Committee in respect of the proposed governance structure for the Development Company.

The Council considered the report of the Acting Chief Executive concerning proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution as recommended by the Councillors’ Commission at their meeting held on 25 January 2018.

The Commission were recommending an additional provision in the planning protocol requiring that Members of Committee who seek additional information approach the relevant Business Manager or Case Officer where they would otherwise be minded to seek deferral. The proposed wording for the relevant provision was as follows:

 “Heading 15 – Deferral

15.1     Members should not seek to defer consideration of any item put before the Planning Committee unless there are clear and demonstrable reasons for doing so such as a relevant planning issue arising for the first time not having been previously considered and needing further investigation.

15.2     Where a member might otherwise be minded to seek deferral of an item by reason that they wish to seek clarification on a particular issue, consider that further material information is required on a particular matter or for any other substantial reason, they should seek to obtain such clarification or additional information from the relevant Business Manager or the relevant Case Officer at least two hours prior to the commencement of the Planning Committee meeting.”

The Commission were also recommending updates to the Councils’ Financial Regulations and Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy. Minor changes in both documents clarified definitions and roles and responsibilities. 

AGREED (with 32 votes for, 1 against and 2 abstentions) that:

(a)        the Planning Protocol for Members on dealing with planning matters be amended as set out above; and

(b)        the updated Financial Regulations and Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy, as attached as Appendices A and B to the report, be approved.

Minute No. 38 - Social Mobility Index Report November 2017

Councillor D. Staples referred to the claim by one Member at the meeting that schools in the district had been neglected by the County Council in respect of careers advice and jobs fairs. If there were any concerns of this nature he requested local Members be made aware.

Councillor D.J. Lloyd advised of the work being undertaken by the Economic Growth Team in this area and agreed to relay any such concerns to local Members.

Minute No. 37 - 2017 Rough Sleepers Count

In presenting the minutes Councillor R.B. Laughton welcomed the reduction in the figures for people sleeping rough in the District which was bucking the national trend. He expressed his thanks to the Housing and Safeguarding Team.

(i) 16 January 2018

(ii) 6 February 2018

Minute No. 186 - Enforcement Activity Update

Councillor Mrs M. Dobson welcomed the good work currently being done by the Planning Enforcement Team and asked how frequently update reports were to be presented to the Committee.

Councillor D.R. Payne advised that he had made a request for such reports to be presented at every other meeting.