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 J W McGrath declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 as his business falls outside the definition of a town centre. Minute number 31 refers 

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2021 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Mayor gave a resume of his engagements since the last meeting including the Civic Service and a charity bike ride. This had raised £2,051 with the donations going towards the Mayor’s Charity, Broxtowe Youth Homelessness.

Future events planned included supporting local people in need through the food banks and raising funds for the Mayor’s charity.

The Mayor was saddened to inform the meeting of the recent death of ex-Councillor Martin Plackett. There was a minute’s silence to remember him by and offered his thoughts and prayers to his family at this difficult time of grief. Tributes were read out at the meeting from fellow Councillors.

There were no petitions presented.

The Leader updated the Councillors on relevant matters of interest including the housing delivery programme. Good process was being made with the five new homes for rent to veterans in Stapleford, At the meeting, Council was asked to endorse a report to build fifty-one new homes for rent and shared ownership, Contracts had been exchanged on a site to build eighteen new housing units, subject to the planning process, Six underused garage sites had been sent to Architects to draw up plans for social housing and five former right to buy properties had been bought back along with the two new dementia friendly bungalows that were delivered last year. The application for four hundred and six modular homes on the Boots enterprise zone site was also encouraging. 

Live events had been taking place again in Broxtowe.  Hemlock Rocks with live music took place on Saturday 18 September and the DH Lawrence Music Festival with over one hundred acts in over ten venues across Eastwood had also taken place. The Leader thanked all those involved in the planning and organising of them.  The delivery of the summer holiday activity programme in Broxtowe had been provided including food and activities for children from lower income families. There had been 1,035 places for primary age children and 129 for secondary age. The project cost £45,931 provided through the Nottinghamshire County Council from the government.

Progress had been made on the content of the levelling up bids for both Eastwood and Kimberley. A strong health and wellbeing theme had been emerged from ideas that had been put forward. The Leader had meetings planned with the MP for Eastwood to seek continued support with the ideas. In Kimberley the task group would continue to work productively on their ideas that included creation of a new community asset, transformational investment in the Town Centre to support its vitality and viability post COVID-19, investment in leisure and access to business, town centre and recreational opportunities in the area of Kimberley.

The Leader expressed his disappointment with the length of time it had taken for the publication of the Governments integrated rail plan. The HS2 eastern leg extension would provide economic benefits from this investment. The ambitions that were being developed with DevCo for zero carbon growth were exciting and would result in levelling up as improvement to the environment through a new network of green and blue infrastructure to balance and complement the housing growth within the area.

Discussions had been progressing well with the County Council, all district council leaders and the City Council Leader to discuss a County deal for the area. The conversations were advancing constructively and included themes of environmental improvement, transport and economic development investment, skills advances, improvements to health and social care and exploring ways to make the current structure streamlined and efficient between layers of government.

The recent green festival in Chilwell had been a great success. The Council was making good progress towards implementing the carbon reduction strategy. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

“Is the Leader of the Council aware of the fact that if the Borough Council’s proposal for boundary change to Cossall Parish is adopted in its entirety the loss of income would force Cossall Parish Council to cease operation, having been in existence since 1894.  In addition, is he aware that Cossall Parish Council has ceased out a secret and proper ballot of the 118 properties affected of which 84 replies were received, all of which indicated that they wished that they wish to remain in the Parish of Cossall. Therefore, would he agree that the alternative proposal submitted by Cossall Parish Council, (Whereby 52 properties in the The Glebe would move into the Parish of Cossall, whilst land in the area of the proposed new housing development, currently in Cossall, would be surrendered into the Parish of Awsworth, approx. 50 new properties) would ensure the long term future of Cossall Parish Council?’’

The Leader responded by saying that a task and finish group had been set up and the recommendations from the consultation would be reported at the next Governance, Audit and Standards Committee. The Leader was aware of the strong feeling from residents’ responses to the consultation and sympathised with Parishes and Villages. The Leader agreed some areas needed to be tidied up. However, the recommendation from the task and finish group indicated that there would be no changes made to the area of Cossall.  

The following questions had been submitted by Councillor J W McGrath for the Leader of the Council.

“What has the Borough got planned for parking restrictions on the lead up to Christmas? All our towns in the Borough have had a lean time, this is an opportunity to help businesses in the lead up to Christmas, by at least allowing parking restrictions to be lifted in the month of December please. I am aware some towns in the Borough are having Christmas light switch-ons so is it possible to have free parking from Thursday 9 December including Friday and Saturday and the following Thursday, Friday and Saturday leading up Christmas to help the businesses Christmas arrangements in our towns and give them a boost.’’

“It was an honour to be chosen as part of the towns deal board and with others to have a say in the shaping of our towns future.  Members from Eastwood and Kimberley will also have that change now thanks to the government’s levelling up fund. But, a question, I would like to ask is, on the one million COVID-19 recovery fund for businesses in Stapleford why or is it limited to the town centre? There are forty-one businesses outside the limit, all within three minutes walking of the town centre.  Some or many are still not up to pre-pandemic footfall and as I said before it will be a long time to get confidence back.  So can we look at this please, and yes, I declare an interest as my business falls outside.’’

The Leader responded to both questions together.  He sympathised to the shops and businesses. During the pandemic over 2,500 businesses ranging from self-employed through to larger corporations had been awarded business grants and they had been delivered quickly and in an efficient manner. Future planning to support the whole of Broxtowe over Christmas was in the pipeline this would be seen through the Jobs and Economy, Finance and Policy and Performance Committees to provide the relevant boost. The COVID-19 recovery grants specifically define town centre for receiving grants and was useful in providing COVID Marshalls to the town centres. There had been a number of other initiatives that offered grants over the Borough.  There will be a future comprehensive review to support and help businesses through government grants. The key will be to look at regenerate, refresh and re-activate to bounce back from COVID-19 pandemic. The executive on the town centre board took the decision to define what a town centre was.

A supplementary question was asked to the Leader by Councillor J W McGrath.

“I cannot recall a decision of what the executive board defined as a town centre?”

The Leader responded that the executive board took the decision at the Town Centre board meeting over what was defined as a town centre and that Councillor J W McGrath was present at that meeting.

There were no Members’ speeches on ward issues.

There were no questions on Outside Bodies.

Councillor M Handley has advised that she has ceased representing the Conservative Group and intends to sit as an independent member of the Council. There will be an effect on the composition of committees of the Council for the purposes of proportionality. Therefore, the Council is asked to make appointments in accordance with the schedule to be laid before the meeting.

Councillors noted the update on the composition of committees of the Council for the purposes of proportionality after Councillor M Handley advised that she had ceased representing the Conservative Group and intended to sit as an Independent member of the Council.

            RESOLVED that the appointments laid before the meeting be approved.

To note the decisions made by the Council’s Committees.

Members noted the decisions made by the Council’s Committees.  It was highlighted that if they became aware of any businesses or suspicious activity to report it to the Chief Executive. Modern Slavery and Human trafficking was very much happening and to seek further advice if they had concerns.

To consider a proposal to change the Council’s system of governance.

Members considered a proposal to change the Council’s system of governance. With the introduction of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda that required member involvement through accountability, transparency, scrutiny and delivery and along with the initial consideration of County devolution under way, aligned decision-making structures would allow for greater continuity between the authorities.

The current committee style of governance had enabled the involvement of all councillors in the decision-making process. However, over a number of years the remits of these committees had changed and on occasions a report had been submitted to numerous committees for approval. The Leader and cabinet system would allow for quicker and more streamlined decision making, with clear lines of communication, responsibility and accountability.

Discussions ensued with acknowledging the Committees had become embedded with noting reports and the proposed change to a Cabinet and Strong Leadership system would support the delivery of some of the major projects that were arising from the government’s devolution bill, levelling up agenda and the borough’s delivery of major projects through the capital programme. Having a strong scrutiny committee would support transparency and accountability and this should be considered in the decision.

 All Councils would like a devolution deal across Nottinghamshire and without a cabinet and strong leadership model in place it would impede the Governments request and failing government.  Broxtowe was in the heart of the development opportunities and we need to re-align our corporate policies.

The broad principles of the arrangements would be provided within a report at a future Full Council meeting with the arrangement to be agreed and adopted in early 2022 prior to its implementation at the Annual meeting in May 2022.

RESOLVED to agree in principle that a Leader and Cabinet style of governance be adopted from May 2022.

The Committee is asked to RESOLVE that, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Policy and Performance Committee

 30 September 2021

The item was considered at the Policy and Performance Committee on 30 September 2021 whereat, it was resolved that the report be recommended to Full Council with the amendment to include the Group Leaders in the consultation process. The amended recommendation is as follows:

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that:

1.    The surplus land at the Crematorium be sold to the developer as a private treaty disposal in line with the Council’s land disposal policy and

2.    A delegation be made to Broxtowe’s Deputy Chief Executive and s.151 officer, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Bramcote Bereavement Services Joint Committee and the Group Leaders, to progress all key approvals relating to the subsequent sale of the land.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The surplus land at the Crematorium be sold to the developer as a private treaty disposal in line with the developer as a private treaty disposal in line with the Council’s land disposal policy and

2.    A delegation be made to Broxtowe’s Deputy Chief Executive and s.151 officer, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Bramcote Bereavement Services Joint committee and the Group Leaders, to progress all key approvals relating to the subsequent sale of the land.