Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S Lambert and R Ross.

The Chairman announced to Members that since the last meeting of Council he or the Vice-Chairman had attended the following events:

• High Sheriff of Rutland’s Osprey Cruise
• University of Leicester Summer Graduation Dinner and Graduation Ceremony
• The Northamptonshire & Royal Regiment Association Talavera Day Service
• Army Benevolent Fund Summer Luncheon
• Rainbow’s Hospice Tour
• Leicestershire Police Inter-Cultural Social Event
• Flag Flying for Merchant Navy Day
• Lord Mayor of Leicester’s Civic Service

The Chairman also reminded Members of his upcoming Civic Event and asked Members to RSVP if they had not already done so.

Councillor G Waller, Leader of the Council, announced to Members that since the last meeting of Council, Councillor R Payne had stepped down from Cabinet for personal reasons, and welcomed Councillor T Smith, who had taken up the position of Portfolio Holder for Childrens Services. The Leader also informed Members that following the meeting of Cabinet on 15 August 2023, she had written to the Secretary of State for Transport and Transport Focus setting out the concerns of Cabinet regarding the proposals for closure of Oakham Station’s ticket office and the impact for those with physical disabilities and learning difficulties. The Leader confirmed a response had been received from the relevant Minister of State.

Councillor T Smith, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, highlighted to Members the recently published and circulated report on performance of the Council and partners on local services that support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May 2023. Councillor Smith highlighted the positive achievements and that Rutland was one of only four areas in the country to receive the highest possible inspection outcome.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the Minutes of the 250^th meeting of the Rutland County Council District Council held on 10 July 2023.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 10 July 2023.

It was moved by the Chairman and seconded that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 July be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with 21 votes in favour and 4 abstentions, the motion was carried.

RESOLVED

a)    That the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 10 July be APPROVED.

To receive any petitions, deputations or questions received from members of the public in accordance with the provisions of Procedures Rule 25 and 26. 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.

No petitions, deputations or questions had been received from members of the public.

To receive any questions submitted from Members of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 27 and 28.

No questions had been 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 89.

No referrals of Committee decisions had been received.

To determine matters where a decision taken by the Cabinet has been referred to Council by the call-in procedure of the Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 149 and 150. 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, or otherwise not in accordance with Article 12.

No call-ins had been received.

To receive Report No. 122/2023 from the Cabinet on recommendations referred to the Council for determination.

Council is recommended to determine whether the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Report No. 115/2023 as Appendices A, B, C & E of the report contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Report No. 122/2023 was received from the Cabinet containing recommendations made to Council for approval. The Chairman confirmed that he would take the two sets of recommendations from Cabinet separately and first invited Councillor A Johnson to introduce those related to the Reserves Strategy and Policy.

Members spoke in support of the proposed Strategy and the Council’s approach to reserves and thanked the Portfolio Holder and officers for preparing the paper.

A motion to approve the recommendations of Report No. 114/2023 was moved by Councillor A Johnson and seconded. Upon being put to the vote, with 25 votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried. 

RESOLVED

That Council, on the recommendation of Cabinet:

a)    APPROVED the Reserves Strategy & Policy at Appendix A, which set the future direction of travel and planned use of reserves.

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The Chairman highlighted to Members that the majority of appendices the following report contained exempt information and should not be discussed without Council first excluding the press and public, but it was his hope that as much of the debate and voting took place in the public domain as practicable.

Councillor C Wise then introduced the recommendations in Report No. 115/2023 – Waste and Street Cleansing Vehicle Provision – Options for Provision of Vehicles. The report set out recommendations with regard to the best option for the Council to make provision of vehicles and undertook an evaluation of costs, benefits and risks of each option.

It was moved by Councillor R Powell and seconded that the press and public be excluded in order for Council to be able to debate the contents of the report and its appendices in full. Upon being put to the vote, with 25 votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

a)    That the Press and Public be EXCLUDED from the meeting as Appendices A, B, C & E of the report contained exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

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The meeting moved to an exempt session at this point.

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Several Councillors set out concerns with the recommended option on the basis of the cost to the Council of purchasing new vehicles all at once rather than a mixed approach of purchasing and leasing, the potential impact of future legislative changes on effectiveness of vehicles in the medium-term, and areas of responsibility between the Council and a provider for maintenance of the vehicles.

Detailed responses were given with regard to the queries raised and it was confirmed that the recommended option before Council was considered by officers and Cabinet to be the best available option to protect the Council’s interests through the advantages gained from purchasing a bulk of vehicles initially rather than continuing revenue costs from leasing.

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The Chairman returned the meeting to a public session at this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

1)    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. 123/2023 has been received from the Constitution Commission.

2)    To receive reports from Council Committees on any other matters and to receive questions and answers on any of those reports.

Report No. 123/2023 was received from the Constitution Commission. Councillor G Waller, Chair of the Constitution Commission, introduced the report which recommended Council to approve several changes to the Council’s Constitution which had been discussed in detail by the cross-party Commission.

Upon being put to the vote, with 25 votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Council APPROVED the following changes to the Constitution:

a)    The Officer/Member Protocol at Appendix A.

The Amendments to the Constitution as set out in Paragraph 3 of the Report.

To receive reports from the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee on any matters and to receive questions and answers on any of those reports.

No reports had been received from Scrutiny.

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

A Member wishing to make a report should advise the Democratic Services Manager as soon as possible but in any event no later than noon on the working day immediately before the meeting.

Two written reports had been received from Members circulated via the agenda supplement:

• A report from Councillor R Ross regarding a meeting he had attended of the Anglian (Northern) Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.
• A report from Councillor K Payne regarding a meeting of the Hanson Cement Ketton Liaison Committee attended by herself and Councillor M Farina.

RESOLVED

a)    That the reports from Councillors R Ross and K Payne be RECEIVED and NOTED. 

To consider any Notices of Motion submitted by Members of the Council in accordance with Procedure Rule 31 in the order in which they are recorded as having been received.

No notices of motion had been received.

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

There was no urgent business for consideration.

Monday, 6 November 2023

It was noted this would now be the Special Meeting of Council to confer the title of Honorary Alderman which was due to convene shortly.