Agenda and minutes

None

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2015 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

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.

The Mayor Councillor M Gant made the following announcement:-

Before we start the meeting tonight I would just like to say something to you all. As I said at the end of the last meeting at the debate of Tamworth the meeting was really good and we were all reading from the same hymn sheet to help the people of Tamworth. So I hope tonight you all show respect to each other as you did at that meeting and I would appreciate that very much.

The Leader of the Council Councillor D Cook made the following announcement:-

First of all I will start with my excuse. I spent nearly an hour trying to print some stuff for Council today which lead to IT literally taking control of my laptop and taking it downstairs. I did write a speech for this but don’t have it because of the problems with my computer so I will do my best to ‘wing it’. As members of the Council will be aware I gave an e-mail to all Councillors on 21^st September to of the e-mail to Conservative colleagues on 9^th June this year. In my e-mail to my conservative members I made some comments that I really should not of done. I would like to offer an abject and fully unreserved apology to the opposition Councillors as for my choice of wording. The e-mail was intended for internal circulation of the Conservative group and was thus worded in that nature. Had I have known it was public it should have been worded better. That is not an excuse and I do offer an apology. I think everyday of everyone’s life we are learning and I will learn from this.

Councillor M Couchman replied to the Leader of the Council Councillor D Cooks announcement as follows:-

It’s very easy to apologise when you have been caught out but actions speak far louder than words. The Labour Group has put forward to the controlling group a way that we can work together and go forward and regain that trust that we need to work together for the people of Tamworth. But as you have not changed your words mean nothing. I’m sorry.

(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 COUNCIL NO. 1

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor Tony Madge will ask the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook, the following question:-

“Can the Leader of the Council please update us on the progress of the Syrian Refugee’s that will be coming to Tamworth? Have we a date of their arrival and have we adequate facilities in place to help the refugee’s settle in our community?”

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:-

The latest information from the Liaison Officer at Staffordshire County Council covered the following key points:

Staffordshire authorities have pledged to the Home Office that they will accept 50 refugees from Phase II of the programme and will seek to accept refugees in early 2016.

A service specification has been produced for a ‘Staffordshire Refugee Integration & Independent Service’ to resettle the Syrian Refugees within Staffordshire utilising Central Government funds.  This has been produced in consultation with District/Borough representatives and has drawn on ‘best practice’ documentation obtained from Coventry City Council, Birmingham City Council and various Third Sector organisations.  The Service Specification went ‘live’ on 30/11/15 and we are hoping to award the contract to the successful provider week commencing 4/1/16.

Concurrently, SCC is working with District/Borough representatives and other partners to develop finance model for the scheme and a ‘service provision hotspots matrix’, which will be used to aid decision-making of where specific refugees will be resettled.  The matrix will enable us to effectively match the needs of the refugee with the provision within the local community, therefore at this stage it is not possible to say when the first Syrian individuals/families will arrive in Tamworth as it will depend on the needs of that individual/family and the availability of the services which they may require.

In order to assist the resettlement process, a Services Directorate and a Welcome handbook/pack are at a draft stage.  District & Borough Councils will be able to incorporate local information, advice and guidance as necessary to ensure as safe and trauma free process for the Syrian refugees.

In regards housing we have spoken to local RSL’s such as Midland Heart who have experience in the matter of helping refugees. This experience mostly comes from the crisis in Bosnia in the 1990’s, but they are at present concentrating their efforts in the major conurbations, therefore the Council has agreed the approach to be taken in relation to re-housing arrivals which, as previously communicated, will seek to utilise private rented accommodation within the framework of the Council’s Private Rented Leasing Scheme as a preferred option. But exact details will be worked out over the coming couple of weeks.

Cllr Madge, as more information trickles through I will update members, but I can confirm this Councils continued commitment to the matter.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO. 2

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor Marion Couchman will ask the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook, the following question:-

“Recently in the Tamworth Herald you are  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

(The Report of the Leader of the Council and the Solicitor and Monitoring Officer)

The Leader of the Council and the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer requested to obtain comments, endorsement and approval of the amendments to the Constitution as attached at Appendix 1 to the Report

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets)

The Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets provided an overview on the issues and work areas around equality that the Transformation and Corporate Performance team had a lead on and/or were involved in. The report aimed to provide Council  with an update of the on-going work and to give assurance that systems or work streams are in place where required in order that Tamworth Borough Council embraces equality and diversity and remains compliant.

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets)

The Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets presented to Members the Mid-year review of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy.

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets)

The Portfolio Holder for Operations and Assets advised Members of the results and feedback from the recently undertaken consultation on and the financial implications of the 2014/15 scheme and reviewed the consultation feedback when considering potential changes to be applied in the 2016/17 Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Also Members were advised that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working age customers for 2016/17 should include continued alignment to Applicable Amounts with those of Housing Benefit. Members were requested to endorse the proposed change, supported by the consultation results, to exclude child maintenance as income.

(The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Public Health)

The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Public Health requested Council to consider the Revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles 2016 – 2019 and adopt it.

To consider excluding the Press and Public from the meeting by passing the following resolution:-

“That 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 Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public  interest in disclosing the information to the public”

At the time this agenda is published no representations have been received that this part of the meeting should be open to the public.

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Waste Management)

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Waste Management updated Council on the progress with the implementation of communal service charging, in particular details concerning tenant consultation and outcomes from the statutory consultation process in relation to the tenancy agreement and service charging and methodology for apportionment as detailed in the proposed service charge policy