Meeting documents

Council
Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 7.00 pm

Date:
Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010
Time:
7.00pm
Place:
The Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bury
 

Attendance Details

Present:
The Worshipful the Mayor (Councillor S P Magnall) in the Chair;
Councillors I Ahmed, D M Ashworth, P Ashworth, K Audin, R L Baum, C A Berry, R A Bibby, D B Bigg, D Boden, K S Briggs, R C A Brown, J Byrne, D M Cassidy, F A Chaudhry, S Cohen, M Connolly, S Costello, Y Creswell, A J Cummings, M D’Albert, V D D’Albert, W J Davison, A J Garner, A S Garner, I B Gartside, D L Gunther, M Hankey, J Harris, D M Higgin, T Holt, S Hurst, A K Matthews, D O’Hanlon, S P Penketh, T D Pickstone, K Rothwell, R Shori, J Smith, B J Sullivan, J W H Taylor, B Theckston, B Vincent, R E Walker, J F Walton, M J Wiseman, S D Wright and Y S Wright
Co-opted:
14 members of the public attended the meeting
Apologies for absence:
Councillors J Grimshaw, A Isherwood and P H Redstone
Buttons
Item Description Decision
Open
C.583 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Preamble for item C.583
 
C.584 MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL
 RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 16 December 2009 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.
C.585 MAYORAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Preamble for item C.585
 
C.586 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Preamble for item C.586
 
C.587 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Preamble for item C.587
 
C.588 LEADER’S STATEMENT AND EXECUTIVE QUESTION TIME
Preamble for item C.588
 
C.589 7. NOTICES OF MOTION
Preamble for item C.589
 
C.590 SCRUTINY REVIEW REPORTS AND SPECIFIC ITEMS “CALLED IN” BY SCRUTINY COMMISSIONS
Preamble for item C.590
 
C.591 JOINT AUTHORITIES - REPORT BY THE COUNCIL’S REPRESENTATIVE AND QUESTIONS
Preamble for item C.591
RESOLVED:

Following Councillor Creswell’s promise to respond to Councillor Baum in writing, the Mayor in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.2 called for a vote that the whole of the remaining business before the Council be approved. The Council approved the Closure Motion unanimously.
C.592 QUESTIONS ON THE WORK OF OUTSIDE BODIES OR PARTNERSHIPS
Preamble for item C.592
 
C.593 DELEGATED DECISIONS OF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Preamble for item C.593
 
The meeting started at 7.00 pm and ended at 10.10 pm

Preamble

Preamble
ItemPreamble
C.583(a) Councillor Pickstone declared a personal interest in the Notice of Motion (B), Employees’ Pay, as he works for an organisation whose payscales equate to those for Local Government employers.

(b) Councillor Hurst declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the Notice of Motion (B), (Minute C.589 below), Employees’ Pay, as he is employed by a local authority, and left the meeting during consideration of the item.

(c) Councillor Connolly declared a personal and prejudicial interest the Notice of Motion (B), (Minute C.589 below), Employees’ Pay, as his partner is employed by the Council, and left the meeting once the interest became known to him.

(d) Councillors J F Walton and J W H Taylor declared personal and prejudicial interests in Minute EX.567, Land at Chamberhall Business Park and the Rock, Bury, as they represented the Council on the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and undertook to leave the meeting should the matter be discussed.
C.585The Worshipful the Mayor informed Members of the recent death of Mrs Vera Dickinson, a Member of the former Prestwich Borough Council who served as Mayor of that Borough during the Municipal Year 1953/54. Members stood in silence as a mark of respect and in remembrance of Mrs Dickinson.

The Mayor congratulated Mrs Laura Chatburn and Mr Tom Bell upon receipt of their CBE and OBE respectively in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Years’ Honours List.

Finally, the Mayor announced that following agreement between in the three political Group Leaders, it was intended that the Freedom of the Borough would be granted to former Councillor Albert Little OBE. It was intended this would take place in conjunction with the meeting of Annual Council in May.
C.586Written notice had been given of one question from the following member of the public:-

Name: Mr A Wentworth
Subject: The current benefits to residents and savings to the NHS through use of the Longfield Suite
Answered By: Councillor Sullivan







C.587The Mayor reported that there were no recommendations coming forward from the Executive and Council Committees for consideration at this meeting.
C.588(a) Written questions (four clear days’ notice given)

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bibby, made a statement on the work of the Executive since the date of the last Council meeting. The Leader and the relevant Executive Members answered questions raised by Councillors on the following issues:-

1. Issue: 1. Problems associated with changes to refuse collection rounds 2. Cost of using agency staff
Questioner: Councillor Smith
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

2. Issue: Recommendations made in the Best Value Review of Civic Halls
Questioner: Councillor Vic D’Albert
Answered by (and action): Councillors Sullivan and Bibby

3. Issue: 1. Development of former Whitefield Town Hall site 2. Possible compulsory acquisition of the site
Questioner: Councillor Connolly
Answered by (and action): Councillors Gunther and Bibby

4. Issue: Provision for road repairs following adverse winters
Questioner: Councillor Baum
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

5. Issue: 1. Primary Health Care Centre on the Uplands site in Whitefield 2. Action to access NHS funding
Questioner: Councillor Audin
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

6. Issue: Arrangements for the counting of Parliamentary and Local Government ballot papers in the event of a combined election
Questioner: Councillor Pickstone
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

7. Issue: 1. Arrangements with regard to Equal Pay Claims 2. Details of level of offer
Questioner: Councillor Holt
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

8. Issue: Clearing snow around Butterstile Primary School
Questioner: Councillor O’Hanlon
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

9. Issue: Lessons learnt from the recent severe winter weather
Questioner: Councillor Boden
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

10. Issue: Personnel involved in snow clearance and response times in Prestwich
Questioner: Councillor Andrew Garner
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

11. Issue: Youth Service Improvement Review
Questioner: Councillor Byrne
Answered by (and action): Councillor Diana Ashworth

12. Issue: Street Lighting Repairs
Questioner: Councillor Steven Wright
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

13. Issue: Improvements to Civic Suites
Questioner: Councillor Shori
Answered by (and action): Councillor Sullivan

14. Issue: Problems associated with gulley cleaning
Questioner: Councillor Ann Garner
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

15. Issue: Safeguarding children and partnership working
Questioner: Councillor Rothwell
Answered by (and action): Councillor Diana Ashworth

16. Issue: Road cleaning and leaf clearing
Questioner: Councillor Ann Garner
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

17. Issue: Action against fly tipping
Questioner: Councillor Holt
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

18. Issue: Inspections under safeguarding regulations
Questioner: Councillor Pickstone
Answered by (and action): Councillor D Ashworth

19. Issue: Use of corporate credit cards
Questioner: Councillor Byrne
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gartside

20. Issue: “Out of Town” shopping and impact of the Rock development
Questioner: Councillor Mary D’Albert
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

21. Issue: Youth employment and Council support
Questioner: Councillor Mary D’Albert
Answered by (and action): Councillor Hankey

22. Issue: Bus Services between Prestwich and Bury
Questioner: Councillor Baum
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

23. Issue: Purchasing and proof-testing of gritting wagons
Questioner: Councillor Andrew Garner
Answered by (and action): Councillor Gunther

Due to the lack of time to answer questions 8 to 23 inclusive, the Leader gave an undertaking that copies of the answers to those questions will be circulated to all Councillors.

(b) Oral Questions on the work of the Executive since the last Council meeting (without Notice)

24. Issue: Arrangements for snow clearance in line with the Winter Gritting Policy
Questioner: Councillor Connolly
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

25. Issue: Car parking charges - Fairfax Road, Prestwich
Questioner: Councillor Baum
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

26. Issue: Scrutiny of the Youth Service and arrangements for recording outcomes of consideration by Scrutiny Commission
Questioner: Councillor Boden
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby
(To discuss with Scrutiny Chair)

27. Issue: Corporate Area Assessment and Service provision
Questioner: Councillor O’Hanlon
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

28. Issue: Best Value Review of Civic Halls and arrangements for consultation
Questioner: Councillor Cummings
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

29. Issue: Refuse Collection Service and involvement of Chief Officers
Questioner: Councillor Byrne
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby

30. Issue: Support from Ward Councillors towards vulnerable constituents - Refuse collection in severe weather
Questioner: Councillor Creswell
Answered by (and action): Councillor Bibby
C.589Two Notices of Motion have been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12:-

(A) Funding for the Police

The following Motion had been received and set out in the Summons:

It was moved by Councillor Vic D’Albert and seconded by Councillor Baum that:

“This Council notes that:

1. This year’s Greater Manchester Police (GMP) budget is overspent by £5 million. Training, recruitment and overtime budgets are being cut to balance the budget.

2. 300 Police Officers will be lost through “natural wastage.” The Police Federation are “very concerned” that “these cuts will affect services to the public.”

3. The Government funding formula has resulted in Greater Manchester Police losing £81.2m since 2002. This extra money, which in 2009/10 would amount to £15m, would fund over 500 permanent Police Officers, and allow positive improvements like neighbourhood policing to be rolled out more quickly.

4. During the same period, Surrey Police have received an extra £56m from Government through the same funding formula.

This Council resolves:

To lobby Bury’s Members of Parliament and the Home Secretary to support our campaign to change the Police funding formula and get our money back.

In the names of Councillors Baum, M D’Albert, V D’Albert, Davison, Andrew Garner, Ann Garner, O’Hanlon, Pickstone and S Wright

An amendment was moved by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor Boden which deleted Points 1 to 4 in the Notice of Motion and added the following:

“This Council welcomes:

1. The work that GMP has done to reduce crime across the country and its prioritisation of Neighbourhood Policing.

2. The achievements of Bury Division under the strong leadership of Chief Superintendent Jon Rush and the effective network of Area Inspectors.

This Council resolves:

To support the work of the Chair of the Police Authority in his ongoing campaign for increased funding for GMPA and calls upon the Borough’s MP’s to back the campaign.”

The amendment on being put, 46 members voted for, none against with the Mayor abstaining, was declared carried.

The Substantive motion on being put, 46 members voted for, none against with the Mayor abstaining, was declared carried.

(B) Employees’ Pay

The following Motion had been received and set out in the Summons:

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Holt that:

“This Council calls on the Local Government Employers to reconsider their decision not to offer a pay increase to local government workers this year and to reopen negotiations as soon as possible with the relevant Trade Unions.”

In the names of Councillors Connolly, Smith, Audin, Boden, Briggs, Byrne, Cassidy, Chaudhry, Costello, Cummings, Grimshaw, Holt, Isherwood, Matthews, Rothwell and Shori.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Pickstone and seconded by Councillor Baum that the motion be deleted and replaced with:-

“This Council recognises the need to show restraint, in public sector pay increases during the current economic situation and financial pressures on public services, but asks the Local Government Employers to recognise that a large proportion of Local Authority staff provide a high quality service for pay which is below the national average, and to consider a settlement which includes pay rises for less well paid staff.”

The amendment on being put, 9 members voted for, 36 against with the Mayor abstaining, was declared lost.

The original motion on being put, 13 members voted for, 32 against with the Mayor abstaining, was declared lost.
C.590There were no Scrutiny Review Reports or specific items ‘called in’ by Scrutiny Commissions to be considered at this Council meeting.
C.591(a) Councillor Walker, the Council’s representative on the Greater Manchester Police Authority, gave a verbal report on the work of the Joint Authority to all Members of the Council.

(b) The following questions had been received in accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

1. Joint authority and Questioner: Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority
Councillor Baum
Issue: Metrolink service during the recent adverse weather conditions
Answered by (and action): Councillor Creswell

2. Joint authority and Questioner: Greater Manchester Police Authority
Councillor O’Hanlon
Issue: Sickness absence within the Police Service
Answered by (and action): Councillor Walker

3. Joint authority and Questioner: Greater Manchester Police Authority
Councillor Baum
Issue: DNA Testing undertaken by the Police and the reasons for this
Answered by (and action): Councillor Walker

4. Joint authority and Questioner: Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor Pickstone
Issue: The work of employees from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service in Haiti following the recent earthquake
Answered by (and action): Councillor Walton
C.592There were no written questions on the work of the outside bodies or partnerships on which the Council is represented, submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.2.
C.593There were no written questions asked on the delegated decisions of the Committees or Scrutiny Commissions contained in the Digest of Decisions No 8 (2009/2010).