Agenda and minutes

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -           That the minutes of the meeting held on 24

November 2023 be approved as a correct record.

(announcements may be made by the Mayor, Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive)

(A)       New Year’s Honours 2023

The Mayor announced that within the King’s New Year’s Honours List 2023 the following people were recognised who live and work within the Borough:

·        Sarah Munro, Director of Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, was awarded an MBE for Services to Art.

·        Victoria Wales from Gateshead was awarded a British Empire Medal for Services to Young People.

(B)       Traidcraft

The Mayor announced that Traidcraft had gone into administration and acknowledged the mark they have made in bringing Fair Trade into our everyday lives.

(C)       Appointments

Council noted the following changes to appointments as a result of Councillor Ron Beadle replacing Councillor Jonathan Wallace as the Liberal Democrat Group Leader:

·        Councillor Chris Ord to replace Councillor Ron Beadle as the Deputy Group Leader.

·        Councillor Ron Beadle to replace Councillor Jonathan Wallace as Vice Chair on Corporate Resources OSC.  Councillor Jonathan Wallace to remain on the Committee.

·        Councillor Ron Beadle to replace Councillor Jonathan Wallace on Contracts Committee.

·        Councillor Ron Beadle to replace Councillor Jonathan Wallace on Accounts Committee.

·        Councillor Chris Ord to replace Councillor Jonathan Wallace on the Special Appointments Committee. Councillor Ron Beadle to remain on the Committee.

·        Councillor Ron Beadle to remain on the NECA OSC with Councillor Chris Ord replacing Councillor Jonathan Wallace as substitute.

Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health, attended the meeting and presented her annual report. The focus of the report is on women and health inequalities.

(to receive petitions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 10)

There were no petitions submitted.

(to consider any questions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 7)

There were no questions submitted by members of the public.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the Housing Revenue Account 30-year Business Plan 2022-2052.

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -           That the Housing Revenue Account 30 Year

Business Plan 2022-2052 be approved.

Consideration was given to a report setting out the Council’s draft submission to the Commission on Part One of its review of Gateshead Council and seeking agreement for the Chief Executive to make such amendments as required to the draft submission following Cabinet and Council meetings.

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -           (i)         That the recommendation of the draft

Submission in terms of Council size remaining the same at 66 Councillors, across 22 wards, be agreed.

                                                            (ii)        That the content of the Submission and

the accompanying appendices be noted.

                                                            (iii)       That the Chief Executive, following

consultation with the Leader of the Council, may make any amendments to the draft Submission she deems appropriate prior to it being filed with the Commission on 17 February 2023.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the calendar of meetings for 2023/24.

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -           (i)         That the calendar of meetings for

2023/24 be approved.

                                                            (ii)        That as far as possible, meetings should

not be held during school holidays.

                                                            (iii)       That the Strategic Director, Corporate

Services and Governance, following consultation with the appropriate Chairs, be authorised to make any necessary amendments to the calendar of meetings.

Consideration was given to a report setting out the latest monitoring position on the 2022/23 revenue budget at the end of the third quarter and requesting approval of a budget virement to increase the contingency budget.

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -           That a budget virement into contingency, as set

out in the report, be approved.

Consideration was given to a report setting out the latest position on the 2022/23 Capital Programme and Prudential Indicators at the end of the third quarter to 31 December 2022.

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -           (i)         That the revision to the capital

programme be approved.

                                                            (ii)        That the financing of the revised

programme be approved.

                                                            (iii)       That it be noted that Cabinet confirms

that the capital expenditure and capital financing requirement indicators have been revised in line with the revised budget and that none of the approved Prudential Indicators set for 2022/23 have been breached.

Councillor J Wallace moved the following motion:

“This Council notes that food inflation is at its highest level for forty years and is currently higher than the Consumer Prices Index. Council further notes that the consumption of fresh fruit is beneficial for the health of Gateshead’s residents.

Council further notes that there are a number of disused orchards in the borough. Furthermore, many residents who have fruit trees in their gardens are unable to use all the produce which often goes into the waste system instead, at a direct cost to Gateshead Council.

Council calls on the Chief Executive to draw up a strategy in which:

1)     Unused orchards are identified;

2)     The voluntary sector brings them back into use;

3)     Surplus domestically produced fruit is collected by the voluntary sector to help address food poverty in the borough.”

In accordance with Council procedure, Council consented to the suspension of Council Procedure Rule 17.6 to allow consideration of an amendment to the notice of motion which was received out of time.

Councillor J Adams moved the following amendment;

Insert new paragraphs two and three:

“Council notes that the Thrive initiative, the Health and Well-Being Strategy, the Climate Change strategy and Poverty portfolio already exist with the objectives of reducing inequalities, helping people thrive and addressing food poverty in the borough.”

“Council also notes that it launched the Gateshead Food Network in 2018 and wishes to express its thanks to the individuals and voluntary and community organisations that have done so much good work over the years on tackling food poverty and on redistributing surplus food.”

Delete from “Council calls on the Chief Executive…”

Insert new concluding paragraph:

“Council resolves that it

1.     encourages individuals and the community and voluntary sector to identify unused orchards and bring them back into use, and will use its existing policies, strategies and networks to provide support and encouragement.

2.     encourages individuals and community and voluntary organisations to collect and distribute surplus domestically produced fruit to help address food poverty in the borough.”

The amendment was accepted by the mover of the original motion and therefore put as the substantive motion and duly carried.

COUNCIL RESOLVED           -          

This Council notes that food inflation is at its highest level for forty years and is currently higher than the Consumer Prices Index. Council further notes that the consumption of fresh fruit is beneficial for the health of Gateshead’s residents.

Council notes that the Thrive initiative, the Health and Well-Being Strategy, the Climate Change strategy and Poverty portfolio already exist with the objectives of reducing inequalities, helping people thrive and addressing food poverty in the borough.

Council also notes that it launched the Gateshead Food Network in 2018 and wishes to express its thanks to the individuals and voluntary and community organisations that have done so much good work over the years on tackling food poverty and on redistributing surplus food.

Council further notes that there are a number of disused orchards in the borough. Furthermore, many residents  ...  view the full minutes text for item CL76

(to deal with any questions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.1)

There were no questions submitted.