To approve and sign the minutes of the Special and Ordinary meetings of the City Council held on 19 September 2016 as a correct record.

The minutes of the special and ordinary meetings of 19 September 2016 were agreed.

Councillors will be asked to make declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda. A flowchart providing guidance on interests is attached to assist councillors.

The following declarations of interest were made by councillors in accordance with the code of conduct in respect of items under consideration at the meeting -

The Assistant Chief Executive will submit a schedule of vacancies on committees, outside bodies etc and of changes notified to us.  

The following changes reported to the Assistant Director and Head of Legal Services were noted –

(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Assistant Director for Finance or Head of Legal Services;

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

The Lord Mayor made the following announcements:

(a)        Alderman Sylvia Bellamy – Members were advised that Alderman Sylvia Bellamy passed away in September.

(b)        Alderman Joan Stopperton – Members were advised of further sad news that Alderman Joan Stopperton had passed away.

As a mark of respect for Alderman Sylvia Bellamy and Alderman Joan Stopperton, Members observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

(c)        The Lord Mayor welcomed members of staff to the Council and presented certificates and trophies to individuals and team who had been successful in achieving the following:

·                     Customer Service Excellence Award – Craig Fritzche, Sandy Whitehead, Karen Adamson and Carly Wills from the Customer Service Team;

·                     South West Business Insider Award – Councillor Bowyer and David Draffan;

·                     Devon Tourism Award – Councillor Bowyer, Councillor Jordan, Jamie Yabsley and Steve Donald;

·                     Cost Sector Catering Education Award 2016, LACA Business of the Year 2016, EDUcatering Magazine:  Local Authority Caterer of the Year 2016 – Rebecca Doran, Claire Pertiller and Paula Walsh.

(d)        Announcements from the Leader, Councillor Bowyer:

·                     Devonport Dockyard, Stonehouse Barracks and Royal Citadel closure;

·                     Student accommodation.

(e)        Announcement from the Deputy Leader, Councillor Nicholson:

·                     Peninsula Rail Taskforce 20 year plan.

(f)         Announcement from the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Mrs Bowyer:

·                     Update on progress on the motion on notice on GP surgeries and the potential closure of the Cumberland Centre.

(g)        Announcement from the Chair of the Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Panel, Councillor Mrs Aspinall:

·                     Following the recent motion on notice on NHS proposals not to re-procure GP surgeries, the panel met on 6 October 2016 to consider information provided by NHS England and other contributors.  The Panel made a number of recommendations but were unable to make a formal referral to the Secretary of State.

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which 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, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five complete working days before the meeting.

One question was submitted by members of the public for this meeting, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution.

In the absence of Mr Sharpe the following question and response was circulated and a written response would be sent to him after the meeting –

Cabinet Member:  Councillor Darcy

The City Council are asked to approve the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Councillor Darcy (Cabinet Member for Finance/ICT) presented the report on the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Councillor Bowyer (Leader) seconded the report.  Following the vote, the Council agreed the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Cabinet Member:  Councillor Darcy

The City Council are asked to note the recommendations.

Councillor Darcy (Cabinet Member for Finance/ICT) presented the report on the Capital and Revenue Monitoring Report 2016/17 – Quarter 2, seconded by Councillor Mrs Pengelly.  Following the vote, the Council agreed that the Capital Budget 2016 2021 is increased to £475m (shown in Table 6).

The purpose of this report is to inform Members of changes to the terms and conditions of employment of the Chief Executive as agreed between the Local Government Association and the Association of Local Authority Chief Executives; and to propose amendments to the Council’s Employment Standing Orders and Terms of Reference for the Chief Officer Appointments, Dismissals and Appeals Panels to comply with them.

Councillor Bowyer (Leader) presented the report on the Proposed Changes to Standing Orders in respect of Employment of the Chief Executive, Section 151 and Monitoring Officer, seconded by Councillor Nicholson.  Following a vote, it was agreed that –

1.            Council amends the Employment Standing Orders in the Constitution to comply with the requirements of the new regulations (see appendix 1);

2.            Council amends the Terms of Reference for the Chief Officer Appointments Dismissals and Appeals Panel (see appendix 2);

3.                  The Assistant Director for Human Resources and Organisational Development takes the necessary action to agree variations to the contracts of employment of the affected staff.

The purpose of the report is to set out proposed changes to the constitution as recommended by the Constitution Review Group on 26 October 2016. 

Councillor Riley (Cabinet Member for HR/Democracy and Governance/Licensing) presented the report on Constitutional amendments – Council procedure rules, seconded by Councillor Ball.

Following a vote it was agreed that the recommendations were two separate matters and would be taken separately.

Following a vote, Council agreed:

1.         Reply to questions by the public

            That responses to questions by the public are moved from 5.1(i) to 5.1(g) and are heard directly after the Lord Mayor’s announcements in order to welcome contributions from members of the public at an earlier stage of the meeting.

The amended constitution to read:

            ‘(f) receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Head of Paid Service, Responsible Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer

            (g) reply to questions from the public

            (h) receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet members and committee chairs’

            (Subsequent sections of 5.1 to be re-numbered accordingly).

Following a vote, Council agreed:

2.         Receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet members, committee chairs

            Some meetings of Council are very lengthy (examples being the Council meetings held on 11 July and 19 September) and it is proposed that a time limit is introduced for item (h) ‘receiving announcements from the Leader, Cabinet members and committee chairs’.  The introduction of a time limit could encourage more concise statements and members of the public present or viewing from home may be more appreciative of shorter Council meetings.

            The amended constitution to read:

            (Footnote added after (q) councillors’ questions):  ‘Council will spend no longer than 30 minutes on item (h) receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet members and committee chairs’.

Councillor Tuffin proposed the motion and put forward an amendment.  Councillor McDonald seconded the motion, as follows:

This Council notes that:

53 Fifty three pharmacies across the city of Plymouth offer a wide range of services that play a role by recognising and evidencing role in improving in improving the health of local population. In addition to the dispensing and safe disposal of medicines, they offer advice and information in areas such as and their safe disposal such as the advice and information to promote wellbeing.  Examples include healthy eating, flu vaccination, sexual health and the management of obesity that promote wellbeing.  They also provide advice and support to care homes.

As a result of budget cuts nationally of £170m taking effect now this is resulting in a 6% cut in real terms now, but could, by making up for lost implementation time, mean a cut of 12% during this financial year.  This could potentially shut down up to a quarter of pharmacies.

Cuts in pharmacies will put more residents at risk in addition to increasing the pressure on GP’s and on local hospitals leading to increases in NHS costs and pressures on the wider care community.

This Council therefore agrees to write to the Secretary of State for Health and the Clinical Commissioning Groups serving Plymouth setting out our concerns and requiring an immediate reversal of these proposals.

Following a request from ten councillors for a recorded vote, the motion was lost.

For the proposal (26)

(Councillors Mrs Aspinall, Bowie, Coker, Dann, P Davey, S Davey, Evans, Hendy, Lowry, Mavin, McDonald, Morris, Parker-Delaz-Ajete, Penberthy, Rennie, Singh, Smith, Sparling, Stevens, J Taylor, K Taylor, Tuffin, Tuohy, Vincent, Wheeler and Winter)

Against the proposal (28)

(Councillors Ball, Mrs Beer, Bowyer, Mrs Bowyer, Mrs Bridgeman, Carson, Churchill, Cook, Darcy, Deacon, Downie, Drean, Fletcher, Foster, Mrs Foster, Fry, James, Jordan, Kelly, Michael Leaves, Loveridge, Dr Mahony, Nicholson, Pengelly, Ricketts, Riley, Storer and Wigens)

Absent (2)

(Councillors Martin Leaves and Sam Leaves)

Abstention (1)

(Lord Mayor)

(Councillors Martin Leaves and Sam Leaves declared a DPI and left the meeting for this item).

Councillor Bowyer proposed the motion, seconded by Councillor Evans as follows:

This Council notes the progress being made in the development of the Wider Devon Sustainability and Transformation Plan which includes Plymouth and Torbay.

These plans have attracted a lot of interest across the country and in some areas have attracted concern about the impact of these plans on services delivered through the NHS and Social Care and also about the lack of consultation with Local Authorities.

This Council wants to ensure that there are many opportunities for elected Members to be involved in developing and understanding the implications of the Wider Devon STP on NHS and Social Care services for the residents of Plymouth.

We want to see NHS and social care services which are properly funded and meet the needs of our residents.

The Wider Devon Case for Change highlights a number of reasons why this work is necessary and clarifies the system-wide challenge of £557 million by 2021 if transformational change is not taken and also identifies the need to shift resources within the Devon system to Plymouth.

This Council welcomes –

·         the vision to deliver a clinically, socially and financially sustainable health and care system for the area that will improve the health and wellbeing of the population

·         that the STP confirms that the allocation and spend of health resources is inequitable with a greater disparity between the allocation of resources for Plymouth and on mental health services across the whole of Devon.

There is an opportunity now, working as a single system, to build on the innovative work undertaken in Plymouth to create an integrated commissioning fund of £462m and an integrated health and social care community delivery service through Livewell Southwest.  

This council believes that a Place based approach to commissioning services for the health and wellbeing of the whole population should be accelerated and capitation based budgets for the population established so we can drive the change we need to see in the STP and for the residents of Plymouth.

The City Council agrees to ask the Chief Executive to –

 Following a vote the motion was carried.

Councillor Coker proposed the motion and the amendment to the motion.  The motion was seconded by Councillor Stevens.  Following a vote on the motion and the amendment, Council agreed:

This Council notes the disappointing decisions of NHS England not to re-procure the Cumberland Surgery.

The City Council agrees to –

1.         Instruct the Director of Public Health to work with NHS England, the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group and service providers to ensure that adverse impacts on patients as a result of this decision are minimised.

2.         To direct the Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee to monitor the health indices for Devonport for evidence of any impacts of the decision.

3.         To instruct the Director of Public Health to report to the Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, as the statutory health scrutiny body, on a regular basis any impacts of this decision.

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

Please note that questions, answers, supplementary questions and supplementary answers have been summarised.