| Item | Description | Background Information | Decision |
| | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Councillors Barlow, Birchall, Bodle, Burgin, Drewett, Tristram and Wallace | |
| 22/36 | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest | |
| 22/37 | MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING | MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
It was proposed by Councillor Lohan and seconded by Councillor Barton that the minutes of the meeting of the meeting held on 8 March 2022, be confirmed as a correct record.
Minutes | RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2022, be confirmed as a correct record. |
| 22/38 | RECEIPT OF CORRESPONDENCE BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL, ELECTED MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE OR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | RECEIPT OF CORRESPONDENCE BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL, ELECTED MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE OR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Members were advised that on the 30 August 2022, a presentation on the East Midlands Devolution Deal had been made and that the prospectus and copy of the offered deal had been received. The deal would see the creation of a mayoral county combined authority, an MCCA, with the election of a mayor for the East Midlands advocating for the region and held accountable by the electorate.
Council was informed that the deal would see £1.14 billion or more simply £38 million a year for 30 years committed to the East Midlands region. This was an investment fund to deliver a programme of transformational long-term investments. As well as an initial current in year capital funding of £18 million there would be a one-off devolved capital funding of £17 million. The later would support building of new homes on brownfield land.
The County combined authority would have powers in relation to economic development and regeneration, adult education and skills, transport functions including to set up and coordinate a key route network and transport plan, housing supply, regeneration and place making functions, land acquisition and disposal, development and regeneration of land functions, borrowing up to an agreed capital for non-transport functions, net zero, innovation, public service reform and financing. These powers would all be devolved from central government and there would be no local authority functions being removed from any district or borough council.
The timeline for the deal to be approved by upper tier authorities, that being Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottingham City Council, Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire City Council, was ending around November 2022 to January 2023 and would be the final consultation period. Between October and November on the lead up to that consultation period there would be reports considered by all of those four authorities. | |
| 22/39 | ADVANCE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC | ADVANCE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
There were no advance questions | |
| 22/40 | ADVANCE QUESTIONS FROM ELECTED MEMBERS | ADVANCE QUESTIONS FROM ELECTED MEMBERS
There were no advance questions | |
| 22/41 | EXECUTIVE DECISION - MANSFIELD HOMES LTD UPDATE | EXECUTIVE DECISION - MANSFIELD HOMES LTD UPDATE
It was proposed by the Elected Mayor and seconded by Councillor Whitby, that the recommendation from the executive decision taken on 24 June, 2022, relating to the Mansfield Homes Limited be noted.
Council was advised that since the decision, 18 properties had been sold, two were reserved, two were sold subject to contract, which meant that there was only one property that remained to be sold.
On the motion being put to the vote, the Chair announced that the motion had been approved unanimously.
Decision notice
Report of Head of Planning and Regeneration | RESOLVED - That the update be noted. |
| 22/42 | DELEGATED DECISION BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR CORPORATE AND FINANCE - REVENUE AND CAPITAL OUTTURN 2021/2022 | DELEGATED DECISION BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR CORPORATE AND FINANCE - REVENUE AND CAPITAL OUTTURN 2021/2022
It was proposed by Councillor Whitby and seconded by the Elected Mayor that the recommendations from the delegated decision, taken on 26 August, 2022 be approved.
Councillor Whitby stated that the submitted report outlined the Council’s year end outturn position for the revenue and capital budgets for the 2021/22 financial year, and the impact on both the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) level of general balances.
Comments were raised regarding proposed and completed capital expenditure at the Civic Centre, given the possibility of relocation to a premises in the town centre.
In response, Council was advised that the proposed works at the Civic Centre, were earmarked planned preventative works given that the Council's bid for funds for the proposed Connect building in the town centre, may not be successful. In addition, there were health and safety issues that needed to be addressed.
On the motion being put to the vote, the Chair announced that the motion has been carried by 28 in favour with two against and no abstentions.
Decision Notice
Report of Head of Finance | RESOLVED -
(i) That the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account revenue outturn position for the 2021/22 financial year be noted.
(ii) That the Capital Outturn position for the 2021/22 financial year be noted
(iii) That the method of funding the capital programme 2021/22 as shown in be noted.
(iv) That Capital budget carry-forwards totalling £53.362m be noted. |
| 22/43 | DELEGATED DECISION BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND WELLBEING - PUBLIC SPACES PROTECTION ORDER 2022-2025 | DELEGATED DECISION BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND WELLBEING - PUBLIC SPACES PROTECTION ORDER 2022-2025
It was proposed by Councillor Bradshaw and seconded by the Elected Mayor, that the recommendation from the delegated decision taken on 19 August 2022, relating to the proposed Public Spaces Protection Order be approved.
Council was advised that the proposed PSPO had been developed following consultation and contained ten offences, nine of which were in the existing PSPO. Members were advised of changes to the PSPO relating to smoking in play areas and the prohibition of driving or riding a mechanically propelled vehicle in the area known as "The Desert". Details of the offences had been included in the submitted report.
On the motion being put to the vote, the Chair announced that the motion had been carried unanimously.
Decision Notice
Report of Head of Health and Communities | RESOLVED - That the Public Spaces Protection Order 2022/25 be approved. |
| 22/44 | DELEGATED DECISION BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR REGENERATION AND GROWTH - PLANNING OBLIGATIONS SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENT (SPD) | DELEGATED DECISION BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR REGENERATION AND GROWTH - PLANNING OBLIGATIONS SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENT (SPD)
It was proposed by Councillor Richardson and seconded by the Elected Mayor that the recommendation from the delegated decision taken on 31 August 2022, relating to a Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document be approved.
Council was advised that approval of the document would give the authority a strategic and up to date basis for seeking planning obligations, to mitigate the impact of development in the district.
On the motion being put to the vote, the Chair announced that the motion had been carried unanimously.
Decision notice
Report of Head of Planning and Regeneration
Appendix A
Appendix B | RESOLVED - That the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document be approved and used when considering and determining planning applications within the district. |
| 22/45 | EXTRACT MINUTE OF GOVERNANCE & STANDARDS COMMITTEE - RECRUITMENT OF NON ELECTED MEMBER | EXTRACT MINUTE OF GOVERNANCE & STANDARDS COMMITTEE - RECRUITMENT OF NON ELECTED MEMBER
It was proposed by Councillor Elliman and seconded by Councillor Fretwell, that the recommendations from the Governance and Standards Committee, relating to the appointment of an independent member of the Committee be approved.
Council was advised that at the Governance and Standards Committee held on 8 June 2022, members were informed of the outcome of the interview process for the vacant post of independent non-elected member on the Committee.
An interview panel that comprised the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee, Councillor Sissons, the Head of Law and Governance and the Corporate Assurance Manager recommended that Clare Wasteney be appointed to the post of independent non-elected member of the Governance and Standards Committee, subject to Council approval for a four year period.
On the motion being put to the vote, that Chair announced that the motion had been carried unanimously.
Extract Minute
Report of the Corporate Assurance Manager | RESOLVED - That Clare Wasteney be appointed to the vacant post of independent non-elected member of the Governance and Standards Committee for a period of four years. |
| 22/46 | EXTRACT MINUTE OF GOVERNANCE & STANDARDS COMMITTEE - INVESTMENT STRATEGY OUTURN JULY 2022 | EXTRACT MINUTE OF GOVERNANCE & STANDARDS COMMITTEE - INVESTMENT STRATEGY OUTURN JULY 2022
It was proposed by Councillor Elliman and seconded by Councillor Fretwell, that the recommendation from the Governance and Standards Committee, relating to the Investment Strategy Outturn report be approved.
Members were reminded that local authorities were required to approve an annual Treasury Management Strategy before the commencement of each new financial year. Council approved its Treasury Management Strategy for 2021/22 on 9 March 2021 and the submitted report identified how the Council performed against the Strategy.
During the 2021/22 financial year, the Council took out no new loans and the Council’s total borrowing stood at £86.1million at the 31 March 2022. Council was advised that the majority of this loan debt had been taken out with the Public Works Loan Board which offered preferential interest rates to local authorities.
At 31 March 2022, the Council had £54.994million invested in financial institutions, the majority of which were held in the Debt Management Office, a government backed agency, on a short term basis to meet planned expenditure.
The Council received an average rate of return of 0.10% against an average base rate of 0.21% for the 2021/22 financial year, as a result of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee keeping the bank rate at 0.10% for most of 2021/22. Therefore, longer term investments achieved lower rates than those they replaced.
Members were informed that that when investing money in banks and building societies, the Council sets high credit criteria which reduces the risks of the Council not getting its investments back due to default. The security and liquidity of the Council’s money was the main priority when investing public money, which meant that the rate of return was often lower than what could be achieved in a more ‘risky’ financial institution but with the risk of default being much higher. During the 2021/22 financial year the Council did not invest with any financial institutions which fell below the minimum level approved by the Council when it agreed its Treasury Management Strategy.
On the motion being put to the vote, the Chair announced that the motion had been approved unanimously.
Extract Minute
Report of the Head of Finance | RESOLVED - That the report be approved. |
| 22/47 | APPOINTMENTS TO ALLOTMENT TRUSTEES FOR THE LABOURING POOR | APPOINTMENTS TO ALLOTMENT TRUSTEES FOR THE LABOURING POOR
Council was advised that Councillor Ward had resigned from the Allotment Trustees for the Labouring Poor and Council was requested to appoint a replacement representative for the remainder of the current term of office.
It was proposed by the Elected Mayor and seconded by Councillor Whitby, that Councillor Swinscoe be nominated to the position.
As there were no further nomination, Councillor Swinscoe was elected unopposed.
Report of Chief Executive Officer | RESOLVED - That Councillor Swinscoe be appointed to the vacancy on the Allotment Trustees for the Labouring Poor until May 2023. |
| 22/48 | COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES | COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES
Members were circulated with a revised schedule of the allocation of seats on Committee's which took into account the result of the Oak Tree By-Election in the Oak Tree ward.
It was proposed by Councillor Wright and seconded by Councillor Barton, that the proposed allocation of seats be approved.
On the motion being put to the vote, the Chair announced that the motion had been approved unanimously.
Report of Chief Executive Officer
Appendix 1 | RESOLVED -
(i) That the allocation of seats on Committees be approved in accordance with the submitted revised schedule.
(ii) That in accordance with Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, appointments to Committees shall not be in accordance with Sections 15 and 16 of the Act but in accordance with the submitted schedule. |
| 22/49 | OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22 | OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22
Councillor Answer, Shields and Sissons presented to Council a report on the work and recommendations undertaken in 2021/22 by the three Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
Council was reminded that the Constitution Working Group had commenced a review into the operation and structure of the overview and scrutiny function and that details from other local authorities was still awaited.
On the three Commission's reports being put to the vote, that Chair announced that the report had been approved by 29 votes in favour, with one vote against and no abstentions.
Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees | RESOLVED - That the reports be noted. |
| 22/50 | MOTIONS | MOTIONS
It was proposed by the Elected Mayor and seconded by Councillor Whitby that -
In order to support residents and businesses of the District, the Council is urged to declare a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and to write to the Government to ask for urgent action to relieve the cost of living crisis through such measures as:
1. Provide immediate financial support for our residents to help address the increased household costs in energy.
2. Allocate an increase in support grants to local government, specifically:
(a) Increase funding for Discretionary Housing Payments as a matter of urgency – 82% of MDC’s funding for 2022/23 has already been allocated due to families already in financial hardship.
(b) Increase NCC Household Support Grant for fuel and food vouchers
(c) Increase funding to ‘Feeding Britain’ to support FOOD Clubs and food banks
(d) Increase funding for ‘Call before you serve’ to prevent families being evicted
3. Stabilise the foundations of the economy by providing emergency support for business
4. Consider reducing VAT putting money back into the pockets of our residents and boosting the economy.
5. Provide security for the future through delivering a real an immediate increase in investment in UK insulation, nuclear and renewable energy
6. Put in place a longer-term approach to economic growth and security
Further, to show practical support for declaring an emergency, members are also urged to endorse the Council arranging to hold with its partners, a Cost of Living Crisis open day, in order to strengthen the relationships between the council and its partners and to ensure that residents are able to access support and advice during these unprecedented times.
In proposing the motion, the Elected Mayor stated that the effects of higher taxes and increasing energy, food and fuel prices were being felt by residents and businesses across the district.
In 2020, almost 16% of households in Mansfield were experiencing fuel poverty, living in homes which had poor energy efficiency and incomes below the poverty line. The year-on-year trend for this data indicates that this figure would continue to worsen and that was before the effects of the massive energy price increases in April, October 2022 and January 2023 are taken into account.
The Government had suspended the state pensions ‘triple lock’ for the current financial year, meaning that, instead of an 8.3% rise under the triple lock formula, the state pension increase would now only be 3.1%.
Members were informed that in March 2022, the Trussel Trust reported that more than 4,200 food parcels had been handed out in Mansfield, which was a 62% increase in just one year.
All this is happening at a time when in the Mansfield district, the average worker saw real wages (excluding bonuses) fall by £988.
As an amendment, it was proposed by Councillor Elliman and seconded by Councillor Anderson that -
Point 1 be replaced with the following -
On top of the financial support provided by the government namely
A. Freezing of energy bills at an average cost per household of £1,200
B. Energy council tax rebate of £150 to all band A-D households
C. £400 universal energy credit to all households
D. £650 universal credit payment
E. £300 pensioner cost of living payment
F. £150 disability cost of living payment
Would ask that government look at reducing national insurance or income tax to support hard working families in Mansfield allowing them to keep more money in their pockets and support themselves through the cost-of-living crisis. In the event of further hardship would ask government to consider additional measures to support families.
Add a point 5a after point 5.
As long as the UK is using Gas then government should look to generate as much of this itself in the UK by utilizing our own Gas reserves and thus also creating more jobs in the UK.
Several members spoke in against the amendment referring to additional financial burdens being placed on future generations, the failure of Government energy policy, in relation to the provision of renewable energy sources and energy storage. Several members also spoke against fracking and how use of gas reserves would ensure that the country met its net zero carbon commitments.
On the amendment being put to the vote, that Chair announced that the amendment had not been approved by 23 votes against, with two votes in favour and one abstention.
A number of members spoke in favour of the motion, referring to the inadequate level of support already provided by the Government in response to the cost-of-living crisis, the effect on specific groups in the community and its impact on mental health and wellbeing.
On the motion being put to the vote, that Chair announced that the motion had been approved unanimously.
Motion | RESOLVED - In order to support residents and businesses of the District, the Council is urged to declare a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and to write to the Government to ask for urgent action to relieve the cost of living crisis through such measures as:
1. Provide immediate financial support for our residents to help address the increased household costs in energy.
2. Allocate an increase in support grants to local government, specifically:
(a) Increase funding for Discretionary Housing Payments as a matter of urgency – 82% of MDC’s funding for 2022/23 has already been allocated due to families already in financial hardship.
(b) Increase NCC Household Support Grant for fuel and food vouchers
(c) Increase funding to ‘Feeding Britain’ to support FOOD Clubs and food banks
(d) Increase funding for ‘Call before you serve’ to prevent families being evicted
3. Stabilise the foundations of the economy by providing emergency support for business
4. Consider reducing VAT putting money back into the pockets of our residents and boosting the economy.
5. Provide security for the future through delivering a real an immediate increase in investment in UK insulation, nuclear and renewable energy
6. Put in place a longer-term approach to economic growth and security
Further, to show practical support for declaring an emergency, members are also urged to endorse the Council arranging to hold with its partners, a Cost-of-Living Crisis open day, in order to strengthen the relationships between the council and its partners and to ensure that residents are able to access support and advice during these unprecedented times. |