Agenda and minutes

The Mayor will open the meeting and welcome all present.

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 David Bush, although these were not reported to the meeting, and Derek Taylor.

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 26^th November 2012.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 7 - 2012/13)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 26^th November 2012 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:

a)         Mayor’s Announcements

b)         Leader’s Announcements

c)         Chief Executive’s Announcements.

(Oral report)

a)         Mayor

The Mayor’s communications and announcements were as follows:

i)          Former Mayor of the Borough, Joan Tyers

It was with great sadness that the Mayor advised the Council of the death shortly before Christmas of former Councillor and Mayor of the Borough Joan Tyers.

The Mayor paid tribute to former Councillor Tyers and Members of the Council were invited to offer up words they might wish to offer in memory of her and of her services to the Borough.

The Leader of the Council commenced the tributes to former Councillor Tyers, commenting that she had been a very dear friend and would be sadly missed by all who knew her. The Leader of the Minority Group then led other Members in expressing their thoughts on the character and achievements of former Councillor Tyers.

Members observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect and it was subsequently

RESOLVED that

the Council formally place on record its gratitude to former Councillor and Mayor of the Borough, Joan Tyers for her service to the Council and to the community.

ii)         Mrs Denise Sunman

The Mayor also formally advised the Council of the sudden and unexpected death earlier in December of Denise Sunman, Democratic Services Officer. The Mayor reported that condolences had been sent to Mrs Sunman’s family.

iii)        Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor advised that, since the last meeting of the Council, he had attended a number of engagements including a performance of Handel’s Messiah by the Redditch Choral Society; Bowood Mews Care Home Christmas lights switch-on; the Home Support Service ‘Christmas Knees Up’; the Churches Together Carols in the Town; the Arrow Valley Brass Band and Walkwood Middle School concert; a coffee morning for Cavell Nurses’ Trust; and a visit to the Alexandra Hospital on Christmas morning.

iii)        Forthcoming Engagements

The Mayor advised that forthcoming engagements included the ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ Pantomime with Droitwich Spa Town Council; a Special Olympics Awards Evening at the Town Hall; a music evening at Bromsgrove District Council; the Holocaust Memorial Day event; a gathering at The Old Palace in Worcester to meet the Bishop of Worcester and a Charity Black Country Night Out with Bewdley Town Council.

b)         Leader’s Announcements

i)          Joint Service Review

The Leader expressed his disappointment at the failure of the Joint Service Review Team to publish the options for the Joint Service Review on 18^th December 2012 as intended.

ii)         Visit by Health Minister

The Leader reminded Members of the intended visit to the Alexandra Hospital by the Health Minister, Dr Dan Poulter which was due to take place at some point in January. The Leader advised that he was unaware when this visit might take place and Officers were requested to enquire of the Minister the date and nature of the visit to be made to Redditch.

iii)        Staff Awards

The Leader reported that he had attended the Staff awards the previous evening and took the opportunity to thank several Officers who  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

To consider the following Question for the Leader, which has been submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.2:

“London Midland Cross City Line”

(Councillor Luke Stephens)

(Question attached)

The Leader responded to a question submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.2 from Councillor Luke Stephens. Councillor Stephen’s question related to the “London Midland Cross City Line” and the problems that had been experienced on that service by people travelling to and from Redditch.

The Leader responded that he and other local Members were well aware of the problems experienced by passengers on the line from Redditch to Lichfield Trent Valley as a result of complaints received and through first hand experience. There were frequent delays and the stranding of passengers at Barnt Green and Bournvile with little or no alternative provision laid on to complete the journey to Redditch was a not uncommon occurrence. At the same time, passengers were being asked to meet above average price rises in the coming financial year. The Leader undertook to write to London Midland and the Department of Transport outlining the concerns that had been expressed to Members.

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor Brandon Clayton in accordance with Procedure Rule 11:

Living Wage.

(Motion attached)

A Notice of Motion had been submitted by Councillor Brandon Clayton in respect of the Living Wage. This was seconded by Councillor Michael Braley.

In proposing this Motion, Councillor Clayton suggested that the Council recognise the case for paying all those employed by the authority according to such a policy and requested that the matter be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for investigation of the proposals.

In responding to the Motion, the Leader noted that variations on this Motion had previously been considered at a number of other authorities within Worcestershire. It was noted that few Redditch employees were paid below the living wage and it was expected that implementation of Job Evaluation would bring these employees wages up to the required level. Wages paid by contractors working on behalf of the Council could not be controlled to the same extent for legal reasons but the Leader was keen to encourage all Redditch employees to recognise the case for paying the living wage.

There was considerable discussion as to whether the Motion as printed should be amended prior to Members agreeing that the Motion be approved in the following, abbreviated terms as proposed by Councillor Bill Hartnett and seconded by Councillor Carole Gandy.

RESOLVED that

the Motion be agreed in the following terms:

“This Council recognises the case for all employees to be paid the living wage of £7.45 per hour as a minimum.

We ask that this be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to investigate proposals with a view to bring back a report to the Executive Committee on the full implication for staffing and financial costs.”

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

18th December 2012

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

• Gambling Act 2005 - Review of Statement of Principles.

(Report and decision attached)

15th January 2013

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

• Medium Term Financial Plan 2014/15 – 2015/16;
• Council Tax and NNDR Base 2013/14;
• Council Tax Support Scheme;
• Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans; and
• Service Review for Print, Design and Communications.

(Reports attached to Executive Committee agenda)

(Minutes of the meeting on 18th December 2012 circulated in Minute Book 7 – 2012/13. Referrals from the meeting on 15th January 2013 to be communicated to Council on the evening)

Members received the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee held on 18^th December 2012 and earlier the same evening, 15^th January 2013.

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 18^th December 2012 be received and all recommendations adopted; and

2)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 15^th January 2013 be received and all recommendations adopted.

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

Audit & Governance Committee   27th November 2012

Licensing Committee                      17th December 2012

Planning Committee                       28th November 2012

The one outstanding recommendation for the Council will be considered earlier on the agenda, during the preceding item, Executive Committee.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 5 – 2012/13)

Members received the minutes of the most recent meetings of the Council’s Regulatory Committees.

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 27^th November 2012 be received and adopted;

2)         the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 17^th December 2012 be received and adopted; and

3)         the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 28^th November 2012 be received and adopted.

To consider a response to a joint consultation on draft regulations to repeal the Pedlars Acts (UK wide) and make changes to the street trading legislation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

(Report attached)

The Council considered a report which alerted it to a Government consultation on draft regulations to repeal the Pedlars Act 1871 and make changes to street trading legislation. It was reported that the Government was proposing to make changes to this legislation in order to bring the United Kingdom into line with European legislation.

Members were informed that the Local Government Association and street traders themselves opposed this legislative change and a number of local authorities were seeking to oppose this vigorously. There was general concern that any such change could lead to problems which had previously been experienced with a number of rogue traders recurring. Members were encouraged to forward any comments on the consultation to Regulatory Services and the Head of Regulatory Services was requested to apologise to Councillor Pattie Hill for non-attendance at a meeting to discuss the matter.

RESOLVED that

Councillors pass their feedback to the Head of Regulatory Services to be included in his response on behalf of the Council.

To note any decisions taken in accordance with the Council’s Urgency Procedure Rules (Part 6, Paragraph 5 and/or Part 7, Paragraph 15 of the Constitution), as specified.

(None to date).

There were no urgent business decisions under the Council’s urgency procedures 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 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.