Agenda and minutes

The Mayor will open the meeting and welcome all present.

The Mayor’s Celebrant, Ms June Saville, will lead the Council in a moment’s reflection.

The Mayor opened the meeting and welcomed all present. The Mayor’s celebrant, June Saville, led the Council in a moment’s reflection.

To receive any apologies for absence on behalf of Council members.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Greg Chance and Brenda Quinney.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25^th July 2011.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 3 - 2011/12)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25th July 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To receive a report from the Mayor on civic matters which have arisen since the last meeting or events which may be occurring in the near future.

To give notice of any variation to the items listed in the Forward Plan and/or items accepted as “Urgent Business”.

(No separate report / oral update)

The Mayor’s communications and announcements were considered under the following headings:

a)         Citizens’ Advice Bureau / MacMillan Cancer Care

The Mayor advised the Council that Mrs Moira Morris, Manager of the Redditch Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Mrs Ida Parkinson, a former MacMillan Cancer Care nurse were present to speak in connection with the launch of a new service involving the two organisations, local hospices and the PCTs.

Mrs Morris and Mrs Parkinson explained that the new service would help to signpost those who were suffering from cancer and their carers to the appropriate support and guidance that was available. Mrs Parkinson added her own insights into the development and good work of the MacMillan Cancer Care service.

b)         Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor advised that since the previous meeting of the Council she had undertaken a number of engagements in her civic capacity including the Morton Stanley Park ‘Party in the Park’.

c)         Forthcoming events

The Mayor advised that forthcoming events included the Council’s own Civic Service on Sunday 2nd October and the Local Democracy Day events at the Town Hall on Thursday, 20th October 2011.

d)         Urgent Business

The Mayor advised that she had not accepted any items of urgent business.

To receive a report from the Leader on matters considered to be of significance to the Council.

(No separate report / oral update)

The Leader’s Announcement was considered under the following heading:

Morton Stanley Park ‘Party in the Park’

The Leader thanked those Officers who had given of their time over the weekend of the Morton Stanley Park ‘Party in the Park’ and helped make the event such a success once again. The Leader also thanked those Councillors who had attended to seek the views of local residents and those residents who had attended the weekend’s events.

To receive a deputation and consider a petition submitted by residents of Brockhill on the subject of saving the Brockhill Green Belt.

(Report attached)

A petition had been received, in accordance with current Constitutional arrangements and the Petition Scheme, which contained in excess of the 400 signatures required to trigger a Council debate. In addition, the petitioners had asked that the Council receive a deputation on this matter.

Prior to receipt of the deputation, the Council’s Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services clarified for the benefit of Members and the petitioners / deputation the extent of the involvement which the Council might properly have in this matter at this particular stage. Advice was given that planning applications were only to be determined by the Planning Committee but that planning policy was a matter for Council approval in due course. However, the petition focussed upon matters being considered and consulted upon within the ongoing Core Strategy development process.

The members of the deputation, Mr Mark Whitworth and Mr Richard Lee, supported by Mr David Moss, addressed the Council on the subject of the two areas of land in Brockhill, those covered by Policy 29 in the draft Core Strategy (Brockhill East) and Policy 30 (Brockhill West).

Mr Whitworth reminded Members of the outcomes of earlier reviews of land available for development within the Borough. It had previously been acknowledged that areas of green belt should not be considered as potential sites for future development. Members were informed that the deputation and petition were not in objection to the future development of the ADR land in Brockhill.

Mr Lee argued that the Brockhill East area should be removed from the developing Core Strategy as land suitable for development. It was noted that the Planning Inspectorate had previously stated that the current green belt would be readily defensible and that exceptional circumstances did not prevail that should cause this designation to be removed. The high ecological and environmental interest and sensitivity of the site was noted as was the quality of the farmland, the potential visual impact of any development and the high amenity value of the area.

Mr Whitworth noted that Brockhill West was not referred to as green belt in the current Core Strategy consultation despite it being previously designated as the Foxlydiate Green Belt. The small size of this site made it relatively insignificant in terms of meeting Redditch’s future housing needs but there was the obvious potential for it to be used as an enabler for substantial development across the boundary in Bromsgrove. The inclusion of the site within the Master Plan and its designation as a Strategic Site was considered a substantial change in the space of a few months. It was argued that development of the green belt should be a last resort and not a first option.

Members noted the comments of the Deputation and the content of the petition and, in accordance with the advice of Officers

RESOLVED that

the petition stand referred to the ongoing Core Strategy development process which was to be reported for formal decision by the Council at a later date.

No questions had been submitted to the Mayor, a member of the Executive Committee or the Chair of any committee or sub-committee in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.2 at the time of publication of the agenda.

No questions had been received.

There are no Motions on Notice in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

No Motions had been received

To receive the minutes and consider the recommendations and/or referrals from the meetings of the Executive Committee:

2nd August 2011

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

• Employment Policies – Review; and
• Information Shelters – Request to Disconnect Electricity / Demolish Sites.

23rd August 2011

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

• Budget Preparation Guidelines;
• Joint Environmental Enforcement Strategy;
• Solar Panel Scheme – Options for Introducing Solar Panels at Housing Sites in Redditch;
• Roxboro House – Future Use;
• Winyates Estate – Insulation and Heating Improvements;
• Discretionary Housing Payment – Revised Policy;
• Revised Employment Policies;
• Shared Services Business Case – Land Drainage Service;
• Shared Service Business Case – Single Business Case;
• Shared Service Business Case – Car Parking; and
• Shared Service Business Case – North Worcestershire Emergency Planning.

(Reports, Decisions from the 2nd August meeting and Minutes of the Shared Services Board attached – Decisions from the 23rd August meeting to follow and reports for Shared Services Board circulated previously under separate cover)

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 3)

Members received the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee held on 2nd August and 23rd August 2011.

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 2nd August 2011 be received and all recommendations adopted; and

2)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 23rd August 2011 be received and all recommendations adopted, subject to:

            in respect of Minute 58 (Joint Environmental Enforcement Strategy) it being noted that Officers had been asked to respond to a request from Councillor Hartnett for clarification following the meeting as to the rationale for increasing certain fixed penalty notice sums by a significant amount; and

in respect of Minute 71 (Shared Service Business Case – Single Business Case) it being further RESOLVED that

Recommendation 1 be agreed subject to there being a period of formal consultation with the affected staff.

To formally receive the minutes of the following meetings of the Council’s Regulatory Committees:

Licensing Committee -         14th July 2011

                                                11th August 2011

Planning Committee -           13th July 2011

                                                10th August 2011

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 3 – 2011/12)

The Council received the minutes of recent meetings of the Licensing Committee and Planning Committee.

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Committee held on 14th July and 11th August 2011 be received and adopted; and

2)         the minutes of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on 13th July and 10th August 2011 be received and adopted.

To note the following decisions taken in accordance with the Council urgency procedures since the last meeting of the Council:

River Revetment Works – Old Forge Drive (Ref. 493)

An additional £36,000 was required to complete essential works at Old Forge Drive due to the following: -

1)                 Additional works at Site 1A

2)                 Additional erosion damage at Site 2

Any remaining shortfall for the river revetment works was to be found from existing budgets. The additional funding now required would have a seriously detrimental effect upon a wide range of services.

It has subsequently come to light, that Severn Trent Water Limited has now claimed title to the Callow Hill Balancing Area, which was subject to an improvement scheme within the 2011/12 Capital Programme. Officers believed this matter would not now be quickly resolved and in so doing, STW Ltd effectively had inherited liability. It was therefore proposed that a virement of funds from this Capital Scheme to fund the remaining shortfall at Old Forge Drive be undertaken, the remainder being returned as savings. Additionally, as a result of the Site 1A works at Old Forge Drive, an annual revenue expenditure for aeration at Old Forge Pool of £2,000 per annum will no longer be necessary with immediate effect, ensuring savings for many years hence. Due to the lateness of detailed costs being provided, and in the absence of full funding, a potential situation of Breach of Contract may have arisen with consequent additional costs.

It was therefore RESOLVED that

1)        £36,000 of the previous capital allocated to the Callow Hill Balancing Area scheme (for which a sum of up to £50,000 was allocated and which will now be deleted from the 2011/12 Capital programme) be transferred to fund the River Revetment Works – Old Forge Drive for the reasons set out, above;

2)        the remaining sum of £14,000 be transferred to Capital Balances/Reserves

(Council decision)

3)        authority be given for the savings and expenditure as detailed in 1) and 2), above, for the purposes detailed in the report.

(Executive decision)

(No separate report)

Transfer of Waste Heat between the Crematorium and the Abbey Stadium (Ref. 494)

Due to design enhancements and recognition of underspends within the total capital budget for the overall Crematorium project, it is requested that £58,000 be vired to enhance the waste heat element of the project (within overall budgets). This would ensure continuity of the Abbey Stadium work programme and enable the completion of the heat re-use system.

RESOLVED that

1)         £10,000 identified as unspent on the current capital budget allocated to the crematorium project,  together with £48,000 from the crematorium improvements allocation be vired to enhance the waste heat element of the project (within overall budgets);  and

(Council decision)

2)        authority be given for the expenditure as detailed in 1) above for the purposes detailed in the report.

(Executive decision)

(No separate report)

Appointment of Miss Jesbir Uppal as A Court Officer of the Council and to Delegate to her the Conduct of  ...  view the full agenda text for item 54.

The Council noted three Urgent Business decisions which had been approved in accordance with the Council’s urgency procedures, namely:

River Revetment Works – Old Forge Drive

(UB Reference 493);

Transfer of Waste Heat between the Crematorium and the Abbey Stadium

(UB Reference 494); and

Appointment of Miss Jesbir Uppal as a Court Officer of the Council and to Delegate to her the Conduct of Legal Proceedings on behalf of the Council.

(UB Reference 495).

RESOLVED that

the matters be noted.

To consider any additional items exceptionally agreed by the Mayor as Urgent Business in accordance with the powers vested in her by virtue of Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

(This power should be exercised only in cases where there are genuinely special circumstances which require consideration of an item which has not previously been published on the Order of Business for the meeting and/or on the Leader’s Forward Plan.)

There were no separate items of Urgent Business for consideration at this meeting.