Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor M Thurgood

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2016 were approved and signed as a correct record.

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

The following Announcements were made:-

The Deputy Mayor Councillor J Chesworth:-

As you may already be aware last Thursday former Councillor and Mayor and importantly to me my father Peter Chesworth passed away at the age of 82 after a short illness. He hadn’t been in great health for some time and spent the last few months living happily in Standen House Nursing Home. The only times that he went out was to appointments but he was delighted to take part in the photographs for former Mayors organised by Richard Kingstone and more recently the Alderman presentation. He took great pleasure in showing the certificate to the staff in Standen House and I know that he was very proud of the award. At this point and as it is customary in these circumstances I would like you to stand for a minute’s silence.

Councillor S Peaple:-

At the meeting of the Labour Group last night we wanted to present this to you Councillor Chesworth sending our condolences. It was an enormous pleasure in seconding his nomination as Alderman. It was obvious how much it meant to him and the recognition of that service. As I said in my e-mail to the Deputy Mayor how he was very proud of the service and just wanted to thank him on behalf of the Labour Group.

The Mayor Councillor K Norchi:-

Tony Hill was asked to come forward to receive his certificate as Alderman.

Councillor R Pritchard:-

Unfortunately you missed the main ceremony where we confirmed the other Alderman. You missed our eloquent and beautiful speeches that we made. The Council wanted to thank you for your support and service on giving up your time and energies for helping to improve Tamworth. The Council very much appreciated that so on behalf of everyone we would very much like to thank you. I’m sure Councillor Peaple would like to say something a bit more personal.

Councillor S Peaple:-

As on the previous occasions it gives me pleasure to say something about the recipient. In the case of Councillor Hill my immediate predecessor as shared the Leisure Committee and was a man who had great success as Chair of Leisure in terms of Britain in Bloom. He was a man who showed us a lot. You helped young Councillors coming along at that point like Councillor Standen. They learnt a lot from Councillor Hill. What we also realised was the juggling of a full time job being a distinguished member of the fire service and now a publican. With that public service you have set a standard for the rest of us to follow. I wish you well and that this will mean something to you because part of your life that you have given up for this service. Thank you for everything and the example that you have shown for us to follow.

Alderman Tony Hill:-

Thank you very much for the nomination and the honour.

Simon was speaking about predecessors and various bits  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NO. 1

Under Procedure Rule No 10, Margaret Clarke of Tamworth will ask the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook, the following question:-

“At the recent Conversation Staffordshire meeting in Tamworth, representatives of the governing bodies of Burton Foundation Trust, South Staffs and Seisdon Peninsula CCG, and Staffordshire County Council were soundly informed by Tamworth residents and senior nursing staff, that Patient Choice does not exist in Tamworth as our GP Surgeries do not refer patients to the Sir Robert Peel Hospital.  For their part these representatives quickly agreed to inform all GPs to include our hospital in all future Patient Choice situations.

Within your remit as a Local Authority, what are Tamworth’s Borough Councillors and Council Officers willing and able to do to assist in promoting the expanded use of our hospital, please?”

Councillor D Cook gave the following reply:-

This is actually quite complex. I think the first thing to reflect on is that the NHS Choice agenda relates to a large extent on which Trust patients choose to be referred to. The provider trust will then offer an appointment at an appropriate venue depending on the service the patient is being referred into.

For this reason patients in Tamworth will be referred to either Burton or Heft. The other reason is that often the community hospitals will not have access to the full suite of diagnostic machinery and equipment that might be expected from a DGH, and therefore the community hospitals are often used for follow-up appointments following diagnostics undertaken elsewhere.

I don’t think there is any distortion relating to use of the hospitals. All the information and intelligence suggests that we have the wrong services in those hospitals, which mean that patients have to go elsewhere- at least initially. The plan is to review how we use the hospitals and what services we have in them, the CCG, GP’s and Trust are working together to develop a credible plan.

Personally I think the NHS as a whole needs to use its buildings better. But evidence and need must support this long term.

Margaret Clarke asked the following supplementary question:-

“This Council has adopted a strong Safeguarding Policy to protect Vulnerable People. At the present time all of Tamworth residents are vulnerable; no 24-hour treatment available; no easy public transport to our hospital; not enough staffed services at our hospital. 

It takes the same number of doctors to treat a patient:  if you reduce the one, the other increases.

When asked by residents what further services and facilities are ready and available at the Sir Robert Peel Hospital, the Matron Mr Philip Hards gave an enormous list of what our hospital could do for Tamworth residents, given the staff to man all the available services.

Can we afford to look this ‘Gift Horse’ in the Mouth? 

Will this Council communicate to the Foundation Trust, the CCG and our County Council the need for these services by all Tamworth residents, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

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

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance advised Members of the options process and legislative requirement to appoint External Auditors for the Accounting Period 2018/19 and to seek Council approval of the recommended option.

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

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

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

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance advised Members of the results and feedback from the recently undertaken consultation on the proposed Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme from 2017 onwards and to review the consultation feedback when considering potential changes to be applied in the 2017/18 onwards Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Members were also advised that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working age customers for 2017/18 should include continued alignment to Applicable Amounts with those of Housing Benefit and that Members should endorse the proposed change, moderately supported by the consultation results, to restrict Council Tax Reduction awards to a maximum of 4 weeks only where the claimant(s) are abroad.

(Report of the Chief Executive)

The Solicitor to the Council on behalf of The Chief Executive informed Members of the need to relocate two polling stations for the Parliamentary Constituency that fall within the Borough of Tamworth.

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 1 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.

(Report of the Audit and Governance Committee)

The Audit and Governance Committee seeking approval of the selection by three members of Audit and Governance Committee which sat as a panel for the appointment of two Independent Persons in terms of the Localism Act 2011. The appointments require endorsement from Council.