Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed all those present to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Julian Grubb, Wanda King and Yvonne Smith.

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.

Councillor Michael Chalk declared an other disclosable interest in respect of Minute Item No. 48, in relation to the Leisure Service Business Plan due to his personal connection with the Palace Theatre, which included previously volunteering to support the venue and his wife’s involvement with local theatrical groups.  However, as this was not a pecuniary interest he stayed in the meeting during consideration of the Leisure Service Business Plan and voted thereon.

Councillor Joanne Beecham declared a pecuniary interest in Minute Item No. 49 in relation to the recommendations from the Licensing Committee made on 3^rd September in respect of Animal Establishment Licensing Reforms, due to her role as the owner of a cattery.  During consideration of that item she left the room and did not take part in the debate or vote thereon.  Councillor Beecham also declared an other disclosable interest in respect of Minute Item No. 48, in relation to the Leisure Services Business Plan, as she sometimes hired the facilities at the Palace Theatre.  However as this was not a pecuniary interest she stayed in the meeting during consideration of the Leisure Service Business Plan and voted on the matter.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the Council meeting held on Monday 23^rd July 2018 be agreed as a 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.

a)        The Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor announced that she would circulate a list of the civic engagements that she had attended since the previous meeting of Council after the meeting.  She thanked the Deputy Mayor for his support and for attending those engagements that she had been unable to attend.

Members were asked to note that the Mayor would be hosting a Macmillan coffee morning on 28^th September 2018 in memory of former member of staff, Mrs Jenny Delorenzo. 

The Mayor invited all Members to attend the civic service that was due to take place on 10^th October, starting at 10.30 am.

b)        The Leader’s Announcements

The Leader circulated a written update of his announcements for Member’s consideration (Appendix 1).  This included an update on a recent meeting to discuss the position of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) and reference to the Leader’s attendance at the latest meeting of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board, which took place on Friday 14^th September 2018.

c)         Chief Executive’s Announcements

The Chief Executive confirmed that he had no announcements.

The Mayor advised that no questions had been received for this meeting.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

A motion in respect of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) was proposed by Councillor Bill Hartnett.  This was seconded by Councillor Greg Chance.

In proposing the motion Councillor Hartnett acknowledged that the information provided in the Leader’s announcements indicated that some problems were being addressed but he suggested that further action was needed.  Whilst Councillor Hartnett noted that he was a keen supported of the NHS and valued the work of staff, he highlighted the need for further information about the improvements that had been made to the Trust since the Worcesteshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) had consulted on proposed changes in 2017.  There was also a need to clarify how much of the £29 million highlighted during the consultation had been received and how much of this funding had been invested in the different sites managed by the Trust.  The Council had previously demonstrated its commitment to supporting the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch by holding a cross-party Health Commission in 2017 which had made a number of recommendations but had not supported the CCGs’ proposals.  Since then the Trust had remained in special measures and it had recently been announced that their Chief Executive would be leaving.  Councillor Hartnett suggested that the Trust needed to work in partnership with the Council, to ensure services met the needs of residents.

In seconding the motion Councillor Greg Chance commented that the future of the Alexandra Hospital still remained open to question.  He therefore suggested that the Council needed to do everything possible to support the hospital and to ensure that key services remained accessible in Redditch.

Following the presentation of the motion Members discussed the services provided by WAHT, particularly at the Alexandra Hospital.  A number of Members highlighted the excellent care that they and their families had received from the NHS and there was general consensus that the Alexandra Hospital provided valuable local services.  However, it was acknowledged that there were continuing challenges for the Trust, including delays for some appointments, backlogs with ambulance queues and the financial difficulties that were impacting on services. 

Concerns were raised that whilst there had been significant financial investment in services at Worcester Royal Hospital there still needed to be further expenditure on the Alexandra Hospital.  In addition, concerns were raised that many Redditch residents, particularly those on low incomes who did not have their own transport, could struggle to access services or to meet with friends and relatives at Worcester Royal Hospital where a lot of services were based.  The number of visitors utilising the services at the Alexandra Hospital who lived outside the Borough had increased since 2017 and Members raised concerns that this was placing pressure on services.  All of these problems were exacerbated by difficulties in terms of recruitment of suitably qualified staff across the NHS.

RESOLVED that

Council agrees to write to WAHT and the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG asking both organisations to provide a detailed update to this Council on improvements made  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Members considered a number of recommendations arising from the meetings of the Executive Committee held on 14^th August and 11^th September 2018 respectively.

Members discussed the following items in detail:

Care Leavers Scrutiny Task Group

Members noted that the proposals would involve the introduction of interim measures to provide Council Tax support to care leavers through the Hardship Fund.  This would help care leavers aged up to 25 years until permanent changes were made to the Council Tax Support Scheme, which was the subject of public consultation.

Reference was made to the work of the Care Leavers Scrutiny Task Group, which had been established earlier in the year following consideration of a Motion on Notice at a Council meeting. The group had investigated the matter in detail and the changes that had been proposed would bring the Council into line with arrangements at other district Councils in Worcestershire.

Town Centre Regeneration

The proposals for the regeneration of Redditch town centre were discussed in detail, with the following points being considered:

·                The potential for housing to be included within the plans for the regeneration of the town.  Members were advised that as this part of the report had been resolved by the Executive Committee no changes could be proposed by Council.

·                The new market evidence that had emerged since March 2018 which had informed the proposal for the public sector hub to move from Church Green to the Town Hall.

·                The Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s pre-scrutiny of the report and how this helped to enhance the transparency of the decision making process.

·                The potential for new restaurants to be introduced in sites located close to the Palace Theatre.

Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 – Implementation of Provisions

Members considered the proposals detailed in the report which outlined changes that would need to be made at the local level, including in relation to the Officer Scheme of Delegations, in response to guidance that had been issued by the Home Office.  A key requirement in the provisions would be for the Executive Committee and Council to agree any requests for the introduction of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in particular locations within the Borough.  Members also welcomed the Executive Committee’s proposal that the use of these orders should be monitored by the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel every six months.

During consideration of this matter concerns were raised about how anti-social behaviour (ASB) in neighbour disputes, particularly where Council tenants were involved, would be resolved given the financial challenges for the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA). Members were advised that the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Regulatory Services was working closely with Officers to ensure that the Council could address all scenarios relating to the anti-social behaviour guidance and ASB between neighbours would be taken into account as part of this process.

Redditch Local Lottery

Council considered proposals to introduce a Redditch local lottery and in so doing noted the following points:

·                The lottery would help to support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

The Council considered the minutes from the meetings of the Licensing Committee held on 16^th July and 3^rd September, the Audit Governance and Standards Committee held on 30^th July and the Planning Committee held on 8^th August 2018. 

During consideration of this item Members considered recommendations from the Licensing Committee meeting held on 3^rd September 2018 in respect of Animal Establishment Licensing Reforms.

RESOLVED that

1)        the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 16^th July 2018 be received and adopted;

2)        the minutes of the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee meeting held on 30^th July 2018 be received and adopted;

3)        the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 8^th August 2018 be received and adopted; and

4)        the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 3^rd September 2018 be received and all recommendations adopted.

(During consideration of this item Councillor Joanne Beecham declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the recommendations from the Licensing Committee made on 3^rd September in respect of Animal Establishment Licensing Reforms, due to her role as the owner of a cattery.  During consideration of the item she left the room and did not take part in the debate or vote thereon.)

The Leader presented a reported arising from work at two recent meetings of the Constitutional Review Working Party.  Members were advised that a number of changes to the Scheme of Delegations to Officers were proposed in the report, with some stylistic changes having been made in accordance with the Monitoring Officer’s power to make amendments following changes to legislation, job titles and to reallocate functions.  The report proposed the introduction of an Appointments Committee, which could appoint or dismiss relevant senior officers in circumstances where the Chief Executive was not in a position to act.  Changes had been suggested to Members’ Role Descriptors, though Members were asked to note that these were only intended to be indicative and to help new Members.

The Constitutional Review Working Party had proposed that the Council should no longer receive the minutes of meetings of the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee, Licensing Committee or Planning Committee where these simply needed to be noted.  In cases where these Committees made recommendations these would be reported on to Council for consideration.  Members noted that by no longer considering these minutes at every Council meeting this would help to reduce the amount of paperwork at Council meetings and would contribute to moving towards paperless meetings.

RESOLVED that

1)        the amendments to the existing delegations detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, made in accordance with the Monitoring Officer’s power to make amendments following changes to legislation, job titles and to reallocate functions, be noted;

2)        the additional delegations requested for Community, Environmental and Leisure and Cultural Services, as detailed at Appendix 2 to the report, be approved

3)        the proposed changes to the Housing delegations, as detailed at Appendix 3 to the report, be approved;

4)        the proposed changes to the HR delegations, as detailed at Appendix 4, be approved;

5)        an Appointments Committee be established and the proposed terms of reference for this Committee, as detailed at Appendix 5 to the report, be approved;

6)        the minutes of meetings of the Planning, Licensing and Audit,
Governance and Standards Committees, where no
recommendations have been made, should no longer be
received at meetings of Council for noting;

7)        the updated Planning Code of Practice, as detailed at Appendix 6 to the report, be approved;

8)        the Council’s constitution be amended so that the power to
determine all employment and health and safety policies is delegated to the Head of Transformation and Organisational Development, following consultation with the Corporate Management Team, the Joint Corporate Health, Safety and Welfare Committee (where applicable), the Leader of the Council and the relevant Portfolio Holder;

9)        trained substitutes should be permitted to serve at meetings of
the Grants Panel; and

10)      the proposed changes to the Members’ Role Descriptors, as detailed at Appendix 7 to the report, be approved.

Members were advised that the introduction of an Appointments Committee, agreed during consideration of the report in respect of the review of the Council’s constitution, impacted on the Council’s political balance.  A list of nominations to the Appointments Committee, including the Chair and Vice Chair, was tabled at the meeting for Members’ consideration (Appendix 2).

Members agreed the proposals detailed in the report with nobody voting against.

RESOLVED that

1)        the additional place for the Conservative Group in the overall balance, arising from the introduction of the Appointments Committee, is not taken up;

2)        the political balance of the Committees of the Council be agreed as set out in paragraph 3.5;

2)      the arrangement where the seats on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are not allocated in accordance with the political balance requirements be continued;

3)        the arrangement where the seats on the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel are not allocated in accordance with the political balance requirements be continued;

4)      appointments by political group leaders to the places on the Appointments Committee be approved;

5)      the Council appoints a Chair and a Vice-Chair of the Appointments Committee.

Members are asked to note that Councillor Gareth Prosser is replacing Councillor Matthew Dormer on the Licensing Committee.

Members noted that Councillor Gareth Prosser had been appointed to the Licensing Committee in place of Councillor Matthew Dormer.

Following changes to the Cabinet Portfolios at Wyre Forest District Council in August Councillor Chris Rogers has swapped roles with Councillor Ian Hardiman.  This has implications for appointments to the outside bodies on behalf of north Worcestershire.  Members are therefore asked to note the membership changes listed in the attached document.

Members noted that following a change to the Cabinet portfolios at Wyre Forest District Council, Councillor Chris Rogers had replaced Councillor Ian Hardiman on a number of outside bodies to represent the district Councils in north Worcestershire.

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 decisions to note.

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 general urgent business for Members’ consideration.

This item was added to the Council agenda and published on 7^th September 2018 giving five working days’ notice of the item.  However, the item was published after the main agenda pack, which had been published earlier in the day to provide time to print the agenda packs which are lengthy.  As the five working days’ notice has been given this is an item for consideration at the end of the agenda on 17^th September. 

Members discussed the Business Rates Pool Pilot 2019/20 report and noted that this followed a similar bid to take part in a business rates pool in Worcestershire that had been submitted to the Government the previous year.  Unfortunately that bid had been unsuccessful but it was hoped that it would succeed this time.  Members were advised that all Leaders in Worcestershire had agreed to put forward a bid to be included in a business rates pool pilot in 2019/20, should this be approved by relevant Councils and then the Government.

RESOLVED that

1)         Redditch Borough Council be included in a joint Worcestershire application to be a 75% business rates retention pilot in 2019/20; and

2)        authority be delegated to the Executive Director Finance and Corporate Resources following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Management and the Leader to make necessary decisions on the Council’s behalf.