Agenda and minutes

The Mayor will open the meeting and welcome all present.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, the Reverend Jo Musson, will lead the Council in prayer.

The Mayor opened the meeting and welcomed all present. The Mayor’s chaplain, the Reverend Jo Musson, led the Council in prayer.

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

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Debbie Taylor.

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

Councillor Mark Shurmer declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 8 (Executive Committee – Notice of Decisions of the meeting of 16th June 2010) as detailed separately below.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on the 24th May and 14th June 2010.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 1 - 2010/11)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 24th May and 14th June 2010 be confirmed as correct records 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 Annual Meeting of the Council, she had attended various functions, including: the official opening of a new Day Care Centre for adults with learning difficulties, a twinning visit to Gruchet le Valasse, Bewdley Town Council’s Annual Meeting, the Worcestershire Army Cadet League lunch, the flying of Chinese kites, the University of Worcester Summer Garden Party, the Primrose Choir’s Summertime Concert , a Carers Careline Event, a Garden party at Terryspring Court, Civic Services at Kidderminster, Worcester & Wychavon, the North Worcestershire & Redditch Schools Sport Partnership Games 2010 and a Bel Canto Singers concert.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Anita Clayton for stepping in to take on engagements she had been unable to attend.

b)         Forthcoming events

The Mayor advised that forthcoming events included the opening of the new Boomerang (second hand) shop on Unicorn Hill, an OakhillFirst School assembly, Harry TaylorFirst School’s open air classroom, the annual Alexandra Hospital Fete and Astwood Bank Carnival.

c)         Armed Forces Week

The Mayor advised that she had been involved with the Deputy Mayor and Consort in the raising and then lowering of a commemorative flag for Armed Forces Week.

The Mayor advised that she had had the pleasure of presenting the flag that morning to a Redditch veteran, Mr Sid Reynolds, a former Able Seaman who saw active service on Torpedo Boats during World War Two.

d)         Mercian Regiment

The Mayor informed the Council that she had been most saddened to learn of recent deaths of members of the Mercian Regiment including, it was believed, a very recent one involving a Redditch soldier. The Council was awaiting confirmation of the details and the Mayor advised that she would bring this back to the next meeting to enable the Council to pay tribute, if regrettably it turned out to be correct.

e)         Urgent Business

The Mayor advised that she had accepted two additional items of “Urgent Business”:

Item 13 – Urgent Business – Notice of Motion – Cancer Services  within the County; and

Item 13a – Urgent Business – Withdrawal of Department of Culture, Media and Sport Funding for Free Swimming.

The Mayor had also accepted one late report:

Item 8 – Executive Committee Decision Notice, 16th June 2010

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 Announcements were considered under the following headings:

a)         Abbey Stadium

Members were advised that planning permission had been granted for the Abbey Stadium the previous week and that building work was due to commence in the autumn.

b)         National Seven-a-side Football Success

Members were advised that a local football team had claimed victory in the recent national Seven-a-Side COPA MK Tournament in Bletchley, Milton Keynes. The Leader suggested that the Mayor receive the successful team at the Town Hall.

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

No questions had been submitted to the Leader.

A.        To receive the minutes and consider the recommendations and/or referrals arising from the following meeting of the Executive Committee:

26th May 2010

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

·        Employment Land Review Update;

·        Worcestershire Supporting People Strategy 2010 to 2013;

·        Capital Budget Provision 2009/10 and 2011/12 for Asbestos Removal;

·        Spring Industry Public Art Project; and

·        Shared Services Board – Recommendations.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 1 – 2010/11)

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

16th June 2010

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

·        Petition Scheme;

·        Worcestershire Partnership – Terms of Engagement;

·        Business Centre Review; and

·        REDI Centre – Options.

(Decision notice to follow)

Members received the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 26th May 2010 and the decision notice of the meeting held on 16th June 2010.

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 26th May 2010 be received and all recommendations approved, subject to:

in respect of Minute 15 (Shared Services Board - Recommendations) it being recorded, in accordance with Standing Order 16, that Labour Group Members voted against printed recommendations 1 and 2 during the voting on these matters; and

2)         the decision notice of the meeting of the Executive held on 16th June 2010 be received and all recommendations approved, subject to:

in respect of Minute 28 (Petition Scheme) it being further RESOLVED that

1)         the draft Petition Scheme in respect of non-executive functions be approved, as reported to the meeting, subject to an amendment to reduce the number of signatures required for debate at full Council to 400.

(Officers undertook to report the views of Members on the content of the Worcestershire Supporting People Strategy document to Worcestershire County Council. Officers also undertook to give greater consideration to their reporting of policy and other implications within reports to the Council and its Committees)

(Prior to consideration of this item, and in accordance with the requirements of Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2000, Councillor Shurmer declared a personal and prejudicial  interest in view of the fact that his place of work was one of the Council’s Business Centres and took no part in the voting on the relevant recommendation (Minute 31 – Business Centres Review)).

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

Audit & Governance Committee     -  20th April 2010

Licensing Committee                       - 17th May 2010

                                                            - 3rd June 2010

Planning Committee             - 27th April 2010

                                                            - 25th May 2010.

(Minutes circulated in Minute Book 1 – 2010/11)

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

RESOLVED that

1)         the minutes of the meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 20th April 2010 be received and adopted;

2)         the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Committee held on 17th May and 3rd June 2010 be received and adopted; and

3)         the minutes of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on 27th April and 25th May 2010 be received and adopted.

To consider a proposal to establish a joint Independent Remuneration Panel to serve the 6 District Councils within Worcestershire.

Please note that the attached report has been produced by Officers of Wychavon District Council on behalf of and in consultation with Democratic Services Officers from all District Councils within the County.

(Report attached)

The Council considered a proposal to establish a joint Independent Remuneration Panel to serve the six District Councils within Worcestershire. It was anticipated that the new arrangement might reduce the administrative burden on officers and create a more consistent approach across the County whilst respecting local structures and differences.

A Joint Committee comprising one Member from each of the relevant authorities was to be established to review and agree the Terms of Reference for the County-wide Panel.

RESOLVED that

1)         the current Independent Remuneration Panel for Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon District Councils be appointed as the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel for Bromsgrove District, Malvern Hills District, Redditch Borough, Worcester City, Wychavon District and Wyre Forest District Councils;

2)         Councillor Michael Braley be appointed to a Joint Committee to review and agree the terms of reference of the Panel, the operating arrangements and other relevant details; and

3)         the Joint Committee be RECOMMENDED to consider the expansion of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel from five to six Members.

To consider a number of administrative matters including appointments to the following positions / bodies:

Joint Committee for Worcestershire Enhanced Two Tier Regulatory Service – named substitutes;

Standards Committee – Councillors Jinny Pearce, Greg Chance and Malcolm Hall were nominated at the Annual Meeting but only one Executive member is allowed;

Shared Services Board – noting the appointment of Councillor Jinny Pearce as the fourth substitute to the Shared Services Board.

The Council concluded several matters left unresolved at the Annual Meeting in May.

RESOLVED that

the following appointments be noted:

1)         two named substitutes for the Joint Committee for the WETT Regulatory Service – Councillors Juliet Brunner and Bill Hartnett;

2)         eligible Members for the Standards Committee – Councillors Malcolm Hall (as indicated at the Annual Meeting), Brenda Quinney (to replace Councillor Jinny Pearce) and Mark Shurmer (to replace Councillor Greg Chance); and

3)         named substitute for the Shared Services Board – Councillor Jinny Pearce.

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.)

An urgent Notice of Motion had been submitted by Councillor Juliet Brunner too late to meet Standing Order deadlines but had been accepted by the Mayor for consideration at the meeting on the basis of its broad public interest and in view of a requirement for consultation responses  to be returned to NHS Worcestershire by 6th August 2010, prior to the next ordinary meeting of the Council. The Motion was in respect of the provision of cancer services within the County. This was seconded by Councillor Brandon Clayton.

The Council was advised that this represented a once in a generation opportunity to locate theses services within the county and remove the need for local residents to travel considerable distances to the nearest specialist cancer centres. Members were keen to support the proposal that these services be sited within Worcestershire should the quality of the care provided at the new facility be of an equivalent standard to that currently available. There was general support for the motion and it was duly

RESOLVED that

the Motion be approved in the following terms:

“Redditch Borough Council supports Worcestershire NHS Trust’s proposal to site all its cancer services within the County.

Furthermore this Council believes that these services should be hosted at the AlexandraHospital site.

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive Officer are requested to write to Worcestershire NHS Trust to inform them of this Council’s view.”

To consider a report regarding future funding of the Free Swimming scheme.

(Report attached)

The Council received an urgent report in respect of the premature withdrawal by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) of the funding for the Free Swimming Initiative which had commenced in April 2009 and was due to be withdrawn in March 2011.

The DCMS had agreed to honour grant funding until 31st July. It was proposed that the free swimming programme in Redditch for the over sixties be ended with effect from the beginning of August and the programme for 16 year olds and under be continued until the end of August to allow this group free access over the busy summer holiday period. It was hoped that those new swimmers who had made use of the programme might be encouraged to make use of the Council’s Reddicard scheme, thereby allowing them to access the Council’s facilities at a competitive rate.

RESOLVED that

1)                 the removal of the grant funding from the Department for Culture Media and Sport, which equates to £46, 747 for the period August 1st 2010 to March 31st 2010 be noted;

2)                 the free swimming programme for over sixties be removed with effect from 1st August 2010 and a media and promotional campaign  be prepared to inform residents of this decision and the circumstances in which it was made;

3)                 the free swimming provision for 16 year olds and under be extended at the Council’s expense until 27th August 2010 (in line with the summer holiday programme), due to the high volume of under 16’s swimmers and families’ expectations during this period; 

4)                 the provision of free swimming admissions during public swimming sessions on a pay and play basis be limited to Redditch residents only;

5)                 the release of revenue balances to a maximum of £6,000 to fund the loss of income at the centres be approved; this to meet the costs associated with the Council continuing the scheme to 27th August following the removal of grant funding;

6)                 as part of the re-introduction of the charging scheme for these groups, it be confirmed that a non-Reddicard, Reddicard or Concessionary Reddicard rate will apply dependant upon customers’ personal circumstances (the proposed charging rates to be as detailed in Section 5 of this report); and

7)         the staffing implications outlined in Sections 5 and 14 of the report be noted and the funding of the associated redundancy costs of £3,000 from revenue balances be agreed, should a redeployment opportunity not be secured.