Agenda and minutes

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

Councillor C Tideswell declared a non-pecuniary interest on agenda item number 9, minute number 65 refers. Councillor S Easom declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was a Director on the LLeisure Board. Agenda item 9 Minute number 65 refers. Councillor G Marshall and S J Carr declared non-pecuniary interests as were on the Beeston Town Centre Board. Agenda item 9 Minute number 65 refers.Councillor H Skinner declared a non-pecuniary interest on agenda item 9 as she was on the steering group. Minute number 65 refers.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2021 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Mayor read a statement condemning the actions of Vladimir Putin and the Russian Government it its decision to invade Ukraine.

The Council stood with the people of Ukraine and their friends and relatives living in the Borough and beyond. It was an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation by a rogue state. The people that would suffer the most would be civilians on both sides and expressed unity and support for President Zelensky, the democratically elected Government and the people of Ukraine and called on the UK Government and its NATO allies to offer the maximum humanitarian aid and military support for the Ukrainian Government and people.

A number of Councillors from all political groups rose to speak in support of the statement.

Independent Remuneration Panel

12 January 2022

The Panel considered the proposed pay award for 2022/23, that there should be a 2% increase in Member’s allowances at an increased cost of approximately £5,619 per annum.  It was noted that the employees’ pay award was still being negotiated. 

Consideration was also given to the change in governance that was due to take place from Committees to a Leader and Cabinet system.  There was concern that, for a time, allowances would not fully reflect the roles being performed by Councillors and that they would not be fairly remunerated for the work they were doing.  However, it was agreed that the new system would need time to bed in before fair judgements about allowances could be made.

The details of the Members allowances within this report are indicative, as the new Cabinet governance arrangements will be considered at the Full Council on 20 April 2022.

RECOMMENDED to full Council that there should be a 2% increase in Member’s allowances at an increased cost of approximately £5,619 per annum.

Members considered the proposed pay award for 2022/23 that there should be a 2% increase in Members allowances.

In accordance with the Scheme of Members allowances, Member allowance rates should increase in line with any employee pay award.

It was noted that the current rates within the report related to the proposed Cabinet model. This was expected to be formally adopted at the Full Council in May 2022 in line with all other models of governance in place across councils in Nottinghamshire.

RESOLVED that there should be a 2% increase in Member’s allowances at an increased cost of approximately £5,619 per annum.

To seek Council approval for the Pay Policy Statement for 2022/23.

Councillors considered the Pay Policy Statement for 2022/23. Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 required Local Authorities to publish an annual Pay Policy Statement to increase accountability in relation to payments made to senior Members of local authority staff by enabling public scrutiny.

RESOLVED that the Pay Policy Statement for 2022/23 be approved.

To request to host a ceremony at which the status of Freeman or Alderman is conferred on those who have rendered eminent services to the Borough.

Members considered the request to host a ceremony at which the status of Freeman or Alderman was conferred on those who had rendered eminent services to the Borough.

It was customary during the final year of an administration to recognise individuals who had contributed significantly to the community by conferring on them the award of Honorary Freeman of the Borough or Honorary Alderman.

The Mayor and the Leaders of the three political groups would meet to consider the award and the nominations received for the office of Honorary Freeman or Honorary Alderman of the Borough of Broxtowe.

RESOLVED that the official admittance to the office of Honorary Freeman of the Borough and Honorary Alderman will take place at a special meeting of the Council to be held in November 2022.

To seek the resolution of the Council to ‘re-designate’ the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Forum for a further five-year period.

Members considered the resolution of the Council to re designate the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Forum for a further five- year period. The Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Forum had been working on producing a Neighbourhood Plan for the Neighbourhood Area. The current five-year period was due to end in March 2022. With re-designating the neighbourhood Forum, The Council would be able to apply for £5,000 grant funding form the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It was stated that the forum has undertaken excellent work and they deserved the extra period. 

RESOLVED that:

1.            The Council re-designates the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Forum for a further five-year period.

2.            Authority be given to the Chief Executive to publicise the designation of the Neighbourhood Forum in accordance with regulation 10 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

The Deputy Leader wished the Leader, Councillor Milan Radulovic a speedy recovery. He also offered his sincerest thanks and gratitude to all the staff, residents, businesses and the emergency services who had worked tirelessly through the pandemic.

Next year’s budget continued to focus on providing a wide range of services to the communities and secured the post COVID-19, economic, community and health recovery without any cuts or reductions in the services. The economic growth and investment strategy across housing, regeneration and business growth would be vital for the financial sustainability and improvement to residents lives.

The Deputy Leader thanked the Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee and fellow Councillors and Officers in preparing the budget.

It had been unfortunate that the Governments fair funding review had been delayed and therefore, it was not possible at this stage to profile what, if any, impact this may have upon the Council. It appeared priority would go to those authorities with social care responsibilities. The current 50% business rates retention would therefore continue in 2022/23, with the Government’s Fair Funding review for local government commencing Spring 2022.

Members were informed that prudent estimates of income from business rates and assumptions that any increase would be in line with best information about the operation of the Business Rates pool and allowed for modest growth in the future years. The levels of New Homes Bonus would be greater than the previous year, in 2021/22 the Authority received £19,395, in 2022/23 the Authority would receive £351,944. It was expected that the future of the New Homes Bonus Scheme after 2022/23 would be considered as part of the upcoming Fair Funding review.

The administration was proposing a small increase in Broxtowe’s element on Council Tax, this would see a £5 annual increase per Band D property taking it from £171.85 in 2021/22 to £176.85 in 2022/23. This extra increase would support vital local services, provide value for money, build up the tax base and continue to support the post pandemic economic, community and health recovery. There was also a recommended 4.1% increase in housing and garage rent to enable more money be reinvested back into the housing stock.

The delivery of the housebuilding plan was progressing well with the aim to deliver in the region of 250 affordable homes over the next decade.

The current administration was committed to provide economic regeneration and improvements across all of the four town centres.  To capitalise on investment across the borough including the Levelling Up bids for both Kimberley and Eastwood, The White Paper on Levelling Up and Devolution.

The Deputy Leader thanked the finance team for the rapid disbursements of business grants and reliefs to businesses across the borough.

The budget proposals included continued investment into parks and open spaces and support to community and voluntary groups including Citizens Advice Bureau who supported a range of Mental Health initiatives.

The Green Futures campaign to tackle climate change and reduce the carbon emissions to net zero by 2027 would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.