Agenda and minutes

Reverend Asif Karam from the Leam Methodist Church and Superintendent Minister to the Bede Circuit gave the opening address.

COUNCIL RESOLVED –   That the minutes of the meeting held 14 July 2016

be approved as a correct record

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

There were no official announcements.

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

Mr Paul Watson submitted the following questions:

1. “Please can the Council tell me what action it intends to take following the

recent report published by ‘Together for Short Lives’ which awarded Gateshead Council 1 star out of 5 for the services it commissions for children with severe disabilities”.

Councillor A Douglas, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People responded to the question.

Mr Watson asked a supplementary question which was responded to by Councillor Douglas.

2. “Please can the Council inform me what figure they have used as the cost to meet their minimum legal duties when deciding if further budget cuts are possible, and how long does the Council estimate it will be before the Council’s budget falls before that level?”

    Councillor M Gannon, Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Mr Watson asked a supplementary question which was responded to by Councillor Gannon.

Abigail Pogson gave a presentation that provided an update on the work of Sage Gateshead.

(to receive petitions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 10)

There were no petitions submitted

Consideration was given to a report seeking acceptance of the Government offer of a multi-year financial settlement to 2019/20 and approval of the proposed efficiency plan submission to Government.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -    That the multi-year settlement offer from

Government to Gateshead be accepted and that the proposed efficiency plan be approved.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of an amendment to the Treasury Policy Statement and Treasury Strategy for 2016/17 to 2018/19.

COUNCIL RESOLVED –   That the following changes to the Treasury Strategy be approved:

·         Section 6. Investment Strategy 2016/17 to 2018/19 to change to reflect the exclusion of the UK from the requirement to have a sovereign rating of AA+ as shown in Appendix 2.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the annual report of the Audit and Standards Committee for 2015/16.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -    That the annual report of the Audit and Standards Committee for 2015/16 be approved.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of proposed changes to the lettings policy to improve accessibility for customers and support the sustainability of the Housing Revenue Account.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -                i) That the revised policy at Appendix 2 of the attached report be approved.

                                                            ii) That the Lettings Policy is continued with a second report to be presented to Cabinet outlining changes necessary to address the implications of the Housing Planning Act 2016, once regulatory guidance has been released in the autumn.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the charging structure for garden waste collections 2017.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -    i) That the charging structure for garden waste collections for 2017 as set out in the report be approved.

                                                ii) That the inclusion of the £31 and £33 charges on the fees and charges schedule for 2016/17 be approved so that payments can be taken from November 2016.

Consideration was given to a report informing of the findings and outcomes from a Strategic Review of Flooding Response and to seek approval of a Sandbag Policy for Gateshead.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -    That the Sandbag Policy for Gateshead as set out in Appendix 3 be approved.

Consideration was given to a report seeking endorsement of the Annual Youth Justice Strategic Plan for 2016/2017.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -    That that the Annual Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2016/17 be endorsed.

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

Councillor M Gannon moved the following motion (altered in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.2):

“This Council confirms its commitment to genuine and democratically accountable regional devolution.  Gateshead Council calls upon Government to continue discussions to implement fairly funded devolution across the North East region and commits to working jointly with all North East Local Authorities to achieve this.

Council further calls upon NECA to facilitate a constitutional convention to prepare proposals for regional devolution as a basis for negotiation with Government”

On the motion being put it was declared to be carried.

As this motion had been incorporate into the altered motion (above), the proposer of this motion informed Council that it had been withdrawn.

Councillor M Brain move the following motion (altered in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.2):

“Council notes the recent tragic loss of life in road traffic accidents in Gateshead and asks the Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the work of all relevant agencies holding road safety responsibilities”.

On the motion being put it was declared to be carried

Councillor A Douglas moved the following motion:

“Council notes the continuing improvement in GCSE and ‘A’ Level results in the Borough.

This has not been achieved by selection by ability but by a commitment to helping every child reach their potential regardless of starting point.

Gateshead Council takes pride in the achievements of all its children and young people through the provision of good quality education available to all students, not just a select few.  Council notes with regret the Government’s decision to introduce elitist and socially divisive new Grammar Schools in England and calls upon Government and all Secondary Schools in the Borough to reject this proposal”.

On the motion being put it was declared to be carried.

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

Councillor D Duggan submitted the following question:

“Can assurances be given that Full Council and/or Cabinet will discuss the proposed Public Space Protection Orders once the public consultation has been completed?”

Councillor L Green, Cabinet Member for Communities and Volunteering responded to the question.

Councillor Duggan asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Green replied.