Name

Minute Number

Reason

Interest

Councillor Storer

Minute 60: City Deal South Yard Proposals

Employee of Princess Yachts

Disclosable Pecuniary

  Committees and Other  Bodies

Membership

Appointments 2014/15

Health and WellBeing Board

The Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

The lead opposition member for health

The Director of Public Health

The Strategic Director for People

One representative from the Clinical Commissioning Group

One representative of the local Healthwatch

Assistant Director for Learning and Communities as an additional member

(a)

Alderman Ronald Simmonds

referred to the recent death of Alderman Ronald Simmonds who was elected to the City Council as a Labour councillor for the Budshead Ward from 1979 to 1987 and 1989 to 2007 and appointed Alderman in 2007 in recognition of his service to the City Council;

(b)

Former Devon County Councillor Norman Mallett

referred to the recent death of former Devon County Councillor Norman Mallett who was elected to Devon County Council as a Labour councillor for the St Budeaux Ward from 1993 to 1998 and served on the Joint Highways Committee;

(c)

Recent Events in France

referred to the recent tragic events in France.

The Council stood in silence as a mark of respect to remember those who had lost their lives in France, together with Alderman Simmonds and former County Councillor Norman Mallett;

(d)

Holocaust Memorial Day 2015 – 27 January 2015

reported that tomorrow was Holocaust Memorial Day and that he would be hosting the Council’s Civic Ceremony of Remembrance at the Orangery, Mount Edgcumbe, following which flowers would be laid at the foot of the Memorial Tree.

He would also be attending the Holocaust Memorial Day exhibition at the Roland Levinsky Building and would be lighting a special memorial candle, one of 70 to mark the 70^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birchenau.

The Council was also advised that since last year’s motion to the Council, various work had been undertaken and events held to promote and celebrate equality and diversity; 

(e)

Individual electoral registration – make sure you register to vote

reminded everyone that the way in which people register to vote had changed and that every individual within a household now needed to be registered.  The Council was advised that there were still thousands of people in Plymouth who were not registered to vote and a link to the on-line registration site would be displayed during the meeting.  He also reminded everyone that advice and guidance was on the Plymouth City Council website and could be found by searching for ‘voting’;

(f)

Lesa Annear, Strategic Director for Transformation and Change

welcomed Lesa Annear to the Council as the newly appointed Strategic Director for Transformation and Change;   

(g)

Loo of the Year Awards

announced the Council’s success in the Loo of the Year Awards in relation to the toilets at Quay Point and Elphinstone car park at the Barbican which had received platinum awards (the highest standard) and a third award was received for the toilets at Armada Way.

The Lord Mayor congratulated Catherine Dilloway (Senior Project and Contract Manager) and Mary Lethbridge (Operational Supervisor) who were representing the service.

(h)

Ofsted Single Inspection of Children’s Services

referred to the report from Ofsted following their inspection of children’s services which had identified a number of areas that needed attention.  He advised that the Council was already working hard to address them and that Cabinet had already considered a draft improvement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

Question No

Question By

Cabinet Member

Subject

Q11(14/15)

Mr Sharpe  

Councillor Peter Smith (Deputy Leader)

Plymstock Swimming Pool: comments received

Please could it be disclosed how many comments (of any type) the City Council has received from January 2014 until now on the subject of a Plymstock Swimming Pool and Site.

Response

Twenty nine, including comments received on Downham School site.

Question No

Question By

Cabinet Member

Subject

Q12 (14/15)

Mr Williams

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance)

Magistrates’ Court hearings for non-payment of Council Tax

Why does the Authority actively dissuade Council Tax payers summoned to the Magistrates’ Court from attending their actual court hearing? 

Is it because the Authority believes that it will much more likely be awarded full costs from the Court if the tax payer fails to attend, and thus gain income? 

Response

Court proceedings for non-payment of Council Tax are used as a last resort and are certainly not used as a method for increasing income.

We do not actively dissuade people from attending court in person.

The majority of queries from customers who have received a summons for non-payment of council tax are around the reasons they have not paid on time or about payment terms. We do advise customers that these issues are unlikely to affect the Magistrate’s decision.

Question No

Question By

Cabinet Member

Subject

Q13(14/15)

Mr Morris  

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance)

Failure to pay Council Tax - court summons

According to a report in the Herald, more than 15,000 court summons have been issued this financial year.

How many hundreds of thousands of pounds have been added to the individuals' indebtedness to the Council as a consequence?

Response

It is not correct that ‘many hundreds of thousands of pounds’ has been added to debts of people who haven’t paid their council tax.

If someone receives a court summons for not paying their Council Tax there is an additional charge of £40.

This charge means that residents who pay their Council Tax on time do not have to pay for those who haven’t.

The Council has issued 16,911 summons in the financial year 2014/15.

(1)

the Council Tax Base for 2015/16 Tax Setting as 68,460 Band D equivalents, which is the tax base after allowing for an estimated collection rate of 98.5%;

(2)

the 2014/15 Council Tax Support scheme continuing for the 2015/16 financial year and that all elements of the scheme remain the same.

(1)

the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee’s 2015-2019 Business Plan 2015 – 2019 (as amended by minute 28 of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee);

(2)

the 2015/16 Revenue Estimates and Capital Programme as submitted.

(a)

the difference between the lowest paid and highest paid workers had reduced;

(b)

toaddress lowpay,theCouncil hadintroducedtheLiving Wage,by addinga discretionary,non-contractualmarketsupplementtoppingup to £7.65per hour (current rate);

(c)

chief officer remuneration data was now published on the website and in the annual statement of accounts;

(d) 

payment of interims was now included in the quarterly monitoring report.   

(e)

a local procurement forum which included the Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses and a number of employers, were looking at how the living wage could be implemented across the board;

(f)

Officers were looking at how the living wage could be included as a requirement on contractors with the Council;

(g) 

evidence showed that if employers paid the living wage, expenditure on tax credit and Council tax support payments would be reduced and spending by low paid workers would increase and improve the local economy;   

(h) 

not every single company would be able to pay a living wage as some businesses were struggling without profit margins and the proposal could cause more unemployment;

(i)

the living wage would be paid to all domiciliary care workers from this year. 

(1)

the Pay Policy Statement 2015/16;

(2)

to apply for Living Wage accreditation.

From

To

Subject

1

Councillor Mrs Bowyer

Councillor Vincent

She referred to a missed bin in the Eggbuckland Ward and her conversation with a member of staff. Was it true that there were insufficient refuse vehicles?

She was advised that the vehicle would return on Monday and it did not return until Friday.  If there are not enough vehicles how successful would the reorganisation be?

Response:

Cllr Vincent responded ‘No’ .

He accepted that the department needed to respond more efficiently but that following the last reorganisation there was an instance of waiting 13 weeks for a bin to be collected.  He emphasised that any reorganisation would have minor issues and that if details were provided to him he would look into it.  He urged councillors to contact him as soon as possible with any queries.

2

Councillor Parker Delaz Ajete

Councillor Penberthy

With reference to the question by Councillor Mrs Beer at the last Council meeting on Plympton Guildhall, was there any further information?

Response:

Councillor Penberthy responded that Plympton Guildhall was one of 14 active community asset transfer files. It had now been registered with the charity commission, the draft terms of the lease had been sent and the transfer was moving forward.  He had raised the issue with the Friends of Plympton Guildhall and they had responded that Councillor Mrs Beer was not a member, they understood the budget restraints and they were not concerned at the present state of the guildhall in terms of the handover.   

3

Councillor Bowyer

Councillor Evans

Had lessons been learnt and action taken following the shortcomings of exercise short sermon which had attracted adverse national coverage? 

Was the Temeraire Room still fully operational?

Response:

Councillor Evans responded that it was not his portfolio and that Councillor Peter Smith was the portfolio holder.

4

Councillor Hendy

Councillor Lowry

What was the latest update on the staff move to Ballard House?

When did he think that an announcement would be made?

Response:

Councillor Lowry responded that the majority of staff had now moved and about 70 people were left in the Civic Centre who would be moving in the next few months.  Officers had been actively engaging with the market for a solution for the Civic Centre building and he was working with officers to conclude the exercise.

He further responded that it was important to get the right proposal and to ensure that it was deliverable and he hoped to make an announcement in the next two weeks.

5

Councillor Fry

Councillor Peter Smith

Was it true that the outdoor ice rink would not be operating in the City Centre next winter?

A written response was sought.

Response:

Councillor Smith responded that it was not his responsibility as it was run by the City Centre Company and that he did not sit on the City Centre Company.

6  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.