TO: ALL MEMBERS of the COUNCIL Dear Sir / Madam, A
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Anwen Jones Solicitor/Cyfreithiwr InterimHead of Legal and Democratic Services Pennaeth Dros Dro Gwasanaethau Cyfreithiol a Democrataidd TO: ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL Your Ref / Eich Cyf Our Ref / Ein Cyf CO Date / Dyddiad 23/09/2011 Ask for / Ceri Owen Gofynner am Direct Dial / 01352 702350 Rhif Union Fax / Ffacs Dear Sir / Madam, A meeting of the FLINTSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL will be held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNTY HALL, MOLD on WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 at 14:00 to consider the following items. Yours faithfully Democracy and Governance Manager A G E N D A 1. PRAYERS 2. PRESENTATIONS A presentation will be made to the following:- (a) Mr. John Thomas - Awarded Flintshire County Council Student of the Year 2011. (b) Flintshire County Council Regeneration Team - Awarded for the Flintshire County Council's Town Action Plan Process in the Partnership and Strategies Category of the Action for Markets Town 2011 - Wales region awards. County Hall, Mold. CH7 6NA Tel. 01352 702400 DX 708591 Mold 4 www.flintshire.gov.uk Neuadd y Sir, Yr Wyddgrug. CH7 6NR Ffôn 01352 702400 DX 708591 Mold 4 www.siryfflint.gov.uk The Council welcomes correspondence in Welsh or English Mae'r Cyngor yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg 1 Flintshire County Council 3. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME 5. COUNCIL MINUTES To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 17th August, 2011 (copy enclosed). 6. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST To receive any Declarations of Interest from Members. 7. CHAIR'S COMMUNICATIONS 8. PETITIONS 9. QUESTIONS To note the answers to any questions submitted in accordance with County Council Standing Order No. 9.4(A). 10. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2010/11 Report of Head of Finance enclosed 11. ANNUAL TREASURY MANAGEMENT REPORT 2010/11 Report of Head of Finance enclosed 12. FLINTSHIRE UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN - CONSIDERATION OF THE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE FURTHER STATEMENT OF DECISIONS AND FURTHER PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS Report of Head of Planning enclosed 13. NATIONAL COMPACT UPDATE The Chief Executive will provide a verbal update at the meeting. 14. HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR WALES (HEFCW) - FUTURE STRUCTURE OF UNIVERSITIES IN WALES Report of Chief Executive and Director of Lifelong Learning enclosed 15. SCHOOL MODERNISATION UPDATE The Chief Executive will provide a verbal update at the meeting following the meetings of the Executive on 5 September and Lifelong Learning Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 September, 2011. 16. CONSULTATION BY THE INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL FOR WALES Report of Democracy and Governance Manager enclosed 2 Date: 23/09/2011 Flintshire County Council 17. SEALING OF DOCUMENTS (A) To authorise the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, the Head of Legal and Democratic Services Officer and Principal Solicitors to affix the Common Seal of the County Council between meetings of the County Council. (B) To note the Action of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, the Head of Legal and Democratic Services Officer and Principal Solicitors in affixing the Common Seal of the County Council as set out in the Seal Register No.13023 - 13044 . 3 Date: 23/09/2011 FLINTSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST, 2011 Minutes of the meeting of Flintshire County Council held at County Hall, Mold on Wednesday 17 August, 2011 PRESENT: Councillor H.J. McGuill (Chair) Councillors: Eng. K. Armstrong-Braun, J.B. Attridge, S.R. Baker, D. Barratt, G.H. Bateman, M. Bateman, H. Brown, C.S. Carver, J.C. Cattermoul, P.J. Curtis, R. Davies, G.D. Diskin, C.J. Dolphin, B. Dunn, C.A. Ellis, E.F. Evans, J.E. Falshaw, F. Gillmore, R.J.T. Guest, R.G. Hampson, P.G. Heesom, C. Hinds, R. Hughes, G. James, R. Johnson, C.M. Jones, N.M. Jones, R.B. Jones, S. Jones, C. Legg, R.P. Macfarlane, D.I. Mackie, D.L. Mackie, N.M. Matthews, D. McFarlane, A. Minshull, W. Mullin, E.W. Owen, M.J. Peers, P.R. Pemberton, N. Phillips, M.A. Reece, H.G. Roberts, L.A. Sharps, A.P. Shotton, N.R. Steele-Mortimer, C.A. Thomas, W.O. Thomas, D.E. Wisinger, A. Woolley and M.G. Wright APOLOGIES: Councillors: L.A. Aldridge, R.C. Bithell, E.G. Cooke, D.L. Cox, A.J. Davies- Cooke, A.G. Diskin, Q.R.H. Dodd, R. Dolphin, V. Gay, A.M. Halford, G. Hardcastle, H.T. Howorth, N. Humphreys, H.D. Hutchinson, H.T. Isherwood, T. Newhouse, I.B. Roberts and D.T. Williams IN ATTENDANCE: Chief Executive, Director of Lifelong Learning, Interim Head of Legal and Democratic Services, Head of Development and Resources and Democracy and Governance Manager Prior to commencement of the meeting, Councillor N.R. Steele-Mortimer reported that Councillor A. Halford had been unable to attend the meeting as she was having an operation. The Chair asked that the good wishes of the Council be sent to her. The Chair welcomed the Members, press and members of the public to the meeting. She introduced the Chief Executive, Director of Lifelong Learning, Interim Head of Legal and Democratic Services, Democracy and Governance Manager and Vice-Chairman who were sitting at the top table and explained how the meeting would work. She explained that members of the public would not be permitted to speak during the debate and asked that all mobile devices be turned off. The Chief Executive explained the rules of debate for the public to follow the meeting and advised Members that were school governors to declare a personal non-prejudicial interest which allowed them to speak and vote on the item concerning the school modernisation consultation process. The Chair invited Members to introduce themselves for the benefit of the public when rising to speak. 4 33. PRAYERS The meeting was opened with Prayers said by Councillor N. Phillips. 34. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST The following Members declared a personal non-prejudicial interest for Agenda item 4 – School Modernisation:- Councillors: Eng. K. Armstrong-Braun, J.B. Attridge, G.H. Bateman, M. Bateman, H. Brown, J.C. Cattermoul, P.J. Curtis, R. Davies, C.J. Dolphin, B. Dunn, C.A. Ellis, E.F. Evans, J.E. Falshaw, F. Gillmore, R.J.T. Guest, R.G. Hampson, P.G. Heesom, C. Hinds, R. Hughes, C.M. Jones, N.M. Jones, R.B. Jones, S. Jones, C. Legg, R.P. Macfarlane, D.I. Mackie, D.L. Mackie, N.M. Matthews, D. McFarlane, H.J. McGuill, A. Minshull, W. Mullin, E.W. Owen, M.J. Peers, P.R. Pemberton, N. Phillips, M.A. Reece, H.G. Roberts, A.P. Shotton, N.R. Steele-Mortimer, C.A. Thomas, W.O. Thomas, D.E. Wisinger, A. Woolley and M.G. Wright 35. SCHOOL MODERNISATION The meeting of the Council had been arranged as a result of the receipt of the following:- Requisition Notice “The Council expresses concern at the tight deadline set for the end of the school modernisation consultation process and recognises the concerns of many parents, teachers and pupils who feel that it is inappropriate for such an important process to be undertaken during the school summer break. We call upon the County Council to halt the current consultation process and bring forward detailed options, inclusive of costings and future pupil admission projections to a future Executive Committee, with a view to restarting a more meaningful and informative consultation process”. Councillors: A.P. Shotton, J.B. Attridge, R. Davies, P.J. Curtis, D. Wisinger. The Chair called upon Councillor A.P. Shotton to formally propose the motion and in doing so Councillor Shotton explained that the motion was fully supported by all Members of the Labour Group. He outlined a number of concerns around the consultation process and that this process had not been debated at full Council prior to its commencement. Critical documents on pupil projection numbers, the condition of school buildings in Flintshire and projected population growth in line with the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) had not been made readily available during the consultation process despite repeated requests for this information. He asked the Executive Members if they had been provided with this information before recommending the start of the consultation process and said that it had been unfair and inconvenient for parents, teachers and pupils for this process to have begun during the summer holidays. Members needed the opportunity to work together to 5 challenge and scrutinise proposals on behalf of concerned parents, teachers and pupils and he urged all Members to support the motion. In seconding the motion, Councillor J.B. Attridge spoke in support of the comments made by Councillor Shotton on the need to halt the current consultation process and the importance of this issue as evident in the number of members of the public who were in attendance. The Leader of the Council, Councillor A. Woolley, in response to the motion, made the following statement:- “It may be a strange thing for the Leader of an administration to say to the Opposition, but I welcome both the interest and concern shown by them and indeed the Motion they have placed before the Council today. The record shows that the standard of education in Flintshire is high. In fact, among the highest in Wales. However, it would be unwise for us to simply sit upon our laurels. In that regard, I believe that it is recognised, across Councillors of all political views, that there is a growing pressure for a Review of Secondary School Provision in our County. We cannot ignore the pressing need to move towards improvement through modernisation and the 21st Century Schooling Programme. There are issues of significant Excess Capacity in three of our High Schools, which the Minister for Education, Leighton Andrews, will not allow us to continue to ignore, as well as judgements to be made about present and likely future pressures on our schools.