Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Broadcast from Castle House, Great North Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1BY

Contact: Nigel Hill Tel: 01636 655243 Email:  Nigel.hill@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk 

Media

Items
No. Item

This meeting was held remotely, in accordance with the Local Authorities and Police & Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police & Crime Panel Meetings) (England & Wales) Regulations 2020.

 

Prior to the transaction of business the Council stood in silence in memory of Tom Swan. 

92.

Minutes from the meeting held on 13 October 2020 pdf icon PDF 259 KB

Minutes:

AGREED      that that minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2020 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

93.

Declarations of Interest by Members and Officers and as to the Party Whip

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest and the Council noted the interests previously declared by Members in Agenda Item No. 14 – Minutes for Noting.

94.

Declarations of any Intentions to Record the Meeting

Minutes:

Other than the Council recording in accordance with usual practice, there were no declarations of intention to record the meeting and the Chairman advised that the meeting was being streamed live.

95.

Communications which the Leader of the Council and Committee Chairmen may wish to lay before the Council

Minutes:

Councillor D. Lloyd, as Leader of the Council, updated Members in respect of the proposed local government reorganisation initiative led by Nottinghamshire County Council.  He advised that, in response to a joint letter from district leaders inviting joint discussions, the Leader of the County Council had replied stating that due to the delay in the White Paper on devolution, the County Council would focus on their response to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

 

In addition, Councillor Lloyd announced that the Council were about to launch a Community Resilience Grant Scheme and he encouraged all Members to get involved with the scheme and in doing so, support their local communities.

 

Councillor R. Blaney, as Chairman of the Planning Committee, advised that Highways England had commenced a consultation on the A46 Newark Northern Bypass (A46 Trans-Midland Trade Corridor).  The consultation period was scheduled to end on 2 February 2021 and he advised that the Economic Development Committee would consider a response at their meeting in January 2021.

 

Councillor R. Jackson, as Chairman of the Leisure & Environment Committee, advised the Council that given the close proximity to residential properties, the bottle bank site in Southwell had now been moved to a more suitable location.  He added that an additional site was being sought to enable further bottle banks to be provide, and that the Council were considering possible kerbside collections.

 

In addition, Councillor Jackson referred to the green garden waste collection service which only operated on a monthly basis in December, January and February. He confirmed that this information was available on the Council’s website, but acknowledged but that this had led to some confusion with residents.  He also reported that throughout the pandemic there had only been a single occasion when a bin collection had been missed and expressed his thanks to officers.

96.

Climate Emergency Strategy and Action Plan pdf icon PDF 322 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment which provided an update of the work overseen by the Climate Emergency Working Group in producing a Climate Strategy and Action Plan. This was in response to the declared climate emergency by the Council.

 

The Working Group had worked with the Carbon Trust to create the strategy and action plan which were set out in the report. In considering the report, Members stated that it was a honest and comprehensive assessment and welcomed the proposals contained therein. 

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

 

(a)      the Council’s baseline footprint for carbon reduction be approved - the footprint is calculated as 2,165 tCO2e – which incorporates selected emissions from scopes 1, 2 and 3 (this footprint does not include emissions from housing (17,130 tCO2e), which have been considered separately);

 

(b)      2035 be approved as the target date for carbon neutrality (the action plan sets out a series of schemes to support the neutral target – subject to feasibility);

 

(c)       a commitment is added to the Capital Project Feasibility Reserve of £40,000; and

 

(d)      progress against the strategy and action plan, as coordinated by the Environmental Policy & Projects Officer, be reported to Policy & Finance Committee on an annual basis (additional projects and initiatives will be considered by the relevant officers and committees as required).

 

97.

Schedule of Meetings 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 230 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered the report of the Chief Executive which set out a proposed schedule of meetings for the period May 2021 to May 2022. The report highlighted the change to the date of the Annual Council Meeting to Tuesday 18 May 2021 which enabled greater time between the elections scheduled to take place on 6 May 2021 and more time for the political groups to hold their annual meetings. In addition, it was proposed that the Policy & Finance Committee Budget Meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday 18 February 2021, be moved to Monday 22 February 2021 in order to avoid school holidays.

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

 

(a)          the proposed Schedule of Meetings for 2021/22 (attached as Appendix A to these Minutes) be approved (noting the Annual Council Meeting date of Tuesday, 18 May 2021); and

 

(b)          the Policy & Finance Committee budget meeting in the current municipal year be moved to Monday, 22 February 2021.

 

Actions: Democratic Services

98.

Localised Council Tax Support Scheme 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 242 KB

Minutes:

The Council considered the report of the Director – Resources which sought to confirm the continuation of the Council’s Localised Council Tax Support Scheme, which had been implemented on 1 April 2013, for the 2021/22 financial year with minor changes.  The changes sought were to uprate the income and disregard criteria in accordance with the annual uprating amounts applied by the Department for Works & Pensions.

 

The Local Government Finance Act 1992 required the Council to consider whether, each financial year, the scheme was to be revised or replaced, no later than 31 January.  By making the proposed changes to uprate income and disregard criteria, it would demonstrate that the Council had continued to consider its obligations to vulnerable groups by maintaining the income disregards and premiums to protect families with children and claimants with disabilities.

 

In considering the report, Members raised concerns in relation to the increase in claimants of universal credit; how such an increase would affect the local tax base for both the district and parish councils; and whether any forecasts had been undertaken in relation to the continued response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and Brexit.  In response, Councillor D. Lloyd advised that forecasts were difficult, but the Council were aware of the current issues and would mitigate accordingly, and he referred to the ongoing efforts to help residents of the district back into work and/or training.

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Council continues to adopt the existing Localised Council Tax Support Scheme for all potential claimants for the financial year 2021/22 and uprates the income disregards and premiums in accordance with the Departments for Works & Pensions annual uprating criteria for 2021/22.

 

99.

Treasury Management 2020-2021 Mid-Year Report pdf icon PDF 560 KB

Minutes:

The Council considered the report of the Business Manager - Financial Services which provided an update on the Council’s treasury activity and prudential indicators for the first half of 2020/21. The report included a summary of treasury balances, details of the capital expenditure and both borrowing and investment activities.

 

Councillor N. Mitchell referred to the possibility of new borrowing being required in the remainder of the current financial year and sought clarification on whether this was a caveat due to the unpredictability of recent months, or whether there was a realistic chance that the Council would need to borrow due to known risks.  It was agreed to provide Councillor Mitchell with a written response.

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Treasury Management Activity and Prudential Indicators be noted.

 

 

100.

Minutes for Noting

100a

Policy and Finance Committee- 24 September 2020 pdf icon PDF 274 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Minute No. 144 – Careline – Analogue to Digital Upgrade

 

Councillor P. Harris requested details of the likely revenue impact for residents of the upgrade. 

 

Councillor D. Lloyd agreed to provide Councillor Harris a written response.

 

Councillor Mrs I. Brown left the meeting following the consideration of these minutes.

100b

Policy and Finance Committee- 26 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 260 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Minute No. 157 – Grounds Maintenance of HRA Land

 

Councillor P. Harris stated that residents in his ward had experienced difficulties with the previous company delivering grounds maintenance and that the output specifications were not being delivered. He added that he would like to see specifications being met, and possibly upgraded in the future. 

 

Councillor D. Lloyd stated that bringing the contract back in-house enabled the Council to fully understand the current standard of service provision and make improvements where required.  He added that the Council had also made a commitment to improve tenant engagement and therefore wished to work with them to set a target.

100c

Economic Development Committee- 18 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 267 KB

Additional documents:

100d

Homes and Communities Committee- 23 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 270 KB

Additional documents:

100e

Leisure and Environment Committee- 17 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 260 KB

Minutes:

Minute No. 73 – Fly Tipping

 

Councillor L. Goff requested that he be provided with updates of any prosecutions for fly tipping in the Devon Ward.

 

Councillor R. Jackson agreed to provide Councillor Goff with a written response.

100f

General Purposes Committee- 12 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 221 KB

100g

Licensing Committee- 12 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 231 KB

100h

Planning Committee- 6 October 2020 pdf icon PDF 265 KB

100i

Planning Committee- 3 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 370 KB

100j

Planning Committee- 1 December 2020 pdf icon PDF 233 KB

100k

Audit and Accounts Committee- 30 September 2020 pdf icon PDF 233 KB

100l

Audit and Accounts Committee- 25 November 2020 pdf icon PDF 239 KB

100m

Board of WE Knight & Gilstrap Trustees- 2 October 2020 pdf icon PDF 248 KB

Minutes:

Minute No. 9 – Land off Cedar Avenue/Lincoln Road, Newark

 

Councillor L. Goff asked if the Winthorpe Estate Resident’s Group had provided their individual contact details. 

 

Councillor Mrs R. Crowe advised that no details had been provided to date.