Agenda for City Council on Monday, 9th March, 2015, 2.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - at the Council House. View directions

Contact: Zena West, Constitutional Services, Tel: 0115 8764305  Email: zena.west@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

87.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Councillor Nick McDonald – Other Council Business

Councillor Leon Unczur – Personal Reasons

88.

Declarations of interests

Minutes:

None

89.

Questions

89a

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 6 March 2015

Minutes:

No questions from citizens were received.

89b

petitions from Councillors on behalf of citizens.

Minutes:

No petitions were presented by Councillors on behalf of citizens.

90.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of Council held on 26 January 2015 pdf icon PDF 346 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2015 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor.

91.

To receive official communications and announcements from the Leader of the Council and/or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

The Chief Executive reported the following:

 

Nottingham City Museums and Galleries’ Lace collection

 

The city’s Museums and Galleries’ lace collection has been awarded Designated Collection status by the Arts Council England, it therefore joins a list of 140 nationally important collections. This is a mark of distinction awarded to the finest cultural collections across England.

 

The Lace Machinery and Lace Collections tell the distinctive story of the city’s industrial and textile past and explain how a domestic craft became an important mass market commodity.

 

Democratic Services Officer of the Year

 

Kim Pocock, Governance Manager the Democratic Services, has recently won a national award from the Association of Democratic Services Officers. Kim was named as Democratic Services Officer of the Year for her exemplary performance in the championing and delivery of professional, innovative and forward thinking democratic services. As part of her prize, Kim will be attending the International Institute of Municipal Clerks’ Conference in Hartford, Connecticut USA.

 

Councillors standing down

 

6 Councillors have confirmed they will not standing for re-election in May’s local elections:

  Our Lord Mayor Councillor Ian Malcolm, who was first elected in the Wilford ward on 4 May 1995,

  Councillor Thulani Molife, who was first elected in the Mapperley ward on 5 May 2011,

  Councillor Mohammad Aslam, who was first elected in the Wilford ward on 4 May 1995,

  Councillor Leon Unczur, who was first elected in the Aspley ward on 1 May 1997,

  Councillor Eileen Morley, who was first elected in the Wollaton West ward on 7 August 2008,

  and Councillor Tim Spencer, who was first elected in the Wilford ward on 4 May 2000.

 

Councillor Jon Collins spoke in tribute to Councillors Ian Malcolm, Thulani Molife, Mohammad Aslam and Leon Unczur. Councillor Georgina Culley spoke in tribute to Councillors Eileen Morley and Tim Spencer. Councillor Chris Gibson spoke in tribute to Councillor Ian Malcolm.

92.

Questions pdf icon PDF 160 KB

Minutes:

Educational Attainment

 

Councillor Eileen Morley asked the following question of the Leader:

 

Could the leader of the Council explain how, if elected, he intends to deliver on the pledge to ensure that every child in Nottingham is taught in a school judged either good or outstanding by OFSTED, given the atrocious record this authority has had on educational attainment in the past, and the fact that the majority of our schools are now academies which are independently run?

 

Councillor Jon Collins replied as follows:

 

Can I thank Councillor Morley for her question, although I wonder whether at her last meeting here, Councillor Morley is aware of quite how contradictory her question is? She firstly accuses the Council of being responsible for an atrocious record of educational attainment, before implying that there’s nothing the Council could do about school performance because “the majority of our schools are now academies which are independently run”. Fortunately, all of her assumptions are wrong. The Council doesn’t have an atrocious record on educational attainment, the majority of our schools are not yet academies, and despite her government stripping the Council of its powers of funding to support and intervene when schools fail, there are things we can do to help schools improve the standard of education in the city.

 

But first: the Council’s record on driving up school standards. When Nottingham became a unitary authority in 1998, just 26% of our school leavers were getting 5 or more A-C grades at GCSE. On the same measure, last year 77% of school leavers achieved that level. We closed failing schools, and took a pragmatic approach to expanding successful schools and opening new schools, and when inspected by Ofsted were recognised as having made good progress in closing the gap in local and national GCSE performance. Indeed, between 2002 and 2009, that gap closed from 20.2% to just 2.9%, and Nottingham improved from 145th to 109th of 152 Local Education Authorities nationally. Indeed, during that period, only Tower Hamlets achieved a faster rate of improvement in GCSE results. Only by 2010 did the rate of improvement start to drop off.

 

Regrettably since that time performance has, at best, stagnated, and comparatively gone backwards. So what’s happened? Well, in the last 5 years the Council has lost its responsibility for school improvement, lost the ability to intervene until after schools have failed, lost the funding necessary to support a team of advisors, and all but 2 of our secondary schools have become academies. We’ve also seen academies increasingly compete with each other for funding, for good pupils, for good staff, and for the best ways to avoid taking difficult children. Secondary schools have largely stopped cooperating with each other; stopped learning from each other, and in some cases developed a greater allegiance to their academy chains than to Nottingham.

 

Of course, all this, and the drop-off of performance, might just be a coincidence. But if that were the case, you’d expect to see a similar drop-off  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

93.

To consider a report of the Leader on decisions taken under the urgency procedures pdf icon PDF 185 KB

Minutes:

The Leader submitted a report on decisions taken under the urgency procedures, as set out on pages 23 to 26 of the agenda.

 

RESOLVED to note the urgent decisions taken, as follows:

 

(1)  urgent decisions (exempt from call-in)

 

Ref

Date of decision

Subject

Value of decision

Reasons for urgency

1826

26/01/2015

Licences to occupy areas within Loxley House

Exempt

The licensees needed to complete their agreements as soon as possible

1828

23/01/2015

Approval of the costs of an Adults Care Package

Exempt

To allow for a timely implementation of the decision

1835

30/01/2015

Strategic Land Acquisition

Exempt

No reason given

1838

05/02/2015

Rejuvenation of the Sandbase Pitch at Southglade Leisure Centre

£16,150

Work needs to be completed immediately to avoid having to close the facility, which would then affect income to the Council

1841

06/02/2015

Approval of the costs of an Adults Care Package

Exempt

To allow for a timely implementation of the decision

1856

18/02/2015

Voter Registration Initiative - Engagement of Bite the Ballot

£30,000

Any delay in appointing a secondee for engagement purposes seriously impacts on already limited time available to address voter

registration before the deadline of 20 April 2015

 

(2)  key decisions (special urgency procedure)

 

Date of decision

Subject

Value of decision

Decision Taker

Reasons for special urgency

24/02/2015

Medium Term Financial Plan

Nil

Executive Board

Due to the complexity of the report, the additional work required to be undertaken in response to the Local Government Financial settlement and to allow for the appropriate consultation on both phase 1 and 2 proposals, the MTFP report was not available for circulation with the agenda, so further 5 days notice could not be given

 

94.

To consider a report of the Leader on constitutional updates pdf icon PDF 347 KB

Minutes:

The Leader submitted a report on Constitutional amendments, as set out on pages 27 to 42 of the agenda.

 

RESOLVED to:

 

1)  note the changes previously agreed by the Leader to the terms of reference for the Executive Board Commissioning Sub Committee, and its new name, Commissioning and Procurement Sub-Committee, following inclusion of procurement decision making in the remit of the sub-committee, as detailed in appendix 1;

 

2)  note the change to the terms of reference for the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee to reflect changes to pension arrangements agreed by the Monitoring Officer, as detailed in appendix 2;

 

3)  note the delegation previously agreed by the Leader to enable colleagues to apply the Advanced Payment Code of the Highways Act 1980, as detailed in paragraph 5.4 and appendix 3;

 

4)  note the delegation previously agreed by the Leader in relation to flood management, as detailed in paragraph 5.5 and appendix 3;

 

5)  approve an addition to the terms of reference of the Trusts and Charities Committee to enable urgent decisions to be made between scheduled meetings, as detailed in paragraph 5.6;

 

6)  approve the proposed changes to the membership and voting arrangements for the Health and Wellbeing Board, as detailed in paragraph 5.7;

 

7)  approve an amendment to the Council’s petition scheme to require petitions triggering a formal debate to clearly and primarily relate to the City Council’s functions and its administrative area, as detailed in paragraph 5.8;

 

8)  adopt a policy to require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check of all city councillors immediately after their election, to be maintained throughout their term of office on the grounds that all councillors have the potential to serve or be substitutes on a committee discharging education or social care functions or may become members of the Executive, and to disbar any councillor who does not undertake the Disclosure and Barring Service checks as set out above, or whose check discloses matters which, in the opinion of the Corporate Director for Children and Adults and the Monitoring Officer, may present a risk to children and vulnerable adults, from all offices and membership of committees, sub committees, panels or outside bodies, appointments to which are made by the Leader, Council or other body of the Council, as detailed in paragraphs 5.9 to 5.13;

 

9)  adopt the revised Code of Conduct for Members and Co-opted Members set out in appendix 4 and the revised terms of reference for the Standards Committee set out in Appendix 5.

95.

To consider a report of the Deputy Leader on Electoral Services: Review of Polling Districts and Places 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 161 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader submitted a report on the review of polling districts and places, as set out on pages 43 to 50 of the agenda, and pages 3 to 176 on the supplementary agenda.

 

RESOLVED to amend the current scheme of polling districts and places as set out in the appendix to the report.

96.

To consider a report of the Deputy Leader on the Treasury Management 2015/16 Strategy pdf icon PDF 192 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader submitted a report on the 2015/16 Treasury Management Strategy, as set out on pages 51 to 84 of the agenda.

 

RESOLVED to

 

1)  approve the 2015/16 Treasury Management Strategy document, including the strategy for debt repayment and the investment strategy, as detailed in appendix 1;

 

2)  approve the Prudential Indicators and limits from 2014/15 to 2017/18, as detailed in appendix 3.

97.

To consider a report of the Deputy Leader on the Budget 2015/16 pdf icon PDF 213 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader submitted a report on the 2015/16 Budget, as set out on pages 85 to 90 of the agenda, and pages 177 to 334 of the supplementary agenda.

 

Councillor Culley presented a proposed amendment to the Budget, as follows:

 

In recommendation 2.1 (1) add after “the revenue budget for 2015/16”

 

Subject to the following:-

 

Net 2015/16 £

The proposed budgets for the Marketing & Communications and Internal Communications service areas are reduced by:

  • the removal of the corporate, internal and one-off funding budgets delivering a part year saving of £209,683 (full year saving of £394,548)
  • a reduction of 2.5% in the departmental communications and marketing budget delivering a part year saving of £15,786 (full year saving of £21,048)

 

-225,469

The cessation of payments for Trade Unions delivering a part year saving of £175,087 (full year saving of £350,174)

 

-175,087

The number of Portfolio Holders is reduced by 2 delivering a full year saving of £37,059

 

-37,059

Following the recalling of the Independent Remuneration Panel to consider the proposal, the removal of the Special Responsibility Allowance for Executive Assistants delivering a part year saving of £24,905 (full year saving of £29,886)

 

-24,905

That a sum of £217,138 of the General Fund Balance be released to support revenue spending in 2015/16 (to be repaid in 2016/17 from full year savings)

 

-217,138

Proposing a 0% council tax increase and accepting the Government’s offer of a council tax freeze grant equivalent to a 1.0% increase for 2015/16

 

-1,107,654

That a six month trial of free parking at Wollaton Park is implemented at a one-off cost of £86,000

86,000

TOTAL NET FINANCIAL IMPACT

-1,701,312

 

And amend the following recommendations as indicated:

  • In recommendation 2.1 (3) (a) substitute £948,102,159 for £948,597,199;
  • In recommendation 2.1 (3) (b) substitute £860,695,065 for £859,488,793;
  • In recommendation 2.1 (3) (c) substitute £87,407,094 for £89,108,406;
  • In recommendation 2.1 (4) substitute £1,431.80 for £1,459.67
  • In recommendation 2.1 (6) amend Members’ Allowance Scheme for 2015/16 by removing the Special Responsibility Allowance for Executive Assistants

 

And amend the following sections as indicated:

  • In section 5.2 substitute £87,407,094 for £89,108,406 and £1,431.80 for £1,459.67
  • In section 5.3 and 5.6 substitute the following basic amounts of council tax for the ones shown in the report:

 

Band

Basic Amount of Council Tax

A

£954.53

B

£1,113.62

C

£1,272.71

D

£1,431.80

E

£1,749.98

F

£2,068.16

G

£2,386.33

H

£2,863.60

 

·  In section 5.6 substitute the following aggregate council taxes for those shown in the report:

 

Band

Aggregate

A

£1,120.42

B

£1,307.16

C

£1,493.90

D

£1,680.64

E

£2,054.12

F

£2,427.60

G

£2,801.06

H

£3,361.28

 


 

Councillors voted as follows on the proposed amendment:

 

Councillor

In favour of the budget amendment

Against the budget amendment

Abstained

Liaqat Ali

 

P

 

Cat Arnold

 

P

 

Mohammed Aslam

 

P

 

Alex Ball

 

P

 

Steve Battlemuch

 

P

 

Merlita Bryan

 

P

 

Eunice Campbell

 

P

 

Graham Chapman

 

P

 

Azad Choudhry

 

P

 

Alan Clark

 

P

 

Jon Collins

 

P

 

Georgina Culley

P

 

 

Emma Dewinton

 

P

 

Michael Edwards

 

P

 

Chris Gibson

 

P

 

Brian Grocock

 

P

 

John Hartshorne

 

P

 

Rosemary Healy

 

P

 

Nicola Heaton  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97.

98.

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation on the Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy pdf icon PDF 212 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation submitted a report on the Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, as set out on pages 91 to 148 of the agenda.

 

RESOLVED to

 

1)  approve the Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy as a formal City Council document;

 

2)  authorise the Director for Planning and Transport to maintain the Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy as an up-to-date document.

99.

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth on the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) Renewal pdf icon PDF 196 KB

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth submitted a report on the Nottingham Business Improvement District renewal, as set out on pages 149 to 154 of the agenda.

 

RESOLVED to

 

1)  authorise the Deputy Chief Executive/Corporate Director of Development and Growth, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth to:

 

a)  receive the renewal proposals from Nottingham BID Company on behalf of the City Council;

 

b)  consider the renewal proposals, ensuring that they do not conflict with adopted policy;

 

c)  enter into an Operating Agreement under which the Council will collect the levies due on behalf of the Nottingham BID

 

2)  nominate the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth to hold the proxy vote on behalf of the Council as an eligible levy payer in the BID ballot.

100.

To consider a motion in the name of the Leader:

“This Council recognises that cities are the engines of growth in the British economy. It believes that cities could do more for local communities and economies if freed from central control.

 

The ten Core Cities outside London deliver 28% of the combined economic output of England, Wales and Scotland. Yet UK cities have far fewer freedoms, powers and resources than our international competitors. Independent forecasts show that with additional devolved powers the eight English Core Cities alone could generate an extra £222 billion and 1.16 million jobs for the country by 2030.

 

This council resolves to support the call for greater devolution to cities, as set out in the Modern Charter for Local Freedom, to address the urgent challenges of driving prosperity, increasing equality and strengthening democracy.


As a Core City, this Council therefore commits to make the case to government for greater devolution of both budgets and decision making in order to:

 

·  Improve the skill base of the city;

·  Encourage investment in jobs and economic growth;

·  Improve housing provision;

·  Empower communities to do more for themselves;

·  Make public services more sustainable.

 

Only in this way do we believe we can prepare the city for the challenges of the next decades in order to improve the life of Nottingham people.

 

We encourage citizens, businesses, partners and relevant organisations in the city to add their name to the Modern Charter for Local Freedom.

Minutes:

Moved by Councillor Jon Collins, seconded by Councillor Sam Webster:

 

“This Council recognises that cities are the engines of growth in the British economy. It believes that cities could do more for local communities and economies if freed from central control.

 

The ten Core Cities outside London deliver 28% of the combined economic output of England, Wales and Scotland. Yet UK cities have far fewer freedoms, powers and resources than our international competitors. Independent forecasts show that with additional devolved powers the eight English Core Cities alone could generate an extra £222 billion and 1.16 million jobs for the country by 2030.

 

This council resolves to support the call for greater devolution to cities, as set out in the Modern Charter for Local Freedom, to address the urgent challenges of driving prosperity, increasing equality and strengthening democracy.


As a Core City, this Council therefore commits to make the case to government for greater devolution of both budgets and decision making in order to:

 

·  Improve the skill base of the city;

·  Encourage investment in jobs and economic growth;

·  Improve housing provision;

·  Empower communities to do more for themselves;

·  Make public services more sustainable.

 

Only in this way do we believe we can prepare the city for the challenges of the next decades in order to improve the life of Nottingham people.

 

We encourage citizens, businesses, partners and relevant organisations in the city to add their name to the Modern Charter for Local Freedom.”

 

RESOLVED to carry the motion.

101.

To consider cancelling the City Council meeting scheduled for Monday 13 April 2015

Minutes:

RESOLVED to cancel the City Council meeting scheduled for Monday 13 April 2015.

102.

To consider changing the date of the AGM City Council meeting from Tuesday 26 May 2015 to Monday 18 May 2015

Minutes:

RESOLVED to change the date of the AGM City Council meeting from Tuesday 26 May 2015 to Monday 18 May 2015.

103.

Committee membership

To note the following in-year changes to the membership of Joint City and County Health Scrutiny Committee:

 

·  Councillor Mohammad Aslam replaced by Councillor Toby Neal;

 

·  Councillor Azad Choudhry replaced by Councillor Anne Peach.

Minutes:

RESOLVED to note the following changes to membership of Joint City and County Health Scrutiny Committee:

 

a)  Councillor Mohammed Aslam replaced by Councillor Toby Neal;

 

b)  Councillor Azad Choudhry replaced by Councillor Anne Peach.

104.

Exclusion of the public

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items in accordance with section 100a(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with section 100a(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

105.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth on the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) Renewal - Exempt Appendix

Minutes:

As per minute 99, above.