To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Liz Harvey and Phillip Howells.

To receive declarations of interest in respect of Schedule 1, Schedule 2 or Other Interests from members of the Council in respect of items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2020.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2020 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive the Chairman and Chief Executive’s announcements.

Council noted the Chairman and Chief Executive’s announcements as printed in the agenda papers and the supplement published on 16 July containing details of an emergency decision taken after the publication of the agenda for the current meeting.

The Chairman introduced his announcements and provided his thanks for the work of all Council staff during the coronavirus outbreak. He referred to a visit undertaken to the Hillside care centre and a flag raising ceremony at the Suvla barracks.

The Chief Executive introduced his announcements and provided an update on actions taken in response to the outbreak of corononavirus among workers on a farm in Mathon. The council had worked with public health West Midlands and other local agencies and partners and there was no indication that the infection had spread beyond the farm.

Members raised the following points and questions on the Chief Executive’s announcements:

·         Clarification was requested concerning the status of care homes referred to in the Chief Executive’s announcements; whether the absence of confirmed cases concerned private care homes. The Chief Executive confirmed that council did not run the 89 care homes in the county but had provided support including the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE).

·         Queries were raised regarding the preparations that had been put in place to deal with potential outbreaks of coronavirus at other locations throughout the county and forms of accommodation housing farm workers. The Chief Executive explained that the response to the outbreak at Mathon had provided valuable learning to the council as well as the government. The learning would inform the response of the council to future outbreaks. The council had written to all residents, businesses and farms to provide a reminder of the need for covid-safe practices during the easing of the lockdown.

·         It was queried whether the police had been consulted on the proposed 20 mph zones in the emergency active travel measures to ensure that they would be enforced. The Director Economy and Place explained that the proposals had been subject to consultation with the police and would be enforceable by the police.

·         The reopening of the Hillside centre was queried including the occupancy of the centre and whether reopening costs had been recouped through the Bellwin scheme. The Director Adults and Communities explained that there were 22 beds at the centre which was used as a step-up facility; currently the centre was being used to support people with coronavirus and with discharges from hospital. An amount of £38k had been recovered from the Bellwin scheme for the redevelopment of the centre and further support through the covid fund would also be accessed.

·         The suspension of food safety inspections was queried.  The Director Economy and Place explained that close work with the Food Standards Agency had taken place and flexibility had been given to councils with respect to hygiene inspections. The suspension of visits was intended to reduce officers accessing businesses and redeploy staff to the response to the outbreak. The suspension was temporary until 30 September.

·         The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

To receive questions from members of the public.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00pm on Monday 13 July.

Accepted questions and answers will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

A copy of the public questions and written answers, together with supplementary questions asked at the meeting and their answers, is attached to the Minutes at Appendix 1.

To receive any written questions from members of the Council.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00pm on Monday 13 July.

Accepted questions and answers will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

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.

There was a brief adjournment at 12:00 noon. The meeting reconvened at 12:15 p.m.

To agree amendments to the constitution relating to the Health and Wellbeing Board and new pavement licensing legislation.

Council considered a report by the Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee which contained amendments to the constitution including the membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board and appeal arrangements for pavement licensing.

The Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee proposed the report and recommendations. In introducing the report he explained that the Audit and Governance committee had considered the outcomes of a review of the Health and Wellbeing Board and had recommended a change to its membership. The solicitor to the Council had advised that changes to the constitution were also required to take account of pavement license legislation introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Councillor Christy Bolderson seconded the recommendations in the report as the Vice Chairperson of the Audit and Governance Committee. The Committee had considered the changes to the health and wellbeing board membership but had been unable to consider the changes to the right of appeal for pavement licenses due to time pressures. Both constitutional changes were felt to be routine and were commended to Council.

A point was raised that the functions of the Health and Wellbeing Board should include reference to holding providers to account and that the balance of the membership on the Board was weighted towards representatives of providers. It was queried whether the functions of the Board could include reference to holding providers to account and the  membership could be amended to include a greater number of patient representatives from rural and urban areas and from the market towns. The Solicitor to the Council explained that such proposals would need to be considered by the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Audit and Governance Committee before it could be determined by Council. It was noted that the Committee would undertake a review of the Board in 12 months time which could consider these proposals.

The amendments to the constitution were put to the vote and agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED: That –

(a)        the amendments to the constitution in appendix 1 of the report are agreed    with implementation immediately; and

(b)       the monitoring officer is authorised to amend the constitution to include       a right of appeal for pavement licenses to the licensing subcommittee in            the committee’s functions.            

To receive a report from the leader on the activities of the executive (cabinet) since the meeting of Council on 6 March 2020.

Council received and noted the Leader’s report on the activities of the Cabinet since the meeting of Council on 6 March 2020 as contained in the supplement published on 16 July containing a corrected version of the report. The Leader introduced his report and provided a correction to paragraph 13 to include mention of Staffordshire as a member of the Shire Leaders. The Leader also referred to the announcement from government that the Council would receive an extra £1.5million to assist in the response to coronavirus.

The Leader received the following questions:

·         If the capital programme was amended to release money for flooding repairs can you confirm that no projects to benefit rural areas would be cut? It was hoped that more money would be forthcoming from government to fund the flooding repairs, if cuts to the capital programme were required this would be a decision of the full Council. It was hoped that any cuts would not affect the investment identified for market towns.

·         The intervention of the MP for North Herefordshire in efforts to secure funding from government for flooding repairs was welcome but was there concern that only minor influence had been brought to bear. It was hoped that the MP retained influence with the government. The Leader regularly wrote to ministers in the government and copied his correspondence to the MP.

·         It was queried why there was no mention of the £7.6 million funding from the Department of Transport (DfT) for highways bringing total grant funding up to £20 million. The Leader explained that this funding was part of the capital programme and was committed to potholes although its purpose had been updated by government to include mention of recovery from flooding. The administration was intent on using the whole fund for potholes and accessing other capital funding to pay for repairs to flooding damage; this would be a collective decision of the Council. 

·         The revenue implications of the purchase of the Maylords Centre and the Hillside centre were queried. It was confirmed that the Maylords Centre had a positive cash flow and the reopening of the Hillside centre was undertaken as an emergency measure in response to the flooding of a care home in the South of the county.

The meeting was adjourned at 12.50 p.m. due to technical problems. The meeting was reconvened at 1.20 p.m.

·         The community working arrangements with partners during the coronavirus was very valuable and it was asked whether the council could commit to retain the links established. It was important to not lose the links and Talk Community could work with local communities to sustain the arrangements established.

·         The non-profit principle behind the acquisition of the Maylords Centre was queried. It was explained that there was not a profit incentive attached to the purchase of the centre which allowed the council to explore options with the local community to realise its social value.

·         As the existing freeholder of the site the purchase of the Maylords Centre concerned the acquisition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

To consider Notices of Motion.

Motion 1 – Tree Strategy

In moving the motion Councillor Christy Bolderson made the following points:

·         The motion would assist the council in moving to net zero carbon emissions and enhance the natural environment for the benefit of local residents. It supported efforts at the council to address the climate emergency.

·         The motion called for the increase in tree coverage and improvement in arrangements for the management and protection of trees in the county.

·         Similar tree planting strategies existed in other local authority areas including Surrey, Cornwall and Bristol.

·         Trees absorbed carbon dioxide and water. Tree planting would contribute to efforts to reduce carbon and protect against flooding.

·         Trees had beneficial health and wellbeing impacts.

·         A draft strategy from 2014 existed which together with the consideration of the steering groups could form the basis of a strategy.

·         The motion was timely with an England tree strategy under consultation.  

·         Planning policies at the council needed to be strengthened to take account of the protection of trees.

The following principal points were raised during the debate:

·         The motion was supported but action was required in place of words.

·         The enthusiasm for planting trees in the motion was welcomed and the executive would work with the mover of the motion to implement the proposals.

·         The motion outlined the need for tree protection as well as tree planting which was an important complement.

·         It was important to acknowledge the wider ecological challenge; the proposals in the motion were a positive contribution but would not address the challenge alone.

·         A tree planting programme was planned for winter 2020.

·         It was important that appropriate trees were planted in the right places.

·         Council land could be used to plant trees but a consideration of the cost of maintenance was required.

Councillor Christy Bolderson, as the mover of the motion, closed the debate and explained that there was overall enthusiasm to plant and protect trees.

The motion was put to the vote and was carried by a simple majority.

RESOLVED: That

We call upon the executive to expedite the delivery of a detailed tree strategy for the county.  A 2014 draft document exists that might provide the basis for a new strategy which will reinforce our commitment to the environment and align with our declaration of a climate emergency.

The Government is currently consulting on an England Tree Strategy and we ask for the council to respond to this consultation.

Furthermore, in the interim and as a matter of urgency, we ask the executive to consider what can be done to protect existing trees and to take immediate action by planting, maintaining and protecting trees in order to have established growth by 2030. 

Motion 2 – Building back better; a green and fair recovery from coronavirus

In moving the motion Councillor Chowns made the following principal points:

·         The motion was intended to unite the Council around principles to help respond to the pandemic.

·         The motion acknowledged the devastating impact of coronavirus.

·         The motion also looked forward to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.