7.1             Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs J E Day, D T Foyle, R E Garnham and T A Spencer.  

8.1             The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

8.2             There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2016.

9.1             The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2016, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

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

10.2           The Mayor welcomed Stella Barnes to the meeting and explained that she would be presenting the petition to be considered at Item 7 on the Agenda.

10.3           The Mayor also offered her thanks to everyone that had made her Mayor Making Ceremony a success and thanked her fellow Councillors for giving her the opportunity of being Borough 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 11 May 2016).

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

11.1           There were no items from members of the public on this occasion.  

To receive any questions submitted under Rule of Procedure 13. Any items received will be circulated on 17 May 2016.

(Any questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services by, not later than, 10.00am on the working day immediately preceding the date of the meeting).

12.1           There were no Member questions on this occasion.  

The Council has received a Petition under its Petitions Scheme. With over 100 signatures the Petition qualifies for a Council debate. Members are therefore asked to request Officers to consider the issues raised as part of the Borough Plan process.

13.1           Attention was drawn to the report of the Development Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 10-22, which asked Members to note the petition and to request that Officers consider the issues raised within it as part of the Borough Plan process.  

13.2           The Mayor invited Stella Barnes, speaking on behalf of the petition organiser, to make her presentation to the Council. Ms Barnes explained that she represented the people who had signed the e-petition. She indicated that, firstly, she would like to make it clear that the petition was not aimed at blocking the necessary evolution of farming, nor was it a protest about industrial farming itself. Instead the petition was a request that the Council create policy guidelines to set criteria to provide those concerned with the reassurance that they would continue to enjoy living in a farming community during this important transitional time. The particular concern of the petitioners had been triggered by the introduction of industrial scale poultry farming into villages which had seen little change for hundreds of years. It was understood that progress was essential but it was not without problems. Ms Barnes provided the example of an application in The Leigh for three units housing 155,000 birds which had been facilitated by a professional agent who had followed a standard format and used data to support the application from previous clients. This was a ‘one size fits all’ approach which may be appropriate in open farmland but was not appropriate in a village where there were a unique set of challenges. The issue had been recognised by other authorities and was being dealt with; location was seen as the key to long term success.

13.3           Ms Barnes explained that it was the petitioners’ belief that a set of policy guidelines, implemented at the outset of the permanent change to villages, would safeguard the health and enjoyment of future generations. She explained that West Lindsey District Council had such a policy – Econ 5 for Intensive Livestock Units – which asked that: they were located not less than 400 metres from a building occupied by people who were not directly related to the enterprise; that the final distance would be determined by other factors such as prevailing winds, lack of screening and topography; ensured that there would not be an over-intensification of livestock units in a locality; and that the development complied with all other relevant policies in the Local Plan. It was considered that this was a reasonable and fair guideline. The petitioners also asked that the policy included a clear and measurable criteria for all aspects of environmental impact including noise, odour, airborne dust, waste disposal and vermin control. Ms Barnes provided the example that they would like assurance that the transport access, route to main highway and road construction did not impinge on residents right to enjoyment i.e. the farm at Cursey Lane had 155,000 birds and had 54 articulated lorry movements day and night over a 36 hour period  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

To elect the Leader of the Council (who will also be the Chair of the Executive Committee) for the ensuing Municipal Year.

14.1           Upon being proposed and seconded it was

                  RESOLVED          That Councillor R J E Vines be elected as Leader of the                                     Council, and therefore Chair of the Executive Committee, for                                 the ensuing Municipal Year.  

14.2           Councillor Vines thanked the Council for its endorsement in his leadership and indicated that he would continue to do his best for the Borough during the year ahead.

To elect the Deputy Leader of the Council (who will also be the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee) for the ensuing Municipal Year. 

15.1           Upon being proposed and seconded it was

                  RESOLVED          That Councillor D J Waters be elected as Deputy Leader of the                          Council, and therefore Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee,                              for the ensuing Municipal Year.  

15.2           Councillor Waters thanked the Council for its confidence in him.

Any papers available prior to the meeting will be circulated to all Members.

1.      To determine the Membership of the:

• Executive Committee
• Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Audit Committee
• Planning Committee
• Licensing Committee
• Standards Committee
• Ad-hoc Committees

o  Employee Appeals Committee

o  Employee Appointments Committee

o  Housing Allocations and Homelessness Review Committee

2.      In accordance with the Constitution, to receive a report from the Leader of the Council and take any action necessary.

3.      To determine:

a.  the Outside Bodies to which the Council should make                                    appointments and the representation on those Bodies.

b. the Council’s appointments to the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel, the shared Legal Services Joint Monitoring and Liaison Group and the Shared Building Control Joint Monitoring and Liaison Group.

4.      The Council will at this stage adjourn for a brief period to allow each Committee, as set out below, to hold a formal meeting to conduct the business set out in the enclosed Agenda: 

1.     Overview and Scrutiny Committee                                  

2.     Audit Committee                                                      

3.     Planning Committee                                                 

4.     Licensing Committee 

5.     Standards Committee    

Membership of Committees 2016/17

16.1           Upon being proposed and seconded it was

RESOLVED          That the following Committee Memberships be AGREED:  

  Report of the Leader of the Council

16.2           The Leader of the Council indicated that, as part of the Constitution, he was required to report at the Annual Council meeting on the number of Lead Members and scope of their Portfolios for the coming year, the number of Specialist Members and the specialist areas to be covered, and any other matters in relation to the political management of the Council. He proposed that there should be no change to the current arrangements in respect of the number of Lead Members, the areas covered by each Portfolio, Member Specialists and any other matters in relation to the Political Management of the Council. He advised that, in his view, the Council was working well, as highlighted in his ‘State of the Borough’ report at the last meeting,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To appoint three Members of the Council as Trustees of the Mayor of Tewkesbury’s Appeal Fund for the ensuing Municipal Year. The Trustees for 2015/16 were:

Councillors P W Awford, J R Mason and D J Waters.

The Mayor and Chief Executive are automatically Trustees and as such Councillor Blackwell cannot be one of the named Trustees for this year.

NB: The Fund is officially called the Mayor of Tewkesbury’s Appeal Fund but this does of course refer to Tewkesbury Borough. 

17.1           It was proposed, seconded and

                  RESOLVED          That Councillors P W Awford, J R Mason and D J Waters be                             appointed as Trustees of the Mayor of Tewkesbury’s Appeal                                   Fund for 2016/17. 

To confirm the Scheme for Public Participation at Planning Committee as a permanent arrangement. 

Any comments made by the Planning Committee at its meeting on 10 May 2016 will be provided to Members prior to the Council meeting. 

18.1           The report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, circulated at Pages No. 28-55, detailed the outcome of the review of the Scheme for Public Participation at Planning Committee and sought to enable the Council to make a decision on the continuation of the Scheme based on the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Working Group. Members were asked to confirm the Scheme for Public Participation at Planning Committee as a permanent arrangement with the minor adjustments which were set out at Paragraph 5 of the report: to clarify that the deadline for registration is 10.00am on the working day before the meeting; to clarify the requirements for Ward Councillors wishing to speak at the Committee; to amend the scheme to allow a Parish Clerk to read a statement setting out the views of the Parish Council in the circumstance where no Parish Councillor is available to attend the meeting of the Planning Committee, subject to the required registration procedure being complied with (see Appendix 3); and to grant authority to the Borough Solicitor to review the wording of the scheme to ensure clarity without changing the fundamental elements of the scheme.

18.2           In proposing the report before the Council, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee indicated that, at its meeting on 14 April 2015, the Council had resolved that a Scheme for Public Participation at Planning Committee be introduced for a one year trial period starting with the new term of the Council in May 2015 and so had commenced with the Planning Committee in June.  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting on 23 February 2016, had established a Working Group of seven Members to review the Scheme for Public Participation at Planning Committee and approved the Terms of Reference which had been attached to the report at Appendix 1. The Group, under the Chairmanship of Councillor East, had met on four occasions. At the first two meetings users of the Scheme, including the public, agents, Parish Councils and Officers, were invited to put forward their views. Most of the participants were very complimentary about the Scheme in general and the management of the Planning Committee meetings. At the third meeting of the Group best practice from around the Country was reviewed and at the final meeting a draft report was prepared for submission to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had adopted the report of the Working Group which recommended to Council that the Scheme for Public Participation at Planning Committee be confirmed as a permanent arrangement with minor adjustments as set out at Paragraph 5 of the report. The report was also considered by the Planning Committee at its meeting on 10 May 2016 to invite any observations that Committee may wish to make to Council. The Planning Committee was supportive of the report with the only concern being in relation to the seating arrangements which was something for the Planning Committee to determine separately. 

18.3           The Chair  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

19.1           The Chairman proposed, and it was

                  RESOLVED:         That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act                               1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following                              items on the grounds that they involve the likely discussion of                                     exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the                               Act.   

To approve the separate Minutes of the meeting of the meeting held on 19 April 2016.

20.1           The separate Minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2016, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.