Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 16^th June 2020 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

Councillor Dr S Peaple and Councillor S Peaple declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 9 which is in the private session of the meeting and indicated that they would disclose the full nature of their interests at that point and will then leave the meeting when this item is discussed. Councillor P Standen and Councillor J Faulkner also declared non pecuniary interests in the same item, which they would disclose in full at that point, but stated that these interests will not impede them from voting on this item.

The following announcements were made;

Madam Mayor Councillor R Claymore

“I have just a couple of announcements, first and foremost at the last full Council meeting there was a particular mention of the extraordinary work that has been carried out by Tamworth Borough Council Officers throughout this pandemic and I just wanted to reiterate that this is continuing, the staff are doing amazing work, this is something we have never experienced before. The staff are having to work under difficult and very new circumstances, I just wanted it on record how much the members appreciate everything that  they are doing and going forward hoping that things will get to some sort of normal at some point soon.

The other thing I wanted to mention is just on a personal note from me as the Mayor.

I have a couple of initiatives that I want to get off the ground, As you can appreciate it's very difficult at the moment to get out and about to see people but what I would like to do first and foremost is try and meet as many of the volunteers that have stepped up to the mark. Over the next few months I would like to hold small intimate afternoon tea parties. I would like to hold these in the Town Hall and possibly in the Bandstand if I am allowed. I would also like to invite some of the businesses throughout the town so that we can see how well these businesses are doing whilst we are celebrating the wonderful work the volunteers are doing.

So my plea to you is I do have a list of volunteers, but if anybody knows anyone who has stepped up to the mark or gone that little bit further, then can they contact me through Democratic Services. I would like to invite as many of those people along over the next few months to have a nice little afternoon tea as a thank you.”

Councillor R Kingstone

“Thank you Madam Mayor.  I'm not going to make a speech or anything but just to state for the meeting and for all Councillors present that it is my intention to resign with immediate effect from the controlling group and I will be sending an email outlining my reasons to all Councillors and the Chief Executive in a few minutes time. Thank you Madam Mayor.”

Councillor R Prichard Deputy Leader

“Thank you Madam Mayor in the absence of the Leader of the Council who is away today I would just like to announce some slight changes to the Cabinet structure, with no change to membership those details have been circulated to the Chief Executive, Democratic Services and the Opposition Leaders and also  a slight change to reflect the announcement of the Conservative committee places and that has been distributed through Democratic Services, the Opposition group leaders and the Chief Executive, and finally I would like to announce the champions, the champion role is something this Council has been doing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO.1

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor T Clements will ask the Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Growth, Councillor J Oates, the following question:-

“Can the Cabinet member give the people of Tamworth some reassurance that we understand the challenges of the high street? COVID 19 has changed many ways of working and we need to ensure that we future proof our plans and particularly the High Street business plan that this council will consider submitting to the government this evening.”

Councillor J Oates gave the following reply:-

“Thank you for allowing me to answer this question I will answer in two parts if I may. The Covid pandemic has provided the Council with an opportunity to really understand the challenges that the pandemic has created around the High Street. The opportunity has been brought about by the distribution of the business grants and the provision of business advice and the reopening of the High Street project itself.

 It must be remembered although the recovery is still in a very early phase, Officers will still continue to engage with the business community to both shape and respond to the challenges as they emerge.

Madam Mayor, re-opening the High Street project and the wider regeneration works that the Council is currently undertaking, it's given us the following, given us the strong and collaborative two-way relationship with landowners and a better understanding of what's going on in terms of tenancies and units, something that we've not had before and also allowed us to improve and develop stronger relationship intelligence and engagement within the business community.

 In the past it's been difficult to get into some of those and the business community have found it difficult to get into the Council so we are now in a better situation to understand that. It’s also given us the opportunity to renew and drive forward positive relationships with stakeholders in the Town Centre and I will mention Ankerside as an example.

Second part of my answer relates to the second part of the question that Councillor Clements has raised, later on this evening the Council will consider the final business plan submission to Government under the Future High Street fund initiative, this is an opportunity to intervene in a current trajectory of the Town Centre and make it fit for purpose for the people of Tamworth. As

Part of the submission to Government the Council has completed a detailed COVID-19 agendum highlighting mitigating specific risks of the pandemic to the project; these are very much public realm works and mitigations to allow for social distancing, whatever that becomes, and that flexibility. Whilst the full implications of COVID-19 on the economy of the High Street cannot be fully understood as we sit here this evening we are confident that our plans to improve and change the Town Centre will be future proofed, the reason we are confident includes that they are in line with the Government spending agenda around skills,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) Regulations 2012 specify and require inter alia under Regulation 19 that the executive leader must submit a report on a regular basis to Council containing details of particulars of each urgent executive decision and a summary of the matters in respect of which the decision was made. The report was presented to Council by the Deputy Leader.

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services and Communities)

The report of the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance sets out proposals and seeks approval to re-profile the Housing Revenue Account Capital Budgets, provisionally approved by Council on 25^th February 2020, by bringing monies forward from with the current five-year programme to allow for the funding of property acquisitions and to take advantage of opportunities relating to the purchase of new-build property or other property that may be of interest to the Council under the current housing acquisitions policy.

In particular there is an opportunity to work with a Community Interest Company (Cornerstone) to acquire some newly refurbished and new build properties in the former Wilnecote Youth Club property.

The report further seeks to vire monies from the Housing Revenue Account Capital programme to fund the updating of the Council’s Asset Management Strategy

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

In accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meeting and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, and Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Scheduled 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

(Moved by Councillor R Bilcliff and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

(Moved by Councillor P Standen and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Growth)

Councillor S Peaple declared that she had a disclosable pecuniary interest in this agenda item as Director of the building in question and left the meeting.  Councillor Dr S Peaple declared that he also had a disclosable pecuniary interest as Councillor S Peaple’s partner and he left the meeting.

Councillor P Standen and Councillor J Faulkner declared that they had non disclosable pecuniary interest in the meeting but did not feel that this interest would impede their vote.

The Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Growth provided an update to Council for approval, on the Final Full Business Case for the Future High Streets Fund, outlining the projects that will be submitted and the requirements of implementing these projects, should a successful award be made.

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and seconded by Councillor B Price)

There was also a vote of thanks to Anna Miller and team for all of their hard work in producing this final business case.

(Moved by Councillor C Cooke and seconded by Councillor B Price)