Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25 September 2023, as now submitted, be received and approved.

To present Waimi, Mbetmi and Yimi Fongue with the British Citizen Youth Award for their services to Hucknall including litter picking, planting trees and the collection of soft plastics for recycling.

The Chairman took the opportunity to welcome Waimi, Mbetmi and Yimi Fongue to the meeting and present them with certificates in recognition of their achievement in receiving the British Citizen Youth Award.  The triplets had recently received the Youth Award for their services to Hucknall, which included litter picking, planting trees and the collection of soft plastics for recycling.

Members were thrilled to celebrate the achievement with them and listened to Waimi, Mbetmi and Yimi’s plans for continuing their good work in the future.

Chairman of the Council

The Chairman took the opportunity to give an update in respect of the events he had hosted and attended from September to November 2023. He also advised the Chamber that his young friend Harley was now out of hospital and was continuing to recover at home.

Details were given regarding the Chairman’s upcoming Christmas fund-raising events and Christmas cheer and good wishes were extended to all present at the meeting.

To conclude, congratulations, birthday wishes and a card were extended to Councillor Andy Meakin who had turned 60 that day.

Leader of the Council

The Leader of the Council firstly wished his colleague, Councillor Andy Meakin a happy 60^th birthday and then took the opportunity to congratulate and express his admiration to Waimi, Mbetmi and Yimi Fongue for receiving the British Citizen Youth Award for their litter picking, tree planting and recycling endeavours in Hucknall. 

An apology was then proffered to Lee Anderson, the standing MP for Ashfield, for a comment that was made at the previous meeting and finally an announcement of the Leader’s intention to stand in the next General Election as a parliamentary candidate for Ashfield.

1. From Kerry Thornton:

“Can the Council explain their reasons for building on Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground, a green space before building on derelict garage sites owned by the Council?”

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the following question had

been submitted by Kerry Thornton:

“Can the Council explain their reasons for building on Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground, a green space before building on derelict garage sites owned by the Council?”

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jason Zadrozny, responded by stating

that the Council had already built on a number of derelict garage sites across the District including selling on available sites to third parties for housing development.  The Council were proud to have already delivered good quality family homes on sites around the District with the benefit of also removing land eyesores at the same time.

The Council, under the Ashfield Independent’s administration, had prioritised and delivered many housing projects providing the first new Council owned family homes since the District Council’s inception in 1974.  The Council’s housing waiting list was continuing to increase and currently stood at over 4,000 people desperate to secure safe and comfortable homes for themselves and their families.  It would remain a priority over the next term for the Ashfield Independents to build as many new homes as possible.

The Chairman then gave Ms. Thornton the opportunity to ask a supplementary question and she responded as follows:-

“The public consultation on the appropriation of Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground ended on 3 August.  The Strategic Leadership Team met on 22 August to discuss the petition; no less than 568 objections obtained in 10 days.  This also included 68 letters of objection and we were duly informed that the outcome from the consultation would be presented to Cabinet.  We are now almost four months from the close of the consultation and two Cabinet meetings have now passed.

Can the Leader explain what is the hold up?”

The Leader of the Council firstly responded to the supplementary question by stating that he wished to clear up some inaccuracies in relation to various housing developments mentioned in Ms. Thornton’s preamble to her question.  He then offered the services of the Council’s housing and planning officers, should Ms. Thornton wish to meet with them, to enable further explanation in respect of current housing and planning processes.

To conclude, the Leader advised that there wasn’t any delay regarding consideration of the potential housing development on Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground post consultation, and officers were continuing to work through due legal process as required.

(None received for this meeting)

No petitions were received for consideration.

In accordance with Rule 17.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules, the Leader informed Council of an executive decision that had been taken pursuant to Rule 16 (Special Urgency Provisions.)

The decision related to a Grant Confirmation Document in respect of some funding awarded to the Council and it was required that the Grant Confirmation Document was to be signed and returned no later than 2 October 2023.

The decision was key and contained exempt information and the full 28 days’ notice could not be given. The Rule 16 Notice and the non-exempt elements of the decision were duly published on the Council’s website.

Council was requested to approve the proposals set out in the report for the revision of some polling districts and polling places following the statutory review required by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013. The proposals were based on the recommendations from the Polling Places Review Working Group.

RESOLVED that

a)    the recommendations of the Polling Places Review Working Group as set out in the minutes of the meetings held on 7 August, 21 August, 11 September and 6 November 2023, as shown in Appendices A-D, be approved;

b)    as a result of a) above, the final proposals report setting out the changes to the polling places and polling districts, having considered all the representations received during the consultation period and included therein, as shown in Appendices E-F, be approved;

c)    the Returning Officer be requested to formally publish the notice of conclusion of the review, its findings, the responses from consultees and all other relevant documentation;

d)    it be noted that in the event of a polling place being unavailable in the run up to an election, the (Acting) Returning Officer has delegated authority to select an appropriate alternative and formal retrospective approval be sought by Council following the election, should this be a permanent proposed change.

Council was requested to consider three appointments to outside bodies.

RESOLVED that

a)    Councillor John Wilmott be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Ashfield Community Safety Partnership Joint Strategic Group with Councillor Helen-Ann Smith replacing Councillor Jason Zadrozny as substitute, for the term ending 31 May 2024;

b)    Councillor Helen-Ann Smith be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Nottinghamshire Joint Waste Management Committee for the term ending 31 May 2024;

c)    Councillor John Wilmott be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Police and Crime Commissioner Panel with Councillor Helen-Ann Smith replacing Councillor Jason Zadrozny as substitute, for the term ending 31 May 2027.

Council was requested to consider and approve three recommendations from Cabinet and the Licensing Committee.

In respect of the Licensing Committee recommendation, Council was advised that no responses had been received in relation to the public consultation exercise which closed on 22 November 2023.

Minute No. CA.34

Cabinet – 6 November 2023

Ashfield Local Plan 2023 to 2040: Regulation 19 Pre-submission Draft

RESOLVED

that the final version of the Ashfield Local Plan 2023 to 2040 Regulation 19 Pre Submission Draft, as presented, be approved for the purposes of public consultation and submission to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in accordance with provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, as amended and the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Minute No. CA.36

Cabinet – 6 November 2023

Programme Monitoring Report: Major Projects and Funding

RESOLVED that

a)    in respect of the ‘Plan for Towns’ programme for Kirkby, approval be given to:

·         accept funding from the programme;

·         agree that the Council will act as the Accountable Body;

·         delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer for the signing of documents including a Heads of Terms and Memorandum of Understanding;

b)    the Devolution – Retrofit funding, as outlined in the report, be accepted.

At this point in the proceedings a suspension of Council Procedure Rule 23.1 (Conclusion of Proceedings) was moved and seconded to enable conclusion of the business of the Council and upon being put to the vote, it was duly carried.

(Prior to consideration of the next recommendation and in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillors Tom Hollis and Jason Zadrozny declared Non-Registrable interests regarding their ownership of rental properties within designated Selective Licensing areas.  Councillor Samantha Deakin also declared a Non-Registrable interest as she was currently residing in a rental property within a designated Selective Licensing Area.  However, their interests were such that they stayed in the meeting and took part in the discussion and voting thereon.)

Minute No. CA.36

Licensing Committee – 10 October 2023

Review of the Statement of Licensing Policy

RESOLVED

that having acknowledged that no valid responses were received in respect of the public consultation exercise, the revised Statement of Licensing Policy, as presented, be approved.

The following Cabinet Members gave updates in relation to their portfolio activity:

Councillor Samantha Deakin – Executive Lead Member for Parks and Environmental Services

Councillor Matthew Relf – Executive Lead Member for Growth, Regeneration and Local Planning

Councillor John Wilmott – Executive Lead Member for Governance.

(During the portfolio update from Cabinet Members, Councillor Cathy Mason left the meeting at 8.50pm.)

(None received for this meeting)

No motions were received for consideration.

(None received for this meeting)

No questions were received from Members.

No questions were received from Members.