Agenda and minutes

None

The minutes of the meeting held on 16^th January 2015 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor S Peaple)

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.

Tributes were paid to the late Chippy Lees

Councillor M Oates

Looking around the room I think I’ve known Chippy longer than anybody else. I first met him in 1952 when we moved to Tamworth. He lived two doors away. He was playing his drums then in the back garden on a Sunday afternoon. He was a great bloke. He had a wonderful outlook on life. He didn’t like injustice he wanted fairness. I had a younger sister at the time in the fifties and he and his wife used to very often take her to the pictures because they liked to. It was a nice thing to do. As I say he was a nice chap. He liked to defend the innocent. One story really sticks in my mind. One of his hobbies was judo. He was a judo instructor. He used to walk regularly from Fazeley where he lived into Tamworth through the Castle grounds. One summer when I think he was in his sixties he crossed the river bridge by the Jolly Sailor and there was a woman with some little children approaching us. There were some yobbos with a ghetto blaster. “I’ve asked him to turn it down” she said. Can you ask him? So Chippy went over to these four lads and asked them to turn it down. The one yob said “are you going to make me”? Chippy said “I can do it if you like”? Go on then? So Chippy picks the ghetto blaster up and threw it in the river. At this point the yob lounged at Chippy so he picked him up and threw him in the river and the other three ran off. That was Chippy he was very much like that. I loved him and I shall miss him. At least now he is no longer suffering I expect he will be in a better place. Thank you

Councillor M Gant

I would like to make a tribute to Chippy because Ken and I have known him a long, long time. Ken has known him about thirty years. So on behalf of Ken I think I should say something. I feel as though his heart and soul was in Tamworth and he was a real Tamworthian and he spoke as he saw things. He spoke his mind completely and honestly and he really did care for the people of Tamworth. So I would like to pay a real tribute to a gentleman of Tamworth and our feelings go out to his wife and hopefully we should be seeing her within the next few days anyway. Thank you.

Councillor D Cook

One piece of information Councillor Oates missed out to start with was Chippy throwing this yob in the river and he was in his seventies at the time. Nothing stops that man. Just to echo what’s been said Mr Mayor. Chippy was a true character of this town and a true gentleman. It was a mistake if  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

(i)                 To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Procedure Rule No. 10.

(ii)               To answer questions from members of the Council pursuant to Procedure Rule No. 11

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NO. 1

Under Procedure Rule No 10, Mr R Bilcliff will ask the Leader of the Council Councillor D Cook, the following question:-

“Can the Leader of the Council inform me what date outline planning permission will be granted for the Golf Course development”?

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:

The honest answer is I have absolutely no idea when it will be granted. Your question requests I confirm when outline planning permission will be granted that is difficult for me to say for 2 reasons. A) I am not a member of the planning committee that will take the decision. B) For the Leader of this Council to pre-determine the outcome or to pressure the committee in any way I suspect, in fact I know, is illegal. The Council is aiming to take an application sometime around April/May and until we finalise all the infrastructure and environmental reports I cannot give a confirmed date.

Supplementary Question:-

“Could the Leader please inform me why in fact there are three Amington Ward Councillors for this on planning committee? Does this not disadvantage the Amington residents from any support with the Council and in particular planning issued”?

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:

No I don’t know why and I do not think it disadvantages any member. They need to be careful what may be said about pre-determination around planning permission.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NO. 2

Under Procedure Rule No 10, Mr R Bilcliff will ask the Leader of the Council Councillor D Cook, the following question:-

“Can the Leader of the Council inform me what is Tamworth Council’s reaction to the 4100 houses being proposed by North Warwickshire Council, which they are planning to build up to our boundary”?

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:

Shock I think would cover it. When this Council began down a path of potentially building homes for the next generation on the old golf site on North Warwickshire’s border, Councillor S Claymore and I arranged a meeting with the leader and planning chairman of North Warwickshire Borough Council to discuss our plans.

The first I heard of these North Warwickshire District Council’s plans was when a consultation document was sent to Councillor S Doyle as a Stonydelph Councillor. 

I have already had a brief chat with Councillor Ray Sweet, Mayor of North Warwickshire Borough Council as their Leader Mick Stanley is still recovering from being hit by a car before Christmas. We have agreed to arrange a meeting to discuss their plans over the next 2 weeks.

I have no issue with making the outcomes of these discussions public afterwards.

Supplementary Question:-

“North Warwickshire meaningful gap the assessment document clearly states that this policy would constitute additional presumption against developers but unfortunately under section 9.6 of that document they are recommending that areas 5 and 7 which are directly on the borders of Amington and Stoneydelph are excluded from the finding of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

(Report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet)

The Report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet to approve the Single Corporate Vision & Strategic Priorities 2015/16 and to approve the recommended package of budget proposals was considered