15 June 2012 Meeting of the Council Monday, 25 June 2012 at 6.35 pm Council Chamber, Town Hall, Warrington Diana Terris Chief Executive _______________________________________________________________ Agenda prepared by Sharon Parker, Councillor Services Manager – Telephone: (01925) 442161, Fax: (01925) 442014, Email [email protected] _______________________________________________________________ 1. Apologies 2. The Minutes of the Council To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor: That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 21 May 2012 be agreed as a correct record. 3. Code of Conduct – Declarations of Interest Members are reminded that they should orally declare personal/prejudicial interests, that they have in any matter or item to be considered at the meeting, including interests relating to the receipt of any relevant gifts or hospitality received within the preceding three years. Please refer to the specific requirements of the Code of Conduct regarding the need to declare interests, the timing of such declarations and exemptions. The Solicitor to the Council or representatives in Democratic and Member Services are available prior to the meeting to advise and/or to receive details of the interest and the item to which it relates. Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide. Whilst officers will advise on the Code and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member based on the particular circumstances. 4. The Mayor's Civic Announcements 5. The Leader’s Announcements 6. Questions Received from Members of the Public In accordance with Standing Order 13.11-13.24 questions from the public must be received by the Head of Democratic and Member Services by 12 noon on Monday, 18 June 2012. No more than 3 questions shall be addressed and no person or body or organisation may submit more than 1 question at any one meeting. A time limit of five minutes shall apply per question to cover the asking of the question, the response and any supplementary question and response. Responses will be given either orally or in writing. The Mayor will invite the questioner to put the question to the Councillor nominated to answer it. The Mayor may receive 1 supplementary question, which must be related to the original question. Should any questions be received after the date of agenda issue but prior to the closing date for receipt of questions further details will be provided. Question 1 – From Mr J Mulhall to Executive Board Member, Environment and Public Protection Are Councillors aware that Golden Gates Housing Trust charges its tenants when transferring properties rent for the over lapping week? 7. To Receive Reports from the Executive Board & the Council’s Committees 7.1 Appointment of Interim Chief Executive Recommendation of the Chief Officer Employment Committee. 7.2 Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge Report of Councillor John Kerr-Brown - Chair of Environment & Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee. 8. Questions from Members of the Council In accordance with Standing Order 13.1 – 13.10 Questions must be received by the Head of Democratic and Member Services, in writing by 5.00pm on Tuesday, 19 June 2012. The time allowed at Council meetings for asking and responding to a question including any supplementary questions should normally be five minutes. Should any questions be received after the date of agenda issue but prior to the closing date for receipt of questions further details will be provided. 9. Motions In accordance with Standing Order 15, motions must be delivered to the Head of Democratic and Member Services by 9.30am on Friday, 15 June 2012. Motion 1 - Police and Crime Panels – guidelines for political proportionality Proposed by Cllr. Ian Marks Seconded by Cllr. Keith Gleave Council notes: 1. that in November the Cheshire Police Authority will be wound up and replaced by an elected Police & Crime Commissioner; 2. that the elected Cheshire Police & Crime Commissioner will be held to account by a Cheshire Police & Crime Panel; 3. that this Panel, which will have ten elected members from across the four local authorities in Cheshire, is required to be, so far as practicable, politically balanced across Cheshire as a whole and that WBC is the lead authority for this Panel; 4. that, at its meeting on June 6 this year, the Joint Committee of the four Cheshire Local Authorities, responsible for appointing the nine elected members to the current Cheshire Police Authority so that they reflect the political balance across Cheshire as a whole, so far as practicable; chose to appoint nine members who do not reflect, so far as practicable, the political balance in Cheshire; The Council, therefore, is resolved to ask the Executive to explain to the Home Office what happened at the meeting of the Joint Committee on June 6, and ask for clear and unambiguous guidelines for the appointment of elected members to the future Cheshire Police & Crime Panel and an independent appeals procedure in case of dispute. Motion 2 Proposed by Cllr. Chris Vobe Seconded by Cllr. Lines Rowlands This council:- deplores the Government's decision to cut the amount available for council tax support by at least 10%; notes that this will take £1.3 million out of Warrington's economy; further notes that the impact of this cut is likely to be felt by disabled people, carers and those working for low wage in the Borough; notes that any increase in counil tax benefits will occur as a result of Government policy and not because of decisions by this council; commends the efforts by Warrington North MP Helen Jones and colleagues to call attention to the impact of this policy; and calls on Warrington South MP David Mowat to lobby his government to abandon this attempt to take money from the borough and from some of the poorest people in Warrington. Motion 3 Proposed by Cllr. Kevin Bennett Seconded by Cllr. Jan Davidson Following the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement in the 2012 budget, that the Government desires to introduce 'more market facing' public sector pay. This could mean an end to National Pay deals and replaced with Regional or local pay deals. Wages in Warrington are better than the national average, full-time workers in Warrington are paid on average £513 per week, higher than the national average of £503 but the North West average is £460 per week. Therefore, Warrington would be dragged down even further under regional or localised pay. There are 3.5 JSA claimants per job vacancy across Warrington with 25,600 public sector jobs. Women will be disproportionally affected as 65% of public sector workers are female. This Council requests the Leader of the Council write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Chief Secretary to the Treasury • stating this council’s opposition to plans for regional and localised public sector pay. • Writes to all local MPs within the next month outlining concerns about the impact that this policy would have on services and the local economy. • Signs up to the 'Pay Fair' campaign and raise awareness of the implications and risks of this policy locally, regionally and nationally. 10. The Localism Act – Amended Standards Regime Report of the Solicitor to the Council and Head of Corporate Governance to follow. 11. Changes to Committee Places Notice of the following changes to committee places has been received by the Head of Democratic & Member Services: Councillor C Vobe - from Development Management Committee to Children, Young People and Skills OSC Councillor J Davidson – from Children, Young People and Skills OSC to Development Management Committee. 12. Appointment to the Independent Remuneration Panel Report of the Solicitor to the Council and Head of Corporate Governance. 13. 3 September Meeting of the Council It is proposed that the 3 September Council meeting is put back a week until 10 September at 6.35pm. Council Procedure Rule 2.5 allows for the change of date by consent of the Mayor or the Council itself. If you would like this information provided in another language or format, including large print, Braille, audio or British Sign Language, please call 01925 443322 or ask at the reception desk in Contact Warrington, Horsemarket Street, Warrington. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL 21 May 2012 Present: The Mayor (Councillor M Biggin) In the Chair (Items C1-C2) The Mayor (Councillor S Wright) In the Chair (Items C3 – C17) Councillors: R Barr, K Bennett, S Bland, R Bowden, P Bretherton, P Carey, J Carter, J Davidson, A Dirir, L S Dirir, S Dodd, T Finnegan, C Fitzsimmons, G Friend, C Froggatt, J Guthrie, K Hannon, M Hannon, A Higgins, L Hoyle, W Hughes, C Jordan, J Joyce, D Keane, P Kennedy, J Kerr-Brown, L Ladbury, B Lines-Rowlands, B Maher, I G Marks, A McCarthy, M McLaughlin, H Mundry, L Murphy, P Nelson, T P O’Neill, S Parish, H Patel, D Price, F Rashid, J Richards, S Roberts, G Settle, K Simcock, J Walker, P Walker, G Welborn, T Williams, S Woodyatt, P Wright C 1 Apologies Apologies were received from Councillors Axcell, Brinksman, Gleave, Johnson and Wood. C 2 Election of Mayor and Acceptance to Office The election of Councillor S Wright as Mayor for the Municipal Year 2012/13, was moved by Councillor Mundry and seconded by Councillor D Keane and Council Resolved, That Councillor S Wright be elected Mayor of the Borough of Warrington until the acceptance of office by a successor at the next Annual Meeting of the Council. C 3 Election of Deputy Mayor and Acceptance to Office The election of Councillor P Carey as Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2012/13 was moved by Councillor M Hannon and seconded by Councillor T O’Neill and Council Resolved, That Councillor P Carey be elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Warrington until immediately after the election of Mayor at the next Annual Meeting of the Council.