Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 26 May 2022, as now submitted, be received and approved.

Chairman of the Council

The Chairman of the Council took the opportunity to offer his congratulations and best wishes to Councillor Jason Zadrozny for his upcoming wedding to Jack.

Chief Executive

The Chief Executive introduced and welcomed Robert Docherty, the Council’s new Director of Place and Communities who had commenced work with the Authority that week.

Leader of the Council

In the absence of the Executive Lead Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction, the Leader informed Council that an announcement in relation to Safer Streets funding was imminent but had been delayed due to issues at Government level.

It was almost certainly going to be good news for the Authority and there was also mention of further Safer Streets funding becoming available in the future due to an underspend on the original pot.  Officers had already been instructed to prepare a bid for the potential funding with an emphasis on crime reduction initiatives for Hucknall.  

No questions were received for consideration.

(None received for this meeting)

No petitions were submitted for consideration.

Council was requested to consider adding one new Scheme to the 2022/23 Capital Programme and to approve an increase in funding for an existing Scheme.

RESOLVED

that the proposed Capital Programme adjustments, as set out in this report, be approved.

Council was requested to approve the considerations and recommendations of the Polling Place Review Working Group, established to review existing premises following issues with some locations, and endorse the undertaking of a public consultation exercise.

RESOLVED

that the draft recommendations set out in the report be approved for the purposes of a public consultation exercise, to be reported back to Council in September 2022.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2(ix), Council considered the

following recommendations:-

Minute No. CA.4

Cabinet, 21 June 2022

Local Government Association Recovery & Renewal Panel - Key Reflections

RESOLVED

that the Local Government Association Recovery and Renewal Panel Key Reflections, as presented, be received and noted.

Minute Nos. CA.6 and CC.3

Cabinet, 21 June 2022 and Charities Committee, 28 June 2022

Teversal Community Centre and Recreation Ground (Teversal Grange) (Charity Number 522310)

RESOLVED that

a)    in respect of land described as Teversal Social Welfare Centre, Carnarvon Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield (shown as “A” on Appendix 2), delegated authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Governance and the Service Manager, Commercial Development in consultation with the Chairman of the Charities Committee, to negotiate, agree terms and finalise the disposal of land, in principle, to Teversal Sports and Recreation Trust;

b)    in respect of land described as land lying to the North East of Fackley Road, Teversal, being 3.62 acres (shown as “B” on Appendix 2), delegated authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Governance and the Service Manager, Commercial Development in consultation with the Chairman of the Charities Committee, to negotiate, agree terms for the removal of the restriction with the Coal Authority and to finalise the disposal, in principle, to Teversal Sports and Recreation Trust;

c)    in respect of land described as land to the South East of Teversal Grange Complex, Carnarvon Street, Fackley Road, Teversal, being 0.95 acres (shown as “C” on Appendix 2), delegated authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Governance and the Service Manager, Commercial Development in consultation with the Chairman of the Charities Committee, to negotiate, agree terms for the removal of the restriction with the beneficiaries of the restriction and to finalise the disposal, in principle, to Teversal Sports and Recreation Trust;

d)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Governance and the Service Manager, Commercial Development to secure public access rights to the Council’s retained land as part of any potential future land transfer to the Teversal Sports and Recreation Trust;

e)    in the event that the Teversal Sports and Recreation Trust take over the Teversal Grange site, the outstanding debt owed to the Council by the Trust of approximately £174k be written off to allow the new Trust to take over debt free;

f)     the Director of Legal and Governance and the Service Manager, Commercial Development be authorised to finalise negotiations regarding ensuring that in the event the transfer of the Trust goes ahead, that it is transferred fit for purpose and operational and to bring a report back to Charities Committee and Council to approve any associated expenditure.

The following Cabinet Members gave updates in relation to their portfolio

activity:

Councillor Rachel Madden – Executive Lead Member for Leisure, Health and

Wellbeing

Councillor Matthew Relf – Executive Lead Member for Regeneration and Corporate Transformation

Councillor Sarah Madigan – Executive Lead Member for Customer Services and Strategic Planning

Councillor David Hennigan, Executive Lead Member for Climate Action Strategy and Corporate Communications

Councillor John Wilmott – Executive Lead Member for Licensing, Environmental Health and Regulatory Services

Councillor David Martin – Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and

Benefits.

Motion 1

To consider a notice of motion proposed by Councillor Jason Zadrozny and seconded by Councillor Christian Chapman, as follows:-

“Ashfield District Council notes that:

• Prices are continuing to rise at their fastest rate for 40 years with food costs, particularly for bread, cereal and meat, climbing.  UK inflation, the rate at which prices rise, edged up to 9.1% in the 12 months to May, from 9% in April according to the Office for National Statistics. (ONS)

• On 1 April 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54 per cent.  In light of the increased energy price cap, the average standard tariff energy bill will increase by £693 per year. The average pre-pay meter energy bill will increase by £708 per year (Ofgem, 2022)

• On 6 April 2022, the Government increased National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points, which is projected to cost the average Ashfield family an additional £108 per year.

• The Government has suspended the pensions ‘triple lock’ for 2022/3, meaning that Ashfield’s 24,919 pensioners (ONS) will see a rise of 3.1 per cent this year (instead of 8.3 per cent under the triple lock formula). This year, this will cost an Ashfield resident on the full new state pension an average of £487, and for an Ashfield resident on the full basic state pension an average of £373 (TUC, 2022)

• The number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in the Ashfield District is 17,987 – which is 28.2% of all pupils.  This is the highest figure since records began.  Thousands of Ashfield families face destitution and hunger as their earnings are just over the threshold for free school meals.

• According to the Trussell Trust, food banks in the food charity network provided more than 2.1 million emergency food parcels between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022. Of these, 832,000 were for children. This represents an 81% increase compared to the same period five years ago.

This Council therefore declares a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and asks the District’s 2 MPs to urgently lobby the Government to:

• Reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent, saving the average Ashfield household a further £600 this year.

• Re-introduce the pensions triple lock to support Ashfield’s pensioners.

• Re-introduce the £20 Universal Credit uplift immediately.”

Motion 2

To consider a notice of motion proposed by Councillor David Hennigan and seconded by Councillor Jim Blagden, as follows:-

“Ashfield District Council would like to acknowledge the work of the time limited Covid Response and Recovery Panel / COVID-19 Recovery Scrutiny Panel.  The time limited panel was set up in response to the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The panel has been praised for leading the Council’s response to an unprecedented pandemic.

Highlights of the panel’s achievements include:

·         Successfully campaigning for an asymptomatic testing centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

·         Successfully campaigning for a vaccination centre in Hucknall.

·         Ensuring business support during successive lockdowns – helping dozens of businesses with grant applications throughout  ...  view the full agenda text for item C.23

The Council received a notice of motion moved by Councillor Jason Zadrozny and seconded by Councillor Christian Chapman.

Members were asked to note an amendment to paragraph 5 of the motion, with the number of pupils claiming free school meals being corrected from 17,987 to 5,076.

“Ashfield District Council notes that:

·         Prices are continuing to rise at their fastest rate for 40 years with food costs, particularly for bread, cereal and meat, climbing.  UK inflation, the rate at which prices rise, edged up to 9.1% in the 12 months to May, from 9% in April according to the Office for National Statistics. (ONS)

·         On 1 April 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54 per cent.  In light of the increased energy price cap, the average standard tariff energy bill will increase by £693 per year. The average pre-pay meter energy bill will increase by £708 per year (Ofgem, 2022)

·         On 6 April 2022, the Government increased National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points, which is projected to cost the average Ashfield family an additional £108 per year.

·         The Government has suspended the pensions ‘triple lock’ for 2022/3, meaning that Ashfield’s 24,919 pensioners (ONS) will see a rise of 3.1 per cent this year (instead of 8.3 per cent under the triple lock formula). This year, this will cost an Ashfield resident on the full new state pension an average of £487, and for an Ashfield resident on the full basic state pension an average of £373 (TUC, 2022)

·         The number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in the Ashfield District is 5,076 – which is 28.2% of all pupils.  This is the highest figure since records began.  Thousands of Ashfield families face destitution and hunger as their earnings are just over the threshold for free school meals.

·         According to the Trussell Trust, food banks in the food charity network provided more than 2.1 million emergency food parcels between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022. Of these, 832,000 were for children. This represents an 81% increase compared to the same period five years ago.

This Council therefore declares a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and asks the District’s 2 MPs to urgently lobby the Government to:

·         Reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent, saving the average Ashfield household a further £600 this year.

·         Re-introduce the pensions triple lock to support Ashfield’s pensioners.

·         Re-introduce the £20 Universal Credit uplift immediately.”

Having been fully considered, the motion was put to the vote and it was

RESOLVED

that this Council duly declares a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and asks the District’s 2 MPs to urgently lobby the Government to:

·         Reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent, saving the average Ashfield household a further £600 this year;

·         Re-introduce the pensions triple lock to support Ashfield’s pensioners;

·         Re-introduce the £20 Universal Credit uplift immediately.

(During consideration of this item and in accordance with Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item C.23

The Council received a notice of motion moved by Councillor David Hennigan and seconded by Councillor Caroline Wilkinson (in Councillor Jim Blagden’s absence), as follows:

“Ashfield District Council would like to acknowledge the work of the time limited Covid Response and Recovery Panel / COVID-19 Recovery Scrutiny Panel.  The time limited panel was set up in response to the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The panel has been praised for leading the Council’s response to an unprecedented pandemic.

Highlights of the panel’s achievements include:

·         Successfully campaigning for an asymptomatic testing centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

·         Successfully campaigning for a vaccination centre in Hucknall.

·         Ensuring business support during successive lockdowns – helping dozens of businesses with grant applications throughout the Ashfield District.

·         Working with partners including the Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Clinical Commissioning Group, The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham University Hospital’s NHS Trust, Nottinghamshire Police and the voluntary sector to deliver a ground-breaking communication’s strategy.

·         Led on the formation of the COVID information officer team – working with them to support businesses across Ashfield.

·         Installing hand sanitisers in all Council-run car parks.

·         Worked with the Council to ensure that we not only maintained all bin collection services but enhanced them – the only Council is the UK to do this.

·         Worked with schools to get 4 benches commissioned to commemorate our key workers during the pandemic.  These will be located in Hucknall, Kirkby, Selston and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

This Council would like to put on record thanks to all members of Ashfield District Council who played a part in the success of the committee and the staff in Committee Services for facilitating its success and the dozens of people, retailers and health professionals from across the community who gave evidence to assist the panel in its work.

This Council notes that the pandemic is not over and will always remain alert to the challenges faced by public health issues like this.  This Council pledges to ensure that public health and fighting health inequalities will continue to be central to everything Ashfield District Council does.”

Having been fully considered, the motion was put to the vote and it was

RESOLVED that

a)    the Council puts on record its thanks to all Members of Ashfield District Council who played a part in the success of the Committee and the staff in Committee Services for facilitating its success and the dozens of people, retailers and health professionals from across the community who gave evidence to assist the Panel in its work;

b)    the Council notes that the pandemic is not over and will always remain alert to the challenges faced by public health issues like this.  The Council pledges to ensure that public health and fighting health inequalities will continue to be central to everything Ashfield District Council does.

(Prior to consideration of this item, Councillors Chris Baron and Melanie Darrington left the meeting at 8.54pm.)

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5 (Urgent Items), the Council

received an emergency notice of motion moved by Councillor Lee Waters and

seconded by Councillor Dave Shaw as follows:-

“Ashfield District Council notes the planning application for a new £15.7m new Nottinghamshire County Council office block at Top Wighay Farm.  This Council notes the period in which to submit representations to County Hall expires on 12 July 2022.

Whilst this office is in the Gedling Borough – this Council believes that it will have a detrimental impact on the infrastructure of Hucknall.  This Council therefore resolves to formally object to this application.”

Having been fully considered, the motion was put to the vote and it was

RESOLVED

that the Council agrees to formally object to the planning application for a new £15.7m Nottinghamshire County Council office block at Top Wighay Farm.

(None received for this meeting)

There were no questions submitted by Members.

(None received for this meeting)

There were no questions submitted by Members.