Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Place, Limes Walk, Oakengates, Telford, TF2 6EP

Contact: Deborah Moseley  01952 383215

Media

Items
No. Item

35.

Prayers

Minutes:

The Reverend Keith Osmund-Smith said prayers.

36.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

None.

37.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 332 KB

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Council.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Mayor.

38.

Leader's Report & Announcements

The Leader of the Council may give an oral report on matters of significance to the Borough, comment upon the Cabinet decisions or make any announcements.

Minutes:

The Leader reflected on a busy summer during which the Council had begun to embed and focus on plans for the next four years to protect, care and invest to create a better borough.  The Leader had given evidence to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel looking into the Council’s referral to the Secretary of State for Health over Future Fit plans and urged the Minister to make a decision. He further commented on the Council’s lobby to change laws around cross-border licensing of private hire vehicles. The Leader went on to highlight the Council’s plans to improve the environment, including working with partners to reduce single-use plastics in the Council and community and the launch of the food waste household collection service.  He noted that the Council had been the first in the country to apply for a banning order against a rogue landlord and that the new Telford footbridge had been shortlisted for the prestigious International Institution of Civil Engineering Awards. The summer had also seen the Council work with Community Groups to get people involved in physical activity through the “Let’s Get Telford Active” scheme.  A series of holiday clubs had also provided activities and a healthy meal for hundreds of children across the borough whose families were struggling with the financial pressures of the long summer holidays.

39.

Mayor’s Announcements pdf icon PDF 237 KB

To note the Mayoral Engagements undertaken since the previous Council meeting.

Minutes:

The Mayor reflected on his engagements since the previous meeting which included the first anniversary of the Holly Project and the opening of Victoria House in Wellington on behalf of the YMCA, both organisations which would benefit from the current year’s Mayor’s Charity Fund.  The Mayor thanked Members for their continued support and looked forward to their support at his Charity Launch event the next evening.

 

40.

Public Questions

To receive any questions from the public which have been submitted under Council Procedure Rules 7.11 and 7.12. The session will last no more than 15 minutes with a maximum of 2 minutes allowed for each question and answer. Questions can be asked of the Leader and Cabinet Members.

 

None received.

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

41.

Cabinet Decisions Made Since the Last Meeting of the Council pdf icon PDF 228 KB

To receive the report on the Cabinet decisions made since publication of the last Council meeting agenda. Cabinet Members may speak on these decisions and Members may ask questions about key decisions of the relevant Cabinet Member for the purposes of clarification only.  Members are asked to note the additional delegations to officers granted at those meetings.

Minutes:

Members received the report on the Cabinet decisions made since the last meeting of the Council.

 

Procurement Update

 

Cllr N ADugmore asked questions on the following elements of the report:-

 

·         Replacement of fleet buses – confirmation sought that replacements will either be hybrid or electric vehicles to follow on from policy agreed at last Council meeting

·         £780K spending commitment on the panto – clarification sought on the duration of the contract.

 

 

Councillor L D Carter committed to providing a written response.

42.

Appointment of Chief Executive pdf icon PDF 125 KB

Minutes:

J Rowe, Chief Operating Officer (Interim) and J Eatough, Assistant Director: Governance, Procurement and Commissioning left the meeting for this item of business.

 

The Leader presented the report of the Assistant Director: Finance and Human Resources which recommended the appointment of the Chief Executive and further interim arrangements until the new Chief Executive took up their appointment.

 

RESOLVED – that

 

(a)  the appointment of David Sidaway as the new Chief Executive be confirmed as recommended by the Personnel Board on the proposed terms and conditions set out in the report.

(b)  the new Chief Executive is designated as Head of Paid Services from their commencement date

(c)  the new Chief Executive fulfils the role of the Local Returning Officer and Local Registration Officer from their commencement date

(d)  the Director of Customer, Neighbourhood and Well-Being Services continues to be designated Head of Paid Services and Council note that this arrangement will continue up until 1December 2019 or until the new Chief Executive commences employment and that the Assistant Director of Finance and Human Resources in consultation with the Leader be authorised to amend these dates

(e)  the Monitoring Officer continues to fulfil the role of the Local Returning Officer and Local Registration Officer and that Council note that this arrangement will continue up until 1December 2019 or until the new Chief Executive commences employment and that these dates can be amended by that the Assistant Director of Finance and Human Resources in consultation with the Leader be authorised to amend these dates

(f)   that the Council’s Pay Policy be amended to reflect the permanent deletion of the Managing Director post and the permanent addition of the Chief Executive post including details of the salary of the new post.

43.

Report from the Independent Remuneration Panel pdf icon PDF 292 KB

To receive and consider the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Professor Steve Leach, Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel presented the findings and recommendations of the Panel as set out in the report.

 

Following a debate which considered the proposed percentage increase of Member Allowances against the equivalent for local government staff, the level and allocation of special responsibility allowances, and the payment of travel and subsistence allowances, it was by a majority:

 

RESOLVED – that

 

(a)  the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel be received and the recommendations contained therein be accepted;

 

(b)  the new approved scheme be implemented with effect from the start of the new administration in May 2019;

 

(c)  that Council record its thanks to Professor Steve Leach, Graham Wynn and Caro Hart for their hard work in undertaking and producing their report for consideration by Council; and

 

(d)  that the recommendations contained in the report on the level of Civic Allowance be paid to those holding the role of Mayor and Deputy Mayor be accepted.

44.

Questions

To answer questions received under Council Procedure Rule 6.2.

 

NB      In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 6.2.9 there will be a maximum of 30 minutes allowed for questions and answers.  Any question not answered within the 30 minute time limit will receive a written reply within 5 working days.

Minutes:

The following question was asked under Council Procedure Rule 6.2.2:-

 

Councillor I T W Fletcher asked the following question of Councillor A J Burford, Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care.

 

“At the last meeting of the Health & Adult Care Scrutiny committee a Corrine Ralph from Telford CCG when I asked about the merger to Telford CCG and Shropshire CCG advised members that it was not a merger but the two organisations are working together. Could the Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care please advise members if the two CCG’s are to be merged?”

 

Councillor Burford responded that strictly speaking it was not a merger rather a dissolution of two bodies and the creation of a new one – that is what one might call a merger.  Members were aware that the Council had opposed the centralising approach of the creation of single CCG which it was feared would diminish local accountability and Telford & Wrekin’s separate identity and particular needs.  The Council had argued that what was happening was more than an administrative change and was a significant change that required full public consultation.  What was more, this came against a backdrop of massive cost savings and cuts that both current CCGs, and Shropshire in particular, needed to make to get their growing deficit under control.  It was true that the NHS Long Term Plan wanted to see strategic commissioning in place across a wider footprint aligned to Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs).  The Council recognised that some things were better commissioned in this way (eg acute care and certain specialist provision), however the NHS Long Term Plan also recognised the importance of place and the value that local authorities brought in developing effective integrated primary, community and social care services for their community and the positive impact that this could have on a person’s wellbeing.  To this end, an integrated place partnership was already up and running in Telford and Wrekin and proving its worth with good working relationships between the local authority, NHS and all partners.  The Cabinet believed that this partnership should be at the centre of any plans moving forward with service being commissioned and delivered by the Council and its partners unless there was a good reason for a particular service to be commissioned across a wider area. Acceptance of this principle was being sought but time was short as the two CCGs were required to present an outline of their plans to the NHS by the end of September and, if approved, they would be put in place by April 2020.  Meanwhile, the Cabinet continued to argue for proper consultation on the merger plan and the way in which the new model would operate, keeping all options on table to resist the proposals as it was not clear how local accountability would be delivered.

 

Councillor Fletcher noted that recent reports in the Shropshire Star stated that Telford CCG had a deficit of about £4m but Shropshire CCG’s deficit was £40m and likely to rise  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

45.

Notice of Motion

(a)        Councillor Stephen Burrell will propose the following Motion:-

 

“This Council calls on Government to amend legislation licensing the operation of private hire vehicles to allow local authorities greater control of the private hire operators providing services within their area.

 

In addition, this Council commits to making the fullest use of its powers to ensure, that the drivers and operators of private hire vehicles in the Borough receive appropriate training, development and support and are committed to the very best standards of service and safeguarding for each and every passenger.”

 

The Motion will be seconded by Councillor Tim Nelson.

 

 

Minutes:

Councillor S P Burrell proposed the following Motion:-

 

“This Council calls on Government to amend legislation licensing the operation of private hire vehicles to allow local authorities greater control of the private hire operators providing services within their area.

 

In addition, this Council commits to making the fullest use of its powers to ensure, that the drivers and operators of private hire vehicles in the Borough receive appropriate training, development and support and are committed to the very best standards of service and safeguarding for each and every passenger.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor T J Nelson.

 

Following a robust debate, the Motion was unanimously approved.

 

RESOLVED -  that the motion be approved