| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Council Chamber, Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City |
| PRESENT: | Councillor Tricia Cowley (Chairman), Councillor R.L. Shakespeare - Smith (Vice-Chairman), Councillor Mrs A.G. Ashley, Councillor Alan Bardett, Councillor D.J. Barnard, Councillor Clare Billing, Councillor Judi Billing, Councillor John Booth, Councillor P.C.W. Burt, Councillor Paul Clark, Councillor Julian Cunningham, Councillor Bill Davidson, Councillor Faye S Frost, Councillor Jean Green, Councillor Steve Hemingway, Councillor Cathryn Henry, Councillor Fiona Hill, Councillor T.W. Hone, Councillor Tony Hunter, Councillor S.K. Jarvis, Councillor Sal Jarvis, Councillor David Kearns, Councillor Lorna Kercher, Councillor Joan Kirby, Councillor David Levett, Councillor Bernard Lovewell, Councillor Sandra Lunn, Councillor Ian Mantle, Councillor M.R.M. Muir, Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham, Councillor Frank Radcliffe, Councillor Mike Rice, Councillor Deepak Sangha, Councillor Deborah Segalini, Councillor Adrian Smith, Councillor R.A.C. Thake and Councillor M.E. Weeks. |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Chief Executive, Strategic Director of Customer Services, Strategic Director of Finance, Policy and Governance, Head of Revenues, Benefits and Information Technology, Revenues Manager, Acting Corporate Legal Manager, Democratic Services Manager and Committee and Member Services Manager. |
| ALSO PRESENT: | 3 members of the public. |
| Meeting attachment |
Agenda Front Pages |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 54 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors John Bishop, Jane Gray, Gary Grindal, John Harris, Simon Harwood, David Leal-Bennett, Ben Lewis, Jim McNally, Alan Millard, Gerald Morris, Mrs C.P.A. Strong and A.D. Young. |
Noted | ||
| 55 |
MINUTES Minutes It was moved by Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham, seconded by Councillor T.W. Hone, and RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 27 November 2014 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 56 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS No additional business was presented for consideration by the Council. |
Noted | ||
| 57 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) Declarations of Interest The Chairman reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question. (2) National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society At the Chairman ‘s invitation, the Vice-Chairman advised that his daughter and her fiancée were taking part in a sponsored cycle ride around the Isle of Wight on 21 February 2015 in aid of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS). The Vice-Chairman had circulated a sponsorship form to all Members of the Council. He would be delighted to receive sponsorship donations (and Gift Aid) or they could be sent to the address on the sponsorship form. He thanked those Members who had already donated. |
Noted | ||
| 58 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION There was no public participation. |
Noted | ||
| 59 |
COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION SCHEME 2015/16 Report Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 The Council considered the report of the Head of Revenues, Benefits and Information Technology in respect of a proposed Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) for 2015/16. The following appendices were submitted with the report: Appendix 1 - Council Tax Reduction Scheme; Appendix 2 - Glossary of Terms; Appendix 3 - Current Costs of the Scheme; and Appendix 4 - Discretionary Council Tax Payments Scheme. The Portfolio Holder for Finance and IT (Councillor T.W. Hone) advised that Cabinet had considered a report on the CTRS in September 2014, at which it was recommended that the CTRS remain unchanged for 2015/16. This decision precluded the need for the Council to carry out consultation of the Scheme. This was re-iterated at the Cabinet meeting on 16 December 2014, at which it was further recommended that the percentage by which each award to each recipient in the Non-Protected Groups be reduced at 25.00% for 2015/16, which represented a reduction of 8.13% from 2014/15; and that the amount to be distributed to the Local Precepting Authorities for Council Tax Reduction Scheme Grant be £67,238, and that this be distributed in proportion to the total awards of CTRS in each Local Precepting area. At the meeting on 16 December 2014, Cabinet had also approved a policy for administering Discretionary Council Tax Payments to assist those in severe financial difficulties, and a contingency sum of £50,000 had been built into the Scheme for this purpose. It was moved by Councillor T.W. Hone, seconded by Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham and, following debate and being put to the vote, it was RESOLVED: (1) That the Scheme attached as Appendix 1 to the report be approved as the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) for North Hertfordshire for 2015/16; (2) That, in accordance with Section 59A.1 of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme referred to in (1) above, the percentage by which each award to each recipient in the Non-Protected Groups is reduced at 25.00% for 2015/16, which represents a reduction of 8.13% from 2014/15; and (3) That the amount to be distributed to the Local Precepting Authorities for Council Tax Reduction Scheme Grant be £67,238, and that this be distributed in proportion to the total awards of CTRS in each Local Precepting area. REASON FOR DECISION: To comply with the requirement to approve any changes to the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for the coming financial year by the deadline of 31 January 2015. |
Agreed | ||
| 60 |
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS Report Housing Needs in North Hertfordshire In accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11(b), the following question had been submitted by Councillor Sal Jarvis to Councillor David Levett (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enterprise): "Would the Portfolio Holder tell Council whether all the documents used to inform the Council's objective assessment of housing need in North Hertfordshire are now in the public domain?" Councillor Levett replied that, yes, all of the documents used to inform the Council's objective assessment of housing need in North Hertfordshire were now in the public domain. Councillor Jarvis asked the following supplementary question: "Does that also apply to all of the documents used to assess how much housing development could be accommodated on the sites identified in North Hertfordshire and their impact on the Green Belt?" Councillor Levett replied that, yes, all such documents would be made available on the Council's website. |
Noted | ||
| 61 |
NOTICE OF MOTIONS Report (A) Keith Hoskins, Hitchin Town Centre Manager [Prior to consideration of this motion, Councillor Judi Billing advised that she was a Director of Hitchin Initiative and Councillor R.A.C. Thake stated that he was a member of Hitchin Initiative. They received advice from the Monitoring Officer that they did not need to declare an interest in the matter.] Due notice having been given in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.12, it was moved by Councillor Frank Radcliffe, and seconded by Councillor Adrian Smith, "That North Herts District Council warmly congratulates Keith Hoskins on being awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours for 2015 for Services to the community in which he lives and works. We consider this to be richly deserved as we all benefit from his innovative approaches to community life and wish him well for many years to come." During the debate, the Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham) supported the motion and added her personal congratulations to Mr Hoskins. She commented that there were many others in North Hertfordshire who had received national recognition for services to the community, and advised that she would be aiming to strengthen the Council's Constitution to enable future recipients of such awards to be acknowledged in the same way as Mr Hoskins. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried. (B) The Living Wage Due notice having been given in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.12, it was moved by Councillor Frank Radcliffe, and seconded by Councillor Judi Billing, "That North Herts District Council supports the introduction and maintenance of the current local level of the Living Wage for all its directly engaged, contracted and sub-contracted staff. To this end it will: - adopt a policy of supporting the Living Wage in procurement on a case by case basis; - ensure that the awarding of all future contracts is confined to companies that have a "Living Wage" policy; - encourage partner organisations such as Housing Associations to pay the Living Wage; - ensure the terms of implementation of a Living Wage are negotiated through the recognised trade union(s); and - annually publish the most detailed statistics possible on low paid staff who the council directly employs, contracts, sub-contracts and hire as agency staff." Following debate, and upon being put to the vote, the motion was lost. |
Noted | ||