Agenda and minutes

The members had before them

A.    The Agenda papers (previously circulated);

B.    6 questions submitted to the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance (previously circulated); and

C.   The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2020 (previously circulated).

To receive apologies and invite any councillor to declare any interest in any of the items on the agenda.

An apology was received from Mr R P Tomlinson.

To allow a member of the public to present a petition, or ask a question relating to the functions of the Council, or to make a comment on any matter on the agenda.

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance in writing or by e-mail indicating both the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the Monday before the meeting (in this case 7 September 2020). Further details are available on the Council’s website. Enquiries can also be made through the telephone number/e-mail address listed below.

None.

To approve as a correct record and authorise the signing of the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2020 (previously circulated electronically).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2020 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any announcements to be made by the Chairman.

Noted.

To consider the future work programme recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (Yellow pages).

The Council considered the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2020/21.

In the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:

·         The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board introduced the report and commented that the work of scrutiny had been overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, it had not been possible to complete all the planned work. However, the scrutiny panels had examined their priorities and identified a programme of work which had been endorsed by the Board. The need to track the Covid recovery progress including the plans and financial implications would be a key area to examine. New subject areas had been identified including the 2021/22 budget process. Cabinet Members would be requested to attend relevant panels to identify emerging budgetary issues. The Board had identified the need to establish question time meetings with the Leader and Chief Executive. Other areas identified included the Council’s preparedness for the new domestic abuse legislation, the Council’s energy purchasing arrangements, issues around gateway drugs and training needs for new councillors post 2021 elections

·         Given the impact of the Covid pandemic, it would be helpful to understand which items of business would be completed by the end of the municipal year and the hand over arrangements to the new council in May 2021. The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board commented that the Board would monitor the activity of the panels and would publish priorities as necessary. It was intended to proceed as normal and carry out as much work as possible, albeit remotely. Consideration would be given to the hand over arrangements in due course

·         When would the LEP Annual report be considered? The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board responded that there had been a written update to the Board earlier in the year but he anticipated a further report would be brought to the Board before the end of the municipal year.

RESOLVED that the 2020/21Scrutiny Work Programme be endorsed.

To receive the reports of the following Cabinet Members with Responsibility on current issues and proposed developments within their area of responsibility and to receive answers to any questions on their reports: (Green pages)

a)    Economy and Infrastructure

b)    Environment; and

c)    Transformation and Commissioning.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure presented his report.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure then answered a broad range of questions from members.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure for his report.

The report was noted.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Environment presented his report.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Environment then answered a broad range of questions from members.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Environment for his report.

The report was noted.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Transformation and Commissioning presented her report.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Transformation and Commissioning then answered a broad range of questions from members.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Transformation and Commissioning for her report.

The report was noted.

To receive the report of the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance on any Notices of Motion received by him (Lilac pages).

Councillors are asked to note that any Notices of Motion must be received by the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance no later than noon on 1 September 2020.

The Council had before it a Notice of Motion set out in the agenda papers standing in the names of Mr A D Kent, Mr R J Morris, Mrs L C Hodgson, Mrs S A Webb, Mrs R Vale, Mr J H Smith, and Ms K J May.

The motion was moved by Mr A D Kent and seconded by Mrs R Vale who both spoke in favour of it, and Council agreed to deal with it on the day.

In the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:

·         It was vital that young people could establish careers in areas that interested them. Inexperienced young people would bear the brunt of the impact of the downturn in the employment market as a result of the Covid pandemic. It was imperative that locally this Council did as much as possible to help young people learn and progress and that local employers had the confidence and support to be able to take on young people in challenging times

·         The Council was already undertaking a lot of quality work with apprenticeships but it needed to increase the quantity of apprenticeship opportunities that were being created with the appropriate communication and marketing. All councillors should contact their local employers to encourage them to join this scheme. There was a danger that this tranche of young people could become the forgotten generation

·         It was more important than ever for public sector partners, LEP partners and colleges of further education to work together to maximise the number of apprenticeship opportunities. It should be acknowledged that applicants for these positions might also be young people who had been furloughed and were now looking to change their career direction. It was therefore necessary to make available a wide range of apprenticeships to young people and provide them with the information to allow them to make an informed decision

·         The Council needed an integrated and wide-ranging plan for apprenticeships so that young people were adequately prepared for the workplace

·         Students needed to feel confident that everything was being done to help them in their future career

·         The Cabinet Member for Children and Families commented that although there were frustrations, the needs of care leavers were being addressed through the apprenticeship scheme

·         In relation to domiciliary care apprenticeships, the Council had had to return funds from the Government training levy because it had failed to provide sufficient training or apprenticeships

·         The involvement of colleges in apprenticeship schemes was welcomed, particularly for the skilled jobs necessary for the construction industry

·         It was acknowledged that the Council initially did not fully utilise the apprentice levy however over the last 18 months there had been considerable progress and the levy was now being spent. A recent City and Guilds inspection had rated the service as good

·         In rural areas, businesses were struggling to find people with the right skills or young people who were interested in acquiring these skills. In addition, young people were finding it hard to get work experience and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2210.

The Council had before it a Notice of Motion set out in the agenda papers standing in the names of Mrs E B Tucker, Mrs F M Oborski, Mr M E Jenkins and Prof J W Raine.

The motion was moved by Mr M E Jenkins and seconded by Mrs E B Tucker. Mr M E Jenkins spoke in favour of it. He commented that due to the lack of action by the Government, it was more important than ever for the Council to take action locally to address climate change. As a net importer of energy, it was important for Worcestershire to increase local renewable energy generation to improve resilience and keep value streams within the local community and reduce carbon emissions. There was a huge potential to use the heat generated from the Energy from Waste plant at Hartlebury and thereby reduce the plant’s carbon emissions by 30%. There were a number of vacant plots on the Hartlebury Business Park and more needed to be done to attract businesses to operate there to use this wasted heat.

There was insufficient time for the seconder to speak or for debate. Council agreed to deal with it on the day.

The motion was lost.

There was insufficient time to consider this motion within the allocated 60-minute time limit for the consideration of Notices of Motion.

There was insufficient time to consider this motion within the allocated 60-minute time limit for the consideration of Notices of Motion.

There was insufficient time to consider this motion within the allocated 60-minute time limit for the consideration of Notices of Motion.

To receive answers to any questions asked by Councillors (Orange pages).

(Members are reminded of the timescale adopted by Council for notice of questions. A Councillor may only ask a question if:

·         It is delivered in writing to the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance by noon on 1 September 2020 or

·         If it relates to urgent business, the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance is notified at least half an hour before the start of the meeting and the Chairman agrees the matter is urgent’.)

Six questions had been received by the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance and had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The answers to all the questions are attached in the Appendix.

To consider the reports of Committees and to receive answers to any questions asked on those reports as follows (White pages):

a)    Audit and Governance Committee; and

b)    Planning and Regulatory Committee.

The Chairman of the Committee introduced the report and commented that despite the issues associated with the Covid pandemic, the Council was in a good position to sign off its Accounts with no outstanding issues, in line with the extended statutory deadline. This was a fantastic achievement and showed the progress made in improving the Council’s auditing arrangements. He thanked Michael Hudson, the Chief Financial Officer and his team who had worked diligently, professionally and strategically to get to this position. The final Accounts would be considered at the Committee meeting on 2 October 2020.

The Council received the report of the Audit and Governance Committee containing a summary of the decisions taken.

The Council received the report of the Planning and Regulatory Committee containing a summary of the decisions taken.