To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2012.  

Agreed that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the City Council held on 25 June 2012 are confirmed as a correct record.

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

The Director for Corporate Services will submit a schedule of changes to committee membership and outside body membership.

The report of the Director for Corporate Services was submitted on current vacancies on committees, outside bodies etc. and changes to committees that have been made.

Following the resignation of Councillor Mrs Dolan from the Conservative group the council noted that –

Agreed that the following changes notified to the Assistant Director for Democracy and Governance are noted –

(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Director for Corporate Services or Assistant Director of Democracy and Governance;

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

The Lord Mayor informed Councillors of the death of Len Hill on 11 July 2012.  Mr Hill was born on 28 May 1924.  He was a Plymouth City Councillor, representing the Labour Party from 1961-68 and 1970-74 and was Deputy Lord Mayor in 1966 to Lord Mayor Stanbury. 

The Council stood in silence for one minute as a mark of respect.

The Lord Mayor congratulated Matt Garrett and the Housing Options Team on winning large housing development of the year at the prestigious UK Housing Awards.

George House was commissioned by Plymouth City Council, with the design and development led by Bournemouth Churches Housing Association.  It was opened in August last year to provide vital temporary accommodation to Plymouth’s most vulnerable people.

The Lord Mayor congratulated the Youth Offending Service for winning the award for their work with young offenders through their allotment project. The service achieved the Howard League for Penal Reforms Community Programme Award 2012 under the category of Unpaid Work for its allotment project.

Young offenders ordered by the courts to carry out work in the community are assigned to the allotment project which plays a big part in efforts to prevent young people from reoffending and to repair damage to the community.

The Lord Mayor congratulated the Community Archives and Heritage Group for being awarded the Plymouth LGBT Archive the title of ‘Most Inspirational Community Archive’.

The ‘Pride in our Past’ project uncovered and celebrated the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history of Plymouth. The project team undertook oral history interviews and collected memorabilia and artefacts to help tell the story.

The Lord Mayor congratulated Street Scene Services for achieving success with all entries gaining a Green Flag award this year.

Devonport Park was a new entry and West Hoe Park, The Hoe and Freedom Fields Park all retained the award.  

The Leader informed the Council that, following agreement with the leader of the opposition, there would be an early break in the meeting to allow members to watch Tom Daley compete alongside Peter Waterfield in the Olympic Games.

The Leader informed the Council that a contingent of athletes who lived worked or studied in Plymouth were competing in the Olympic and Paralympic games. The Leader wished all the competitors success in their efforts at the games.

The Leader invited members of the Council to watch the competition during the adjournment, on the ‘Big Screen’ on the Piazza.

The leader announced that the closed airport operation at Roborough would be subject to further debate.  The leader would be inviting private sector solutions which met the following five tests –

The land remained protected as an airport, but should there be no private sector solution, consideration would be given to how the land could be used for jobs and the growth of Plymouth as part of the Plymouth Plan.

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which, in the opinion of the Lord Mayor, are about something the Council is responsible for or something that directly affects people in the city, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution.

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

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

There was no outstanding business from the last meeting of the Council.

(Due to the adjournment the agenda was reordered. Items were taken in the order noted below)

The report sets out the recommendation of the Chief Officer Appointments Panel to Full Council to appoint the Chief Executive and designate her as Head of Paid Service.

Councillor Evans submitted a report of the Chief Officer Appointments Panel to full council and recommended to appoint the Chief Executive and designate her as Head of Paid Service.

Councillor Mrs Pengelly seconded the motion.

Agreed to -

(This item was moved up the agenda to enable good management of the meeting.)

Councillor Vincent submitted a report on the Local Development Framework: Adoption of Shopping Centres Supplementary Planning Document and recommended its adoption to Council (Cabinet minute 24 referred).

Councillor Lowry seconded the motion.

During summing up, Councillor Vincent requested any Ward Member who wished that their local shopping centres to be considered for inclusion in the document, to contact him directly and their requests would be discussed with officers.

Agreed  –

Councillor Evans moved the following motion on notice –

COMBINEDHEATANDPOWERPLANTS

In view of theon-going,seriousanddeeply felt concernsof manyresidentsregardingthelocation of theproposedwasteplantatNorthYard,theCouncilshouldfully investigatetheoptions availablewhich wouldpreventtheplantbeing constructedin itscurrentlocation.To thisend the CouncilinstructstheInterimChief Executive toseek independentlegaladviceon theimplications of theCouncil terminatingthecurrentcontractualarrangementsandrevokingthecurrentplanningconsentandfor thisadvicetobe consideredby CabinetandthePlanningCommitteerespectivelyas a matterof urgency.

Irrespectiveasto theoutcomeof thisreview,theCouncil remainscommittedtoactingin thebest longterminterestsof allour residents– particularlywhere public healthandtheenvironmentis concerned.We, therefore,ask thatscrutinyshouldundertakea reviewofall themostrecent evidenceregardingthehealthandenvironmentalimpactof CHPplantson localcommunitiesin built up areaswi  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

Councillor Evans submitted the report on the revised Corporate Plan and recommended its adoption to Council.

Councillor Penberthy seconded the motion.

Agreed the adoption of the revised Corporate Plan 2012-15.

Councillor Vincent submitted a report on the Local Development Framework: Adoption of Planning Obligations and Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document and recommended its adoption to Council (Cabinet minute 25 referred).

Councillor Lowry seconded the motion.

Agreed to –

Councillor Peter Smith proposed the following motion on notice –

REGIONALPAY

PlymouthCity Councilnotesthe announcementby GeorgeOsborneofplanstowiden thesystem oflocalpublic sectorpaystructuresandhis requesttopayreview bodiestoreporton theissue fromJune 2012.

TheChancellorhasstatedthatpublic sectorpayshouldmimic theprivatesectorandbe more reflectiveof localeconomies.

PlymouthCity Councilbelievesthata move toregionalor localpayschemeswill leadtoa large reductionin payandspendingpower andultimatelya skillsdrainout ofPlymouth.For highly skilled people Plymouthwill become a lessattractivedestinationandthiswill inevitablymakeit moredifficult forlocal organisationstorecruitthetalentrequiredtoleadandovercomethehuge andimmediatechallengesfacingthepublic sector.

WithPlymouthhighlydependenton thepublic sectorfor employment,anyattempttodrivedown wagesin localpublic sectororganisationscanonly beconsideredcounterproductiveandwill have profoundconsequencesfor thelocaleconomy. Limitingpeople’s spendingpower willreduce demandin theeconomy andwill come asa bitterblow tolocalbusinesses  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The Assistant Director for Democracy and Planning and the Assistant Director for Planning will submit a report concerning the revision of the code of practice of the Planning Committee, including protocol for ward councillor involvement in the planning process.

Councillor Peter Smith submitted the report on Probity in Planning and the Planning Committee Code of Practice and matters specifically delegated to the Planning Committee.

Councillor Penberthy seconded the motion.

Agreed  that -            

(1)  the City Council incorporates the “Probity in Planning” Code of Practice within Part G of the City Council Constitution as set out in Appendix 1of the report;

(2)  paragraph 2.2.2 (d) in Planning and the Planning Committee Part E of the City Council Constitution be amended as set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

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 area of responsibility –

There were no items of exempt business.