A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Council and councillors

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP

Contact: Governance  Email: governance@rutland.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

447.

APOLOGIES

Minutes:

No apologies were received.

448.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Minutes:

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

 

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Items 10 and 11 on the agenda would follow item 17 in order to give more time for debate on item 11.

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449.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE LEADER, MEMBERS OF THE CABINET OR THE HEAD OF PAID SERVICE

Minutes:

The Leader noted what a pleasure it was to attend the Growth, Infrastructure and resources Scrutiny Committee on 16 January 2020 and that it was good to see Councillors asking questions regarding the Local Plan.

 

The Leader reminded Councillors that there was a Code of Conduct based on the Nolan Principles that members must abide to. It was noted that it was important to respect each other and the RCC staff.

 

 

450.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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.

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were received.

451.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

To confirm the Minutes of the 285th meeting of the Rutland County Council District Council held on 14 October 2019.

Minutes:

The minutes of the 285th meeting of the Rutland County Council District Council held on 14 October 2019 were confirmed by the Council and signed by the Chairman.

452.

PETITIONS, DEPUTATIONS AND QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

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.

Minutes:

Deputation 1

 

A deputation, as printed below, was received from Mrs Susannah Fish, on behalf of the Parish Council Liaison Group.

 

Good evening. I am Susannah Fish. I am a Wing Parish Councillor where I have been resident for over 10 years. I was a police officer for over 30 years retiring as Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police. I now run my own business.

Councillors, tonight you are considering the conditions around the HIF grant, in private. It is difficult to see at this stage when there is only one developer, the Ministry of Defence, what commercial considerations are in play. The fact that the report is in DRAFT, your capitals, is no reason for exemption at all, and is not the transparency in decision making that the communities of Rutland expect.

One mustassume thatthe Cabinet eitherdo notwant anyembarrassing facts in the public domain, or want to test properly, what must be a whole array of assumptions, or both. In the absence of information, I wouldask theCouncil onthe public’sbehalf, toensure thefollowing four salient points aredebated.

1.    TheLeader hasrepeatedly assuredresidents thatany development at SGB would be infrastructure led, and that no houses would be built until the infrastructure is in place. One assumes that timing will be covered in the grant conditions. Are they? Are the Leader’s remarks borne out? For example, are road improvements, transport arrangements such as bus services agreed, medical, policing, and retail facilities in place. If not how long is it before critical mass is reached, how long do residents have to put upwith living on an isolated building site with noinfrastructure?

 

2.    The main reason for accepting SGB but not Woolfox as an acceptable site is that neither were viable according to your own consultants, but the HIF grant of £29m tips SGB into viability. Viabilityis currentlymeasured usinghigh levelassumptions togive strategic infrastructurecosts perunit. Whatis inthe publicdomain is thefact that£16m ofthe £29mof HIFfunding isrequired tomeet the toxiclegacy costsof theMOD –in essencea tax-payerssubsidy to the MOD, artificially supporting the land value to the MOD. This is not in line with either commercial values or usual property practice. The remaining £13m is therefore spread across the 2215 units. It does not reduce the cost per unit by that much, and certainly not sufficient to offset the margin of error in the assumptions used. Councillors should test why it is concluded that SGB is not viable without HIF, but viable with. What is the cost per unit reduction, and does this take the cost per unit significantly below Woolfox?

 

3.    Inview ofthe inadequatelegal advicetaken todate, whoand what are the Council’s lawyers advising on, for example, the Council’s exposures in the grantconditions?

 

4.    Perhaps most important of all, the Local Plan proposal to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 452.

453.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

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

Minutes:

No questions from Members were received.

454.

REFERRAL OF COMMITTEE DECISIONS TO 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.

Minutes:

No Committee decisions had been referred.

455.

CALL-IN OF DECISIONS FROM CABINET MEETINGS DURING THE PERIOD FROM 11 OCTOBER 2019 to 17 JANUARY 2020 (INCLUSIVE)

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.

Minutes:

No call-ins were received.

456.

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL pdf icon PDF 82 KB

To receive reports from Committees on matters which require Council approval because the Committee does not have the delegated authority to act on the Council’s behalf.

Report No. 18/2020 – Licensing Act 2003 – Review of Statement of Licensing Policy.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report No. 18/2020 was received from the Deputy Director for Places.

 

Mr Baines introduced and moved the recommendations in the report. Mr Razzell seconded the recommendations.

 

During debate the following point was noted:

 

Miss Waller asked what happens about providing licenses to individual young people in terms of their permissions to perform in establishments, there were rules governing that but Miss Waller had not seen an update on policies for some time. A young person has to have approval from the Council if going to perform in any premises as a performer such as in a local pub. Mrs Briggs stated a written response would be provided after the meeting.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council:

 

ADOPTED the post consultation revised Statement of Licensing Policy as recommended by the Planning and Licensing Committee.

457.

REPORTS FROM SCRUTINY COMMISSION / SCRUTINY PANELS

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

Minutes:

No reports had been received.

458.

JOINT ARRANGEMENTS AND EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS

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

Minutes:

Mr Bool – Combined Fire Authority

 

Mr Bool noted there was recently a successful visit to the Oakham Fire Station before Christmas which members found to be beneficial. The General Election caused meetings of the Authority to be rescheduled.

 

Mr Oxley – Rutland’s Fairtrade Status

 

Mr Oxley stated as Fairtrade Champion that Rutland’s Fairtrade status had been renewed and the certificate was presented at Oakham Castle. Mr Oxley stated it would be good to have it mentioned on the Council’s website with a link to the Fairtrade website.

 

Mr Baines – Welland Partnership Sub-Group

 

Mr Baines attended a sub-group of the Welland Partnership, preparing a bid to ensure the Welland Valley is enjoyed by the community, if the bid is successful it would result in the appointment of a project officer.

 

Mr G Brown – Hanson Cement Liaison Group Meeting

 

Mr Brown stated that he and Mrs Webb attended the Hanson Cement Liaison Group meeting at the end of last year and met the new site manager who had a range of experience and was keen to develop the environmental credentials of the works. There were plans to spend further capital on site and the completion of Empingham road. Hanson Cement is the largest business rate payer in Rutland.

459.

NOTICES OF MOTION

To consider any Notices of Motion submitted by Members of the Council in accordance with Procedure Rule 34 in the order in which they are recorded as having been received.

Minutes:

No notices of motion had been received.

460.

CORPORATE PLAN 2019-2024 pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To receive Report No. 14/2020 from the Chief Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report No. 14/2020 was received from the Chief Executive.

 

Mr Hemsley introduced and moved the recommendations in the report. Mr G Brown seconded the recommendations.

 

During debate the following points were noted:

 

       i.          Mrs Powell felt that some of the objectives were reflecting business as usual and did not feel that Scrutiny had the fullest ability to contribute to the development of the Corporate Plan.

      ii.          Mr Hemsley noted that amendments had been made to the Corporate Plan had been made following feedback.

    iii.          Miss Waller stated there had been no resident enagement in the Plan. The Plan made reference to creating more jobs, however Rutland had virtually full employment. The Plan stated that there was 40% out migration for work, however there was no analysis why that might be. The Council had committed to be carbon neutral by 2050 but there was little in document as to how to approach the task.

    iv.          Mr Walters stated the need to increase good employment within Rutland.

     v.          Mr G Brown noted that a Biodiversity Task and Finish Group had been setup to look into the zero carbon target by 2050.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council:

 

NOTED the contents of the revised Corporate Plan and ADOPTED the Rutland County Council Corporate Plan 2019-2024.

 

461.

REVIEW OF NOMINATIONS TO OUTSIDE BODIES pdf icon PDF 74 KB

To receive Report No. 20/2020 from the Strategic director for Resources.

Minutes:

Report No. 20/2020 was received from the Strategic Director for Resources.

 

Mr Hemsley introduced and moved the recommendation in the report. Miss Waller seconded the recommendation.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council:

 

APPOINTED a named substitute member to the outside body – Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Joint Health Scrutiny Committee.

462.

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

Cabinet is recommended to determine whether the public and press be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, and in accordance with the Access to Information provisions of Procedure Rule 239, as the following item of business is likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

463.

REPORT FROM THE CABINET pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To receive Report No. 19/2020 from the Cabinet on recommendations referred to the Council for determination and to note the Key Decisions taken at its meetings held on 15 October 2019, 19 November 2019 and 23 December 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report No. 19/2020 was received from the Cabinet.

 

Mr G Brown introduced and moved the recommendations in the report. Mr Hemsley seconded the recommendations.

 

1)    Council NOTED the Key Decisions made by Cabinet since the publication of the agenda for the previous meeting of the Council on 14 October 2019.

 

2)    15 October 2019

Decision No. 326

Report No. 152/2019

Council Tax – Empty Homes Premium

 

During debate the following points were noted:

 

                      i.        The properties which relate to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) are owned by Allington and leased back to the MOD. MOD properties pay a contribution from the MOD in lieu of Council Tax. There are voids in rented housing. Allington will have voids and the MOD within that. Mr Cross noted that private landholders should not be penalised when the Government have properties unoccupied.

                    ii.        The contribution made by the MOD is based on a national recognised formula.

 

RESOLVED

 

Council APPROVED:

 

a)  That the premium for long term empty homes be set as follows with effect from 1st April 2020:

 

·      100% for properties that have been empty for more than two years

·      200% for properties that have been empty for more than five years; and

·      From 2021/22 onwards, 300% for properties that have been empty for at least ten years

 

b)  That the Strategic Director for Resources be given authority to waive the premium if the empty home was actively and genuinely being marketed for sale or rent or being renovated for occupation in accordance with the procedure in Appendix B of Report No. 152/2019.

 

3)    19 November 2019

Decision No. 381

Report No. 170/2019

Quarter 2 Financial Management Report

Mr G Brown introduced and moved the recommendations. Mrs Fox seconded the recommendations.

 

During debate the following point was noted:

 

Mr Oxley noted that the half hour free parking in towns made an impact and was successful, and encouraged it to continue.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council APPROVED to remove two projects from the capital programme: Officers Mess and OEP Phase 2.

 

4)    23 December 2019

Decision No. 396

Report No. 185/2019

Housing Infrastructure Fund Bid Update

 

Mr G Brown introduced and moved the recommendations with the amendment that the decision be brought back for Cabinet to make, with an popportunity for Scrutiny to look at the.

 

During debate the following points were noted:

 

                      i.        The viability of the project without the HIF bid would require rework of the project and a new master plan, but would unlikely stop the project.

                    ii.        The Local Plan process would continue on its current basis even if the HIF bid was not accepted.

                   iii.        Members suggested that the decision should be made by Council rather than Cabinet and that Council should have all the information of the terms and conditions from Homes England so the Council could make a decision with all the facts and figures.

                   iv.        Ms MacCartney proposed an amendment to defer the debate until there was sufficient information for the Council to make judgement.

 

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464.

ANY URGENT BUSINESS

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

Minutes:

No matters of urgent business were received.