Agenda and minutes

None.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2014 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor J Oates)

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

When Members are declaring a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Executive Procedure Rule No. 13

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC                NO.1

Under Schedule 4, 13, Mr M Brookes asked the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Education, Councillor S Doyle, the following question:-

"Reference the Golf Course: please confirm the volume (in tons) of authorised landfill placed on the council land at Tamworth Golf Club (Amington) by the company Jack Barker Ltd during the time of the company’s lease of the land?"

Councillor S Doyle gave the following reply:

Thank you for the question Mr Brookes.

There was never any “landfill/Domestic waste” tipped at the site but the operator did secure planning consent and a license from the Environment Agency to tip “inert material” to reshape the site and create a driving range. 

The Council was responsible for ensuring all works were carried out in accordance with the respective planning permissions granted to Tamworth Golf Centre. It undertook site monitoring to ensure the contouring and location of the tipping was in line with the approved plans.

The contractor was in possession of a waste management site licence for the works, which was issued and compliance with the licence overseen by the Environment Agency.

Tamworth Borough Council cannot issue a Waste Management Site Licence, only the Environment agency can.

Tamworth Council where not responsible for the quality or quantity brought onto the site; this is stated in the site license issued by the Environment Agency to Tamworth Golf Centre and their contractor (Jack Barker).

The EA will have received information from the contractor on the loads tipped; the EA will also have dockets of the type of material tipped and have the legal responsibility to ensure it was materials that would not be harmful to the local environment.

The original planning permission approved the tipping of 150,000 cubic meters* of inert material.

There was Subsequent planning permission granted to extend the time allowed for tipping due to the Economic Recession.

The applications to extend the time also included a variation to reduce the overall amount of tipping. Planning permissions indicate that 101,000 cubic meters of insert material have been tipped forming the new landscaped fairways and incomplete driving range area.

During this time the site was monitored for the location and massing of the landscaping works to ensure compliance with the approved plans.

To achieve this 4000 cubic meters of fill was used and 1750 cubic meters of top soil. All the mounds have been grass seeded and are now incorporated into the golf course.”

Supplementary question:

If 101,000 cubic metres were tipped do you know the value obtained by Jack Barker Ltd?

Councillor S Doyle gave the following reply:

It was overseen by the Environment Agency and not information that the Council has. Jack Barker Ltd is now in liquidation so it is unlikely that the information is available.

*the volume of inert fill has been roughly converted to a tonnage and equates to approximately 167,000 tonnes. It is not possible to give a definitive answer as the composition of the inert fill is unknown.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 132.

None

None

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Education)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Education seeking to revisit the deferred recommendations from the report dated 20^th February was considered. 

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

The Report of the Leader of the Council seeking endorsement of the proposed high level Improvement Planarising from the recommendations set out in the LGA Peer Assessment final report was considered. 

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

The report of the Leader of the Council to inform Cabinet of the contents of the Annual Review and Corporate Plan was considered. 

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets seeking Member approval for the establishment of retention of Temporary Reserves, Retained Funds and Provisions, to write back to balances those reserves that have been identified as no longer being required was considered. 

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder Operations and Assets seeking Cabinet approval of the proposed Mandatory and Discretionary Rate Relief Policy with effect from 1^st April 2014 was considered. 

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets seeking approval from Cabinet to adopt Fees and Charges Policy as part of the Council’s Financial Regulations was considered. 

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Public Housing and Vulnerable People)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Public Housing and Vulnerable People seeking to set out powers within the Localism Act 2011 whereby Landlords have the option to establish a Designated Tenants Panel (DTP) under which to refer complaints about the Council’s Landlord Service was considered.

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Public Housing and Vulnerable People)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Public Housing and Vulnerable People to agree the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy and to agree for future reviews and changes to the policy was considered.

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Public Housing and Vulnerable People)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Public Housing and Vulnerable People to update Cabinet regarding the approach that has been developed to prevent delayed discharge from hospital that is related to housing issues.  To seek Cabinet approval to further develop this approach in partnership with the South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsular Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and other partnership organisations for a six month period was considered.

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Waste Management)

The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Waste Management seeking Cabinet approval to amend Organic Waste Service was considered.