Agenda and minutes

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 12 November 2015 be approved

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

(A) CUSTOMER SERVICES EXCELLENCE ACCREDITATION

The Mayor announced that the Council’s Economic and Housing Growth Service had been awarded the Government’s Customer Service Excellence Standard.  Achieving the standard demonstrates the Council’s commitment to customer service and will be used to drive continuous improvement through annual re-assessments.

In recognition of this achievement, the Mayor presented the award to Kerry Walker and Dawn Merry from the Economic and Housing Growth Service.

(B) FAIRTRADE TOWN STATUS

The Mayor announced that following a recent renewal submission by the Gateshead Fairtrade Steering Group, the Fairtrade Foundation had renewed the Fairtrade Town Status for Gateshead.  The Steering Group consists of Councillors, Council employees, volunteers from the community, Gateshead College, Traidcraft and the Co-op.  The Group will continue their work promoting and raising awareness of Fairtrade through a two year action plan.

In recognition of this achievement, the Mayor presented the award to Councillor Mary Foy, Chair of the Fairtrade Steering Group and Andrea Tickner, member of the Steering Group.

(to receive any petitions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 10)

Councillor A Thompson submitted a petition on behalf of people living on the 98/98A route who wish to have the bus service re-instated.

Councillor A Douglas submitted a petition on behalf of people opposing the proposed closure of Grove House.

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

There were no questions submitted

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the level of penalty and penalty framework for works which need to be undertaken for compliance with the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the Statement of Principles and the level of penalty and penalty framework as set out in Appendix 2 of the report be approved

                                                ii) That the proposed enforcement procedure and arrangements as set out in appendices 3 and 4 of the report be approved

                                                iii) That the penalty income will fund the administration and set up of costs of discharging the Councils statutory duty

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of a revised Street Trading and Markets Policy and Guidance document and the consolidation of the existing market rights in the Borough and the adoption of Part III of the Food Act 1984 (as amended).

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the Council exercises its power under Part III of

the Food Act (as amended) to become a Market Authority

ii) That the Council Constitution be amended so that the Service Director, Development and Public Protection (Communities and Environment) has delegated power to formally establish markets under the Act as follows:

To insert the words “market and” prior to the words “street trading” at Paragraph 1(h) of Part 1 of Schedule 2; and

(a)        To insert the following words after Paragraph 27 of Part 1 of Schedule 2 –

            “(28) (Subject to the requirement that no market may be established without prior planning permission or Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use of Development) to establish markets in the Borough under Part III of the Food Act 1984 upon such days, times and locations as may be appointed; at such frequency as may be appointed; and subject to such restriction on the number of stalls, type of stalls and nature of goods for sale as may be appointed”

iii) That the Street Trading and Markets Policy and

Guidance attached at Appendix 4 of the report be

adopted and published

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of a vision for leisure services and the recommendations for changes to pricing, sales and marketing to help reduce the Council’s financial contribution to Leisure Services and identify a sustainable business mode for the future.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the progress on the Transformation Challenge Review of Leisure Services in paragraphs 2-6 of the report be noted

                                                ii) That a new vision for leisure services as identified in paragraph 7 of the report, which is based on customers, financial and business objectives and which in the period of the Council Plan (2020) is no longer directly subsidised by Gateshead Council, and is returning income to the Council to invest in Gateshead priorities, be approved

                                                iii) That the revisions in the pricing policy as set out in paragraph 10(i) – (vi) of the report be approved

                                                iv) That a revised business development strategy as reference in paragraph 10(vii)-(ix) to increase income for the service be approved

                                                v) That the Strategic Director Communities and Environment (in consultation with the Strategic Director of Corporate Finance and Strategic Director Corporate Services and Governance) be authorised to implement flexible pricing arrangements to increase income, as appropriate

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of a Statement of Principles for 2016-2019 in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the Gambling Statement of Principles and its publication in accordance with the requirements of the Gambling Act 2005 be approved

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of a revised Licensing Policy for 2016-2021 in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the Statement of Licensing Policy and its publication in accordance with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003 be approved

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of a Local Council Tax Support Scheme for the year 2016/17.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the proposed scheme as set out in paragraph 7 of the report be approved

                                                ii) That delegated powers be granted to the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, to provide regulations to give effect to the scheme

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the proposed calendar of meetings for 2016/17.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the calendar of meetings 2016/17 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 Leader of the Council, be authorised to make any necessary amendments to the calendar of meetings

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of a revised policy and procedure relating to Community Asset Transfers.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the revised Community Asset Transfer Policy and Procedure be approved

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of interim arrangements to cover the role of Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing & Learning (including the statutory roles of director of children’s services and director of adult social services) pending permanent appointment; and the deletion of the post of Strategic Director, Policy, Growth & Transformation (also Assistant Chief Executive).

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That Alison Elliott be appointed on an interim basis to the post of Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing & Learning, pending a permanent appointment being made

                                                ii) That the post of Strategic Director, Policy, Growth & Transformation be deleted from the Council’s senior management structure

The Leader of the Council reported on a number of key issues currently affecting the Council.

In addition to the report, Council were informed that on 26 November 2015, Gateshead received 10 Syrian families as part of the Home Office Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme (VPRS), one further family arrived on 16 December and the final family will arrive in the New Year.  All of the families have been allocated properties in Gateshead and have received support from the Housing Support Team.  The children will be attending local schools in the New Year and discussions have taken place with the Heads of those schools.  Much of the preparation work for the families arriving involved liasing and support from colleagues within the Council and partner agencies such as Northumbria Police and the CCG.  This has been a positive piece of multi agency work and working relationships have been established which will support further families arriving as part of the VPRS.

A question was submitted in relation to the cost and amount of officer hours that have been devoted to the Quality Bus Contract proposal.  The Leader responded to this question.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the information be noted

(to consider any notices of motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1)

Councillor J Wallace moved the following motion:-

“Council notes with regret the decision of the Open University to close its Gateshead centre along with six others despite the opposition of its own Senate.

Council believes that the OU centre in Gateshead is important in encouraging non-traditional students to take up Higher Education opportunities in a region with historically low levels of attainment.  The Council is also concerned at the potential loss of skilled jobs from the Borough.

Council calls on the Boroughs MPs to write to the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University to oppose these plans.

Council requests the Chief Executive to write to the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University to ask what consultation in the region was undertaken by the OU, whether a regional impact assessment has been undertaken and whether any steps are proposed to mitigate the effects of this proposal on regional take up of Higher Education opportunities and to report back to Council on the reply”

An amendment to the Notice of Motion was submitted as follows:-

In the first paragraph, insert commas as follows:

“Council notes, with regret, the decision of the Open University to close its Gateshead centre along with six others, despite the opposition of its own Senate.”

Delete paragraph three and four and replace with:

“Council welcomes the recent signing by Gateshead MPs of an Early Day Motion that opposes the closure and asks them to write to the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University to oppose these plans.

Council supports and endorses the Leader’s recent letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University, copied to Gateshead MPs, the Current Chancellor of the Open University and its recent Chancellor and Gateshead Freeman, Lord David Puttnam. That letter outlines the importance of the Open University to our region and expresses strong concerns about the closure and its negative impact on Gateshead, the North East and local people. It also asks for details on what consultation in the region was undertaken by the OU, whether a regional impact assessment has been undertaken, and whether any steps are proposed to mitigate the effects of this proposal on regional take-up of Higher Education.”

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

COUNCIL RESOLVED - 

Council notes, with regret, the decision of the Open University to close its Gateshead centre along with six others, despite the opposition of its own Senate.

Council believes that the OU centre in Gateshead is important in encouraging non-traditional students to take up Higher Education opportunities in a region with historically low levels of attainment.  The Council is also concerned at the potential loss of skilled jobs from the Borough.

Council welcomes the recent signing by Gateshead MPs of an Early Day Motion that opposes the closure and asks them to write to the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University to oppose these plans.

Council supports and endorses the Leader’s recent letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item CL82

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

There were no questions submitted.