Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest from Members and Officers and the Council noted the interests previously declared by Members in Agenda Item No. 13 – Minutes for Noting.

The Chair advised the Council that the meeting was being recorded and streamed online in accordance with the usual practice.

AGREED      that that minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chair announced that the Safer Streets project in Chatham Court had been selected as a finalist in the prestigious 2023 Municipal Awards – Transforming Lives category; and the same project had been shortlisted as a finalist in the APSE (Association of Public Service Excellence) Awards for Best Community and Neighbourhood initiative with the awards ceremony to take place in September.

The Chair also informed the Council that the Director – Planning & Growth won Community Partner of the Year at the NHS Foundation Trust Excellence Awards 2023, in recognition of his excellent partnership work with the Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust on the Newark Hospital Car Parks and collaborative working on other opportunities within the District.

Finally, the Chair advised Members that the Council had been shortlisted for the Employer Forces Hero Award in the Boots and Beret Awards, hosted to celebrate those companies and individuals who play an important role in supporting ex-military personnel.

The Leader of the Council reported that Green Flag status had been granted for the gardens adjacent to Newark Library and the government had given the Council permission for the gardens to be named as the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Gardens.

The Leader of the Council also informed the Council that he had written a to the Minister for Local Government on 20 June 2023, concerning the financial pressure being placed on the Council in fulfilling the number of gypsy and traveller pitches the Government had imposed. He advised that this had been the third such letter without reply and that he would continue to engage with the Government to seek additional financial support that was needed to meet the pitch provision targets. 

A petition calling for larger parking spaces with no height restrictions which would enable parking for vehicles transporting multiple wheelchair users, to be presented by Councillor Spoors as the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development.   

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 3.1, Councillor M Spoors as the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development presented a petition with 60 signatures which called for larger parking spaces in District Council car parks with no height restrictions which would enable parking for vehicles transporting multiple wheelchair users.

It was noted that officers had been in touch with the petitioner to explore the issues raised and were implementing short term changes such as relocating some existing disabled car parking spaces on the London Road car park and increasing the length of other spaces where possible.  

In accordance with Rule No. 3.3.2 the following question has been submitted to the Council from a member of the public, Laurence Goff:

“Would you consider your support by giving a donation to the Lancaster Bomber to be constructed on the A46 At Norton Disney, near Newark –‘"On Freedom's Wings" Let's Make this a Reality’. The Lancaster Bomber sculpture will be much bigger than The Angel of the North and would be seen by more than 34.000 drivers every day on the A46. This project still needs fundraising to make this dream come true. This will mark the historic link between Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire shared with RAF Bomber Command during the second world war. Over the last few years with materials, particularly steel, soaring in price, this has very much affected this major and fantastic project ever getting finished. This landmark on the border of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire is very important, let's make it a reality.”

In accordance with Rule No. 3.3.2 one question had been submitted by a member of the public to the Council.  Details of the question put forward and the response given by Councillor R Cozens are attached as Appendix A to the minutes.

The Council considered the report of the Chief Executive which advised of the appointments of the Leader of the Council in respect of the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members and Portfolio Holders. These appointments reflected the announcement made by the Leader of the Council on 3 July advising of the new Cabinet and portfolios, and the remits for the new portfolios were attached as an appendix to the report.

Given the change in portfolios and the increase in the number of Portfolio Holders from five to eight, it was noted that there would be a requirement to convene the Independent Remuneration Panel to review the scheme of Members Allowances. The proposals for convening the Panel were set out in Section 2.0 of the report, and within that it was proposed that as an interim measure, the three new Portfolio Holders would be paid the current Special Responsibility Allowance of £8,500 per annum pro rata, effective as from the appointment date of 3 July 2023.

Councillor J Kellas proposed and Councillor P Farmer seconded an amendment to the specific proposal to pay the £8,500 Special Responsibility Allowance to the three additional Portfolio Holders in the interim period. The amendment moved and seconded was to pay all Portfolio Holders £5,312.50 per annum in this interim period in order to keep within the current budget for Members Allowances, pending the report from the Independent Remuneration Panel. In accordance with Rule 5.4 a recorded vote on the amendment was requested and taken as follows:

The amendment was declared lost with 14 votes for, 22 against and 1 abstention.

AGREED      (with 22 votes for, 14 against and 1 abstention) that the Council:

(a)          note the appointments of the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members and Portfolio Holders;

(b)          convene a Members’ Allowances Independent Remuneration Panel in accordance with Section 2.0 of the report (including the interim arrangements for the payment of the three additional Portfolio Holders as set out in paragraph 2.9); and

(c)          agree a payment for Panel members of £1,000 to the Chair and £600 to the other two members, given the scope of the review.

The Council considered the report of the Chief Executive detailing changes to memberships on the Policy & Performance Improvement Committee, Planning Committee and the Mansfield and District Crematorium Joint Committee and sought to approve an amendment to the Constitution to enable all Newark Ward Members not appointed as voting members to sit on the Trustee Board of the Gilstrap Charity as non-voting co-optees. It was also noted that in accordance with the Council’s new Constitution future changes to committee membership would no longer be reported to Council for information. 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Council:

a)            note the changes to Committee memberships as detailed in the report (revised schedule of Members appointments attached as Appendix B to these minutes);

b)            approve an amendment to the Constitution to enable all Newark Ward Members not appointed as voting members to sit on the Trustee Board of the Gilstrap Charity as non-voting co-optees; and

c)             note that future changes to committee membership will no longer be reported to Council for information.

The Council considered the report of the Director – Customer Services & Organisational Development which presented the Annual Report of the Policy & Performance Improvement Committee for 2022/23. The Annual Report summarised the work undertaken by the Committee and evidenced how the work had positively impacted residents.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Council note the contents of the Policy & Performance Improvement Committee Annual Report for 2022/23.

The Council considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive / Director – Resources and Section 151 Officer which provided an update on the Council’s Treasury Management activity and Prudential Indicators for 2022/2023. The report had been considered by the Audit & Governance Committee at their meeting held on 14 June 2023 and recommended to the Council for approval.

AGREED      (unanimously) that Council:

a)            note and approve, following consideration by the Audit & Governance Committee on 14 June 2023, the Treasury Management outturn report; and

b)            note that for 2022/23 the Council had complied with its Prudential Indicators, which were approved by Full Council on 9 March 2023.    

In accordance with Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor R Jackson will move and Councillor P Rainbow, will second a motion to the following effect:

“That this Council reviews the scrutiny provision that is required after the change in governance to this Council back in May 2022, from a committee structure to that of a cabinet system. It was always agreed and recognised that a review of scrutiny on this newly implemented governance structure was to be looked at after the first year to make sure that it was effectively scrutinising the policies and decisions made by the Cabinet members of this Council.

This Council would therefore propose that in the light of the increase in portfolios from 5 to 8 that the establishment of two scrutiny committees is now needed to effectively oversee the decisions the Cabinet members are making.

This Council proposes to have a policy scrutiny committee and a performance scrutiny committee to give a balanced and effective overview and scrutiny function of the Council’s decisions.

These committees will be cross party made-up with numbers from the matrix and chaired by opposition members to give more openness to the scrutiny function. There should also be no increase in the special responsibility allowances and the money allocated to overview and scrutiny at this moment in time should be divided equally between the two committees.”

In accordance with Rule No. 3.4, Councillor R Jackson will move and Councillor J Kellas will second a motion to the following effect:

“That officers of this Council will copy in Ward Members to all emails they are sending out to residents regarding issues and services that they are dealing with in that Member’s Ward, (unless confidential) so the Member can be aware of things happening in their Ward and of any issues that might be unknown to them.”

Scrutiny Function

In accordance with Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor R Jackson moved and Councillor P Rainbow, seconded a motion to the following effect:

“That this Council reviews the scrutiny provision that is required after the change in governance to this Council back in May 2022, from a committee structure to that of a cabinet system. It was always agreed and recognised that a review of scrutiny on this newly implemented governance structure was to be looked at after the first year to make sure that it was effectively scrutinising the policies and decisions made by the Cabinet members of this Council.

This Council would therefore propose that in the light of the increase in portfolios from 5 to 8 that the establishment of two scrutiny committees is now needed to effectively oversee the decisions the Cabinet members are making.

This Council proposes to have a policy scrutiny committee and a performance scrutiny committee to give a balanced and effective overview and scrutiny function of the Council’s decisions.

These committees will be cross party made-up with numbers from the matrix and chaired by opposition members to give more openness to the scrutiny function. There should also be no increase in the special responsibility allowances and the money allocated to overview and scrutiny at this moment in time should be divided equally between the two committees.”

The motion, on being put to the vote, was lost with 14 votes for, 22 against and 1 abstention.

Ward Matters

In accordance with Rule No. 3.4, Councillor R Jackson moved and Councillor J Kellas seconded a motion to the following effect:

“That officers of this Council will copy in Ward Members to all emails they are sending out to residents regarding issues and services that they are dealing with in that Member’s Ward, (unless confidential) so the Member can be aware of things happening in their Ward and of any issues that might be unknown to them.”

The motion, on being put to the vote, was lost with 14 votes for, 22 against and 1 abstention.

Minute No. 15 – Land South of Staythorpe Road, Staythorpe – 22/01840/FULM

Councillor P Harris stated that he felt an opportunity had been missed with the refusal of this application for a Battery Energy Storage System and associated infrastructure. Councillor A Freeman referred to the constructive debate at the Committee where it was considered the application offered greener energy solutions which were welcomed, but the location was not appropriate.

Transfer of Section 106 Community Facility and Off-Site Sports Contributions to Clipstone Miners’ Welfare Trust (Exempt)

Review of Premise Licence in respect of Newark Cue Club (Exempt)

The Council noted the record of two urgent exempt decisions taken in relation to the transfer of Section 106 community facility and off-site sports contributions to Clipstone Miners’ Welfare Trust; and the review of a premise licence in respect of Newark Cue Club.