To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors CR Butler, CA Gandy, SM Michael, CA North, RJ Phillips and J Stone.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 May 2015.

RESOLVED:       That the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 May 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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

Petitions

The Chairman reported that he had received petitions relating to a planning application for a housing development at Three Elms Road/Huntingdon Lane,/Kings Acre Road, Hereford; and to the closure of the Wye Valley NHS Trust facility at no1 Ledbury Road.  The cabinet member - infrastructure and the cabinet member – young people and children’s wellbeing respectively received the petitions.

Wye Valley NHS Trust Facility - No 1 Ledbury Road, Hereford

The Chairman reported to Council that he had received a request for an urgent motion to Council in response to the notification from Wye Valley NHS Trust that their facility at No. 1 Ledbury Road would not be available from April 2016. 

He informed Council that, having consulted the Monitoring Officer, he had declined the request.  Although it was a matter of great importance to those affected, as the proposed closure was not taking place for eight months, it did not meet the constitutional requirements for urgency. He observed that there would be opportunity for Council to discuss the matter in September, or for questions to be raised at the forthcoming meeting of the Health & Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Although a response from the cabinet member to Member questions on the matter appeared elsewhere in the agenda, he invited Councillor Lester, cabinet member young people and children’s wellbeing, to make a statement.  He added that there would be no opportunity to ask questions upon the statement.

A copy of the cabinet member’s statement is attached at Appendix 1.

The Chairman also reminded Members to advise his office if they wished to attend the Three Choirs Festival Chairman’s Reception.

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

To approve the treasury management outturn for 2014/15.

Council was invited to approve the Treasury Management Outturn for 2014/15.

The Leader presented the report.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·        It was asked whether investment in IT had been satisfactory and appropriate, providing systems that enabled members to fulfil their roles.  The Leader replied that investment in IT was complex given the pace at which technology moved.  He continued to ask officers to seek to resolve IT issues for Members where these arose.

·        It was asked whether the amount of borrowing was sustainable, mindful that interest rates were expected to rise.  The Leader commented that the Council’s borrowing was at an average level compared with other local authorities.  He added that about 80% of that borrowing supported invest to save initiatives that had reduced pressure on the revenue budget.

·        A Member noted that anticipated capital expenditure in 2014/15 had been deferred into 2015/16 and asked whether expected savings arising from that expenditure had also been deferred.   The director of resources agreed to provide a written response.

·        It was also asked whether the stated intention to liquefy £60m of capital assets was driven by the need to invest £40m in the energy from waste plant.  The Leader commented that consideration had to be given to how to use the Council’s assets given the financial pressures including an expected reduction in Government Grant, which was currently £35m pa to zero by 2020.  The funding of the energy from waste plant was a separate issue and was not the driver for asset disposals.

·        The leader of the Independent Group reiterated concern on behalf of his Group at the level of borrowing and the interest repayments of £16m pa.  The Leader replied that the importance of controlling borrowing was recognised and the level of borrowing was monitored.  He did not consider the council had borrowed too much and questioned which of the schemes the borrowing had supported others would have chosen not to pursue.

RESOLVED:  That the treasury management outturn at appendix 1 to the report be approved.

To receive a report from the Leader on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council in March.

The Leader presented his report on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council in March 2015.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·        (paragraph 5 of the report)  Whilst expressing reservations about the housing targets retained within the Core Strategy a Member agreed that it was important that the Core Strategy was adopted as soon as possible.  An assurance was sought that if the Government made any further legislative changes these should not be permitted to hinder the adoption of the Core Strategy but should be addressed subsequent to that adoption.  The cabinet member – infrastructure replied that he had asked officers to establish if there was any likelihood of further delay.  If the Government made further legislative change it was possible that the council may have to undertake further work prior to adopting the strategy.  The issue of housing provision had been addressed at the examination in public.  He agreed that it would be desirable to adopt the Strategy as soon as practicable.

·        (paragraph 5 of the report) With reference to the adoption of the Council’s local plan it was asked when the Planning Committee would be able to give weight to Neighbourhood Plans.  The cabinet member – infrastructure commented that neighbourhood plans had to conform to the core strategy.  It was now expected that the strategy would be submitted to council for adoption in September.

·        (paragraph 7)  Councillor Harvey referred to the success of the Funding Circle - a peer to peer crowd funding scheme and enquired as to how the scheme had been arrived at.  The Leader commended Councillor Harvey for initiating the idea.

·        (paragraph 8) It was asked whether the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership Accountability and Assurance Framework had been approved by Government.  The Leader indicated that he would provide a written answer.

·        (page 39 of the agenda papers)  It was asked whether the draft children and young people with disabilities and special educational needs services transformation programme could be considered sound, noting, for example, the concerns expressed about the closure of no 1 Ledbury Road.  The cabinet member - young people and children’s wellbeing replied that services needed to be provided to meet a range of disabilities and the Strategy aimed to provide an improved service.  As previously stated, discussions would be held with Wye Valley NHS Trust on No 1 Ledbury Road.

·        (p39)  It was asked if there was confidence in the agresso system?  The director of resources commented that the system was used nationally by councils. Improvements were being made to the system and it was expected that it would save costs in the future.

·        (p40) It was asked whether the car parking concession being offered in Hereford City during the Three Choirs Festival would also apply where Three Choirs events were being held in the market towns and be extended to other significant events in those towns.  The cabinet member - transport and roads replied that he would clarify the matter of concessions for Three Choirs events to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

A copy of the Member questions and written answers, together with supplementary questions asked at the meeting and their answers, is attached to the Minutes at Appendix 3.