Agenda and minutes
PDF 213 KBVenue: Council House, Old Market Square
Contact: Rav Kalsi, Constitutional Services, Tel: 0115 8763759 Email: rav.kalsi@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
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Apologies for absence Minutes: Councillor Merlita Bryan – leave Councillor Rosemary Healy – leave Councillor Thulani Molife – personal reasons Councillor Sarah Piper – personal reasons Councillor Timothy Spencer – unwell |
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Declarations of interests Minutes: Councillor Ian Malcolm declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 12, motion in the name of Councillor Liversidge on social housing, as his wife is an employee of the Nottingham Community Housing Association.
Councillor Chris Gibson declared an interest in agenda item 10, Pay Policy Statement 2015/16, as he has a close relative who works for Nottingham City Council. Councillor Chris Gibson opted to withdraw from the Chamber during discussion of this agenda item.
Councillor Brian Parbutt made a Statutory Declaration under the Local Government Housing Act on agenda item 10, Pay Policy Statement 2015/16, as he is an employee of a Local Government Trade Union. Councillor Brian Parbutt opted not to speak or vote on this agenda item. |
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questions from citizens Please note that questions to Council are received after the agenda has been published. Questions will be uploaded to this agenda by 5pm on Friday 23 January 2015
Minutes: No questions from citizens were received. |
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petitions from Councillors on behalf of citizens Minutes: No petitions were presented by Councillors on behalf of citizens. |
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“We the undersigned request the City Council to undertake the following action:
To transparently work with Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign to draw and pass a motion affirming its official support and calling upon the UK government to support the following against Israel until it complies with international laws:
1. The “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” (BDS) campaign;
2. An end to attacks against Palestine
3. An end to Administrative Detention;
4. An arms embargo.”
(I) Presentation from petition organisers;
(II) Debate in Council. Minutes: The following petition was presented to councillors, under the terms of the City Council petition scheme:
“We the undersigned request the City Council to undertake the following action: To transparently work with Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign to draw and pass a motion affirming its official support and calling upon the UK government to support the following against Israel until it complies with international laws: 1. The “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” (BDS) campaign; 2. An end to attacks against Palestine; 3. An end to Administrative Detention; 4. An arms embargo.”
The following written response was presented by Councillor Jon Collins:
“Nottingham City Council acknowledges receipt of the petition collated by Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which accumulated over 5000 signatures from Nottingham residents.
Nottingham City Council’s petitions scheme requires that a petition will be debated at a meeting of the City Council if it receives 5000 or more signatures from Nottingham residents and is presented to the Head of Constitutional Services at least 12 working days prior to the next Council meeting. This scheme was introduced by the City Council in June 2010 following national legislation which, at that time, required Councils to have a petitions scheme.
The City Council recognises the hard work of the Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign in gathering over 5000 signatures, which were counted and verified as representing Nottingham people.
As a local authority, Nottingham City Council has responsibility for local services and influence over many issues of local concern. From cleaning streets and caring for the vulnerable, to job creation and encouraging investment, the remit of the City Council is wide and varied. As a City Council these are our primary concerns and we should focus most of our time on these issues where we can have direct control or influence. Nonetheless, we also recognise that international issues such as this are of great concern to many local people, and it is therefore important that they receive due consideration when representations such as these are made locally.
Nottingham City Council takes seriously its responsibility to promote community cohesion. Our recent ‘Citizen Survey’ shows that 90% of those asked feel that Nottingham is a place where people of different backgrounds and opinions get on well together. The Council will continue to do all we can to maintain and improve this and are therefore happy to transparently work with the Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign to address the concerns raised in the petition for further consideration within our local context.”
The petition and the written response were debated by Councillors, and the response was supported. |
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To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of Council held on 8 December 2014 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2014 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor. |
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To receive official communications and announcements from the Leader of the Council and/or the Chief Executive Minutes: The Deputy Chief Executive reported the following:
The Michael Varnam Award
The Michael Varnam award is given to publicly recognise and honour the dedication and achievement of an individual or group that has made a difference to the health and wellbeing of people in Nottingham. The winner of the 2014 individual award is Margaret Kidger, who, for well over 15 years, has been instrumental in developing a very quiet but significant service to the local ageing population based in Nottingham who may be vulnerable to isolation and loneliness. The group winner is The Nottingham Winter Shelter Group, a faith-based and voluntary sector initiative for Nottingham’s street homeless people offering them warmth and shelter.
The National Highways and Transport Network Satisfaction Survey
The National Highways & Transport Network Satisfaction Survey was carried out in 78 local authority areas. Nottingham has been assessed as the overall winner in the survey and as a result, received an Outstanding Performance award at the annual NHT Conference in London on 14 October 2014. The survey examined a wide range of transport-related services provided by the City Council and in eight categories Nottingham achieved the top rating. |
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Minutes: Workplace Parking Levy
Councillor Gul Khan asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth:
Could the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth tell Council if there is any link between the Workplace Parking Levy and investments in the tram and a report placing Nottingham in the top 10 areas in the country for job growth?
Councillor Nick McDonald replied as follows:
Thank you Lord Mayor, and can I thank Councillor Khan for his question. The report Councillor Khan cites is the Centre for Cities ‘2015 Cities Outlook’ published 15 January. It is an interesting report, and it is well worth a read, not least because it identifies Nottingham amongst the country’s top 10 performing cities for job growth. Now Lord Mayor, colleagues will already be bored of me saying this, but the work and labour market issues and employment issues in Nottingham are far from done. Yes, it’s pleasing that unemployment is falling so quickly in Nottingham, now down to below 4% and already far in excess of our manifesto commitment.
Equally it’s of course pleasing that our work on youth unemployment is beginning to pay off, with apprenticeships up substantially over the last few years, again, outstripping many other cities; our Nottingham Jobs Fund, having created hundreds of jobs, our Step Into Work programme already having placed hundreds of people into pre-employment training and work.
But of course, challenges remain, and there are major challenges that the national government has done precious little to address: low pay, zero hours contracts or low hours, poor terms and conditions, and ineffective employment support schemes. The figures on unemployment also mask major challenges on health related unemployment, something Councillor Norris and I are working to address. Of course the report that states we’re producing a lot of jobs in Nottingham is of no help to the many people who remain without work, or cannot find good work, or work that pays them properly, I fully understand that. The prevalence of low paid work remains a crisis in the UK, and it is a reason that unemployment support remains a major focus for this Council, and must do in the future.
But I think it is worth dwelling on this report Lord Mayor, because to be in the top ten for job creation, just as we were recently placed in the top ten for business growth by another report, does say something important about the direction of travel of Nottingham’s economy. Job growth figures, particularly comparative job growth figures, don’t happen by accident. They happen because we as a City Council have made enormous efforts to support business, create jobs and apprenticeships, to restructure our local economy, despite the cuts in government funding that we’ve endured.
We have a credible plan for growth, unlike the national government, and we have taken brave decisions. One of those decisions was the bold step to be the UK’s first city to introduce a Workplace Parking Levy, although I dare ... view the full minutes text for item 80. |
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To consider a report of the Leader on decisions taken under urgency procedures Minutes: The Leader submitted a report on decisions taken under the urgency procedures, as set out on pages 25 to 30 of the agenda.
RESOLVED to note the urgent decisions taken, as follows:
(1) urgent decisions (exempt from call-in)
(2) key decisions (special urgency procedure)
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Additional documents:
Minutes: The Deputy Leader submitted a report on the establishment of a Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Combined Authority, as set out on pages 7 to 12 on the supplementary agenda and pages 37 to 86 of the original agenda.
RESOLVED
(1) to agree to the making of a joint submission, with the other Nottinghamshire Councils, to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government requesting the establishment of a Combined Authority for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire under the relevant provisions of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (and other such provisions as are necessary to ensure the authority has a range of functions to match expectations);
(2) to endorse the governance review, authorised by the City of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Economic Prosperity Committee, into the effectiveness and efficiency of transport and arrangements to promote economic development and regeneration within the geographic county, including consultation on proposals for a Combined Authority and its range of functions;
(3) to approve the Combined Authority governance arrangements proposed in the scheme, including arrangements for the City Council holding some powers and functions concurrently with the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Combined Authority;
(4) to approve the City Council’s share of the administration costs of the Combined Authority;
(5) to delegate authority to the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Deputy Leader of the Council, to make appropriate changes to the scheme and governance review prior to submission to Government, arising from the results of the public consultation process, the need for consistency across the Councils and generally. |
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To consider a report of the Deputy Leader on the Council Tax Support Scheme 2015/16 Additional documents: Minutes: The Deputy Leader submitted a report on the Council Tax Support Scheme 2015/16, as set out on pages 87 to 98 of the agenda.
RESOLVED, having regard to the City Council’s Public Sector Equality Duty, to note the Equality Impact Assessment in Appendix 1 and retain the Council Tax Support Scheme currently in operation for the 2015/16 financial year. |
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To consider a report of the Deputy Leader on the Pay Policy Statement 2015/2016 Additional documents: Minutes: The Deputy Leader submitted a report on the Pay Policy Statement 2015/2016, as set out on pages 99 to 154 of the agenda.
RESOLVED
(1) to approve and endorse the Council’s pay policy statement for 2015/16;
(2) to note that the statement may need to be amended in-year for any necessary changes the Council may wish to adopt. Any such changes will be presented to Full Council for approval. |
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To consider a report of the Deputy Leader on Fair Funding for Nottingham Minutes: The Deputy Leader submitted a report on Fair Funding for Nottingham, as set out on pages 155 to 162 of the agenda.
RESOLVED to continue to lobby the government to make the way it allocates funding to Councils fairer by: · restoring the needs criteria to the grant settlement; · abolishing the new homes bonus and restoring the 'top slice' to the revenue support grant; · repealing the changes to the Council Tax support system; · urgently re-evaluating business rates; |
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To consider a motion in the name of Councillor Liversidge This Council recognises that good housing is at the centre of enabling people to achieve their ambitions in life. Without a stable and secure home it becomes impossible to get and hold down a job or for young people to succeed at school. This Council notes that Post-War British Governments increased house-building to nearly 300,000 homes a year in England by 1954, of which almost 200,000 were social rented homes. A peak of over 350,000 new homes was reached in 1968 in England, of which 150,000 were social rented and 200,000 private. In 1981 councils and housing associations owned 5.2 million rented homes in England. By 2012 this had fallen to 4 million, a loss of 1.2 million homes. This Council further notes that: i. Under the coalition government the funding of social housing has become increasingly marginalised with the latest prospectus for bidders from the Homes and Community Agency stating that 'social rent provision will only be supported in very limited circumstances.' ii. Social housing faces great challenges in meeting the needs of those affected by welfare cuts and rule changes over the last three years, including the damaging ‘bedroom tax’, and increased pressure from the escalating number of council homes lost through the Right to Buy after the significant increase in discount in April 2012 from the coalition government. This Council resolves to support the SHOUT (Social Housing Under Threat) campaign. It agrees with SHOUT that building social housing – social rented homes – is at the core of tackling the housing crisis nationally and locally in Nottingham and that social rented housing meets needs that other tenures cannot address. This Council along with Nottingham City Homes also commits to take a lead in affirming the positive value and purpose of social rented housing. Minutes: Moved by Councillor Dave Liversidge, seconded by Councillor Alex Ball:
“This Council recognises that good housing is at the centre of enabling people to achieve their ambitions in life. Without a stable and secure home it becomes impossible to get and hold down a job or for young people to succeed at school.
This Council notes that Post-War British Governments increased house-building to nearly 300,000 homes a year in England by 1954, of which almost 200,000 were social rented homes. A peak of over 350,000 new homes was reached in 1968 in England, of which 150,000 were social rented and 200,000 private. In 1981 councils and housing associations owned 5.2 million rented homes in England. By 2012 this had fallen to 4 million, a loss of 1.2 million homes.
This Council further notes that:
i. Under the coalition government the funding of social housing has become increasingly marginalised with the latest prospectus for bidders from the Homes and Community Agency stating that 'social rent provision will only be supported in very limited circumstances.'
ii. Social housing faces great challenges in meeting the needs of those affected by welfare cuts and rule changes over the last three years, including the damaging ‘bedroom tax’, and increased pressure from the escalating number of council homes lost through the Right to Buy after the significant increase in discount in April 2012 from the coalition government.
This Council resolves to support the SHOUT (Social Housing Under Threat) campaign. It agrees with SHOUT that building social housing – social rented homes – is at the core of tackling the housing crisis nationally and locally in Nottingham and that social rented housing meets needs that other tenures cannot address. This Council along with Nottingham City Homes also commits to take a lead in affirming the positive value and purpose of social rented housing.”
RESOLVED to carry the motion. |