Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed all those present to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Joe Baker, Juma Begum, Sid Khan, Alan Mason, Sachin Mathur, Gemma Monaco, Rita Rogers, Jen Snape and Jane Spilsbury.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes for the Council meetings held in 4^th and 15^th September 2025 are included in this agenda for Members’ consideration.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 4^th September and 15^th September 2025 be approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To consider Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:

a)           Mayor’s Announcements

b)           The Leader’s Announcements

c)           Chief Executive’s Announcements.

The following announcements were made at the meeting.

a)          The Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor advised that she had circulated a list of civic engagements that she had attended between September and November 2025 (Appendix 1).

Council was advised that Remembrance Sunday commemorations had recently taken place in Redditch town centre and Astwood Bank.  The Royal British Legion was thanked for organising the commemorations and the local community and elected Members were thanked for attending these events.  The Mayor also thanked the Deputy Mayor for attending three engagements on her behalf during this period.

b)          The Leader’s Announcements

The Leader thanked all those Members who had supported the letter she had sent to the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) regarding a police desk for Redditch.  A response had been received from the PCC which indicated that the force did not have the resources to address this request.  However, the Leader advised that she would continue to highlight the need for a police desk in Redditch moving forward.

c)          The Chief Executive’s Announcements

The Chief Executive confirmed that he had no announcements to make on this occasion.

The Leader presented the Local Government Re-organisation: Transforming Worcestershire - Local Government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future - The North and South Local Government Re-Organisation Proposal for Worcestershire report for Members’ consideration.

In presenting the report, she thanked the Chief Executives of Redditch Borough, Bromsgrove District, Malvern Hills District, Worcester City District and Wychavon District Councils for their hard work on the report.  The Leader also thanked the other Leaders of these authorities for working with her and Redditch Borough Council on the report and proposals.

Members were informed that the purpose of the report was to provide to Council a proposal to be submitted to Government by 28^th November 2025 for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Worcestershire.  This followed the extraordinary meeting of Council on 4^th September 2025 where Members had supported the development of a North and South Unitary Council model based at the time on what was termed Option B – which comprised of either entirely separate Councils or a shared service model. 

Working with KPMG, which had subsequently been commissioned, and Mutual Ventures, which developed proposals beyond the options appraisal, Redditch Borough, Bromsgrove District, Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon District Councils had been working together to produce a proposal that best met the Government’s six criteria for LGR based on a North and South Worcestershire footprint as directed by Members.  The North would consist of Redditch Borough, Bromsgrove District and Wyre Forest District and the South would consist of Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon District.

The North and South LGR proposal for Worcestershire had been included at Appendix 1 of the LGR report to Council and was entitled “Transforming Worcestershire: Local government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future.”  This was the only Worcestershire LGR proposal that had been informed by the views of local people from across the whole of Worcestershire following the “Shape Worcestershire” survey that was supported by all six District Councils in the County.  The Leader reminded Members that Criteria 4 of the Government’s specific requirements for LGR stated:

“Proposals should show how Councils in the area have sought to work together in coming to a view that meets local needs and is informed by local views.”

Not only had local people’s views been taken into account in this proposal, all Members across the five commissioning Councils had been given opportunity to further shape the two unitary Councils proposal for Worcestershire.  This approach recognised the democratic mandate of Councillors as representatives of their communities and the very people who received Council services. Further to this, key stakeholders, such as partners in the health sector, police, fire and rescue authority, business and voluntary and community sectors, including Town and Parish Councils, had also been asked for their views.  The output of all this work was a proposal for Worcestershire that was a product of true collaboration.

The proposal included a pledge that should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

The Leader presented a report requesting a waiver on the six-month Councillor attendance rule, whereby each Councillor was required to attend at least one meeting every six months, for Councillor Alan Mason.

Members were informed that unfortunately, Councillor Mason had experienced poor health in recent months which had prevented him from attending Council and Committee meetings.  It was hoped that his health would improve to enable him to attend meetings prior to the end of his current term of office in May 2026.  However, the waiver would extend the period of time in which he would not be required to attend meetings.

The request was discussed and during the debate, some Members raised concerns about Councillors continuing in roles where they were unable to attend meetings.  However, it was noted that there were a number of ways in which Councillors could support their communities, with attendance at Council and Committee meetings forming only part of the role.  Indeed, Members were advised that Councillor Mason had been working on casework.  The suggestion was made that it would be helpful if Councils could enable Members to attend meetings in a variety of accessible ways, rather than requiring attendance in person only, as this would assist Councillors with different health conditions and personal commitments and support greater diversity in democratic representation within local government.  However, such flexibility would require primary legislation.

RESOLVED that

in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972,

Council approve Councillor Alan Mason’s non-attendance at meetings until 7^th May 2026 on the grounds of continued ill health and that the Council’s best wishes be conveyed to him.

There were no Questions on Notice for consideration on this occasion.

There were no Motions on Notice on this occasion.

Medium-Term Financial Plan Budget Update and Consultation Report 2026-27 to 2028-29 - Business Rates Pool

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the Medium-Term Financial Plan Budget Update and Consultation Report 2026-27 to 2028-29 - Business Rates Pool report for Members’ consideration.

Council was informed that, under the Local Government and Finance Act 2012, Councils could enter into business rates pools.  The Government’s deadline for Councils to submit proposals to enter a business rates pool for 2026/27 was 24^th November 2025.  Councils could only enter a business rates pool if the authority would be no worse off financially as a consequence of joining a pool.  The Council had previously taken part in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Business Rates Pool so a decision to join on this occasion would ensure continuity.

In discussing this matter, Members noted that the report had been pre-scrutinised at a meeting of the Budget Scrutiny Working Group held earlier in the month when Members had supported the proposal to join the pool.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting held on 6^th November 2025 be approved and all recommendations adopted.

There has been one Urgent Decision taken since the last Council meeting in respect of the Appointment of an Acting Section 151 Officer.

A copy of the Urgent Decision has been included in this agenda pack.

Members were informed that there had been one urgent decision taken since the previous meeting of Council in respect of the appointment of the Assistant Director of Finance and Customer Services as the acting Section 151 Officer for the Council.

To consider any additional items exceptionally agreed by the Mayor as Urgent Business in accordance with the powers vested in him 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.)

There was no urgent business for discussion on this occasion.