Agenda for Council on Tuesday 27th February 2007, 6.00 p.m.

Agenda and minutes

Council - Tuesday 27th February 2007 6.00 p.m.

Venue: The Council House, Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove. View directions

Contact: John Wright  Karen Firth

Note: Special Meeting - Budget 

Items
No. Item

87.

Prayer

Minutes:

At the request of the Chairman, the Reverend Wendy Moore opened the meeting with a prayer.

88.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 312 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 16th January 2007

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 16th January 2007 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the addition of Councillor W. R. Newnes to the list of those present.

89.

To receive apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Miss S. L. Bushby, A. J. Dent, B. L. Fuller C.B.E. Q.F.S.M., G. H. R. Hulett, C. B. Lanham and J. A. Ruck.

90.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

The following Councillors declared the following interests as set out below:

 

Councillor

Agenda Item

Interest

Mrs. S. J. Baxter

6(2)  Discretionary Rate Relief

Personal - Member of Village Hall Committee

Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E.

6(2)  Discretionary Rate Relief

Personal - Member of Village Hall Committee

Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E.

6(4)  Medium Term Financial Plan

Personal - Governor of Woodrush Community High School

Ms. J. A. Marshall

5(e)  Leaders Announcements

Personal - Member of Bromsgrove Rovers Supporters Society

P. M. McDonald

5(e)  Leaders Announcements

Personal - Member of Bromsgrove Rovers Supporters Society

D. C. Norton

6(1)  Future of Bromsgrove Museum

Prejudicial - Donor of the Museum

N. Psirides JP

6(1)  Future of Bromsgrove Museum

Personal - Member of the Avoncroft Museum Trust

C. R. Scurrell

6(2)  Discretionary Rate Relief

Personal - Member of Village Hall Committee

G. G. Selway

6(1)  Future of Bromsgrove Museum

Personal - Member of the Avoncroft Museum Trust

S. P. Shannon

5(e)  Leaders Announcements

Personal - Member of Bromsgrove Rovers Supporters Society

S. P. Shannon

6(1)  Future of Bromsgrove Museum

Personal - Member of the Avoncroft Museum Trust

Mrs. C. J. Spencer

6(1)  Future of Bromsgrove Museum

Personal - Member of the Avoncroft Museum Trust

C. J. Tidmarsh

6(1)  Future of Bromsgrove Museum

Personal - Member of the Avoncroft Museum Trust

 

Mr. K. Dicks declared a prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 11 "Appointment of Chief Executive".

91.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and/or Head of Paid Service

Minutes:

(a)       The Chairman thanked all those who had attended the recent Holocaust Memorial services.

(b)       The Chairman reported the recent death of Councillor Mike Oborski former Leader and chairman of Wyre Forest District Council and a member of Worcestershire County Council.

(c)        The Chairman reminded members of the forthcoming charity evening concert on 24th March at the Artrix Centre which would feature the Treorchy Male Voice choir.

(d)       The Chairman reminded members of the opportunity to purchase tickets for the Civic Dinner Dance which would be held on 27th April.

(e)       The Chairman thanked Mr. John Wright, Democratic Services Manager, who would shortly be leaving the Council's employ, for the work he had done for the Council.  The Chairman also thanked Mrs. Carole Slater who had recently left the Council for the work she had done as acting Chairman's Secretary.

92.

To receive any announcements from the Leader

Minutes:

The Leader -

 

(a)       reported receipt of a letter from Angela Smith MP, Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, which recognised the considerable progress made by the Council in recent months.  The letter re-enforced the need to improve two tier working;

(b)       reminded Members that whilst the costs of this Council's refuse collection may appear to be higher that some other neighbouring authorities there was a need to remember that this Council carried out a higher frequency of collections;

(c)        informed Members that the area working groups in Waseley and Alvechurch continued to work well;

(d)       informed members of a recent LSP away day which had proved most useful; and

(e)       informed Members that following recent press coverage he could confirm that an application for a grant had not been received from Bromsgrove Rovers.

93.

Recommendations from the Executive Cabinet

To receive the recommendations made by the Executive Cabinet at it’s meeting held on 21st February 2007 (To follow)

Minutes:

(i)         Future Management Of Bromsgrove Museum

 

RESOLVED: that whilst recognising that funding is assured for the next twelve months, officers are charged to identify a suitable solution which would allow the transfer of Bromsgrove Museum to a trust or other arms length organisation by the end of June 2007 and to report back to this Council in July 2007.  Having declared an interest Councillor D. C. Norton left the meeting and took no part in the consideration of this matter.

 

(ii)        Discretionary Rate Relief Policy

 

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the policy relating to discretionary rate relief as contained in Appendix A to the report be approved and adopted;

(b)       that the Council's scheme of delegation be amended to grant delegated authority to the Head of Financial Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance to approve the applications for discretionary rate relief within the approved Council policy and that the Executive Cabinet be granted delegated authority to review any appeals against the decisions made;

(c)        that discretionary rate relief be granted for a period of one year and be reviewed on an annual basis;

(d)       that a report containing details of the relief granted to the various organisations be submitted to Executive Cabinet on an annual basis.

 

(iii)       Capital Programme - 2007/2008 to 2009/2010 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2007/2008 to 2009/2010

 

The recommendations of the Executive Cabinet were moved by Councillor R. Hollingworth and seconded by Councillor Mrs M. M. T. Taylor.

 

It was moved by Councillor P. M. McDonald and seconded by Councillor C. J. K. Wilson that £34,000 relating to an Information Management post be removed from the revenue budget.

 

On a requisition under Council Procedure Rule 14.4 the following details of voting on the amendment were recorded:-

 

For the Amendment: Councillors Mrs. S. J. Baxter, A. L. Deakin, Ms. J. A. Marshall, P. M. McDonald, S. P. Shannon and C. J. K. Wilson (7)

 

Against the Amendment: Councillors A. N. Blagg, Mrs. J. M. Boswell, Miss D. H. Campbell, G. N. Denaro, Mrs. R. L. Dent, J. T. Duddy, Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E., Mrs. K. M. Gall, Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths, D. Hancox, R. Hollingworth, Mrs. J. D. Luck, D. McGrath, W. R. Newnes, S. R. Peters, N. Psirides JP, C. R. Scurrell, G. G. Selway, Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP, Mrs. C. J. Spencer, Mrs. M. M. T. Taylor, E. C. Tibby, C. J. Tidmarsh and P. J. Whittaker (24)

 

Accordingly the Chairman declared the motion to be LOST.

 

It was moved by Councillor P.M. McDonald and seconded by Councillor C. J. K. Wilson that £22,000 relating to Bromsgrove Museum be removed from the revenue budget.

 

On a requisition under Council Procedure Rule 14.4 the following details of voting on the amendment were recorded:-

 

For the Amendment: Councillors Mrs. S. J. Baxter, A. L. Deakin, Mrs. J. D. Luck, D. McGrath, Ms. J. A. Marshall, P. M. McDonald, S. R. Peters, N. Psirides  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

94.

Recommendations of the Standards Committee

To consider the recommendations, if any from the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 21st February 2007 (to follow)

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the comments made by the Standards Committee on the consultation on the revised code of conduct be submitted, to the Department for Communities and Local Government as this Council's response to the consultation on the revised code of conduct.

95.

Questions on Notice

To deal with any questions on notice from members of the Council, in the order in which they have been received.

Minutes:

No questions on notice were submitted.

96.

An Alternative to Car Clamping

To consider the report of the Head of Planning and Environment arising from the motion submitted by Councillor Shannon at the last meeting of the Council. (To follow)

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the Head of Street Scene and Waste Management and the Economic Development and Town Centre Manager be authorised to canvass local businesses which are currently using "clampers" to ascertain demand for Council Parking Enforcement on private land and also investigate the possible introduction of the penalty charge system of parking enforcement.

97.

Appointments Committee pdf icon PDF 73 KB

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

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the Appointments Committee be reconstituted on a politically proportionate basis with a membership of five members.

98.

Appointment of Chief Executive pdf icon PDF 89 KB

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that rather than applying its formal recruitment and selection process:

 

(a)       The Appointments Committee be requested to interview Mr K. Dicks for the permanent position as the Council's Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service;

(b)       That any appointment be subject to the unanimous agreement of the membership of the Appointments Committee;

(c)        For the purposes of this process the Appointments Committee membership be Councillors Mrs. S. J. Baxter, Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths, R. Hollingworth, P. M. McDonald and N. Psirides JP; and

(d)       The Committee report back its recommendation to the Council in March 2007.

99.

Election Fees pdf icon PDF 70 KB

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

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the Returning Officer be given delegated powers to set, within the approved budget, the fees for various election duties and to make payments to those employed by the Returning Officer to carryout the duties related to an election.

100.

Delegation pdf icon PDF 74 KB

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

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the Head of Legal and Democratic Services be given delegated powers to select and authorise officers to prosecute or defend on the Council's behalf and to select and authorised officers to appear on the Council's behalf in proceedings before a Magistrates' court.