Council observed a silence in memory of Councillor LO Barnett. 

The Leader and the other political group leaders paid tribute to Councillor Barnett.

During the course of the meeting a number of other Members also paid their respects to Councillor Barnett.

To elect the Chairman of Council for the remainder of the municipal year.

(Councillor Stone left the meeting for the duration of this item.)

Councillor RI Matthews proposed and Councillor SJ Robertson seconded the nomination of Councillor J Stone.

RESOLVED: That Councillor J Stone be elected Chairman of the Council for the remainder of the municipal year.

(Councillor Stone in the Chair)

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of Council for the remainder of the municipal year, in the event of a vacancy.

(Councillor Preece left the meeting for the duration of this item.)

Councillor JLV Kenyon proposed and Councillor AJW Powers seconded the nomination of Councillor R Preece.

RESOLVED: That Councillor R Preece be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council for the remainder of the municipal year.

Apologies were received from Councillors ACR Chappell, J Hardwick, RL Mayo and DB Wilcox.

Agenda Item 8 – Notice of Motion – The Living Wage

Councillor RJ Phillips declared a non-pecuniary interest as Vice-Chairman of the Employers’ side on the National Joint Council.

Agenda item 8 – Notice of Motion – Wellington Level Crossing, Haywood Lane near Marden

Councillor AN Bridges declared a non-pecuniary interest as an employee of Network Rail.

Agenda item 13 – Ross-on-Wye Community Governance Review

Councillors AM Atkinson, CM Bartrum and PGH Cutter declared non-pecuniary interests as Members of Ross-on-Wye Town Council.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2014.

The Chairman reported that he had been notified of a correction to Minute no 25 – declarations of interest.  The Minute should state that Councillor Bridges had declared a non-pecuniary interest.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2014, as amended, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive the Chairman's announcements.

Council noted the Chairman’s announcements as printed in the agenda papers.

The Chairman thanked colleagues who had assisted him in fulfilling the considerable number of engagements that had needed to be undertaken between September and November.

He added congratulations to Councillor PJ Edwards and his fiancée on their forthcoming marriage and also to Councillor DW Greenow and his fiancée on their forthcoming marriage.

Petition

The Chairman reported that he had received a petition from Climate Action Now requesting support for policies that address the impact of climate change.  He handed the petition to Councillor PD Price (Cabinet Member – Infrastructure).

A copy of the public questions and written answers is attached to the Minutes at Appendix 1.

To consider Notices of Motion.

Notice of Motion One- Support for City of Culture Bid

Councillor Nenadich proposed the motion.  He commented on the process that would need to be followed to make a bid noting that the intention was that the bid would be based on a county-wide approach.  He emphasised how important substantial support from the local community would be to making a successful bid. He highlighted the breadth of cultural assets within the County in which the County should take pride.  He also emphasised the economic benefits that being city of culture had brought to other UK cities who had made successful bids.

There was general support for a bid to be made.  Members emphasised the importance of engaging the county as a whole. 

It was observed that if the Council’s support was to be meaningful careful consideration would need to be given to arts funding in setting the budget.  Funding from the Council could be critical to arts organisations in helping them to secure funding from other sources. There was evidence that every £1 spent on the arts generated £25-40 aside from providing health and wellbeing benefits.

The motion was carried with 36 votes in favour of it, none against it and one abstention.

RESOLVED: to ask the executive to explore ways of supporting a bid by the courtyard theatre and its partners for Hereford to be made the UK city of culture 2021.

Notice of Motion Two – Governance Arrangements

Councillor James proposed the motion.  He commented that the programme panels that had formed part of the governance arrangements when he had been Leader, when executive arrangements had been required by legislation to be introduced, had provided Members with a role in contributing to decision making and had enabled them to keep informed about decisions that were being taken.  He considered that under the current arrangements the majority of Members were not aware of and informed about the difficult decisions that had to be made.  There was a lack of accountability and no public support for the system. The motion did not advocate a particular solution but proposed an exploration of the available options for the new Council to consider in May.

Councillor Matthews, seconding the motion, stated that there was a need for decision making to be more open and transparent.  There was too much power in the hands of too few Councillors.  Members not on the executive felt sidelined.

The Leader of the Council commented that whilst he received correspondence about decisions that had been taken he had never received any complaining about the decision making process.  In his view the matter was not of concern to the public.   The real motivation for some Members was their dissatisfaction that they themselves did not have decision making powers

He did not accept that the process was secretive and lacked accountability.  He noted that the public had only been excluded on a very few occasions from Cabinet meetings.  Those exclusions had been in accordance with the customary procedure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

To receive the Leader’s report on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council in September.

The Leader presented his report on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council in September.

He added with reference to paragraph 8 of the report relating to the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) that bids had also been submitted for “growth deal” funding for an east-west Leominster relief road and the development of the Model Farm site, Ross-on-Wye.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·         (paragraph 7 of the report) The Leader stated that he was not aware of any plans to relocate Hereford United Football Club to the racecourse.  Discussions had taken place on the area identified for development at the eastern end of the ground.  He would inform Members of the outcome of the court action involving the football club.

·         (paragraph 8) With regard to the Rotherwas rail link, including the provision of a bridge across the river, the Leader commented that information had been sought from London Midland.  He would provide an update to Councillor Matthews.

·         Concern was expressed about air pollution in the Bargates area of Leominster which would be exacerbated by proposed housing development.  It was asked if funding would be available from the LEP bid to mitigate the issue.  The Leader commented that this could not be confirmed until the outcome of the bidding process.  Local Ward Members would be consulted on how funding received could best be used.

·         (paragraph 9 – waste disposal) Councillor Harvey questioned how the Leader, in replying to her supplementary question to Council in September, could give the assurance that “the energy from waste project was demonstrated as the best value option for Herefordshire”.  The Leader commented that in his view all questions about the project had been exhaustively tested and answered.  The cost of withdrawing from the project and pursuing another course would be huge.

·         (paragraph 10)  Whilst welcoming the development of the Old Market site it was requested that support also be provided to the historic core.

A specific concern was expressed about the state of the paving in High Town, Hereford.  It was stated that the City Council had set aside a sum to contribute to repairs but no one had taken up their offer.  The Leader agreed to check on the matter.

The Leader commented that he wanted the historic core to be properly developed.  He added that the Butter Market project in High Town was progressing and he would provide an update to Members.

The feedback he had received was that the Old Market development was increasing business overall and drawing business into the historic core.  He would provide a written response on this matter to Councillor Robertson.

A Member suggested that the developers of the Old Market had previously indicated a willingness as part of the scheme to provide signing from the development to the historic core. The Leader agreed to investigate.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

To note the recommended approach to the funding changes as a result of the abolition of the council tax benefit scheme and the introduction of the council tax reduction scheme and to approve the recommended funding allocation to parish councils.

Council was asked to note the recommended approach to the funding changes as a result of the abolition of the council tax benefit scheme and the introduction of the council tax reduction scheme and to approve the recommended funding allocation to parish councils.

RESOLVED:   That Council tax reduction support scheme grant funding estimated at £289k is passed onto parishes in 2015/16 (as it was in 2014/15).

To recommend to Council for approval the additional capital investment programme for 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, as proposed by Cabinet on 13 November 2014.

Council was asked to approve the additional capital investment programme for 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, as proposed by Cabinet on 13 November 2014.

There were 19 votes in favour of the proposal, 5 votes against it and 10 abstentions.

RESOLVED:  That the additional capital schemes as detailed in appendix 1 of the report be approved for inclusion in the 2015/16 to 2017/18 capital programme.

To recommend to Council amended terms of reference for the board.

Council was asked to approve amended terms of reference for the Board.

Councillor GJ Powell, Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, presented the report.

There were 31 votes in favour of the proposal, no votes against it and 1 abstention.

RESOLVED: That the revised terms of reference as set out at appendix 2 to the report, including amendments to membership, be agreed.

To make further recommendations, as agreed by the Audit and Governance Committee on 26 November 2014, regarding the Ross-on-Wye Community Governance Review as the changes proposed by that review required the consent of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and that consent has now been obtained.

Further to the report to Council on 26 September 2014, Council was asked to consider further recommendations, as agreed by the Audit and Governance Committee on 26 November 2014, regarding the Ross-on-Wye Community Governance Review as the changes proposed by that review required the consent of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and that consent had now been obtained.

The Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee presented the report.

RESOLVED unanimously: 

That    (a)        the County of Herefordshire District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Ross-on-Wye) Order 2014 be revoked with immediate effect; and

            (b)        the Assistant Director, Governance be given delegated authority to execute The County of Herefordshire District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Ross-on-Wye) (No. 2) Order 2014 (to be substantially in the form set out in Appendix 2 to this report, subject to any necessary typographical and/or technical amendments) and publicise the outcome of the community governance review in accordance with section 96 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

A copy of the Member questions and written answers, together with a supplementary question asked at the meeting and the answer, is attached to the Minutes at Appendix 2.