Agenda and minutes

The Mayor will open the meeting and welcome all present.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, Canon David Rogers, will lead the Council in prayer.

The Mayor opened the meeting and welcomed all present.

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

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors R King, W King and Thomas.

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 meetings of the Council held on 26th October and 16th November 2009.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 5 - 2009/10)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 26th October and 16th November 2009 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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)         Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor advised that since the previous meeting of the Council he had attended various functions, including: a visit by some New Zealand Rotarians, together with their Redditch counterparts, the Welsh Society’s Annual Concert on 31st October, the AGM of the League of Friends of the Alexandra Hospital, the Student Council’s Big 5 Event (funded by FLOSS), the annual Fireworks Extravaganza at Arrow Valley Park, the Stratford-on-Avon DC Chairman’s Charity Race Night, the Youth House 40 years celebration, a concert by the Bel Canto Singers, Remembrance Sunday events, Terry Spring Court’s 9^th Birthday party, The Come and Sing Messiah, Bulb planting in Matchborough, Redditch Operatic Society’s ‘Hot Mikado’ and a visit to Astwood Bank Operatic Society rehearsing Trial by Jury & HMS Pinafore, an Indigo Arts Concert, the Homecoming Service for the Mercian Regiment at Worcester Cathedral and Parade, the Redditch Blind Association Christmas Party, and the Christmas Carols before the meeting that night.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Banks for stepping in to take on engagements he had been unable to attend

b)         Forthcoming events

The Mayor advised that forthcoming events included: Kingsley College Awards Evening, turning on the Christmas Tree lights at Batchley, the Arrow Vale Singers Christmas Concert and the Council’s own Pantomime, Jack & the Beanstalk, at the Palace Theatre.

c)         Local Democracy Day

The Mayor presented the awards for being voted the most popular Councillor at the recent Local Democracy Day Event to Councillors Gandy (Winner) and Banks (Runner-up).

d)         Mayor’s Christmas Card Competition

The Mayor announced that the winner of the competition to design his Christmas Card for Christmas 2009 was Sophie Taylor of Year Five, Birchensale Middle School.

e)         Additional matters

During consideration of the Mayor’s announcements, he gave permission to a number of Members to make further announcements in relation to matters not listed on the agenda, namely:

f)          Procurement Award

The Leader announced that the Council had been presented with an award by the Society of Procurement Officers for work that had been undertaken in conjunction with other Worcestershire and West Midlands authorities. Teresa Kristunas, Head of Financial, Revenues and Benefits Services, Sam Morgan, Accounts Manager and Matt Guest, Insurance Manager attended the meeting to receive the congratulations of the Council

f)          Palace Theatre

The Leader drew Members’ attention to a letter the Council had received from the Armand Theatre Company thanking the staff of the Palace Theatre for all the support and assistance they had provided whilst the company was putting on its show at the Theatre earlier in the year.

g)         Urgent business

The Mayor advised that he had accepted one late report, the Update on the Church Hill District Centre Redevelopment, but no other items of urgent business.

No questions for the Leader have been submitted according to the requirements of Standing Order 8A.

No questions had been submitted to the Leader.

To consider a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor J Brunner, concerning Speech, Language and Communication Therapy across the County.

(Report attached)

A Notice of Motion had been submitted by Councillor Brunner in respect of speech, language and communication therapy across the County. This was seconded by Councillor Banks.

The provision of this service had always been prioritised by the Primary Care Trusts in the north of the County whereas, in the south, less resources had been directed to assessment and treatment of these conditions. It was noted that the need for this service was generally higher in areas of greater deprivation which was a reason for the greater emphasis placed upon it in the north of the County.

Members were very concerned at the proposals and it was therefore

RESOLVED that

the Motion be approved in the following terms:

the Leader of the Council write on behalf of Redditch Borough Council to Dr Richard Harling and Councillor Marcus Hart, Commissioners at Worcestershire County Council for this service, and inform them of the Council’s objection to this proposal.

A.        To formally receive the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee on 7th October 2009.

(All decisions here have previously been fully resolved. There are no outstanding recommendations or referrals which require the Council’s consideration.)

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 5 - 2009/10)

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

28th October 2009

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

·        Budget Preparation Guidelines and Timetable;

·        West Midlands Biodiversity Pledge;

·        Corporate Plan – Phase 1;

·        Introductory Tenancies; and

·        Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

18th November 2009

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

·        Revenue and Capital Bids 2009/10 to 2012/13;

·        Church Hill Centre – Redevelopment Update;

·        Woodrow Library Project; and

·        Core Strategy Development Plan Document – Development Options

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 5 - 2009/10)

C.        To receive the decision notice and consider the recommendations and/or referrals from the following meeting of the Executive Committee:

2nd December 2009

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration may include:

·        Neighbourhood Groups Task and Finish Group Recommendations;

·        Council Tax and Business Rate Recovery Policy; and

·        Procurement Strategy and Corporate Procedure Rules.

(Decision notice attached)

Members received the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee  held on 7th October, 28th October and 18th November 2009 and the decision notice of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 2nd December 2009.

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 7th October 2009 be received and adopted;

2)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 28th October 2009 be received and all recommendations approved subject to:

in respect of Minute 162 (Corporate Plan – Phase 1) it being recorded, in accordance with Standing Order 16, that Labour Group Members abstained during the voting on this matter;

3)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 18th November 2009 be received and all recommendations approved, subject to:

in respect of Minute 173 (Community Management and Ownership of Assets – Proposed Policy and Procedure) it being further RESOLVED that

as a result of further information becoming available on consultation with the voluntary sector, this Policy and these Procedures be approved; and

4)         the decision notice of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 2nd December 2009 be received and all recommendations approved.

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

Licensing Committee -                     2nd November 2009

Planning Committee -                       3rd November 2009

(There are two recommendations from the Licensing Committee that require the Council’s consideration. Otherwise, all decisions here have been fully resolved).

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 5 - 2009/10)

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

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 2nd November 2009 be received and all recommendations approved; and

2)         the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 3rd November 2009 be received and adopted.

To seek full Council authority to progress to stage 2 of the scheme and receive additional revenue funding to progress the scheme in order to meet required timelines.

(In view of the fact that they contain information relating to the financial or business affairs of organisations (including the authority holding that information), the appendices to this report are not for publication and have been circulated only to relevant Officers and Members of the Council.)

(Report attached)

A report outlining the outcome of the first stage of the Church Hill District Centre Redevelopment Scheme was considered. At a recent meeting of the Church Hill District Centre Members’ Panel, the prospective development partners had been identified. The Council was being asked to release additional funds to allow the scheme to progress to the point of signing contracts with one of these prospective partners and final project evaluation.

Members were pleased to note the expressions of interest from developers in the scheme. However, it was proposed that the additional funding should more properly be considered alongside the other capital and revenue bids for 2010/11.

RESOLVED that

1)         progress on stage One of the scheme be noted; and

2)         additional revenue funding of £60,000 be approved in principle and be considered alongside the other Capital and Revenue bids for 2010/11 to progress the scheme for the years 2009/10 and 2010/11, to the point of signing contracts and final project evaluation.

(In view of the fact that it contained information relating to the business affairs of the Council’s tenants and financial information relating to other organisations, part of this discussion took place after the exclusion of the press and public. There is nothing  exempt, however, in this record of the proceedings.)

To consider a minor amendment to the Council’s Scheme of Virement in order to provide clarification of the intention of an aspect of the Scheme.

It is proposed that Provision 7 of the Scheme be amended to read:

7.         Virements between cost centres in excess of £1,000 must be approved by the Executive Committee, prior to the virement taking place.

This will provide clarification as to the intent of this provision and will bring the wording of the scheme in accordance with practice.

Members considered a proposed minor ‘technical’ amendment to the Scheme of Virement through which Officers were seeking to clarify an ambiguous financial regulation that dealt with virements.

RESOLVED that

Provision Seven of the Council’s Scheme of Virement be amended to read:

7.         Virements between cost centres in excess of £1,000 must be approved by the Executive Committee prior to the virement taking place.

To note any decisions taken in accordance with Standing Order 36 and/or the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules (Constitution), as specified.

(None to date).

There were no Urgent Business decisions under Standing Order 36 for consideration at this meeting.

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 and/or on the Leader’s Forward Plan.)

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

It may be necessary, in the opinion of the Chief Executive, to consider excluding the public from the meeting in relation to the following items of business on the grounds that exempt information is likely to be divulged. It may be necessary, therefore, to move the following resolution:

“that, under S.100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following matter(s) on the rounds that it/they involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs (to be specified) of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended.”

RESOLVED that

under S.100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following matter on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended.

Church Hill District Centre – Redevelopment Update (as detailed at Minute 84 above).