Apologies were received fromMiss M Jones, Ms.A MacCartney and Mr.N Woodley.

TheChairmanconfirmedthathisengagementshad been circulated in advance of the meeting. 

Councillor Baines welcomed everyone to the meeting on International Woman’s Day and proposed that he, on behalf of the Council, send the Queen thanks for all her work and best wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh for a speedy recovery.

RESOLVED:

To mark International Woman’s Day, Councillor Baines, as Chairman of Rutland County Council, would send the Queen the Council’s thanks for her service and hard work. Best wishes would also be sent to the Duke of Edinburgh for a speedy recovery.

Councillor Stephenson updated attendees on the Members Climate Action Group.  Meetings were being held regularly and a programme of work had been identified including Phase 1, the setting up a network of community driven action groups and phase 2 which would be the refreshing and reviewing of the Climate Action Strategy to help move the Council towards being carbon zero.  A ‘Climate Conversation’ would be held on the 12^th May 2021.

Councillor Walters briefed attendees on the production of a health plan for Rutland.  He has met with Parish Councils to discuss their concerns and ideas for health provision in Rutland.  Members were requested to encourage their Parish Councils to invite Councillor Walters to attend a meeting. 

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.

In relation to Item 10, Councillor Harvey, Councillor Stephenson, Councillor Hemsley and Councillor Razzell advised that their children attended Catmose College.

To confirm the Minutes of the Council meeting held on the 11^th January 2021 and the budget Council meeting held on the 22^nd February 2021.

The Chairman proposed,and Councillors Fox and Hemsley seconded that the minutesofthetwo hundred and twenty fifth meetingoftheRutland CountyCouncil meeting held on the 11^th January 2021, and the budget Council meeting held on the 22^nd February 2021, be confirmed.

RESOLVED

Theminutes of the Council meetingheld on the 11^th January 2021 and the budget Council meeting held on the 22^nd February 2021, were confirmed as a true record.

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.

None had been received.

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

None had been received.

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.

There were no referrals of committee decisions to Council.

To determine matters where a decision taken by the Cabinet has been referred to Council by the call-in procedure of Scrutiny Committees, 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.

Therewasno call-in of decisions.

To receive Report No. 38/2021 from the Cabinet on recommendations referred to the Council for determination.

Councillor Wilby, as Portfolio Holder for Education and Children’s Services, thanked all the school staff, including support staff, for their hard work during the pandemic to keep pace with the government guidance, and their efforts to look after the county’s children. He also thanked staff at Rutland County Council for a cohesive and supportive team effort throughout the pandemic.

Councillor Wilby presenteda report to Council regarding the Schools’ Capital Programme Project.The Cabinetreport of 16^th February 2021 (reportnumber 35/2021) and associated papers were attached tothe agendapapers. 

During the discussion, the following points were noted:

·       All the three secondary schools in Rutland were all excellent schools.

·       Uppingham College was happy with its current size

·       Casterton College would benefit from a major injection of capital. However, 70% of its pupils lived outside Rutland.

·       Lincolnshire County Council would be investing in their secondary school located in Stamford.

·       Cabinet had recommended that Catmose Campus be expanded.

·       Changes included removing the Brightways service from the building so allowing the service to expand and adding an extension to the school so increasing the capacity of the school to an eight-form entry starting September 2022. 

·       £5.5 million pounds allocated in total to the programme.

·       A Schools’ Capital Programme Board and a Catmose Campus Project Board have been created to oversee the project.

·       Project Manager will be Mr. Robert Shore as he retires from RALSS in the summer of 2021.

·       Councillor Wilby proposed the programme to Cabinet, Councillor Ainsley seconded.

·       Councillor Waller thanked all the staff working in schools for the past year and for what future work might be required. 

·       Councillor Waller expressed concern about the project board process particularly the Catmose Campus Project Board. There was concern about the previous history of projects at Catmose going over budget and the fact that no Ward Councillor was a member of that project group.  It was noted that the Catmose Campus Project Group was a project group established by the Catmose Trust and not by Rutland County Council, so no Ward Councillor was required to attend as per the project guidance. Councillor Wilby confirmed that he would be attending the Schools’ Capital Programme Board run by the council and would ensure that Cabinet and Council were regularly updated.

·       Councillor Webb expressed concern regarding parking as the project did not include any increase in parking facilities. Councillor Wilby confirmed that the parking system around Catmose should allow for sufficient parking.

·       Councillor Cross stated that he felt the cost involved for such a modest extension was excessive. He stated that he was worried there was no set plan for future builds.

·       Councillor A Brown asked for further information regarding the £100,000 involved in the moving of Brightways. Councillor Wilby confirmed that Adult Social Services had changed and would continue to change significantly in the future. The move of Brightways from the Catmose Campus to the Oakham Enterprise Park would enable the service to expand and meet the changing demands of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

a.            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.

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

Therewere no reports fromCommitteesof the Council to consider.

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

Therewere no reports fromtheScrutiny Commissionor the ScrutinyCommittees to consider.

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

Councillor Harvey informed attendees that she and Councillor Waller attended the Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee in Leicester on the 5^th March.  The main agenda item was the issue regarding the audit process.  Councillors Harvey and Waller would finalise their notes and then distribute to the Council.

Report no: 41/2021

Councillor Hemsley presentedreport number 41/2021 to Council regarding the amendment to the virtual meeting procedures. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

·       Councillor Waller stated that the Council’s constitution, whereby a recorded vote could only be demanded if five Members made the request before a vote was taken under the proposition, would remain the same and would not be affected.

·       The amendment would only relate to the virtual meeting procedure rules.

·       Councillor Hemsley proposed that Council agree the amendment to the Procedure Rules for Virtual Meetings, and this was seconded by Councillor Waller.

·       A votewas held and the vote in favour was unanimous.

RESOLVED

That Council:

1.    Approved the amendment to the Procedure Rules for Virtual Meetings to remove the requirement for Recorded Votes.

Report no: 40/2021

Councillor Hemsley presentedreport number 40/2021 to Council regarding the changes to Cabinet and Committee Places. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

·       Changes were being requested following the resignation from Cabinet of the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor G Brown.

·       Councillor Payne joined Cabinet as Portfolio Holder for Finance on the 24^th February 2021.

·       This move resulted in spare seats on the Growth Infrastructure and Resources Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee. Councillor Payne had also been Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.

·       It was stated that members of the Adults & Health Scrutiny Committee included a ‘Cllr ross’ and this needed to be corrected to read ‘Cllr Cross’.

·       Councillor Hemsley confirmed that Councillor Payne would remain on the Planning Committee until the 10^th March 2021.

·       Councillor Hemsley proposed that Councillor Cross join the Planning & Licensing Committee and that Councillor Powell became Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.  This was seconded by Councillor Webb.

·       There were no other nominations for the Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

·       A votewas held and the vote in favour was unanimous.

RESOLVED

That Council:

1.    Note the changes to the Cabinet

2.    Note the subsequent amendments to Committee Places

3.    Appoint Councillor Powell to Chair the Audit and Risk Committee.

Report no: 24/2021

Councillor Hemsley presentedreport number 24/2021 to Council regarding the Council’s pay policy for 2021-22. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

·         Council was required to review and publish its Pay Policy Statement on an annual basis.

·         It had been discussed that the Council increased all pay points by 2.75% and, should the increase be agreed, backdate payments to April 2021.

·         Mr. Horsfield reminded attendees that discussion and approval of the pay policy had been requested and not discussion regarding individual roles and positions.

·         Councillor Hemsley proposed the updated pay policy statement.  This was seconded by Councillor Waller.

·         A votewas held and the vote in favour was unanimous.

RESOLVED

That Council:

1.    Approve the updated Pay Policy for 2021-22

2.    Note the latest update regarding the Local Government National Pay Award for 2021

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.

There were none.

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

The Chairman had not been notified of any urgent business.