Agenda and minutes

At the request of the Chairman, the Reverend Chris Wingfield opened the meeting with a prayer.

The Chamber held a minute silence in memory of the late Mike Gill who had been a Member of the Council from 1976 to 1983 and from 1991 to 2007 and Chairman during 2001/02.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A. N. Blagg, Miss D. H. Campbell JP, Ms. H. J. Jones, B. Lewis F.CMI, Dr. G. H. Lord, D. McGrath, E. J. Murray, W. R. Newnes and M. J. A. Webb.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 20th January 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

(Members are reminded that they need to keep their register of interest forms up to date)

No declarations of interest were received.

Further to the Council’s budget requirements for 2010/11 agreed by the Council on 20th January 2010, Members received a report of the Head of Financial Services with regard to the setting of the Council Tax for 2010/11.

The Chairman announced that the meeting would be adjourned for around ten minutes to allow Members to peruse the papers which had been made available immediately prior to the meeting. The lateness of the papers was due to the timescale for the receipt of precept information.

Having reconvened the meeting, the recommendations were moved by Councillor G. N. Denaro and seconded by Councillor R. Hollingworth.

On a requisition under Council Procedure Rule 17.5, the following details of voting were recorded.

For the recommendations: Councillors Dr. D. W. P. Booth, Mrs. J. M. Boswell, Mrs. M. Bunker, S. R. Colella, R. J. Deeming, G. N. Denaro, Mrs. R. L. Dent, Mrs. A. E. Doyle, J. T. Duddy, Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E., Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths, D. Hancox, R. Hollingworth, Mrs. J. D. Luck, D. L. Pardoe, S. R. Peters, Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP, R. D. Smith, Mrs. C. J. Spencer, E. C. Tibby, C. J. Tidmarsh, L. J. Turner and P. J. Whittaker (23);

Against the recommendations: Councillors Ms. J. A. Marshall, Mrs. C. M. McDonald, P. M. McDonald, S. P. Shannon, and C. J. K. Wilson (5).

RESOLVED that the recommendations set out as an Appendix to these minutes, setting a Council Tax for 2010/11 of £192.85 for a Band D unparished property be approved.

To consider the recommendations from the Cabinet on the following item (the full Cabinet report is appended as background information at the end of Council agenda book):

Ø      Integrated Financial and Performance Monitoring Q3 2009/10 (virements and amendment to the Capital Programme)

INTEGRATED FINANCIAL AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING QUARTER 3 2009/10

The recommendations from the Cabinet were moved by Councillor G. N. Denaro and seconded by Councillor R. Hollingworth.

On a requisition under Council Procedure Rule 17.5, the following details of voting were recorded.

For the recommendations: Councillors Dr. D. W. P. Booth, Mrs. J. M. Boswell, Mrs. M. Bunker, S. R. Colella, R. J. Deeming, G. N. Denaro, Mrs. R. L. Dent, Mrs. A. E. Doyle, J. T. Duddy, Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E., Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths, D. Hancox, R. Hollingworth, Mrs. J. D. Luck, D. L. Pardoe, S. R. Peters, Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP, R. D. Smith, Mrs. C. J. Spencer, E. C. Tibby, C. J. Tidmarsh, L. J. Turner and P. J. Whittaker (23);

Against the recommendations: Councillors Ms. J. A. Marshall, Mrs. C. M. McDonald, P. M. McDonald, S. P. Shannon, and C. J. K. Wilson (5).

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the virements in excess of £100,000 as set out in Appendix 6 of the report be approved; and

(b)       that £150,000 be added to the Capital Programme in respect of the CCTV improvements as agreed on 16th September 2009 as part of the Shared Service arrangements.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3rd February 2010 were submitted for information.

During consideration of this item there was an interruption from a member of the public followed by disruption from the public gallery. The Chairman made repeated requests for the public to be quiet, to no avail. The Chairman then announced that the meeting would be adjourned.

The meeting stood adjourned from 6.25 p.m. to 6.35 p.m.

The Chairman then reconvened the meeting. With reference to Minute No. 154/09 (Integrated Financial and Performance Monitoring Quarter 3 2009/10) and the background report which had been submitted as information, a Member drew attention to the commentary with regard to expected expenditure on Travel Concessions. He queried how the figure had been arrived at and whether it was a true reflection of the number of users and actual journeys undertaken or could Council expenditure in this regard be in excess of the level of actual usage for the service.

The Portfolio Holder for Resources responded by referring to the procedures the Council had put in place and indicated that usage had exceeded expectations.  He suggested that the queries could be referred to Overview and Scrutiny. The Chairman agreed that the matter be referred to Overview and Scrutiny.

To consider the report of the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services

Further to the decision made by the Council on 20th January 2010 with regard to the establishment of a Joint Appointments Committee as part of the way forward with regard to Regulatory Services under the Worcestershire Enhanced Two Tier (WETT) Programme, Members considered a report of the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services on the proposed terms of reference of the Committee and the need to appoint an Executive Member to serve on the Committee.

Having been moved by Councillor R. Hollingworth and seconded by Councillor E. C. Tibby, it was

RESOLVED:

(a)               that the terms of reference for the Joint Appointments Committee, as set out in the report, be approved;

(b)               that Councillor G. N. Denaro be appointed to represent Bromsgrove District Council on the Joint Appointments Committee.