Agenda and minutes

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the minutes of the meetings held 22 September 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 receive petitions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 10)

Councillor Wheeler submitted a petition objecting to the possible closure of Pelaw Library and the option to remove trained staff and insertion of volunteers.

Councillor Hughes submitted a petition asking for Crawcrook Library to remain open.

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

Mr Stoker submitted the following question:

“Will the Council consider reversing the decision to insert parking restrictions, specifically double yellow lines, on Back Row Whickham and outside of my business, L Oxley’s Fish and Chip Shop”.

Councillor M Brain, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, responded to the question.

Laura Pidcock (Manager, North East Education Team) at Show Racism the Red Card provided a presentation on the contemporary context of racism in the region and what services the organisation provide in Gateshead to support residents and the Council.

Consideration was given to a report seeking to appoint an additional representative to Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Board.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the appointment of one representative of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, with full voting rights, be approved.

                                                ii) That Article 11 of the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.

Consideration was given to a report that informed of the latest monitoring position on the 2016/17 revenue budget at the end of the second quarter to 30 September 2016 and which recommended a budget virement in relation to Adult Social Care.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the budget virement in relation to Adult Social Care, as set out in paragraph 8 of the report, be approved.

                                                ii) That the Council’s revenue expenditure positon at 30 September 2016, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be noted.

Consideration was given to a report that informed of the latest positon on the 2016/17 Capital Programme and Prudential Indicators at the end of the first quarter to 30 September 2016.  The report also considered the impact of CIPFA’s Prudential Code on the capital programme and the monitoring of performance against the Statutory Prudential Indicators.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That all variations to the 2016/17 Capital Programme, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report, be approved as the revised programme.

                                                ii) That the financing of the revised programme be approved.

                                                iii) That it be confirmed 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 2016/17 have been breached.

Consideration was given to a report that informed of the outcome of the Examiner’s report on the Gateshead Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule, the proposed minor modifications to the Charging Schedule and associated policies.  The report also proposed formal adoption of the Charging Schedule and associated policies with a proposed implementation date of 1 January 2017.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       i) That the Report on the Examination of the

Gateshead and Newcastle Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedules (August 2016) be noted.

                                                ii) That the content of the CIL Charging Schedule

be approved.

                                                iii) That the CIL Charging Schedule be formally

adopted and that it shall take effect from 1 January 2017.

                                                iv) That it be noted that Cabinet, in addition to

approving recommendations 4 to 6 of the Cabinet report, also agreed that a further report be submitted to Cabinet on the implementation of the 15% communities’ element with proposals for governance and distribution of this element of CIL.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3, the next item of business be added to the agenda to ensure the TUPE transfer of staff in accordance with timelines specified within the Cabinet report.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the proposed restructuring and reallocation of Housing and Construction functions.

COUNCIL RESOLVED -       That the recommendations as detailed within the Cabinet report be approved.

The Leader of the Council reported on a number of key issues currently affecting the Council and also the budget consultation which has now commenced.

Councillor D Bradford moved the following motion:

“This Council notes:

1.         The Bus Services Bill passing through Parliament proposes measures which would effectively prohibit a Local Authority from forming a company for the purposes of providing a local bus service.

2.         That the Localism Act (2011) provides general powers of competence to local authorities.

3.         That municipal bus companies provide some of the best bus services in the country and have a successful track record of increasing bus passenger numbers and providing high quality bus services.

4.         That public ownership of bus companies commands widespread public support.

This Council resolves:

To promote the principle of public ownership of public transport systems, and instructs the Chief Executive to write to Government stating our objection to

any legislation which restricts Local Authority powers to deliver this.”

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

Councillor R Beadle moved the following motion:

“This Council believes that developing tourism is vital for the future growth of the economy in Gateshead and the North East.

This Council welcomes the announcement that Gateshead and Newcastle will host the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018 and congratulates the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative on securing this event.

This Council believes that hosting major events in the region helps build the visitor economy and therefore welcomes and supports the bid by Sunderland to be UK City of Culture 2021.”

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)

There were no questions submitted.