To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors MJK Cooper, DW Greenow, J Hardwick, AR Round and LC Tawn

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2017.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2017 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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

The Chairman also informed members that he had this morning received a letter from Kensington Palace on behalf of the Duke of Gloucester following his recent visit to Ledbury and the Master’s House. The letter expressed thanks for the book of photographs presented to the Duke of Gloucester.

Members were reminded of the civic service to take place on 12 March 2017 and encouraged to support this event which included well-known hymns and with singing by the Cantabile Choir. 

The Chairman informed members of the departure of Jo Davidson, director for children’s wellbeing. This being her last council meeting today, the Chairman spoke on behalf of members and officers in thanking Mrs Davidson for her work over the past seven years.  

The Chairman also thanked Mark Taylor, interim director of resources and wished him well for the future. The Chairman welcomed Andrew Lovegrove who was joining as chief finance officer.   

A copy of the public questions and written answers, is attached to the minutes at appendix 1.

To consider the following motions:

1    Recognition for the canary girls in the munitions factories in Rotherwas in the world wars.

2    Hereford eastern river crossing and link road.

Council considered the following notices of motion.

Motion 1 – Recognition for the canary girls in the munitions factories in Rotherwas in the world wars.

In moving the motion, Councillor SD Williams made the following points:

·         that consideration be given to the erection of a plaque of honour by way of celebrating the achievements of the canary girls

·         that his mother and sister worked in the munitions factory along with thousands of other women whose skin turned yellow through exposure to the chemicals, and who experienced arduous and fearful conditions

·         the factory was bombed by the Luftwaffe and, as Churchill urged “give us the tools and we’ll finish the job”, the canary girls worked for the country and should be recognised and honoured and never forgotten

Councillor ACR Chappell seconded the motion and stated that:

·         the role of women during wars and conflict was not fully recognised and the importance of their role during World Wars 1 and 2 as well as the Korean War should be recognised

·         women as young as 16 came from all over the area to work at  the factory and were billeted in the city at a hostel in Redhill and south Herefordshire

·         the women risked their lives filling the shells and on several occasions where there were explosions, they were killed and maimed, and saw the death and injury of their colleagues

·         in his former role as Chair of the South Wye Partnership, Cllr Chappell installed three commemorative stones and a group was set up with the support of the enterprise zone for a living museum and plans to develop the former shell store, where some 3500 women were identified who worked there.  It was expected that there were more women around the world who had not been recognised and it was time for Herefordshire to recognise all those who worked in munitions factories.

Other councillors spoke in support of the motion and the following principal points were made:

·         that recognition was better late than never as many women carried out this dangerous work in doing their bit towards the defence of country

·         experience of serving on the front line highlighted the skills of the women who worked in  the munitions factories

·         it was timely that it was world women’s day next week, with an exhibition being arranged by the Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre (HARC), and councillors were encouraged to extend this to their wards.

·         this was an opportunity for the Enterprise Zone, parishes and community groups to join up in creating formal recognition

·         the existing exhibition material needed to be refreshed, noting the heritage aspects and the opportunity to link it to bid to be the city of culture

·         many councillors had family members who worked in the factory or who cared for the women in hospital

In addition, a number of councillors commented that these women deserved more than a plaque in recognition of their work and spoke in support of a statue to be commissioned.

In response the Chairman reminded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

To approve the council tax amounts for each category of dwelling in Herefordshire, including precepts from West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority and Herefordshire parishes for the financial year 2017/18.

The Leader presented the report and moved the recommendations.

Councillor PM Morgan seconded.

Members made the following principal comments:

·         that support for the recommendations was with reluctance but in recognition of the financial position

·         that the proposal to consider capital revenue and council tax at the same time was welcomed

·         that it be noted that Hereford City Council was not raising its precept this year. 

A member asked for clarification regarding any requirement for relevant members to declare an interest as a member of the Fire and Rescue Authority. The solicitor to the council confirmed that this was not required. 

A named vote was held.  All members present voted for the recommendations with no abstentions.

For (46) Councillors PA Andrews, BA Baker, JM Bartlett, WLS Bowen, TL Bowes, H Bramer, CR Butler, ACR Chappell, PE Crockett, PGH Cutter, BA Durkin, PJ Edwards, CA Gandy, KS Guthrie, DG Harlow, EPJ Harvey, EL Holton, JA Hyde, TM James, AW Johnson, JF Johnson, JLV Kenyon, JG Lester, MD Lloyd-Hayes, MN Mansell, RL Mayo, MT McEvilly, SM Michael, PM Morgan, PD Newman, FM Norman, CA North, RJ Phillips, GJ Powell, AJW Powers, PD Price, P Rone, A Seldon, NE Shaw, WC Skelton, J Stone, D Summers, EJ Swinglehurst, A Warmington, DB Wilcox, SD Williams.

Against (0)

Abstentions (0)

RESOLVED

THAT:

(a) the precepting authority details incorporated in appendices 1 to 5, relating to parishes, West Mercia Police and Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority be approved in accordance with sections 30(2), 34(3), 36(1) and section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended) and that the following amounts be approved for the year 2017/18 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Regulation 6 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) :

(i)     £354,264,513                 being the estimated aggregate expenditure of the council in accordance with section 31A (2) of the act, including all precepts issued to it by parish councils;

(ii)     £257,389,000                being the estimated aggregate income of the council for the items set out in section 31A (3) of the act (including revenue support grant);

(iii)    £96,875,513                  being the amount by which the aggregate at (a)(i) above exceeds the aggregate at (a)(ii) calculated by the council in accordance with section 31A(4) of the act, as its council tax requirement for the year (including parish precepts);

(iv)    £1,433.11                      being the amount at (a)(iii) above divided by the amount of the council tax base calculated by the council, in accordance with section 31B of the act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year (including parish precepts)

(v)     £3,826,513                    being the aggregate amount of all special items (parish precepts) referred to in section 34(1) of the act;

(vi)     £1,376.50                     being the amount at (iv) above less the result given by dividing the amount at (v) above by the amount of the council tax base calculated by the council, in accordance with section 34(2) of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

The Leader thanked Jo Davidson and Mark Taylor on behalf of Cabinet and members for their work, and expressed confidence in Andrew Lovegrove in his new role as chief finance officer.

The Leader presented his report on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council on 3 February 2017 and took questions.  

With reference to the sale of smallholdings a member asked what information was being withheld from the public and smallholders that was contained in a report from Fisher German.   

In response, the Leader reminded members that it was inescapable that the smallholdings estate was a large asset that benefited a small number of people and that such an asset would not be considered for purchase by the council in the present day. In support of economic development and as custodians of taxpayers’ assets, it was necessary to ensure that assets benefited more people.  With regard to the Fisher German report, the Leader confirmed that this did not form part of the cabinet member’s decision. 

This point was confirmed by Councillor H Bramer as the cabinet member for contracts and assets, who clarified that the draft report of 2014 was incomplete and was not relied upon in the decision making.

A member asked the Leader for assurance that there was capacity to manage the expanding number of contracts and associated costs for care provision.  

The Leader responded that all reports received from cabinet members and officers stated there was capacity.

Councillor PM Morgan, cabinet member for adults and wellbeing, confirmed that for adults and wellbeing there was capacity although it was necessary to ensure that the right contracts were commissioned and used in the best possible way.

A member welcomed the granting of new leases to Hereford Football Club.

RESOLVED: 

That the report be noted.

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 2.