Agenda and minutes

Councillor Clarke declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the motion set out under item 9 as a employee of Northampton Town Football Club.

Councillors Church and Woods declared personal interests in the motion under item 9 as WNDC Board members.

Councillors B Markham, I Markham and B Hoare declared personal interests in the motion under item 9 as season ticket holders of the Saints Rugby Football Club.

Councillor Flavell declared a personal interest in the motion under item 9 as a WNDC Planning Committee member.

Councillor Duncan declared a personal interest in the motion under item 9 as a member of the Saints Supporters Club.

Councillor Garlick declared a personal interest in the motion under item 9 as a season ticket holder of Northampton Town Football Club.

Councillor Meredith declared a personal interest in the motion under item 9 as a member of the Cobblers Supporters Trust.

Apologies were received from Councillors S Chaudhury, Crake, Edwards, M Hoare and C Lill.

The Mayor announced that the Northampton Heart of the Community Awards 2010 would be launched during the week.  The awards were for people all over Northampton who helped their neighbours, supported local groups and regularly went out of their way for others in their community.  He sought the help of Councillors in spreading the word about these new awards and also to encourage people to submit nominations by Wednesday 31 March 2010.  All nominations would be considered by a panel of independent judges and a number of winners would be selected.  Winners would be invited to a special celebration event at the Guildhall in May 2010.  Information and a downloadable nomination form would be available from the One Stop Shop or on the website at www.northampton.gov.uk/heartofthecommunity.

The Mayor announced that he had some tickets available for the County Youth Orchestra Concert scheduled for 6 March 2010.

Mr De Rosario noted the financial pressures on the Council and the plans to invest some £400,000 in heating systems including a project at St Lukes House.  He was pleased that Councillor Beardsworth was prepared to use new technologies to reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.  He asked if Councillor Beardsworth would write to him with the details and benefits of the scheme.  Mr De Rosario asked if Councillor Beardsworth would invest a similar sum in community facilities in Goldings, which he considered to be a forgotten part of the Borough.  He also referred to conflicting correspondence he had received from the Council, which indicated that leaves on parks and highways were cleared up but those on housing land were not.  He stated that he had slipped over on leaves on paths on housing land and noted that uncollected leaves could provide nests for rats etc.

Mr Adams in referring to the Portfolio Holder for Housing’s report highlighted the comments made in respect of PFI.  He referred to comments made by Vince Cable MP to the effect that the Government should go back to a more traditional form of financial structure rather than using public money to prop up public/private schemes.  Mr Adams stated that he believed PFI was rather like the story of the King’s New Clothes.  He noted that in the forthcoming General Election campaign Save Our Services and Defend the Public would point out to the electorate Vince Cable’s comments.

Attached are the questions of which notice had been received and the responses given.

The Mayor advised that four questions had been received from members of the public.  The questions and responses had been tabled in accordance with the Constitution.

Mr Adams asked Councillor Beardsworth, as the relevant Portfolio Holder, that in respect of the Hawksley bungalows the Building Research Station published a document in 1962 outlining remedial works to ensure their continued structural stability for the remainder of their design life.  In 1965 the Government had recommended that the works be carried out.  What work and when had it been carried out on the Northampton stock?

Councillor Beardsworth commented that the Council was unable to verify what work had been undertaken to the Hawksley bungalows in direct response to the Government’s 1965 report.  The Council had completed extensive refurbishment works to the properties in 1999.  These works included structural improvements that addressed the issues raised by the Government including sill replacement, panel strengthening and roof strapping.  More recently the Council had worked to improve the properties’ kitchens and bathrooms to make them more homely and comfortable and improve their heating, insulation and roofing to ensure that they were warmer and more environmentally friendly.  Mr Adams commented that he believed all the remaining stock of Hawksley bungalows were situated in Old Duston and he queried what future the Council foresaw for them and were the tenants aware of the situation.  Councillor Beardsworth commented that people liked living in the Hawksley bungalows and that they had lasted longer than had been originally foreseen.  She was not aware of any future plans in respect of these properties but undertook to write to Mr Adams with any further details.

In the absence of Mr McNabb and Mr O’Donnell the Mayor noted that their questions and the responses to them would be sent to them.

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

Councillor B Hoare presented his Portfolio Holder report.  Councillor Palethorpe queried that in respect of the comments on regional government that failure to involve Northampton in new regional arrangements would not lead to the Council walking away from whatever was agreed.  Councillor B Hoare commented that the Council would not walk away from regional arrangements but the point about making the statement was to reinforce Northampton’s importance and the fact that it should be included in any new arrangements.  Councillor Clarke commented that if the Council was not offered a place in the new arrangements then the Council should walk away from it.  Councillor B Hoare commented that two different points of view had been expressed but his remained that the Council should be present.  Councillor Mildren commented that in light of the Council’s financial situation and following a General Election any incoming Government would reduce the amount of money it gave to Local Government.  Discussions should already be taking place with the Government about issues that needed to be tackled such as final salary pension schemes and the award of increments.  If not, the Council would, in future, employ fewer people and provide fewer services.  Councillor B Hoare agreed that there were real structural stresses on the Council’s finances and that perhaps Local Government should follow the lead of the private sector in terms of ending final salary pension schemes.  He noted that any employee cost had an impact on what any local authority could support in terms of overall employee numbers.

Councillor B Hoare, on behalf of Councillor Crake, presented her Portfolio Holder report.  In respect of rubbish collection Councillor Davies queried what “48 hours” meant, whether it referred to 48 working hours or two days.  Councillor B Hoare undertook to write to all Councillors with clarification of what was meant by the term “48 hours”.  Councillor Clarke congratulated the Portfolio Holder for the removal of 40 tons of leaves from parks and noted that leaves from highways were also removed but that housing leaves were not.  He queried why.  Councillor B Hoare commented that the Council had agreed the budget with operational criteria and members could ask for services to be considered.  He agreed to take the matter up with the Director of Housing and respond to Councillor Clarke.  Councillor Hadland commented on the tonnage of glass collected for recycling and queried how much of this was diverted from bottle banks.  Councillor B Hoare commented that he had noted that a great deal of glass was being put out for collection; much more than just that which had formerly only gone to bottle banks.  He noted that the Council was improving its recycling performance.  In respect of environmental crime and the 24 fixed penalty notices that had been issued Councillor Larratt queried over what period of time this had occurred.  He also referred to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

A statement from the Leader of the Opposition regarding employment in Northampton.

Councillor Palethorpe commented that unemployment in Northampton would be an issue that would stretch into the future.  He commented that many young people faced leaving school without jobs being available for them.  He noted that youth unemployment also led to youth housing problems and that this in turn placed a strain on the Benefits system.  He commented that the recession was not only a factor but also the lack of inward investment in the Town.  He commented that the Council needed to consider the type of jobs it wanted to attract and how to market the Town.  He noted that 50% of the population of the country lived within 100 miles of Northampton.  He believed that Northampton wanted quality jobs perhaps in the technology sector.  He noted that 25% of the current population of the town were young people.  He sought a consensus across the Council on this issue and for the future.

Councillor B Hoare commented that he generally agreed with Councillor Palethorpe’s comments in respect of the effect of the current situation on young people and their families and he noted that the Council had seen increased demand for its services.  He commented that the Council also needed to recognise its role and responsibility and that the town’s economy and inward investment was not only within the Council’s gift.  Partnership working was important to make this work.  He also referred to the MKSM area and vision for the future of West Northamptonshire and its focus on the provision of broadband facilities and quality jobs.  He noted that the Public Service Board were already considering issues of education quality and that work was already taking place with EMDA in respect of inward investment.  Some other issues like the regeneration of the town centre, Council could more directly influence.

Councillor Palethorpe welcomed Councillor B Hoare’s comments but also noted his previous comments in his Portfolio Holder report about Regional Government.  He was pleased to note that the Council would not walk away from the finally agreed arrangements but noted it was important that the Council received its fair share of support in having to deal with the issue of rising youth unemployment.

Councillor Woods submitted the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Committee held on 20 October 2009.  Councillor Church seconded their adoption.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the West Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee held on 20 October 2009 be noted.

Councillor Woods to propose and Councillor Collins to second:

That this Council:

• Welcomes the government’s publication of Planning Policy Statement 4, which gives local authorities new powers to protect town centres from out-of-town retail developments.

• Welcomes the Conservative Party’s forthcoming policy proposals to add a competitive test to supermarket planning applications, as reported in The Times on 7^th February 2010.

• Notes the Conservatives’ Parliamentary Enterprise Report published on 10^th July 2008, Healthy Towns Make for a Healthy Country, chaired by local MP Brian Binley.

• Endorses Mr Binley’s foreword to that report, specifically his assessment that ‘our town and city centres lie at the heart of our communities and are as vital to their health as the heart is to the body’.

• Rejects as inaccurate Mr Binley’s assertion on 6^th February 2010 in the Saints vs. Leicester Tigers match-day programme that:

‘The Borough Council has… driven local people out of the Town Centre through high parking charges, double yellow lines, ring roads, and, more recently, a traffic management system which confuses so many people who drive around the town.’

Accordingly, this Council:

·                    Reaffirms the administration’s policy that maintaining and improving a vibrant town centre is essential to the future development of Northampton as a business-friendly regional centre.

·                    Requests that the Chief Executive offer to brief Mr Binley on the planning, growth and regeneration issues facing Northampton and ask him to correct his statement in the same programme that the Council ‘seems hell bent on doing all it can to hinder both The Saints and The Cobblers from fulfilling their ambitious plans for a successful future’.

Councillor Clarke addressed the Council in respect of the motion set out on the agenda paper and, in accordance with his Declaration of Interest, left the meeting.

Councillor Woods proposed and Councillor Collins seconded:

“That this Council:

• Welcomes the Government’s publication of Planning Policy Statement 4 which gives local authorities new powers to protect town centres from out of town retail developments;
• Welcomes the Conservative Party’s forthcoming policy proposals to add a competitive test to supermarket planning applications, as reported in The Times on 7 February 2010;
• Notes the Conservative’s Parliamentary Enterprise Report published on 10 July 2008, Healthy Towns Make For A Healthy Country, chaired by local MP Brian Binley;
• Endorses Mr Binley’s forward to that report specifically his assessment that “Our town and city centres lie at the heart of our communities and are as vital to their health as the heart is to the body”;

·        Rejects as inaccurate Mr Binley’s assertion on 6 February 2010 in Saints v Leicester Tigers Match Day Programme that:

“the Borough Council has … driven local people out of the town centre through high parking charges, double yellow lines, ring roads, and, more recently, a traffic management system which confuses so many people who drive around the town”

Accordingly this Council:

·        reaffirms the administration’s policy that maintaining and improving a vibrant town centre is central to the future development of Northampton as a business-friendly regional centre; and

·        requests that the Chief Executive offer to brief Mr Binley on the planning, growth and regeneration issues facing Northampton and ask him to correct his statement in the same programme that the Council “seems hell bent on doing all it can to hinder both the Saints and the Cobblers from fulfilling their ambitious plans for a successful future”

Councillor Palethorpe proposed and Councillor Larratt seconded an amendment to add at the end of the motion: “resolves to hold a public meeting hosted by the administration at which Mr Brian Binley MP will be offered the opportunity to be present”.

Councillor Woods accepted the amendment.

Council accepted the amended motion as the substantive motion.

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote the motion was carried.

There were none.