To receive any apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies were received from Mr Callaghan, Mr Conde, Mrs MacDuff and Mr Thomas.

To receive any announcements by the Chairman.

The Chair advised that the list of engagements had been circulated.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor June Fox, who had been elected as Member for Exton Ward on Thursday 9 March 2017.

The Chairman announced that after consulting with Mr Terry King (Former RCC Councillor and Leader) and his family, it had been decided to name the Barleythorpe Business Centre (Previously Oakham Sixth Form) “The King Centre” in tribute to Mr King’s 17 years of valuable service as an RCC Councillor.

To receive any announcements by the Leader, Members of the Cabinet or the Head of Paid Service.

The Chief Executive announced that due to a fault with BT, the guest Wi-Fi was not working and so Members would be unable to access the internet.  Spare copies of the agenda and reports had been made available.

Mr Clifton gave the following update on the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP):

• The STP established the way forward for developing local NHS and social care services over the next five years and reduce the financial gap;

• The draft had been agreed by the Department of Health and Clinical Commissioning Groups had begun engagement with the communities of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to finalise the STP;

• The consultation on the proposed changes is currently set for late Summer;

• The draft STP focused on:

            - preventing ill health;

            - community hospitals;

            - urgent and emergency care;      

            - maternity services;

            - mental health;

            - services for young people;

            - GP surgeries;

            - planned and routine care; and

            - community services.

• There were recommendations that could improve health care for Rutland, however our geography  means some of the wider changes, particularly those affecting  facilities will impact Rutland;

• Our key focus then has been on accelerating elements of the plan through our Better Care Fund (BCF) Programme that can help Rutland now and test new ideas before any bigger changes have been agreed, for example we have already integrated with community health services and are establishing multi-disciplinary teams across all GPs;

• This would be progressing into full integration over the next year to ensure that people’s long-term illnesses are managed well in the community, but had already resulted in:
  • Emergency hospital admissions being reduced
  • Delayed Transfers of care being reduced
  • More people staying independent after discharge
  • Admissions to residential care reduced

• We want take this further and see how we can change the way care in the home is delivered and how secondary care might be innovatively used to support people with long term conditions;

• Long term we have concerns that the investment and improvement facilities will not match improvements in services for Rutland;

• Therefore, notwithstanding decisions to be made by health on the future of beds in Rutland Memorial Hospital, we are exploring all possibilities, within the powers of the Local Authority, to ensure Rutland has the access to best health and social care facilities in the future;

• The recent one off investment in adult social care (detailed below) announced in the recent budget, to be delivered through the BCF, will help achieve this aim, as well as meeting current demands in adult social care.

In accordance with the Regulations, Members are invited to declare any disclosable interests under the Code of Conduct and the nature of those interests in respect of items on this Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Members were invited to declare any disclosable interests under the Code of Conduct they might have in respect of items on the Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applied to them.

None were received.

To confirm the Minutes of the 256^th, 257^th, 258^th and 259^th meeting of the Rutland County Council District Council held on 9 January 2017, 26 January 2017 and 20 February 2017.

The minutes of the 256^th, 257^th, 258^th and 259th meeting of the Rutland County Council District Council held on 9 January 2017, 26 January 2017 and 20 February 2017 were confirmed by the Council and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any petitions, deputations or questions received from members of the public in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 28. The total time allowed for this is 30 minutes.  Petitions, deputations and questions will be dealt with in the order in which they are received and any which are not considered within the time limit shall receive a written response after the meeting.

There were no petitions, deputations or questions from members of the public.

To receive any questions submitted from Members of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 30 and 30A.

There were no questions received from members of the council.

To determine matters where a decision taken by a Committee has been referred to the Council in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 110.

No decisions had been referred.

To determine matters where a decision taken by the Cabinet has been referred to Council by the call-in procedure of Scrutiny Panels, as a result of the decision being deemed to be outside the Council’s policy framework by the Monitoring Officer or not wholly in accordance with the budget by the Section 151 Officer, in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 206 and 207.

No call-ins were received.

To receive Report No. 64/2017 from the Cabinet to note the Key Decisions taken at its meeting held on 21 February 2017.

Report No. 64/2017 from the Cabinet was received, the purpose of which was to note the Key Decisions taken at its meetings held on 21 February 2017.

RESOLVED

Council NOTED the Key Decisions made by Cabinet since the publication of the agenda for the previous meeting of the Council on 20 February 2017.

To receive the reports from the Scrutiny Commission / Scrutiny Panels on any matters and to receive questions and answers on any of those reports.

No reports were received.

To receive reports about and receive questions and answers on the business of any joint arrangements or external organisations.

      i.        Mr Baines – Welland Pilot Scheme

Meeting attended on Friday 10 March 2017.

    ii.        Mr Bool - Combined Fire Authority

A report had been circulated to members and the next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday 15 March 2017, Mr Bool would feed back to members at the next Council Meeting.

   iii.        Mr Foster – Armed Forces Champion

Attended the National Conference at Westminster on 2 March to increase the profile of the support and effort that Rutland put into their Armed Forces Community.  Mr Foster thanked Mrs Briggs for all the effort that she had put into this important area of work.

To consider the Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Richard Foster and seconded by Councillor Andrew Stewart in accordance with Procedure Rule 34, the text of which can be found in the agenda pack.

The Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Richard Foster in accordance with Procedure Rule 34 was received.

Mr Foster introduced the motion and moved the recommendation.  Mr Stewart seconded the recommendation.

Motion in support of the Royal British Legion's Count Them In campaign:

This Council notes:

1.         The obligations it owes to the Armed Forces community within Rutland as enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant; that the Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage in the provision of services and that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given the most.

2.         The absence of definitive and comprehensive statistics on the size or demographics of the Armed Forces community within Rutland, which includes serving Regular and Reserve personnel, veterans and their respective families.

3.         That the availability of such data would greatly assist the Council, local partner agencies, the voluntary sector and National Government in the planning and provision of services to address the unique needs of the Armed Forces community with Rutland.

In light of the above, this Council moves to support and promote the Royal British Legion's call to include a new topic in the 2021 census that concerns military service and membership of the Armed Forces community.  We further call upon the UK Parliament, which will approve the final census questionnaire through legislation in 2019, to ensure that the 2021 census includes questions concerning our armed forces community.

During debate points raised included:

·         The actual decisions that would be included in the questionnaire were still being worked on to ensure they were framed in such a way as to obtain the appropriate information.

RESOLVED

This Council AGREED to support and promote the Royal British Legion's call to include a new topic in the 2021 census that concerns military service and membership of the Armed Forces community.  We further call upon the UK Parliament, which will approve the final census questionnaire through legislation in 2019, to ensure that the 2021 census includes questions concerning our armed forces community.

To receive Report No.10/2017 from the Chief Executive.

Report No. 10/2017 from the Director for Resources was received the purpose of which was for Council to consider and approve the Pay Policy Statement which must be produced each financial year in order to comply with Section 38 to 43 of the Localism Act 2011.

The Leader, Mr Mathias, introduced the report and confirmed that there had been minimal changes from the previous year.  The report detailed the second year of the two year pay deal.  There had been a reduction in agency staff employed in Adults and Children’s Social Care following the application of Market Supplements in these areas, this would result in a better service and there was a proposal to withhold annual increments where the post holder was the subject of formal capability or disciplinary.

Mr Mathias proposed the recommendations.  Mr Hemsley seconded the recommendations.

During debate the following points were raised:

·         There were interim/agency staff in other departments, but significantly less than there had been in Adult and Children’s Social Care;

·         If the result of any disciplinary was unfounded any increments would be back-dated.  Where there was capability proceedings, any salary increment would be reviewed at the next annual increment date;

·         Members of the Senior Management Team rarely worked only 37 hours per week and so worked flexible hours where they could in order to make up for some of these extra hours; and

·         The reduction in temporary staff was seen as positive as it created consistency and stability for those service areas.

RESOLVED

1)  To NOTE the changes to the Pay Policy effective April 2017; and

2)  To APPROVE the updated Pay Policy for 2017.

To receive Report No. 62/2017 from the Director for Resources.

Report No. 62/2017 was received from the Director for Resources, the purpose of which was to appoint 6 Members to the Barleythorpe Interim Parish Council, who along with the 2 County Councillors for the Ward of Oakham North West, will form the Interim Council until May 2018 in accordance with transitional provisions set out in Section 12 of the Rutland County Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) Order 2017 (The Reorganisation Order) (Appendix A of Report 62/2017).

Mr Hemsley, Portfolio Holder for Growth, Trading Services and Resources (except Finance), introduced the report and moved the recommendations in the report.  Mr Clifton seconded the recommendations.

During debate the following points were raised:

·         Details regarding of the review had been provided to Council throughout the review process, those involved were now keen to begin the work of setting up the interim council in order to benefit the local community; and

·         The two Ward Members for the area would be able to provide some guidance and the benefit of their experience.

RESOLVED

1)    To APPROVE the appointment of the individuals listed below as interim councillors to Barleythorpe Interim Parish Council until the election of Parish Councillors in May 2018:

·         Mr C Marsland

·         Dr N A Plummer

·         Mr A Westlake

·         Mr D Blanksby

·         Mr P Goodwin

·         Mrs S Webb

·         Mr R Gale (County Councillor for Ward of Oakham North West)

·         Mr A Mann (County Councillor for Ward of Oakham North West)

2)    To DELEGATE authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader to seek expressions of interest and appoint to any vacancy that may arise in the Barleythorpe Interim Council.

To receive a report of the Director for Resources.

Report to Follow

This item had been withdrawn from the agenda in consultation with the Chairman and Group Leaders and would be deferred to the Annual Council meeting in May 2017.

To receive a report of the Director for Places (Environment, Planning, Transport).

Report to follow

Report No. 68/2017 was received from the Director for Places (Environment, Planning & Transport).

Mr Hemsley, Portfolio Holder for Growth, Trading Services and Resources (except Finance) introduced the report and moved the recommendations in the report.  Mr Foster seconded the recommendations.

During debate of the recommendations, points raised included:

·         The additional income could not be spent on the provision of a Conservation Officer as there is provision for this in the 2016/17 budget.  The new income cannot be spent on items which are currently funding.

RESOLVED

To APPROVE a 20% increase in planning application fees with effect from the date set out in the regulations and commits to investing the additional income in the planning service.

To receive items of urgent business which have been previously notified to the person presiding.

No matters of urgent business were received.

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The Chairman reminded members to respond regarding their attendance at the 20^th Anniversary of Rutland’s Independence celebration on 1^st April 2017 as soon as possible.

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