Meeting documents

Council
Wednesday, 3rd April, 2013 7.00 pm

Date:
Wednesday, 3rd April, 2013
Time:
7.00 pm
Place:
Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bury
 

Attendance Details

Present:
The Worshipful the Mayor (Councillor J Grimshaw), in the Chair;
Councillors A Audin, K Audin, M Bailey, N Bayley, I Bevan, J Black, S Briggs, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, R A Caserta, D M Cassidy, J Columbine, M Connolly, A J Cummings, J Daly, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Frith, I B Gartside, D L Gunther, M Hankey, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, K Hussain, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A Matthews, S Nuttall, D O’Hanlon, N A Parnell, T D Pickstone, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq, B Vincent, R E Walker, S Walmsley, J F Walton, M J Wiseman and Y Wright

14 members of the public attended the meeting
Apologies for absence:
Councillors D Bailey and A Simpson
Buttons
Item Description Decision
Open
C.904 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
 1. Councillor Connolly declared an interest in any item which related to staffing as his partner is an employee of Bury Council.

2. Councillor Jones declared an interest in any item which related to staffing as his wife is an employee of Bury Council.

3. Councillor Bevan declared an interest in items relating to staffing and education as his wife is employed at Summerseat Methodist Primary School.

4. Councillors Briggs, Noel Bayley, S Smith and Wiseman declared personal interests in Minute C.910(i), “Notice of Motion - Bedroom Tax,” as they are Board Members of Six Town Housing.

5. Councillor Quinn declared a personal interest in Minute C.909, “Leader’s Statement and Cabinet Question Time,” in so far as it related to Question 18 as he is an organiser of the Prestwich Carnival.
C.905 MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL
 RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Budget Meeting of the Council held on 20 February 2013 be signed by the Mayor as a true and correct record.
C.906 MAYORAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
 The Mayor informed Members that following approval in principle at Council in December 2012, the Armed Forces Community Covenant had been formally adopted at a signing ceremony on 28 February 2013.
C.907 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

The Mayor reported that notice had been given of two written questions as follows:-

1. “Bedroom Tax” and protecting those unable to pay
Mr A Rose
Councillor Connolly.

2. Rent arrears as a result of Housing Benefit cuts
Ms N Haydock
Councillor Connolly

Steps to be taken by the Council to help those directly affected

The Mayor then asked members of the public present if they wished to ask questions. Councillor Connolly responded to a further question on support for those affected by cuts in Housing Benefits and the “Bedroom Tax”.
C.908 RECOMMENDATIONS OF CABINET AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES
 1.Minute 1 of the meeting of the Democratic Arrangements Forum 18 March 2013 - Managing the Business of the Council

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Smith that the recommendations be approved subject to an amendment whereby Member speeches will be reduced from 10 minutes to 5 minutes except for movers of motions only.

On being put, with 45 members voting for, 3 against and one abstention, the motion was declared carried and it was:-

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the Democratic Arrangements Forum, as amended, with regard to Managing the Business of the Council, be approved.

2.Minute 2 of the meeting of the Democratic Arrangements Forum of 18 March 2013 - Public Question Time

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor John Smith and it was

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the Democratic Arrangements Forum, with regard to Public Question Time, be approved.

3.Minute HRA.5 of the meeting of the Human Resources and Appeal Panel if 25 March 2013 - Pay Policy Statement

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor John Smith

RESOLVED:

That the Pay Policy Statement for 2013/14 be approved.
C.909 LEADER STATEMENT AND CABINET QUESTION TIME
 (a)Written questions (Notice given)

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

1.Council Tax Demand Notice
Councillor Gunther
Councillor Isherwood
2.Campaign for plain packaging for cigarettes
Councillor Black
Councillor Shori
3.Youth unemployment in Bury
Councillor Pickstone
Councillor Bury
4.Consultation on the Council Tax
Councillor Hankey
Councillor Isherwood
5.Capital Funding for Schools
Councillor Southworth
Councillor Parnell
6.Planning Targets; Affordable Housing and employment land approvals
Councillor O’Hanlon
Councillor Campbell
7.Electoral Review
Councillor Bevan
Councillor Connolly
8.Council Tax increase and referenda
Councillor N Bayley
Councillor Isherwood
9.20 mph zones and traffic calming Councillor Pickstone
Councillor Campbell
10.Gin Hall
Councillor Daly
Councillor Campbell
11.National Pay Award 2013/14
Councillor FitzGerald
Councillor Isherwood
12.Capital Expenditure by Township
Councillor O’Hanlon
Councillor Isherwood
13.Parking Enforcement
Councillor Gartside
Councillor Campbell
14.HPV Vaccine
Councillor Simpson
Councillor Shori
15.Bury Housing Concern
Councillor Daly
Councillor Shori
16.Low Carbon Hub
Councillor Quinn
Councillor Campbell
17.Impact of Budget on Local Government
Councillor Carter
Councillor Isherwood
18.Events in Prestwich
Councillor Quinn
Councillor Connolly

Due to the lack of time to answer questions 10 to 18 inclusive, the Leader gave an undertaking that copies of the answers to those questions will be circulated to all Councillors. The Leader also gave an under taking to make these available on the Council Web Site.

(b)Oral questions on the work of the Cabinet since the last Council meeting (without Notice)

19.Plan for Change - Library Review and impact on Adult Learning Centre in Unsworth
Councillor Wiseman
Councillor Lewis
20.Collection of Council Tax
Councillor Gunther
Councillor Isherwood
21.Reduction in bus fares by First Bus following negotiations through the Council’s CGMT representatives. Councillor N Bayley
Councillor Connolly
22.Increase in Council Tax and allocation of resources as a result
Councillor Daly
Councillor Isherwood
23.“Love Prestwich” Strategy and plans for investment
Councillor O’Hanlon
Councillor Isherwood
24.Level of Balances
Councillor Gartside
Councillor Isherwood
25.
Liberal Democrat amendment at Budget Council - Love Prestwich Strategy Councillor James
Councillor Connolly
26.Destination Management
Councillor Bevan
Councillor Lewis
C.910 NOTICES OF MOTION
 Three Notices of Motion have been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12:

1.Bedroom Tax

A Motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the name of:-

Councillors A Audin, K Audin, D Bailey, M Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, J Columbine, M Connolly, A J Cummings, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Frith, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, A Simpson, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley.

It was moved by Councillor Shori and seconded by Councillor Stella Smith:-

“That this Council:-

(a) is appalled that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that a further £10billion will be cut from the welfare budget;

(b) is concerned that the bedroom tax is likely to affect approximately 6-7000 residents in Bury, and that many residents will have to leave family homes as they will be unable to afford to stay. This will place a further strain on Council resources given the shortage of affordable housing in the Borough. This 'strain' may come in the form of greater numbers of people being made homeless and an increase in the number of children being taken into care.

(c) That the bedroom tax will have a disproportionate effect on vulnerable people with its aim to produce a crude form of social engineering whereby people on lower incomes will be granted no entitlement to a two bedroom property irrespective of their of individual circumstances.

This Council resolves:-

That as part of the campaign for a Fair Deal for Bury, a request shall be made to the MPs of Bury North and South to lobby the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for a financial boost to the local Discretionary Housing Payment Fund ("DHPF"), which will be used to support those tenants that are unable to meet the financial burden imposed by the Bedroom Tax. Currently the local DHPF only has enough funding to last only three months if called upon by all the Housing Benefit claimant's in Bury that will be affected by the Bedroom Tax. An increase in the DHPF will enable the Council to ameliorate the impact on the most vulnerable in our community.”

Prior to the vote on the motion, in excess of the required eight Councillors requested that voting be recorded to show how each Member cast their vote, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5

The result of the vote was as follows:

For the Motion

Councillors A Audin, K Audin, M Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, J Columbine, M Connolly, A J Cummings, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Frith, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley.

Against the Motion

Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, J Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, K Hussain, S Nuttall, O’Hanlon, T Pickstone, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton, M Wiseman and Y Wright

Abstaining from the Vote:

The Worshipful the Mayor.

The Mayor declared the Motion carried.

2. Condition of Roads in the Borough

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:-

Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, J Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, K Hussain, S Nuttall, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton, M Wiseman and Y Wright

“This Council notes the effect of the continuing adverse wintery weather on the state of the Borough’s highways.
This Council also notes the healthy level of usable reserves that are currently held on behalf of the people of Bury.
Therefore, this Council resolves to take immediate action to help address the dreadful state of our highways and agree to transfer £2 million from useable balances into the roads maintenance and repair budget for 2013/14.”

Prior to the vote on the motion, in excess of eight Councillors requested the voting be recorded to show how each Member cast their vote, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5

The result of the vote was as follows:-

For the Motion:

Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, K Hussain, S Nuttall, D O’Hanlon, T Pickstone, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton, M Wiseman and Y Wright

Against the Motion:

Councillors A Audin, K Audin, M Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, J Columbine, M Connolly, A J Cummings, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Frith, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley.

Abstaining from the Vote:

The Worshipful the Mayor.

The Mayor declared the Motion lost.

3.Pupil Premium

A Motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:-

Councillors D O’Hanlon and T Pickstone

It was moved by Councillor Pickstone and seconded by Councillor O’Hanlon:-

“Council notes the vital importance of education in providing a fair start in life, and tacking inequalities.
Council therefore welcomes the Pupil Premium, and notes the £3.45 million going to Bury schools in the current year, and that this is rising each year.

Council resolves to:
- ask the Cabinet Member for Children and Families to bring a report to the Executive, before 31 December 2013, detailing how Bury schools are making use of Pupil Premium funding to improve education, in particular education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- ask the Cabinet Member for Children and Families to address within this report any issues of lack of take up of Free School Meals, and ways the Authority could work with schools to increase Free School Meals take up in the future.”
The motion on being put was declared carried unanimously.
The Mayor called upon the Leader to move the Closure Motion in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.
The Leader moved and it was:
RESOLVED:
That the whole of the remaining business before the Council be approved.

C.911 SCRUTINY REVIEW REPORTS AND SPECIFIC ITEMS CALLED IN BY SCRUTINY COMMITTEES
 There were no scrutiny review reports or specific items “called in” by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
C.912 JOINT AUTHORITIES REPORT BY THE COUNCILS REPRESENTATIVE AND QUESTIONS
 Questions asked of Joint Authority representatives and the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority representative’s report would be circulated subsequently.
C.913 QUESTIONS ON THE WORK OF OUTSIDE BODIES OR PARTNERSHIPS
 There were no questions asked under this item
C.914 DELEGATED DECISIONS OF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES
 There were no questions asked under thia item.
C.915 TIMETABLE OF MEETINGS FOR 2013/14
 Approved following closure motion.
C.916 GREATER MANCHESTER MINERAL PLAN
 Approved following closure motion.
The meeting started at 7.00 pm and ended at 10.10 pm.