Agenda and minutes

Councillor Jason Zadrozny declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in respect of agenda item 5 (Recommendation from Cabinet - Ashfield Local Plan 2023 to 2040: Additional Sites and Public Consultation).  He advised the Chairman that he would be leaving the room for the duration of the item and would not be taking part in the discussion or voting thereon.

The Executive Director for Transformation presented a status update to Members in relation to Local Government Reorganisation within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.  The Chief Executive and Leader also took the opportunity to address the Chamber accordingly.

RESOLVED that

a)    the status with Local Government Reorganisation within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, be received and noted;

b)    a budget allocation of £50k to be utilised to support Ashfield’s contribution to the collaborative work programme on Local Government Reorganisation, be approved.

b)

Council received an update on political groups, appointment to committees and the consequential amendments to political balance as a result of the changes to political group submitted by Councillors Andy Gascoyne (28 January 2025), Councillor Cathy Mason (7 February 2025) and

Councillor Dawn Justice (7 February 2025).

Further to the changes to committee membership, as circulated at the meeting, Members were asked to approve a further change to the Charities Committee, removing Councillor Vicki Heslop (due to potential conflicts of interest being a Cabinet Member) and replacing her with Councillor Warren Nuttall.

RESOLVED that

a)    the following be received and noted:

·         the changes of Political Party submitted by Councillors Andy Gascoyne, Cathy Mason and Dawn Justice;

·         Reform UK being the formal Main Opposition Group on the Council with 3 Members;

·         Councillor Dawn Justice being the Leader of the Main Opposition Group (Reform UK) and Councillor Andy Gascoyne being the Deputy Leader;

·         the consequential changes to Political balance and changes to seat allocation;

b)    the Committee Membership list, as circulated at the meeting including the additional amendment of Councillor Vicki Heslop being replaced by Councillor Warren Nuttall on the Charities Committee, be approved.

Council was asked to consider the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day and were advised that Cabinet Members had approved both the recommendations subject to site H1Sam, Land North of Fackley Road (Phase 2), Teversal being withdrawn from the list of additional potential housing sites for allocation, as outlined in the report and in recommendation b).

(In accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor Jason Zadrozny had earlier declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in respect of this item.  His interest was such that he left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.)

At this point in the proceedings a suspension of Council Procedure Rule 23.1 (Conclusion of Proceedings) was moved and seconded to enable the discussion to continue past 9.00pm, and upon being put to the vote it was duly carried. 

RESOLVED that

a)    the additional potential housing sites for allocation in the submitted Local Plan in order to meet the identified level of need for the entire Plan period, be approved subject to the removal of site H1Sam, Land North of Fackley Road (Phase 2), Teversal from the list, for the purposes of public consultation and submission to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government 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;

b)    the proposals for a 6-week public consultation on additional potential housing sites, as outlined in the report, be approved.

(During consideration of this item, Councillor Cathy Mason left the meeting at 8.48pm.)