Councillors will be asked to make declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2011 and the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 18 October 2011.     

The Lord Mayor moved for approval the minutes of the meetings of the City Council on 10 October and the Extraordinary General Meeting on 18 October 2011.

Arising from minute 66 of 10 October 2011, councillors indicated that they had not received the Council’s response to the consultation exercise on the licensing regime for adventure activities and Councillor Sam Leaves (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) indicated that no date had been specified for the circulation of the information.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Stevens, and seconded by Councillor Evans, on minute 65 – Planning application 11/00750/FUL (Motion on Notice 11) to add the following bullet points to the issues raised –

• that Councillor Lock was stealing Christmas from many, many residents in Plymouth;
• amongst others he had been compared to Ebenezer Scrooge;
• that in his previous attempt to explain his decision he tried to pass the buck to officers;
• many planning officers will now miss Christmas events;
• the current Planning Committee gave the impression of being chaired by a Liberal Democrat.

Following discussion on the amendment and the content of minutes generally, the amendment was subsequently withdrawn.

Following an adjournment, it was agreed that –

(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor or the Chief Executive;

(b)        To receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs.

Royal Town Planning Institute

The Plymouth Market Recovery Action Plan, now in its third year, had been commended by regional judges of the royal town planning institute and was shortlisted for the silver jubilee cup.

Development included High View Primary School, St Aubyns Church (Devonport) incorporating a library and the Saltram Country Park Masterplan which had all received commendations and were a credit to the work of the Planning Department.

Licensing of Adventure Activities

Councillor Sam Leaves informed members that both parties had joined together to look at this issue and that the Council would strongly make the case to retain the safety regime and strongly oppose changing the code.  Following contact with the families of those lost in the Lyme Bay tragedy, it was the Council’s intention to raise a petition and a further update would be provided in due course.

OFSTED Annual Performance Assessment

The annual assessment of services for children and young people had rated performance as excellent. Plymouth City Council was one of only two south west local authorities to have achieved this.

Sports Development Unit

Plymouth City Council Sport’s Development Unit had recently received the customer service excellence award. The unit had also been been rated ‘excellent’ by Quest, the UK quality scheme for sport and leisure.The Plymouth team is the only sports development unit in the country to hold both accolades.

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which, in the opinion of the Lord Mayor, are relevant to the business of the meeting in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Corporate Support Department, Plymouth City Council, Civic Centre, Plymouth, PL1 2AA, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

The following questions were received from members of the public, in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Constitution.

Madeline Bridgeman attended the meeting to ask her question and Councillor Fry (Chair of the Cabinet Member for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Development) responded as set out below -

Cabinet Member: Councillor Bowyer

The Director for Corporate Support will submit a report on proposals recommended by Cabinet for capital programme approval.

Minute 80a (of the Cabinet meeting held on 15 November 2011) refers.

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and People) submitted, for approval, the new capital schemes for investment as set out in the written report of the Director for Corporate Support (Cabinet minute 80a of the Cabinet meeting held on 15  2011 refer).

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Thompson.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Lowry –

‘We note the current defect related claims for footway surface defects (2010/2011 - £640,165.80).

Recommend that the capital programme be increased by a further £500,000 to be invested in footway surface defects.’

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Davey.

During the debate on the amendment, the issues raised included –

 Councillor Lowry summed up and following a vote the amendment was lost.

Following a vote on the substantive motion it was agreed that -

The new capital schemes for investment are approved as follows, amounting to £1.454m additional capital spend for 2011/12 and £3.069m for 2012/13 –

Cabinet Members: Councillors Bowyer, Sam Leaves and Jordan.

The recommendation from Cabinet of 29 November 2011 will be submitted together with the written report of the Director for Corporate Support on proposals to amend the Accommodation Strategy Phase 2 by the relocation of the History Centre to the Factory Cooperage building within the Royal William Yard and the University Technical College to Parkside Community College.

Councillor Jordan (Cabinet member for Community Services (Safer and Stronger Communities and Leisure, Culture and Sport) submitted for approval amendments to the second phase of the Accommodation Strategy to reflect the proposals in cabinet minute 86 (1) and (2) of the 29 November 2011.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Sam Leaves.

Councillor Peter Smith moved an amendment that recommendations (1) and (2) are referred to Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel to enable the full funding implications to be examined.

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Tuohy.

During the debate on the amendment, the issues raised included that –

Councillor Peter Smith summed up and following a vote the amendment was lost.

Councillor Jordan summed up on the substantive motion and following the vote it was agreed to amend the second phase of the Accommodation Strategy Phase 2 to -

To consider the motion submitted by Councillor Evans and seconded by Councillor Rennie.

Councillor Evans moved the following motion on notice for approval –

‘BBC Local Radio

Plymouth City Council believes that the proposals made by the BBC to curtail its Plymouth specific local radio programming are wrong and should be withdrawn.’

The motion was seconded by Councillor Rennie.

During the debate, the issues raised included that –

Councillor Evans summed up and the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

To consider the motion submitted by Councillor Evans and seconded by Councillor Mrs Pengelly.

Councillor Evans moved the following motion on notice for approval –

‘Boundary Committee Proposals

This Council objects in the strongest terms to the Boundary Commission proposals for the redrawing of Parliamentary Boundaries in so far as they affect wards in the City of Plymouth. 

The proposals as they stand diminish Plymouth and should be reconsidered.‘

The motion was seconded by Councillor Mrs Pengelly.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Salter and seconded by Councillor Dr Mahony that the motion was amended to read –

‘This Council objects in the strongest terms to the Boundary Commission proposals for the redrawing of Parliamentary Boundaries in so far as they affect wards in the City of Plymouth and in particular the four wards of Moorview and Plympton. 

The proposals as they stand diminish Plymouth and should be reconsidered to ensure that the three Constituencies containing Plymouth wards should either be wholly within Plymouth, or as far as possible linked with areas that have close ties to Plymouth. Therefore, the proposals should not, for example, include the town of Okehampton in a Constituency with Plymouth Wards.’

Councillor Evans raised a point of order that such a motion would be contrary to the parameters imposed by the Boundary Commission for England and could be viewed as illegal.

The monitoring officer advised council that making the amended motion was not illegal and should the amended motion be carried, he would inform the Boundary Commission for England of the Council’s objections.

Following a short adjournment Councillor Evans withdrew the motion on notice.

To consider the motion submitted by Councillor Evans and seconded by Councillor Wildy.

Councillor Evans moved the following motion on notice for approval –

‘Youth Unemployment

Council notes that youth unemployment has risen to over one million in the UK.  Here in Plymouth, unemployment for 18 – 24 year olds has risen by 116 per cent since the coalition came to power.

Council believes that a ‘worklessness strategy’ is not enough.

Plymouth needs a plan for jobs but urgently needs a plan to tackle youth unemployment.’

Councillor Wildy seconded the motion.

During the debate, the issues raised, included that –

Following his speech, Councillor Ricketts declared a prejudicial interest and left the chamber.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Nicholson and seconded by Councillor Fry for the motion to read –

‘Council notes that youth unemployment has risen to over one million in the UK.  Here in Plymouth, unemployment for 18 – 24 year olds has risen by 116 per cent since the coalition came to power to a level which causes concern to the Council and local community.

Council believes that a ‘worklessness strategy’ alone is not enough and council resolves to establish a Task and Finish Scrutiny Panel with representatives from the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. The federation of Small Businesses, Job Centre Plus and programme providers, to review local strategies currently in place to help Plymouth’s unemployed, particularly the young and to report to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and to Cabinet within three months.’

During the debate on the amendment, the following issues were raised –

Following summing up from Councillor Nicholson the amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and the motion, as amended was agreed.

The Monitoring Officer will submit a report together with a draft revised City Council Constitution, for approval. 

Further to minute 68, the Assistant Director for Democracy and Governance submitted a written report recommending the adoption of a revised City Council Constitution which had been developed by the Constitutional Working Group.  The Council was also asked to designate officers as the Council’s scrutiny officer under the Local Government Act 2000 and the proper officer under the Registration Act 1953.

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and People) moved the written recommendations in the report of the Assistant Director for Democracy and Governance with an amendment for recommendation (1) to read –

The proposal as amended, was seconded and the amendment was agreed.

During the debate on the motion as amended, the following issues were raised –

Councillor Bowyer summed up the motion, as amended, and undertook to convene an urgent meeting of the Constitutional Review Group (before 3 January 2012) to consider the scheme of delegation together with other issues that had been raised with him.

Following a vote, the motion, as amended, was carried and it was agreed to -

The Director for Corporate Support will submit a schedule of vacancies on committees, outside bodies etc and of changes to committees that have been made.  

Agreed the following appointments –

(7) that Mr Richard Clarke, Independent Member on Audit Committee, has been re-appointed for a further four year period.

The City Council noted the following nominations notified to the Assistant Director for Democracy and Governance –

The City Council noted that the following changes of Committee membership had been notified to the Monitoring Officer -

The Chief Executive will submit a written report on the appointments made by the Appointments Panel on 23 November 2011.

The Chief Executive submitted a written report on the appointments made by the Appointments Panel on 23 November 2011 and a proposal to designate Adam Broome (Director of Corporate Services) as the Council’s chief finance officer.

The Leader (Councillor Mrs Pengelly) moved the recommendations in the written report with the deletion of ‘ and Section 6 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989’ in recommendation (1).  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Bowyer.

Agreed to –

Questions to the Leader, Cabinet Members and Committee Chairs covering aspects for their areas of responsibility or concern by councillors in accordance with paragraph 12 of the Constitution.

In accordance with paragraph 12 of the constitution, the following questions were asked of the Leader, Cabinet Members and Committee Chairs covering aspects of their areas of responsibility -

The Leader will introduce the Forward Plan.

Councillors may ask questions specific to the Forward Plan of the Leader / Cabinet Members.

The Leader introduced the Forward Plan.

Questions were asked of the Leader and Cabinet Members as follows –

Extracts from the Joint Performance and Finance Report considered by Cabinet on 15 November 2011 are submitted for information, on –

• Delivery plans;
• Budgets.

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and People) presented the extract from the Joint Performance and Finance Report regarding progress against budget delivery plans. 

The extract from the Joint Performance and Finance Report was noted.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 

Agreed that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Further to appointment of directors reported earlier on the agenda, the Head of Paid Service will submit for approval, a written report on the next phase of his proposals for a senior management restructure.

The Chief Executive presented his written report on the senior management restructure.  

Agreed to note the structure set out by the Chief Executive as Head of Paid Service.