County Council Meeting Papers. Friday, 23 October Council Chamber - Shire Hall, Gloucester

Transcription

1 County Council Meeting Papers Friday, 23 October 2015 Council Chamber - Shire Hall, Gloucester

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3 County Council Friday, 23 October 2015 at 10am Council Chamber - Shire Hall, Gloucester Chief Executive A G E N D A Chairman s Opening of Council 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 2 MINUTES (Pages 1-20) To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 8 July DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Please see note (b) at the end of the agenda. 4 ANNOUNCEMENTS Please see the briefing note, which does not accompany this agenda but will be circulated prior to the meeting. 5 PUBLIC QUESTIONS Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item. Date published:15 October 2015

4 To answer any written public questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the County Council. The closing date for receipt of questions is 10am on Friday, 16 October Please send questions to the Chief Executive marked for the attention of Stephen Bace ( To answer any oral questions put by members of the public with the consent of the Chairman. Depending on the nature of the questions asked, it may not be possible to provide a comprehensive answer at the meeting, in which case a written answer will be supplied as soon as reasonably possible after the meeting. Questions received and proposed responses do not accompany this agenda but will be circulated prior to the meeting. 6 PETITIONS a) A40 bus lane (westbound carriageway of the A40 parallel to Campden Road and Miserden Road in Benhall, Cheltenham) The petition has received more than 5,000 signatories and therefore qualifies for a debate at full Council. Martin Morley will present the petition on behalf of the lead petitioner, Alison Hume. Under the terms of the Council s petition scheme, the lead petitioner has five minutes to present the petition, following which the Council may debate the petition for 15 minutes. The Council has no power to make a decision in relation to the content of the petition but it may choose to refer the comments made by members to the Local Transport Board and the Local Enterprise Board. b) To receive any other petitions without discussion. 7 CORPORATE PARENTING (Pages 21-24) 8 MOTIONS For debate and decision on the day, unless the Chairman decides otherwise. The closing date for the receipt of motions was 10am on Thursday, 15 October 2015.

5 Motion EU Referendum Task Group Proposed by Cllr Lesley Williams Seconded by Cllr Paul McMahon This Council notes that the United Kingdom (UK) has been a member of the European Union (EU) since This Council recognises that the UK s continued membership of the EU is now in question and will be subject to a national referendum. This Council believes that the people of Gloucestershire have a right to take part in the forthcoming referendum. This Council further believes that it has a responsibility to ensure that local residents have the facts regarding the socio-economic impact that the UK s membership of the EU has on Gloucestershire before the referendum takes place. To establish and identify the social, economic and cultural benefits and disadvantages that the UK s membership of the EU has on Gloucestershire, this Council resolves to create a cross party EU task group that will invite evidence from local business leaders, the LEP, trade unions, local universities, the police, the NHS, agricultural representatives, charities, district and parish councils and other partner agencies in order to compile a comprehensive report that will be presented to full Council, all partner agencies, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and be made available to the residents of Gloucestershire prior to the referendum. Motion The closure of Gloucester and Stroud Magistrates Courts Proposed by Cllr Barry Kirby Seconded by Cllr Jasminder Gill This Council notes that the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice have identified 70 courts around the country which the Government is looking to close following a public consultation. This Council is profoundly concerned that the Ministry of Justice has earmarked Stroud and Gloucester Magistrates Courts for closure. This Council notes that should the Ministry of Justice proceed with its plan, it would leave Cheltenham as the sole Magistrates Court in Gloucestershire. This Council believes that the closure of Gloucester and Stroud Magistrates Courts will undermine the delivery of justice in the county. Furthermore this Council believes plans to close Gloucester Magistrates Court will severely undermine existing proposals to create a justice centre and redevelop the Blackfriars quarter in Gloucester.

6 Equally, this Council believes that the proposal to close Stroud Magistrates' Court will mean that some Gloucestershire residents will have to travel at least an hour to get to Cheltenham to receive justice. This Council resolves to: a) Instruct both the Leader and Chief Executive of the County Council to write to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice to demand that plans to close Gloucester and Stroud Magistrates Courts are abandoned. b) Write to all local Members of Parliament, judiciary leaders, Gloucestershire s Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Constable, district council leaders, the Probation Service and members of the Police and Crime Panel inviting them to publically oppose the closures. c) Invite local Members of Parliament, judiciary leaders, Gloucestershire s Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Constable, district council leaders, the Probation Service and members of the Police and Crime Panel to a summit to review criminal justice across the county and to identify the long term effects of court closures that will report back to Government. d) Review the impact magistrate court closures will have upon the planned redevelopment of the Blackfriars quarter in Gloucester and to provide a report to all councillors at the next meeting of Council in December. Motion 754 Ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy generation on the Council s estate Proposed by Cllr Jeremy Hilton Seconded by TBA This Council welcomes the decision taken by Cabinet on 22 July 2015 approving the award of contract(s) for the design, build and maintenance of ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy generation facilities on the Council s estate. This Council notes that in light of the Council s revenue budget pressures such a project would help increase the revenue income from the Council s land assets, converting capital into revenue and thus reducing pressure on frontline Council services whilst at the same time reducing both energy costs and the carbon footprint of the Council. This Council is however deeply concerned with the Government s proposals for a fundamental review of the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FITs), which could put at jeopardy this Council s and other local authorities solar PV projects. This Council therefore resolves that the Leader of this Council writes to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP requesting that any intended changes do not put at risk those public sector/community-led schemes

7 such as this project and any similar future projects, which require much longer to develop, but yet have a much greater social return. Motion 755 Free school meals Proposed by Cllr Joe Harris Seconded by Cllr Paul Hodgkinson On 28 May 2014, it was resolved that this Council welcomed the initiative from the coalition government to introduce (from September 2014) the new universal infant free school meal programme giving every five, six and seven year old in England a free school meal everyday. This Council notes that early evidence shows that free school meals are making a real difference to pupils in the classroom. This Council is however concerned that the current Government may plan to scrap the programme as part of the Chancellor s autumn spending review. This Council therefore resolves that a survey be undertaken in all primary schools across the county using existing resources to examine the benefits of the new universal infant free school meal programme and for findings to be then reported back to the Children & Families Committee in January. This Council also resolves for the Leader of this Council to write to the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP insisting that the new universal infant free school meal programme not be scrapped, but instead that its budget be ring-fenced for future years. Motion 756 Fracking Proposed by Barry Kirby Seconded by Cllr Lesley Williams This Council believes that climate change is real and that it is a serious problem that affects our communities. We note fracking (hydraulic fracturing for shale gas) adds to climate change. This Council further notes the recent protests against shale gas drilling outside Shire Hall. This Council notes there are areas now available in Gloucestershire particularly the Forest of Dean for fracking. This Council also recognises the instability of the geology in the Forest of Dean. Furthermore this Council acknowledges that the process poses a significant risk to the local environment due to the unknown and commercially hidden information about the extraction process.

8 This Council resolves to write to the Secretary of State to remove the licensing areas within Gloucestershire with immediate effect. 9 MEMBER QUESTIONS Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item. To answer any written member questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the County Council. The closing date for receipt of questions is 10am on Friday, 16 October Please send questions to the Chief Executive marked for the attention of Stephen Bace ( stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk). Questions received and proposed responses do not accompany this agenda but will be circulated prior to the meeting. 10 SCRUTINY REPORT (Pages 25-44) 11 CABINET DECISION STATEMENT (Pages 45-60) 12 INDIVIDUAL CABINET MEMBER DECISION STATEMENTS (Pages 61-64) 13 HIGHWAYS PERFORMANCE REPORT (Pages 65-68) To note that senior highways officers from Amey, the Council s highways contractor, will be available immediately following the meeting to answer questions. 14 DEVOLUTION (Pages 69-72)

9 For debate and decision on the day. (a) DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Please declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests that you may have relating to specific matters which may be discussed at this meeting, by signing the form that will be available at the back of the Council Chamber. Completing this list is acceptable as a declaration, but does not, of course, prevent members from declaring an interest orally in relation to individual agenda items. The list will be available for public inspection. Members requiring advice or clarification about whether to make a declaration of interest are invited to contact the Monitoring Officer (Jane Burns /fax: / Jane.Burns@gloucestershire.gov.uk) prior to the commencement of the meeting. (b) RECORDING MEETINGS, INSPECTION OF PAPERS AND GENERAL QUERIES Please note that audio recordings are taken of full Council meetings and are available on the Council s website ( If you wish to inspect reports relating to any item on this agenda or have any other general queries about the meeting, please contact Simon Harper, Head of Democratic Services : , simon.harper@gloucestershire.gov.uk Photography, filming and audio recording of Council meetings is permitted subject to the Local Government Access to Information provisions. Please contact Democratic Services to make the necessary arrangements ahead of the meeting. If you are a member of the public and do not wish to be photographed or filmed please inform the Democratic Services Officer on duty at the meeting. EVACUATION PROCEDURE - in the event of the fire alarms sounding during the meeting please leave as directed in a calm and orderly manner and go to the assembly point which is outside the main entrance to Shire Hall in Westgate Street. Please remain there and await further instructions.