Agenda and minutes

Councillor T Wendels declared an Other Registerable Interest in Agenda Item No. 9 – Arkwood Developments Limited Governance Agreement Amendments as a Director of Arkwood Developments. The Council noted the interests previously declared by Members in Agenda Item No. 12 – Minutes for Noting.

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

AGREED      that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman announced the winners of the ‘Serving People – Improving Lives’ Awards for staff in 2022. The winners were at Full Council having already been presented with their awards at an event held in December 2022.

Team of the Year – Street Scene

Manager of the Year – Sarah Lawrie

Colleague of the Year – Clare Johnson-Cooper

Apprentice of the Year – Lily Kempster

Chief Executive’s Award – Andy Hardy 

The Council congratulated the award winners.

The Chairman also received the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award Certificate from Andrew Weaver and Kevin Winter on behalf of the Council.

The Chairman also invites Councillor Mrs R Crowe to share in her success in being presented with a Badge of Honour by representatives from Emmendigen. This was only the third award of the Badge of Honour that had been given.

The Chairman also reminded Members of her charity fund raising musical event being held on Saturday, 25 February 2023 at 7pm, at the North Muskham Rural Community Centre. 

The Portfolio Holder for Homes & Health, Councillor T Wendels, advised Members that the Broadleaves Extra Care Housing Scheme in Boughton had been announced as the regional winner of the LABC Building Excellence Awards 2022 for Best Large Social Housing Development and he thanked everyone involved.

The Portfolio Holder for Cleaner, Safer, Greener, Councillor R Jackson, reminded Members that the Great British Spring Clean week started on 17 March 2023, and encouraged parishes to participate. He also advised that on 18 March 2023 the Major Oak saplings would be planted for those who had applied for them.

A petition to keep open the foot crossing across the railway line at Thoresby Junction, Edwinstowe, to be presented by Councillor A. Freeman.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 3.1, Councillor A Freemen presented a petition with 250 signatures which called for the foot crossing across the railway line at Thoresby Junction, Edwinstowe to be kept open.

It was noted this would be taken up by the local Ward Members with Nottinghamshire County Council as the appropriate body.

The Council considered the joint report of the Deputy Chief Executive, Director – Resources and Section 151 Officer and Director – Housing, Health & Wellbeing which set out the proposed income and expenditure on the HRA for the 2023/24 financial year, provided indicative amounts of income and expenditure for the 2024/25 to 2026/27 financial years; and sought approval for rent levels and service charges for 2023/24 (with effect from the first Monday in April 2023) as detailed in Appendices A, B and C to the report.

The Cabinet, at their meeting held on 17 January 2023, recommended approval of the HRA budget for 2023/24, an increase of 5% on rents, a rent increase of 11.1% on all relets, changes is service charges, and the creation of a £30,000 tenant support fund.

Councillor T Wendels moved and Councillor D Lloyd seconded the recommendations contained in the report, which reflected the recommendations made by the Cabinet.

Councillor P Peacock moved, and Councillor L Brazier seconded an amendment that:

a)        the HRA budget for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix A to this report be approved;

b)    an increase of 3% in the 2022/23 rents of all properties in the HRA as of 31 March 2023 be applied from 1 April 2023;

c)    the 2023/24 service charges, as set out in Appendix C, to this report be approved; and

d)    a fund of £300,000 be created, funded by the Newark and Sherwood Homes Transfer Reserve to fund initiatives to support tenants impacted by the increased charges including a tenant welfare fund as outlined from 2.44 of this report.

Members debated the proposed amendment and on being put to the vote, it was lost with 9 votes for and 27 against.

The Council considered the substantive motion and it was AGREED (with 29 votes for and 7 against) that:

a)          the HRA budget for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix A to this report be approved;

b)         an increase of 5% in the 2022/23 rents of all properties in the HRA as of 31 March 2023 be applied from 1 April 2023;

c)         a rent increase of 11.1% on all formula rents which will be applied upon relet;

d)         the 2023/24 service charges, as set out in Appendix C, to this report be approved: and

e)        a fund of £300,000 be created, funded by the Newark and Sherwood Homes Transfer Reserve to fund initiatives to support tenants impacted by the increased charges including a tenant welfare fund as outlined from 2.44 of the report.

(Councillor R White left the meeting following consideration of this item).

The Council considered the report of the Assistant Director – Legal & Democratic Services which proposed some minor amendments to the Governance Agreement between the Council and Arkwood Developments Limited.

A review of the Governance Agreement had been undertaken to ensure consistency with the Council’s revised governance arrangements, and to consider if any other revisions should be recommended. The proposed minor amendments were highlighted in the appendix to the report, and these had been recommended for approval by the Executive Shareholder Committee at their meeting held on 20 December 2022.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the updated Governance Agreement as set out in the Appendix to the report be approved.

The Council considered the report of the Assistant Director – Legal & Democratic Services which sought to appoint deputies for the statutory role of Electoral Registration Officer which is held be the Chief Executive. It was reported that this would enable other officers to act in the absence of the Electoral Registration Officer which may be required given the legislative change introduced by the Elections Act 2022.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the appointments of the Business Manager – Elections & Democratic Services and the Electoral Services Manager as Deputy Electoral Registration Officers, be approved.

In accordance with Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor A Freeman will move and

Councillor L Brazier, will second a motion to the following effect:

“That the Council in its reports, minutes, press releases and general communications stops referring to a “cost of living challenge” and call it what it actually is, a “cost of living crisis””.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor A Freeman moved and Councillor L Brazier seconded a motion to the following effect:

“That the Council in its reports, minutes, press releases and general communications stops referring to a ‘cost of living challenge’ and call it what it actually is, a ‘cost of living crisis’”.

Councillor D Lloyd proposed an addition to the wording, which was supported by Councillor A Freeman as the mover of the motion, as follows:

“acknowledging the financial support from central government, the speed with which this Council has distributed its component of that and the additional finances and initiatives that this Council is implementing both directly and with partners”.

The amended motion, on being put to the meeting, was declared carried, unanimously.

Minute No. 86 – Temporary Vaccination Centre, Brackenhurst (Nottingham Trent University), Southwell

Councillor B Laughton thanked the NHS and the volunteers who had provided the covid vaccination service at Brackenhurst.