Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the proceedings of the Meeting of the Council held on MeetingDate.

The minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of Northampton Borough Council held on 21 July 2008 were signed by the Mayor subject to the correction of the spelling of Holly Avil on page 2.

Apologies were received from Councillors Beardsworth, Capstick, de Cruz, J Lill and Meredith.

Councillors Church and Woods declared personal interests in item 8 “Overview & Scrutiny Annual Report 2007/2008” insofar as the report referred to the WNDC of which they were Board members.

Councillors J Conroy and Duncan declared personal and prejudicial interests in item 10 “Northampton Municipal Church Charity” as they were trustees of it.

Councillor Hadland declared a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of item 10 “Northampton Municipal Church Charity” as an adviser to it.

Councillor Taverner declared a personal interest in item 7 “Cabinet Member Presentations” insofar as the report referred to disabilities.

The Mayor referred to the Heritage Open Days which was taking place over the weekend of 13 & 14 September.  He commented that the Mayor’s Parlour and Guildhall would be open on 14 September and that members of the Youth Forum would be escorting visitors around the building.  He noted that the Deputy Mayor would be present at Hazelrigg House.

(i)                 Petition from Upton Grange Residents Association to extend Upton Parish boundary.

(ii)               Other.

(i)  PETITION FROM UPTON GRANGE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION TO EXTEND UPTON PARISH BOUNDARY.

Mr M Clarke on behalf of Upton Grange Residents Association presented the Mayor with a petition to extend the Upton Parish boundary and commented that the required 250 signatures had been gathered.  The request was to extend Upton Parish boundary to Upton Way to include Upton Grange and that some parts of Upon One which were currently outside of the Parish boundary should be included within it.

(ii)  OTHER.

Mr D Green with reference to the Overview & Scrutiny Annual Report 2007/2008 referred to the loss of school playing fields caused by the County Council’s PFI scheme.  He commented that some 20 playing fields would be lost at a total cost of £1 billion.  The County Council had said that there should be community access to the new facilities and the Borough Council had a policy that access agreements should be drawn up.  But these access agreements did not exist.  PPS 17 stated that any new open space to be provided should be equal to or better than that which had been lost.  It did not appear that the WNDC were pursuing this issue and the Borough Council seemed to be absolving itself of any responsibility.  Mr Green understood that the Borough had written to the WNDC in the Spring but that a response was still awaited and he suggested that the Council should be more robust on this matter.

(Councillors Edwards, Lane, Hill, Malpas and Taverner declared a personal interest in this matter as County Councillors).

Mrs Walder in reference to the Overview & Scrutiny Annual Report 2007/2008 referred to the loss of open space and commented upon her own experience of working with 4-11 year olds in some of the most deprived areas of the town.  She commented that playing fields were an important resource for free recreation and she cautioned that the WNDC, County Council and Borough Councils needed to be careful in the decisions that they made or else no open space would be left.

Mr C Swinn in respect of the Cabinet member presentations referred to the Community Engagement Strategy and the toolkit from Portsmouth which had yet to be implemented.  In respect of Housing he commented that the Choiced Based Lettings process appeared to be working well.  He expressed concern at the operation of N-TACT which he considered at present to be dysfunctional and not fit for purpose.  He commented that N-TACT had no grievance or conflict resolution process in order to deal with any issue that might arise.

The questions submitted and the responses are attached.

The Mayor advised that two questions had been received from Councillors and that they together with responses had been tabled in accordance with the Constitution.  The questions would be taken in the order in which they had been received.

Councillor I Chaudhury thanked Councillor Church for the answer to his question that had been tabled and asked him whether he agreed with the Police and the Town Centre Partnership that a skateboard park should be provided at Beckets Park.  Councillor Church commented that he understood the point of view that had been expressed and that a town centre location for a skateboard park did seem sensible but all possibilities should be examined.

Councillor Scott thanked Councillor Woods for his answer to her question that had been tabled and further queried that as permitted development in parks referred to minor matters whether he was happy that the matter had been resolved ethically.  Councillor Woods confirmed that he was content with the outcome of this matter.

At this point each of the Cabinet members present made a presentation on their respective portfolios which had been circulated with the agenda.

Councillor Woods then presented his portfolio update which covered the issues of management restructure, improvement, the Joint Strategic Planning Committee and WNDC.  In answer to a question he confirmed that portfolio holders were responsible for their own reports.  Councillor Clarke expressed concern at the expense of the Joint Strategic Planning project and Councillor Woods commented that consultants had looked at the capacity of the Joint Planning Unit and had recommended that capacity be improved as well as the qualifications of those involved in it.  He conceded that it would have significant implications for the budget but it was important that the joint local document framework was brought forward quickly and to a good standard.  He undertook to write to Councillor Clarke with the financial details and stated that consultants would continue to be used when and where necessary by the Council.

Councillor Clarke proposed and Councillor Larratt seconded “That the Council’s Procedural Rules be suspended so as to allow unlimited questioning of portfolio holders.”

Upon a vote the motion was lost.

Councillor Woods on behalf of Councillor Beardsworth presented her portfolio report which covered performance, partnership working and other key issues.

In respect of N-TACT Councillor Woods commented that tenant participation was an area that the Council wanted to work successfully and it needed to involve people from across the town and should help the Council’s improvement.  However, at present it was not doing this.  In answer to questions from Councillor Palethorpe he commented that an improved process had been put in place for Disabled Facilities Grants and that a backlog of applications was being processed.  This in turn had put pressure on the Occupational Therapists.  He noted that in terms of Team Leaders as many as were needed would be appointed.  In response to questions from Councillor Malpas, Councillor Woods commented that customer service within the Housing area needed further work and that he would write with details of the Manager responsible for the Ecton Lane Traveller Site.  He noted that the web based version was only one means of accessing the Choiced Based Lettings system and that texting or talking to Housing Officers were available as alternatives.  Feedback on the system had so far been positive.  In response to a query from Councillor Clarke, Councillor Woods undertook to write to him in respect of the Cooper Street flats and in response to Councillor Flavell commented that a Housing Officer or himself or Councillor Beardsworth would attend a meeting of Neighbourhood Partnership 9.

Councillor Glynane presented his report regarding Community Safety, Culture and Leisure and Customer Services Operations.  He noted that an evaluation of both the Venezia and Balloon Festivals would be undertaken.  The Venezia costs were being met by sponsorship.  The Balloon Festival had been a success this year and Councillor involvement in the Balloon Festival Working Party was welcomed.  In respect of the Safer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Councillor Simpson submitted a report which had been circulated with the agenda and thanked Alan Lenton in the Print Services Unit for the design of the report.  He elaborated upon the report and that of Overview & Scrutiny Committee 1 and referred to the need to increase resources and support available to Overview & Scrutiny.  Councillor R Conroy seconded the adoption of the report.  Councillor Malpas and Lane commented upon the work of Overview & Scrutiny Committees 2 and 3 respectively.  Councillor Woods commented that the Cabinet welcomed the report and the work of Overview and Scrutiny and had tightened up its own responses to Overview & Scrutiny recommendations.  He acknowledged that further resources to support Overview & Scrutiny could be considered in the budget round.

RESOLVED:That the Overview & Scrutiny Annual Report 2007/2008 be noted.

Report of Solicitor to the Council.

Councillor Woods submitted a report that had been circulated with the agenda.

Councillor Clarke expressed concern that the effects of the joint planning process on the Council’s budget and the philosophy behind the joint working with the County Council and Daventry and South Northamptonshire District Councils.

RESOLVED:That Councillors Church, Hollis, Woods and P D Varnsverry be confirmed as the Council’s representatives on the West Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee with Councillors Beardsworth, Collins, J Conroy and Meredith to act as substitutes.

NB  Councillor Clarke voted against the above resolution.

Report of Solicitor to the Council

Councillor Collins submitted a report that had been circulated with the agenda.

RESOLVED:That Mr J Church, Mr T Sanderson and Mrs J Lineker be appointed as Trustees to the Northampton Municipal Church Charity.

Report of Solicitor to the Council

Councillor B Hoare submitted a report and reported that the third member of the Panel would be Mr Terry Wright.

RESOLVED:(1) That approval be given to the setting of an independent Remuneration Panel.

(2) That the following people be appointed to the Panel:-

Mr Paul Joy

Mr Augustine Madu

Mr Terry Wright

(3) That the period of service for independent Remuneration Panel members be varied between 3-5 years in order to retain experience on the panel and to avoid all members leaving together; the length of service to be negotiated with each of the Panel members and to have regard to the relationship between the length of service and the electoral cycle.

(4) That the recruitment and selection of the Independent Remuneration Panel members in line with the Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 be noted.

Report of Chief Executive

Councillor Woods submitted a report that had been circulated with the agenda.

Comment was made at the consequential effects on meetings of some of the Neighbourhood Partnerships.

RESOLVED:That the amended Meetings Cycle for 2008/09 be approved to take effect from Wednesday 15 October 2008.

The Mayor noted that in accordance with the Constitution no prior notification of any Opposition Group Business had been given.

Councillor Hadland moved and Councillor Clarke seconded that “Council Procedural Rules be suspended so as to allow an item of Opposition Group Business to be discussed”.

Upon a vote the motion was lost.

None.