BOROUGH OF CREWE AND NANTWICH

COUNCIL MEETING

8^TH AUGUST 2007

1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.         MINUTES

2.1       To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 13^th June 2007. (2.1)

2.2       To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Special Council Meeting held on 27^th June 2007. (2.2)

3.         PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

To consider questions and petitions received in accordance with the Question Time Procedure [Procedure Rule No. 31(2)] and to consider any supplementary questions. 

4.         MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES

To receive the Mayor’s Communications and a resumé of Civic life in the Borough since the last Council meeting. (4)

(Note: At this point in the proceedings the Council will be invited to sit as a Committee of the Full Council.)

5.         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST       

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests which they have in any item of business on the agenda, the nature of the interest, and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

6.        CONSIDERATION OF ANY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE  REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

To consider any recommendations or reports from the Scrutiny Committees.

7.         NOTICE OF MOTION (POST OFFICES)           

To consider the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor B Evans in accordance with Procedure Rule No. 7(1). 

“That this Council makes and promotes the Payment Card the preferred method of payment for Council Tax. This can be used free-of-charge at any Post Office; in addition, a small transaction payment is made to the Post Office concerned, thereby showing our practical and financial support to encourage the rural and urban use of our post offices.”

8.         PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE UNITARY STRUCTURES

The Chief Executive to report to Council on the current position in respect of proposals for future unitary structures in Cheshire.

MATTERS REQUIRING A DECISION BY COUNCIL

9.         Appointment of Deputy Council Convenor

At the Council meeting held on 27^th June 2007, Councillor D N Bebbington resigned as Council Convenor and Councillor A Moran was elected to this position.

Councillor Moran had been elected Deputy Council Convenor at the Annual Council meeting on 16^th May 2007.  As a consequence of him taking up the Council Convenor’s role, there is a vacancy for a Deputy Council Convenor and nominations are invited.

10.        Adoption of Model Code of Conduct

Following the national consultation process, the Government issued a new Model Code of Conduct which came into force on 3^rd May 2007.  Local Authorities have been encouraged to adopt the Code before the automatic implementation date of 1^st October 2007.  At its meeting held on 17^th July, the Standards Committee considered the revised Code of Conduct and Council is recommended to resolve –

(a) That the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) 2007 be adopted as Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council’s Code of Conduct; the Ten General Principles of Public Life to be included as a preamble to the Code; and

(b)  That all necessary formalities, including notification and advertising, be undertaken by the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer.    

The report of the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer is enclosed together with a copy of the Code of Conduct. (10)

11.       Food Service Plan

The Food Standards Agency requires, as part of its Framework Agreement for Local Authority Food Enforcement, every food authority to produce a Food Service Plan conforming to the requirements set out in the Framework Agreement. The Plan must be reviewed every year.

The Board, at its meeting held on 26^th July 2007, considered the report of Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities.  The Board recommends to Council that the Food Service Plan for 1^st April 2007 to 31^st March 2008 be approved and implemented.

The report of the Portfolio Holder, as submitted to Board, is attached. (11) 

12.       Members’ Allowances Scheme – 2007/2008

At its meeting held on 26^th July 2007, the Board considered the report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.

The Scheme of Members’ Allowances currently in operation (2006/2007) expired at the end of March 2007.  For the reasons set out in the report submitted to Board, it was proposed that the 2006/2007 Scheme be extended to form the 2007/2008 Scheme. It was also proposed that an Independent Remuneration Panel be appointed to review the Members’ Allowances Scheme and make recommendations to inform the 2008/2009 budget.

The report, as submitted to Board, is attached. (12)

The Board’s recommendation to Council, as amended at its meeting, is as follows  -

(a) That The Scheme of Members’ Allowances 2006/2007 be increased in line with the Employee Pay Award for 2007/2008, once agreed, to form the 2007/2008 Scheme of Members’ Allowances and Schedule of Payments;

(b) That, when agreement is reached on the Employee Pay Award, the Scheme of Allowances for 2007/2008 be applied and backdated with effect from 1^st April 2007; and

(c) That an Independent Remuneration Panel be appointed to review the Members’ Allowances Scheme and make recommendations to inform the 2008/2009 Budget.    

13.       Press Release Protocol

At its meeting held on 17^th July 2007, the Standards Committee considered a Press Release Protocol which has been drawn up to clarify the role of the Communications Department in respect of press releases.

The aim of the Protocol is to ensure that the Borough Council is perceived as communicating in a professional and objective manner.

The Standards Committee recommends that the attached Protocol be adopted with immediate effect. (13)

14.       Wulvern Housing Governance Arrangements

At its meeting held on 31^st May 2007, the Board considered the report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers, which contained details of Wulvern Housing’s consultation on its proposals for changes to its governance arrangements.  The Board deferred a decision and referred the matter to the Organisation Scrutiny Committee.

The Organisation Scrutiny Committee held a special meeting on 25^th June 2007 and made a recommendation to the Board. 

At its meeting on 26^th July 2007, the Board considered the Committee’s recommendation but agreed to refer the matter to Council for decision.  The Board recommends that Council resolve

(a) That the number of Local Authority Members of Wulvern Housing Board be reduced to 3, with the option of one of these 3 being a Local Authority nominee; and

(b) That Wulvern Housing be advised that this Local Authority has no objection to a remuneration policy being introduced in favour of independent members of the Board.

A copy of the report submitted to the Board, together with a copy of the Record of Meeting of the Organisation Scrutiny Committee held on 25^th June 2007, is attached. (14)

15.       BOARD REPORT AND QUESTIONS TO THE BOARD AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Councillors may ask questions of the Board and Committee Chairs in accordance with Procedure Rule No. 9. Members are reminded that questions should only be raised on matters which are being discussed by the Board or Committee.