1.       When the continuous alarm sounds you must evacuate the building by the nearest available fire exit. Members and visitors should proceed to the visitors’ car park at the front of the building and await further instructions (during office hours staff should proceed to their usual assembly point; outside of office hours proceed to the visitors’ car park). Please do not re-enter the building unless instructed to do so.

       In the event of a fire any person with a disability should be assisted in leaving the building.  

2.       To receive any announcements from the Chair of the Meeting and/or the Chief Executive.

99.1          The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was advised to those present.

100.1        Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T J Budge, C F Coleman, P A Godwin, M A Gore, G M Porter, R J G Smith and M R Stewart.

Pursuant to the adoption by the Council on 24 January 2023 of the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct, effective from 1 February 2023, as set out in Minute No. CL.72, Members are invited to declare any interest they may have in the business set out on the Agenda to which the approved Code applies.

101.1         The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 24 January 2023 and took effect on 1 February 2023. 

101.2         The following declarations were made:

101.3         There were no further declarations made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2024.

102.1        The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2024, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record, subject to an amendment to correct a typographical error at Minute No. CL.95.20 to change ‘gain the system’ to ‘game the system’, and signed by the Mayor.

a)   To receive any questions, deputations or petitions submitted under Council Rule of Procedure.12.

(The deadline for public participation submissions for this meeting is Wednesday 10 April 2024).

b)   To receive any petitions submitted under the Council’s Petitions Scheme.

103.1        There were no items from members of the public. 

To receive any questions submitted under Rule of Procedure 13. Any items received will be circulated by 5pm on the working day before the meeting.

(Any questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services by, not later than, 10.00am on Monday 8 April 2024).

104.1        The following question was received from Councillor Cody to the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management, Councillor Stewart Dove.  The answer was given by the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management and was taken as read without discussion.

Question

I have repeatedly asked why we are still purchasing single-use cups for visitors, staff and Members.  They are fully biodegradable; however, the reality is that they are not biodegrading and instead are being incinerated.   We are supposed to be a single-use plastics-free Council, yet the aforementioned cups arrive in tubes wrapped in plastic.  

Many staff and Members do use washable cups and / or have their own water bottles, but some are still using these cups as well as visitors who aren't currently given a choice. 

Please could some cups be purchased (or consider asking for donations of surplus cups - I'm sure Members and staff would be happy to donate and save the Council any expense). 

It would be good to find an alternative to the non-recyclable, single-use coffee sachets sometimes used as well. 

Answer

Property Services have identified, and are in the process of purchasing, cups that are fully recyclable rather than being incinerated. It has also been confirmed that the packaging is fully recyclable. This approach has been quality assured by Suez, where all of the Public Services Centre recycling material is handled. These cups will be used for the water coolers, located in the reception area and the civic suite. The cups will also be provided with the refreshment boxes which are requested when booking a meeting room. 

All other water dispensers used by Council staff and Members are serviced by china mugs and/or glasses. 

With regards to procuring recyclable drink sachets, this is currently being investigated by the Property Services Team who will respond to Councillor Cody accordingly. 

104.2        The Mayor invited a supplementary question and the Member asked the following:

Given that it is not just about recycling but eliminating single-use, in terms of anyone booking the Civic Suite, can they have the responsibility of making sure all used cups were put onto a tray, or, could the cleaners’ contracts be updated to include that responsibility.

104.3         The Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management advised that a written response would be provided outside of the meeting.

To approve the amendments to the Financial Procedure Rules as set out at Appendix 1 to the report. 

105.1        The report of the Monitoring Officer, circulated at Pages No. 23-59, asked Members to approve the amendments to the Financial Procedure Rules as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

105.2         In proposing the report recommendation, the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management advised that, as Members would recall, a Working Group had been established last year to review the Council’s Constitution which included elements in relation to how the authority managed its finances.  The Financial Procedures Rules had been reviewed by the Constitution Review Working Group and a number of amendments were proposed, as highlighted by track changes.  Several changes were required as a result of the introduction of related policies and procedures, due to sector bodies changing their names and to update Officer titles, and he drew attention to five key changes: the change to the process for the approval for grant bids to enable Executive Directors to sign off up to £50,000 rather than requiring sign-off by the Section 151 Officer; amending the budget transfer process, known as virements, so that low level transfers could be approved in a less bureaucratic way; making the purchase order process more robust; removing reference to cash/cheques being received; and to reflect new processes for payment and procurement cards.  In his view, these were all minor changes which would better enable Officers to more efficiently conduct daily business related to the management of the Council’s finances.  He understood that key Officers would be leading briefing sessions with their colleagues to ensure they were updated on the changes, and that training was provided as appropriate. 

105.3        A Member drew attention to Page No. 41 of the report and the amendment which stated that a report on the details of all debts written off under delegated authority would be prepared and formally presented to the Section 151 Officer and asked if Members had any oversight of bad debts as, in his experience, this was an area where fraud was often encountered.  He suggested it was something which the Overview and Scrutiny Committee may wish to consider to ensure transparency.  In response, the Associate Director: Finance agreed that Members needed an overview of bad debt and how this was being managed and advised that the Audit and Governance Committee would be receiving an annual report in relation to that with the first one due to be taken to its meeting in June.  Another Member expressed the view that aged debt should also be considered by Members and clarification was provided that the report would cover all debts over one year old which, by nature, were considered to be bad debt, so both bad debt and aged debt would be captured within that.  A Member drew attention to Page No. 55 of the report, and the second bullet point under the section on inventories, and asked whether the amended value was £1,000 or £100 as the track changes made this difficult to interpret.  In response, the Associate Director: Finance confirmed the figure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

To consider the annual Overview and Scrutiny Committee report 2023/24. 

106.1        Attention was drawn to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2023/24, circulated at Pages No. 61-75, which Members were asked to consider.

106.2        In proposing the report, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee advised that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was critical to ensuring that the Council delivered high-quality statutory functions and met the broader promises to the electorate.  The annual report reflected the hard work carried out by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee over the past 12 months, including the excellent support from Officers across the Council.  The Committee was particularly pleased with its work in scrutinising the Council Plan inherited from the previous administration which had required Members to quickly get up to speed with the breadth and depth of the Council’s work and had involved hours of extra training.  The Committee had always been careful to reflect on the excellent work done by Members and Officers, but had also been robust where things needed further attention, details of which were set out in the report. One area that demanded immediate attention was the measurement of the Council’s work.  The current plan fell short and the Committee was eager to assist Lead Members and Officers in ensuring that delivery of the new Council Plan measures not only reflected the Council’s ambitions and desired impact but also facilitated scrutiny by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and other stakeholders.  The Committee was particularly enthusiastic about the Council's adoption of a high-performing organisation mantra which it believed would benefit all Members and Officers in addressing this issue. The Committee would work with Lead Members, Group Leaders and Officers over the coming months to ensure it was scrutinising the right things in the right way and in line with the new, exciting, ambitious Council Plan. 

106.3        A Member drew attention to Page No. 75, Appendix A of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report, which provided a flowchart on how to select a potential scrutiny review and raised concern there seemed to be a lot of hurdles to get through in order to qualify; in his view, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be free to choose whatever it wished to scrutinise and he felt that the first two questions in particular were restrictive.  In response, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee explained that the flowchart was not a prescriptive way of operating and was intended to be used as a guide.  It was not a process which had been followed over the last 12 months as the Committee had inherited its work programme from the previous administration.  The Committee was now starting to populate the programme for the forthcoming year and beyond and the flowchart was a tool which could help it to make decisions on what to take forward.  The Leader of the Council thanked the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the report and the Committee’s hard work during the last year.

106.4        Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED          That the Overview and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106.

Councillor Adcock will propose and Councillor Jordan will second that:

The Council endorse the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan - https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CNL_Management-Plan-2023-25_final.pdf

108.1         The Mayor referred to the Notice of Motion, as set out on the Agenda, and indicated that, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, it was necessary for the Council firstly to decide whether it wished to debate and determine the Motion at this evening’s meeting, or whether it wished to refer the Motion, without debate, to a Committee for consideration with authority either to make a decision on the matter or bring a recommendation back to Council.

108.2         Upon being proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED          That the Motion would be discussed at this evening’s meeting.

108.3         The Motion, as set out on the Agenda, was proposed and seconded.  The proposer of the Motion advised that Cotswolds National Landscape was a name change and a reflection on the value of protected landscapes - some Members may know these areas as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) of which, locally, the Cotswolds was one. The AONB was recognisable and noticeable from many locations as it was the backdrop to much of the borough.  He understood it was easy for people to become too familiar and comfortable with these areas and perhaps may no longer recognise their beauty or the need for conservation and protection. The natural landscape, the agricultural landscape and cultural, community and economic aspects of the Cotswolds were recognised globally as an important landscape area and therefore merited being properly looked after.  The borough’s area within the AONB, being predominantly Oolitic Limestone, would have a significant part to play in species movement in response to climate change.  The Cotswolds National Landscape Board accepted that endorsement did not represent full alignment with the management plan -  that would not be practical or desirable given there were 15 authorities within the Cotswolds National Landscape area, each with different characteristics even within the AONB.   Tewkesbury Borough Council was one of the local authorities which had the special landscape area within its borders but was one of the few left to endorse the Management Plan.  The Cotswolds National Landscape area was the third largest such area in the country outside of National Parks.  Each landscape area had a range of special qualities that were worth conserving and enhancing and were distinctive at a national scale.   There were three overarching headings within the plan - Climate Emergency, Nature’s Decline and the Ecological Crisis, Health and Societal Change - and three broad themes - tackling twenty-first century issues through progressive partnerships, conserving and enhancing natural beauty and increasing understanding and engagement.  Desired outcomes were detailed in the plan under the headings of: climate action, natural and cultural capital, working together, landscape, local distinctiveness, tranquillity, dark skies, historic environment and cultural heritage, biodiversity and nature recovery, rural land management, development and transport, health and wellbeing, access and recreation and sustainable tourism.  One of the areas which the management plan policies related to was in the policy-making and decision-taking of local planning authorities.  For example, it was hoped that local planning authorities would have regard  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108a

Councillor Skelt will propose and Councillor Hands will second:

·        Research from palliative care charity, 'Together for Short Lives', shows that NHS funding for local children’s hospices in England varied by as much as £483 per child in 2022/23.

·        The charity found a huge variance in local NHS spending on lifeline care for seriously ill children, as well as a lack of understanding on the number of children who need palliative care, and is calling urgently for fair, long-term NHS funding to sustain crucial children’s hospice services.

·        In 2022/23, Norfolk and Waveney spent the highest amount per child of any Integrated Care Board, averaging £511 for every child in the area with a life-limiting condition. In contrast, the Integrated Care Board covering Gloucestershire spent an average of just £58 per child.

·        Thanks to a successful campaign to save the Children’s Hospice Grant, the Minister of State for Social Care has promised £25 million of NHS funding for children’s hospices in 2024/25.

·        However, neither the UK Government nor NHS England has confirmed how the grant will be distributed.

The Council is concerned that:

·        Due to the disparity of funding for children with life-limiting conditions, those suffering in Gloucestershire may not get the additional support that they may need.

·        The lack of clarity and certainty on how and when the grant will be distributed means children’s hospice services cannot plan effectively how they can help local families.

The Council calls on the Leader of the Council to write to the Minister of State for Social Care:

1.                To confirm as a matter of urgency how much of the £25 million each children’s hospice in Gloucestershire will receive in 2024/25 and when they will receive it.

2.                To do what they can to remove the inequality in local funding for children’s palliative care so that every family caring for a seriously ill child can access the support and care they need – when and where they need it.

108.8         The Mayor referred to the Notice of Motion, as set out on the Agenda and indicated that, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, it was necessary for the Council firstly to decide whether it wished to debate and determine the Motion at this evening’s meeting, or whether it wished to refer the Motion, without debate, to a Committee for consideration with authority either to make a decision on the matter or bring a recommendation back to Council.

108.9         Upon being proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED          That the Motion would be discussed at this evening’s Council meeting.

108.10       The Motion, as set out on the Agenda, was proposed and seconded.   The proposer of the Motion indicated that children’s hospices were doing amazing work across the whole country in supporting children with life-limiting illnesses in difficult financial circumstances.  The Leader of the Council’s recent charity fundraiser for James Hopkins Trust highlighted the need for hospices to fundraise to ensure they could deliver their essential work.  According to ‘Together for Short Lives’, the UK’s leading health charity for children, 99,000 babies, children and young people in the UK were living with health conditions that were life-limiting or life-threatening and that number was rising.  Many of these children had complex conditions that needed specialist care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  ‘Together for Short Lives’ was campaigning for consistent funding nationally and this Motion would add the Council’s voice in support of the campaign by calling on the Leader of the Council to write to the Minister of State for Social Care to confirm, as a matter of urgency, how much of the £25M each children’s hospice in Gloucestershire would receive in 2024/25 and when they would receive it; and, that they would do what they could to remove the inequality in local funding for children’s palliative care so that every family caring for a seriously ill child could access the support and care they needed when and where they needed it.

108.11       The seconder of the motion stated that, as with many public services, funding cuts and uncertainty had contributed to the current inequality in children’s hospices.  The work of children’s hospices was so important for many reasons, not least to give parents and other family members respite from the pressures and demands of having a child with additional needs.  Aside from the physical and financial pressures of a parent, guardian or sibling of a child who needed 24 hour care, their mental wellbeing was also severely affected. Having somewhere that a parent felt they could safely access advice, support and respite for their child was vital. The residents of Gloucestershire deserved transparency and certainty in how their public services were funded. 

108.12       A Member welcomed the Motion, having previously expressed concern about supporting young children with additional needs.  She was aware that children undergoing cancer care currently had to travel to Bristol and Birmingham as there were no facilities within Gloucestershire and she hoped some of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108b