To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting of the City Council held on 27 February 2012.

Agreed that the minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting of the City Council and the Ordinary Meeting of the City Council held on 27 February 2012 are confirmed as a correct record.

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

The following declarations of interest were made in accordance with the code of conduct in relation to items under consideration at this meeting -

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

The report of the Director for Corporate Services was submitted on current vacancies on committees, outside bodies etc.

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.

The Lord Mayor advised councillors that Sikhs all over the world would be celebrating Vaisakhi in April. Vaisakhi was the birth of the Khalsa in 1699 and also the harvest. 

The Sikh community was very visible and established in the UK but in Plymouth there were less than 100 people. As the most visible and most prominent Sikh in Plymouth, Councillor Singh became the first Sikh councillor and was recently nominated as the Deputy Lord Mayor designate for 2012/13.

He had received an invitation for a reception to 10 Downing Street with the Prime Minister, David Cameron, for Vaisakhi together with other Sikhs who had made contributions in and around the United Kingdom.  Councillor Singh was currently travelling to London and would be representing the Sikh community together with the wider community and people of Plymouth, at this auspicious occasion.

The Lord Mayor, on behalf of the Council congratulated Councillor Singh on his achievement.

The Lord Mayor reported that Barry Keel (Chief Executive) would be leaving the City Council at the end of May, after seven year’s service. 

Barry had joined the Council when it was in a great deal of difficulty and he had been instrumental in transforming the Council’s performance, with the quality of many of the Council’s services now being recognised regionally and nationally. 

The Audit Commission’s final assessment of the Council was that it was ‘performing well’ and in 2010 the authority won the ‘Best Achieving Council of the Year’.

The Council had recently had an ‘excellent’ rating from Ofsted for services for children and young people and the Council’s fostering and adoption services had been rated as ‘outstanding’.

A few of the major changes that happened under Barry’s leadership were –

The Lord Mayor thanked Barry on behalf of the Council, its staff and its members for everything he had done which had made a huge difference to the Council and to Plymouth, with the lasting improvements that had been delivered with him at the helm. He wished him the very best for the future and success and happiness in his future endeavours. 

As this was the last meeting of the City Council before the local elections, the Lord Mayor thanked those councillors not standing for re-election as follows.

CouncillorWildy was elected to the City Council in May 2003 and represented the Devonport Ward as a Labour Party Member.  She was currently Chair of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel and a former Vice Chair of the Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel, Chair of the Planning Committee and Vice Chair of the Lifelong Learning Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

CouncillorMrs Bragg was elected to the City Council in May 2008 for a second term of office (previously being elected to the Council from 2000 to 2003) and  represented the St Budeaux Ward as a Conservative Party Member. 

CouncillorDelbridge, Deputy Lord Mayor, was elected to the City Council in May 2008 and currently represented the Moorview Ward as a Conservative Party Member.  He was currently Vice Chair of the Taxi Licensing Committee and a former Vice Chair of the Licensing Committee and Co-Chair of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee.

Councillor Reynolds was elected to the City Council in May 2008 and represented the Stoke Ward as a Conservative Party Member.  He was currently the Chair of the Taxi Licensing Committee and a former Co-Chair of the Mount Edgcumbe Joint Committee.

The Lord Mayor on behalf of the City Council, thanked the councillors for their service and wished them every success for the future.  

The councillors responded as follows –

CouncillorWildy expressed her thanks to all the people who had helped her and also referred to her services to the Theatre Royal as Chair of Theatre Royal Management Board.  In particular she thanked everyone in the Planning department, Councillor Mrs Nelder who had mentored her when she was first elected, Councillors Stevens and Coker who were her ward colleagues, Carole Burgoyne for her support when she was in the Shadow Cabinet, Democratic Support, particularly Amelia Boulter for her fantastic support, her Vice Chair and the people in Devonport.

CouncillorMrs Bragg thanked her colleagues, in particular Councillors Wheeler, Bowie, Evans, Gordon and Mrs Aspinall.  She also thanked Councillors Mrs Pengelly, Fry, Ball, Monahan, James, Nicholson, Foster, Mrs Foster and Dr Mahony.

CouncillorDelbridge thanked councillors for electing him as Deputy Lord Mayor.  He had had a wonderful year and had received respect from everyone. 

Councillor Reynolds expressed his thanks to everyone and referred to his absence whilst on tour of duty in Afghanistan.  He said that outside of the council chamber, councillors get on well and hoped that this camaraderie could be brought into the council chamber in the future.  He thanked his party for their support and also the people of Stoke.  He acknowledged that officers worked hard and long hours and if the Council wished to strive for future, 21st century strategies were required.   

Councillor Jordan (Cabinet Member for Community Services (Safer and Stronger Communities and Leisure, Culture and Sport) reported that an interim armed forces agreement was signed last month and that a full agreement would be signed on Armed Forces Day.

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 Services 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.

One question had been received from a member of the public in relation to matters which in the opinion of the Lord Mayor, was relevant to the business of the meeting, in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Constitution.

In the absence of the questioner, the question and response were circulated and a written response would be sent to Mr Sharpe.

Leader: Councillor Mrs Pengelly

To receive the recommendation of the Lord Mayor Selection Committee, prior to the Annual Meeting, in accordance with Article 5.1.1 of the Council’s Constitution.

CouncillorMrs Pengelly (Chair of the Lord Mayor Selection Committee) presented the Committee’s nomination of Councillor Wright as Lord Mayor for the ensuing year. (Lord Mayor Selection Committee minute 3 referred).

The nomination was seconded by Councillor Evans.

Agreed the nomination of Councillor Wright for Lord Mayor during 2012/13.

Councillor Wright thanked the councillors for their kind words and said that it was a great honour.  He was proud to accept the nomination and promised to do his best for the city and people of Plymouth.

Cabinet Member: Councillor Fry

The City Council will be asked to consider the Cabinet recommendation. 

Minute 145 (of the Cabinet meeting held on 27 March 2012) and the report of the Director for People and the Director for Place on the Housing Plan 2012-17 will be submitted.

Councillor Fry (Cabinet Member for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Development) presented the Housing Plan 2012 – 17 for adoption.  (Cabinet minute 145 referred).  He paid tribute to Stuart Palmer (Assistant Director for Homes and Communities) and his team for their work in producing this document.   

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Thompson.

Councillor Lowry moved the following amendment which was seconded by Councillor Evans -

Following a debate, the amendment was put to the vote and declared lost.

The main motion was debated further and following a vote, it was,

agreed to adopt the Housing Plan 2012 -17 with delegation to the Assistant Director for Homes and Communities to agree a final layout with the portfolio holder prior to publication.

Cabinet Member: Councillor Bowyer

Chair of Audit Committee: Councillor Dr Mahony

The City Council will be asked to consider the Cabinet and Audit Committee recommendations. 

Minute 147 of the Cabinet meeting (held on 27 March 2012), minute 56 of the Audit Committee (held on 16 March 2012) and the report of the Director for Corporate Services on the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and the Annual Investment Strategy 2012/13 update will be submitted.

The Lord Mayor proposed, Councillor Ball seconded, and it was agreed that as the recommendations of the Audit Committee and Cabinet on the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and the Annual Investment Strategy 2012/13 update were the same, the recommendations would be taken together. (Audit Committee minute 56 and Cabinet minute 147 referred).   

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and People) presented the proposals and moved the recommendations. Councillor Dr Mahony (Chair of the Audit Committee) seconded the proposal.

Agreed –

Cabinet Member: Councillor Monahan

The City Council will be asked to consider the Cabinet recommendations. 

Minute 151 (of the Cabinet meeting held on 27 March 2012) and the report of the Director for People on the establishment of a Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board will be submitted.

Councillor Monahan (Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care) presented the Cabinet recommendations on the establishment of a Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board (Cabinet minute 151 referred).   

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Mrs Bowyer.    

Agreed –

Cabinet Members: Councillors Bowyer and Ball

The report of the Director for Corporate Services will be submitted on the proposals recommended by Cabinet at the meeting held on 27 March 2012 for capital programme approval relating to customer service improvements and primary schools’ basic need additional places waves II, III and IV. (Cabinet minutes 146 and 149 refer).

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and People) presented the proposals recommended by Cabinet for capital programme approval (Cabinet minutes 146 and 149 referred).

The proposals were seconded by Councillor Ball.   

Councillor Lowry moved and Councillor Evans seconded the following amendment –

Councillor Bowyer indicated that he was prepared to accept the amendment and following a debate, the amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.

The main motion as amended was put to the vote and it was agreed to -

Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel: Councillor Mrs Bowyer

The Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel will meet on 4 April 2012 to consider the demerger of the College of Medicine and Dentistry.

The Chief Executive presented his report on the demerger of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry.  The minutes of the Adult Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel together with the briefing paper submitted to the overview and scrutiny panel, were also submitted. 

The Council were advised that -

CouncillorMrs Bowyer (Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel) outlined the concerns of the overview and scrutiny panel following its meeting on 4 April 2012 and moved the recommendations contained in the written report.   

The recommendations were seconded by Councillor Dr Mahony.

Following a debate where all speakers endorsed the proposals, Councillor Mrs Pengelly (Leader) indicated that every force possible would be used to try and prevent the demerger.  She congratulated the overview and scrutiny panel and the staff for their work and referred in particular to the challenging questions asked by all sides. She thanked Giles Perritt (Head of Performance, Policy and Partnerships) and Ross Jago (Democratic Support Officer) for their hard work and commented that the panel had been well organised.

CouncillorMrs Bowyer added that she had also received representations against the demerger from the students.

Agreed that Council –

To consider motions from councillors in accordance with paragraph 14 of Part B of the Constitution.

There were no motions on notice.

Leader: Councillor Mrs Pengelly

The Director for Corporate Services will submit for approval, the draft Programme of Ordinary Meetings of the Council and Committees for 2012/13, up to the next Annual General Meeting of the Council.

CouncillorMrs Pengelly (Leader) presented the programme of ordinary meetings of the Council and committees 2012/13 for approval.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Fry.

Councillor Stevens indicated that if control of the City Council changed after the election in May 2012, the programme would be reviewed to ensure that the times of meetings were user friendly.   

Agreed the programme of ordinary meetings for 2012/13.

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 Part B of the Constitution.

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

As this was the last ordinary meeting of the City Council of the current municipal year, the Lord Mayor thanked councillors for their support and indicated that it had been a privilege to chair the City Council.