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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Tewkesbury Borough Council Offices, Severn Room

Contact: Democratic Services Tel: 01684 272021  Email:  democraticservices@tewkesbury.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

49.

Announcements

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.

Minutes:

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

50.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

50.1          Apologies for absence were received from Councillors K Berliner, R D East, J H Evetts, M L Jordan, P W Ockelton, P E Smith, C Softley, R J Stanley and P D Surman.

51.

Declarations of Interest

Pursuant to the adoption by the Council on 26 June 2012 of the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct, effective from 1 July 2012, as set out in Minute No. CL.34, Members are invited to declare any interest they may have in the business set out on the Agenda to which the approved Code applies.

Minutes:

51.1          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.

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

52.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 186 KB

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2021.

Minutes:

52.1          The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2021, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor subject to the following amendment to Minute No CL.46.4 (fifth line):

                  Another Member raised a query in terms of infrastructure highlighting infrastructure that was not on the list but identified in the JCS such as schools, particularly the new secondary school identified for the Innsworth/Twigworth development and also a new doctor’s surgery for Brockworth, and asked that a list that included all infrastructure identified in the JCS be circulated. The Head of Development Services said she would look at providing a list of the infrastructure for the JCS’.

53.

Items from Members of the Public

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 19 January 2022).

 

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

Minutes:

53.1          There were no items from members of the public.  

54.

Member Questions properly submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rules pdf icon PDF 50 KB

To receive any questions submitted under Rule of Procedure 13. Any items received will be circulated on Monday 24 January 2022.

 

(Any questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services by, not later than, 10.00am on 17 January 2022).

Minutes:

54.1           The following questions were received from Councillor Bocking to the Lead Member for Built Environment, Councillor Gore.  The answers were given by the Lead Member for Built Environment, Councillor Gore, but were taken as read without discussion.

At Council in June 2021, as a result of a petition, I proposed the following motion which was unanimously passed by this Council

The identification of strategic site allocations will be informed by a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, prepared as part of the review of the Joint Core Strategy and officers are requested to

a.    ensure that the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment includes a detailed pluvial and fluvial flood risk assessment, to include cumulative impacts, climate change, other influencing factors and all development completed, planned or projected (including major infrastructure projects) since 2014 and that it is commissioned prior to allocating any new sites

b.    consult relevant agencies and Parish Councils to give them an opportunity to present their local evidence for consideration as part of the work carried out in respect of the Flood Risk Assessment referred to in a. above

c.    consider what mechanisms are available to enable flood mitigation requirements to be imposed during the construction phase of development.

Question: 

Can you please let me know how far has this work progressed over the last 7 months?

Answer:

As set out in the report in response to the petition, any new strategic development sites will be allocated as part of the JCS review. The JCS review timetable is currently being developed and will be presented to Members in February/March 2022.

a.      Officers have been working in partnership with the Lead Flood Authority, Gloucestershire County Council, to scope the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment which will be required to inform the review of the Joint Core Strategy.  This work has not yet been concluded and the study envisaged has not yet been commissioned.

b.      When the Council consults on the JCS, Parish Councils will be able to submit local evidence for the Council to consider. 

c.      Officers are working with the Local Lead Flood Authority to determine what mechanisms are available to enable flood mitigation requirements to be imposed during the construction phase of development. This work will be concluded by the time new sites have been allocated.

Question:

Can you provide me with the scope/remit/instructions/terms of reference laid out for the flood risk assessment and projected timescales for its commencement and completion?

Answer:

As set out above, this work has yet to be completed.  Once the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) has been concluded, it will be made available to Members and the public. The SFRA will have to conform with the process for undertaking Strategic Flood Risk Assessments set out in government guidance entitled, ‘How to prepare a strategic flood risk assessment’, updated September 2020.

54.2           The Mayor invited supplementary questions and the Member asked the following which the Lead Member for Built Environment advised would be answered in writing:

                  Question 1:

We know our JCS partner authorities  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

55.

Member Allowances Scheme 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 78 KB

To determine the Scheme of Allowances to take effect on 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2023 having regard to the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel.    

Additional documents:

Minutes:

55.1           The report of the Head of Democratic Services, circulated at Pages No. 12-25, asked Members to determine a Scheme of Allowances to take effect on 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2023 having regard to the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel as set out in its report at Appendix 1. 

55.2           The Mayor invited the Chair of the Panel to address the Council. The Chair thanked the Council for inviting the Panel to introduce its report. He explained that, over the years, the Panel (with one new member having joined in the 2019) had met with a large number of Councillors and in October 2021 had interviewed a further four Members to help inform the current recommendations. He felt this was an extremely important way for the Panel to understand the role of Councillors and put on record the hard work undertaken. The Panel’s job was to undertake a thorough review looking at data nationally to see how allowances compared as well as taking into account local factors. Having carried out this exercise, on this occasion the Panel was unable to recommend an increase in the Basic Allowance. It had also examined the level of Special Responsibility Allowances and, again, there was no data to suggest any increases were required; however, the Dependent Carers Allowance had not been reviewed for a number of years and it was recommended that the hourly rate be increased by £2.00 to £9.50 per hour.

55.3           The Leader of the Council thanked the Panel for its hard work and proposed the recommendations as set out in the Panel’s report at Appendix 1 to the report. The recommendation was seconded.  

55.4           During the discussion which ensued, a Member expressed the view that the allowances were low in terms of the time put into the role of Councillor. He questioned whether rising inflation had been taken into account and whether there were any budgetary issues which had influenced the Panel when making its recommendation. In response, the Panel Chair reassured the Council that the Panel was truly independent and, as such, it did not have regard to the Council’s budget when making its recommendations. The Panel found itself constrained when it looked at Basic Allowances across the country as, nationally, Tewkesbury Borough Council’s remained among the highest making it difficult for the Panel to recommend an increase. The Member indicated that inflation was already at 3-4% so, in real terms, allowances were already being eroded and there was a risk they would get to a point where people would be put off from standing for election. In response, the Panel Chair advised that inflation was increasing for everyone and the Panel had felt it would be hard to justify increases to the electorate who were also worried about rising costs in their everyday lives. Another Member indicated that she had undertaken a little research from financial institutions in terms of inflation and found that the Basic Allowance in 2011 of £7,200 was now the equivalent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

56.

Appointment of Civic Heads for the Municipal Year

To recommend the appointment of Civic Heads for the Municipal Year 2022/23.

 

  1. Mayor  

 

      It is usual practice that the current Deputy Mayor be appointed Mayor for the ensuing Municipal Year.

 

  1. Deputy Mayor

 

      To receive nominations for the appointment of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing Municipal Year.  

Minutes:

                 Mayor

56.1          Upon being proposed and seconded, it was

                 RESOLVED           That Councillor John Murphy, be appointed Mayor for the                                     ensuing Municipal Year.

                 Deputy Mayor

56.2          Upon being proposed and seconded, it was

                 RESOLVED           That Councillor Andrew Reece be appointed as Deputy                                            Mayor for the ensuing Municipal Year.  

57.

Recommendation from Executive Committee

The Council is asked to consider and determine recommendations of a policy nature arising from the Executive Committee as follows:- 

57a

Treasury and Capital Management pdf icon PDF 77 KB

At its meeting on 5 January 2022 the Executive Committee considered a suite of treasury and capital management documents and RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the following strategies and statements be ADOPTED:

·        The Capital Strategy 2022/23.

·        The Investment Strategy 2022/23.

·        The Minimum Revenue Provision Statement 2022/23.

·        The Treasury Management Strategy 2022/23

Additional documents:

Minutes:

57.1           At its meeting on 5 January 2022 the Executive Committee had considered a suite of treasury and capital management documents and recommended to Council that the following be adopted: Capital Strategy 2022/23; Investment Strategy 2022/23; Minimum Revenue Provision Statement 2022/23; and Treasury Management Strategy 2022/23.

57.2           The report which was considered by the Executive Committee had been circulated with the Agenda for the current meeting at Pages No. 26-59.

57.3           The Chair of the Executive Committee proposed the recommendation and the Vice-Chair seconded it.

57.4           In response to a query, the Head of Finance and Asset Management advised that each strategy included information on risk but he highlighted a number of key risks to the Council including holding commercial properties and ensuring they remained leased with tenants paying rents and attracting new tenants to any voids; however, there would be a risk to the Council’s budget of not having those properties given the significant income generated by them. In terms of the Treasury Strategy, the usual risks were included within the report along with how the strategy sought to mitigate those

57.5           Accordingly, it was

                  RESOLVED          That the following strategies and statements be ADOPTED:

·      The Capital Strategy 2022/23.

·      The Investment Strategy 2022/23.

·      The Minimum Revenue Provision Statement 2022/23.

·      The Treasury Management Strategy 2022/23.

58.

Recommendation from Audit and Governance Committee

58a

Appointment of External Auditor pdf icon PDF 153 KB

At its meeting on 15 December 2021 the Audit and Governance Committee considered the appointment of external auditors and RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) invitation to ‘opt-in’ to the sector led national scheme for the appointment of external auditors for the five financial years commencing 1 April 2023 be accepted.

Minutes:

58.1          At its meeting on 15 December 2021 the Audit and Governance Committee had considered the appointment of external auditors and recommended to Council that the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) invitation to ‘opt-in’ to the sector led national scheme for the appointment of external auditors for the five financial years commencing 1 April 2023 be accepted.

58.2          The report which was considered by the Audit and Governance Committee had been circulated with the Agenda for the current meeting at Pages No. 60-66.

58.3          The Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee proposed the recommendation and the Vice-Chair seconded it.

58.4          Accordingly, it was

                 RESOLVED           That the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) invitation to                                    ‘opt-in’ to the sector led national scheme for the appointment of                               external auditors for the five financial years commencing 1 April                                  2023 be accepted.

59.

Schedule of Meetings pdf icon PDF 59 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

59.1          The report of the Head of Democratic Services, circulated at Pages No. 67-69, set out the proposed Schedule of Meetings for 2022/23. Members were asked to adopt the Schedule as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.  

59.2          The Leader of the Council proposed that the Schedule be adopted. Upon being seconded, it was

                 RESOLVED           That the Schedule of Meetings for 2022/23, as set out at                                        Appendix 1 to the report, be ADOPTED