Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jo Barton, Booth, Bradshaw, Brennan, Kevin Cluskey, Hands, Jones, Owens and Roche.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2018

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 25 January 2018 be approved as a correct record subject to Minute No. 67 – “Declarations of Interest” being amended to reflect that Councillor Spencer declared a personal interest by virtue of being a member of the Planning Committee in Minute No. 82 – “Notice of Motion by Councillor Bennett” and left the room and took no part in the consideration of the item.

Mayoral Charity Ball – 17 March 2018

The Mayor reported that the Mayoral Charity Ball would be held on Saturday 17 March 2018 at the Floral Hall, Southport Theatre and Convention Centre.  He urged Members to attend to support his  Mayoral Charities and stated that tickets and further details of the event could be obtained from the Mayor’s office in Bootle Town Hall before 9 March 2018.

VC Commemorative Paving Stone for Richard George Masters

The Mayor reported that on Saturday 21^st April at 11.00am, the VC Commemorative Paving Stone for Richard George Masters would take place at Southport War Memorial on Lord Street.  He further reported that the service would start at 11.00am, with a Parade conducted by 238 Squadron Royal Logistics Core from 10.30am prior to the service and he invited all Members of the Council to attend.

The Mayor also reported that following the service in Southport, there would be an official new road sign unveiling that will see Pelham Drive re-named to George Masters Drive.

To deal with matters raised by members of the public resident within the Borough, of which notice has been given in accordance with the procedures relating to public questions, motions or petitions set out in Paragraph 36 to 46 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules in Chapter 4 of the Council Constitution.

(Details of any further petitions notified or questions submitted by members of the public will be circulated at the meeting).

The Mayor reported that no matters had been raised by members of the public.

To receive and consider questions to Cabinet Members, Chairs of Committees or Spokespersons for any of the Joint Authorities upon any matter within their portfolio/area of responsibility, of which notice has been given by Members of the Council in accordance with Paragraph 48 to 50 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, set out in Chapter 4 of the Council Constitution.

The Council considered a schedule setting out the written questions submitted by:

1.            Question submitted by Councillor Dawson to the Leader of the Council (Councillor Maher)

2.            Question submitted by Councillor Dawson to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing (Councillor Moncur)

3.            Question submitted by Councillor Dawson to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing (Councillor Moncur)

together with responses given.  Supplementary questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 17 were responded to by the Leader of the Council and by  Cabinet Members for Regeneration and Skills, Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services, Communities and Housing and Health and Wellbeing.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

Further to Minute No. 121 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 15 February 2018, the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources on proposals to establish the Prudential Indicators required under the Prudential Code of Capital Finance in Local Authorities. This would enable the Council to effectively manage its Capital Finance Activities and comply with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Prudential Code of Capital Finance in Local Authorities.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the Prudential Indicators as detailed in the report, and summarised in Annex A of the report, be approved as the basis for compliance with The Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities;

(2)      approval be given to the relevant Prudential Indicators being amended, should any changes to unsupported borrowing be approved as part of the 2018/19 Revenue Budget;

(3)      it be noted that estimates of capital expenditure may change as grant allocations are received, as indicated in paragraph 2.2 of the report; and

(4)      the Head of Corporate Resources be granted delegated authority in conjunction with the Cabinet Member – Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services to manage the Authorised Limit and Operational Boundary for external debt as detailed in Section 5 of the report

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

Further to Minute No. 120 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 15 February 2018, the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided details of the proposed procedures and strategy to be adopted in respect of the Council’s Treasury Management Function in 2017/18.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED:

That approval be given to:

(1)      the Treasury Management Policy Document for 2018/19 as set out in Annex A of the report;

(2)      the Treasury Management Strategy Document for 2018/19 as set out in Annex B of the report; and

(3)      the basis to be used in the calculation of the Minimum Revenue Provision for Debt Repayment in 2018/19 as set out in Annex C of the report.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

Further to Minute No. 122 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 15 February 2018 the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided an assessment of the robustness of the estimates and the tax setting calculations, the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves and the production of longer term revenue and capital plans, based on the proposals set out in the report on the Revenue and Capital Budget Plan 2018/19 – 2019/20 (Minute No. 96 below refers).

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED:

That the matters raised in the report be noted and taken into account during the determination of the Budget for 2018/19.

Joint Report of the Chief Executive and Head of Corporate Resources

Further to Minute No. 123 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 15 February 2018, the Council considered the joint report of the Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Resources which provided details of the Revenue Budget for the period 2018/19 – 2019/20, and also the level of Council Tax for 2018/19 and information on:- 

·       An assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2018/19 to 2019/20 Budget Plan;

·       Progress that has been made during the last year within the Council’s Framework for Change programme;

·       An update on the Government’s announcement of resources that are available to the Council for 2018/19 (subject to final confirmation by the Government);

·       The Council’s current financial position and the assumptions built into the Medium Term Financial Plan;

·       The options available for the Council’s Budget;

·       The proposed Capital Programme for 2018/19 and 2019/20; and

·       The first budget estimate of the funding gap that the Council will face in 2020/21.

As such, the report set out the approach to the financial strategy of the Council and the national and local financial context within which it was operating; indicated that the Council had a statutory requirement to remain financially sustainable; that the Council’s Framework for Change Programme was a comprehensive and ambitious programme that sought to support the delivery of the Council’s core purpose; that as would be expected with a programme of this size and complexity that spanned a number of financial years, the detailed proposals had been and would continue to be the subject of change as they were developed and ultimately implemented; and that within this context, work had been undertaken to confirm that change proposals for 2018/19 were viable and would help deliver financial sustainability.

In respect of the overall financial context for the Council and its approach to the 2017/18 to 2019/20 Budget Plan the report indicated that in 2010, Central Government imposed, what were thought at the time, to be significant reductions in local government financial support; that rather than this being a short term restriction in spending, the austerity programme had extended into a ten-year long period of severe budget reductions; that for Sefton this had resulted in a funding gap of £233m being required to be met by the end of 2019/20, with a direct loss of 51% of government funding which equated to £722 per Sefton household; that due to the scale of this financial challenge (and taking into account the significant savings that had already been made since 2010) the Council undertook a comprehensive review of its role within the Borough, via the Imagine Sefton 2030 consultation and as a result, updated its core purpose; and that it was subsequently determined that the delivery vehicle for the Council’s core purpose and to ensure financial sustainability would be the “Framework for Change” programme, the key pillars of which were detailed in the diagram in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

The report also detailed the progress to date made on the “Framework for Change” programme and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Council considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance which indicated that Councillor Dawson had been re-instated as a Member of the Liberal Democrat Group with effect from 29 January 2018.  The report also referred to the resignation of former Councillor Andy Dams on 10 November 2017 and that the changes had changed the Political Balance on the Council and that the change in proportionality affected the entitlement to formal Committee Places.

The impact of the change was that the Liberal Democrat Group would be entitled to one additional place on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills) and a corresponding decrease in the Labour Group entitlement of one place on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills).  As a consequence Councillor Pugh had appointed Councillor Dawson as a Member and Councillor Jo Barton as his Substitute Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills).

Councillor Grace referred to a number of changes to the membership of Committees by the Labour Group.

Councillor Keith referred to a number of changes to the membership of Committees by the Liberal Democrat Group.

Councillor Jamieson referred to a number of changes to the membership of Committees by the Conservative Group.

It was moved by Councillor Grace, seconded by Councillor Atkinson and

RESOLVED: That

(1)       it be noted that the change in proportionality resulted in an increase in the entitlement of the Liberal Democrat Group of one Committee place and a corresponding decrease in the Labour Group entitlement;

(2)       Councillor Dawson be appointed as a Member and Councillor Jo Barton as his Substitute Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills);

(3)       the following changes to the membership of Committees, as submitted by the Labour Group be approved:

            Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills)

·                      Councillor Webster and her Substitute Member Councillor Bradshaw to be taken off the Committee.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regulation, Compliance and Corporate Services)

·                      Councillor McGinnity to be appointed Substitute Member for Councillor Linda Cluskey.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Adult Social Care and Health)

·                     Councillor Bill Welsh be appointed as a Member.

Licensing and Regulatory Committee

·                      Councillor Marianne Welsh be appointed as a Member.

(4)       the following changes to the membership of Committees, as submitted by the Liberal Democrat Group be approved:

Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills)

Councillor Pullin to replace Councillor Shaw and Councillor Keith be appointed as his Substitute.

(5)       the following changes to the membership of Committees, as submitted by the Conservative Group be approved:

Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills)

Councillor Bliss to replace Councillor Jamieson and Councillor Jones be appointed as his Substitute Member.

(6)       it be noted that due to the resignation of former Councillor Andy Dams, Blundellsands Ward, there is one vacancy on the Council and that Ward vacancy will remain a vacancy until 3 May 2018 Borough Elections.

The Council considered the report of the Leader of the Council setting out the details of an urgent matter dealt with in accordance with Rule 46 of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules in Chapter 6 of the Council Constitution.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

To consider the Motion submitted by Councillor B. McCann

It was moved by Councillor McCann, seconded by Councillor Bennett:

Women Against State Pension Inequality

This Council:

Reaffirms its support for the organisation Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) and the campaign to seek recompense for those women, and their families, affected by there not being enough time to make alternative plans to protect their income.

Supports the WASPI campaign to complain to the Department for Work and Pensions as described on their website.

Believes that the Government should review the effect of the Pension Acts of 1995 and 2011 on women born on or after 6 April 1957, and whose pension has been unfairly curtailed by the affects of those Acts.

Believes that the Government should provide a fair transition for women affected by the Acts.

Recognises the need for a non-means tested bridging pension that will secure the financial stability of those affected by the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts and compensation for those at risk of losing in the region of £45,000.

Calls on the Government to bring forward transitional arrangements to provide pension certainty for the women disproportionately affected by this system.

Calls on the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions requesting that the aforementioned effects on women be addressed, and object to the suggestion that women affected negatively by the Acts should seek out an apprenticeship.

Following debate and on a show of hands, the Mayor declared that the Motion was carried by 51 votes to 4 abstentions and it was

RESOLVED:

That the Motion be approved as follows:

 This Council:

Reaffirms its support for the organisation Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) and the campaign to seek recompense for those women, and their families, affected by there not being enough time to make alternative plans to protect their income.

Supports the WASPI campaign to complain to the Department for Work and Pensions as described on their website.

Believes that the Government should review the effect of the Pension Acts of 1995 and 2011 on women born on or after 6 April 1957, and whose pension has been unfairly curtailed by the affects of those Acts.

Believes that the Government should provide a fair transition for women affected by the Acts.

Recognises the need for a non-means tested bridging pension that will secure the financial stability of those affected by the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts and compensation for those at risk of losing in the region of £45,000.

Calls on the Government to bring forward transitional arrangements to provide pension certainty for the women disproportionately affected by this system.

Calls on the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions requesting that the aforementioned effects on women be addressed, and object to the suggestion that women affected negatively by the Acts should seek out an apprenticeship.

To consider the Motion submitted by Councillor McKinley

It was moved by Councillor Sayers, seconded by Councillor McKinley:

National Planning Policy Framework

This Council condemns the inherent bias in the National Planning Policy Framework (sometimes called the Developer’s Charter) that ascribes a much greater weighting given in its application to the profit/interests of developers and landowners potentially at the cost of local communities in terms of adverse social impact.

This Council calls on the government to develop a robust methodology to assess local social impact( in addition to existing measures) and amend the NPPF to  give equal weighting to local social impacts as it does to the level of profit for developers and landowners when considering development proposals.

And

This Council calls on the Secretary of State to revoke Paragraph 189 of the National Planning Policy Framework which states that “Local Planning Authorities cannot require a developer to engage with them before submitting a planning application.  Local Planning Authorities should also encourage any applicants who are not already required to do so by law, to engage with the local community before submitting applications” and make it compulsory for developers to consult with the community before applying for planning permissions.

Furthermore

This Council seeks an explanation and apology from Sir Vince Cable Leader of the Liberal Democrats, who together with Conservative Ministers was responsible for forcing these new regulations through Parliament and in effect created a Land owners and developer’s charter and effectively destroying the Labour Government’s of 1945 far sighted Town And Country Planning acts that created our much envied planning laws and green belt creation and protection.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Bennett, seconded by Councillor McCann that the Motion be amended by adding the following words (shown in italics):

This Council condemns the inherent bias in the National Planning Policy Framework (sometimes called the Developer’s Charter) that ascribes a much greater weighting given in its application to the profit/interests of developers and landowners potentially at the cost of local communities in terms of adverse social and environmental impact. 

This Council calls on the government to develop a robust methodology to assess local social and environmental impact (in addition to existing measures) and amend the NPPF to give equal weighting to local social and environmental impacts as it does to the level of profit for developers and landowners when considering development proposals. 

This Council notes with regret that this approach along with the differing interpretations of the NPPF by all parties to include developers and councils has led to a disjointed approach to sustainable development. This is particularly evident in development on local green belt land and the failure to provide a robust strategic infrastructure plan.

And

Given that the government (as outlined in the Housing White Paper) are seeking powers to remove from LPAs the power to determine the Housing OAN (Section 159 NPPF) and replace it with a housing target determined by central government and/or Regional Government, this Council believes that any such future Housing Target should fully consider the cost to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100.

To consider the Motion submitted by Councillor Bennett

It was moved by Councillor Bennett, seconded by Councillor Spencer and unanimously:

RESOLVED:

 Living with Autism/Aspergers within the Education System

Autism is a disability, one that cannot be seen but is a disability that is for life.  It does not go away or disappear but if managed properly and systems put into place, certainly in the early years, can help these children live a better life.

Without understanding autistic people they are at risk of being isolated and developing mental health problems.  Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is much more common than many people think. There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK, that's more than 1 in 100.  If you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people.

For young people with ASD their emotional state often captures the essence of the day. A student who is confused, scared and anxious cannot focus on the teacher’s tasks or their own learning.  For many young people with ASD, anxiety is part of their daily life.

Children with ASD who attend mainstream schools have to put up with daily “bullying”, “feeling isolated”, “being excluded” and dealing with the stigma that is attached ASD.  They can’t often clearly articulate their emotional predicament, and may communicate their discomfort in more basic ways such as hitting out, screaming, avoiding situations, running away or closing down, 34% of children with ASD say that the worst thing about being at school is being picked on.

Due to the lack of training in ASD, many teachers expect these children to behave like everyone else, which is impossible.   A recent study finds that while the academic provision for children with ASD has "improved tremendously" in recent years, much remains to be done.  Practitioners trained in ASD education say that one of the biggest challenges is a lack of knowledge and understanding among schoolteachers. Despite the government's policy of inclusion of pupils with special needs, mainstream schools find it difficult to integrate pupils with ASD.  For a child to be successful in mainstream school, the school must want to make the most of every opportunity for the child and include the parents.

Instead of recognising the atypical development of children and young people with ASD, teachers tend to view them through a "typical lens", comparing their behaviour with children who do not have the condition. Some believe they can force autistic children to behave as other pupils do, or that it is a condition that they will grow out of.  Many teachers do not realise, for example, that the challenging behaviour can be accompanied by high intelligence.

Children who have Aspergers, which is now ASD have been deemed to be "too bright" for support, and yet "can't work with other children and they struggle to understand some instructions".  Autistic pupils make the most progress when teachers provide an individualised programme that addresses specific social, personal and learning difficulties.

It is remarkable that emotional wellbeing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.

To consider the Motion Submitted by Councillor Dawson

It was moved by Councillor Dawson, seconded by Councillor Brodie-Browne and unanimously:

RESOLVED:

Integrated Health and Social Care

This Council recognises the urgency of producing an integration of health and social care nationally and locally in a manner which is sensitive to both local democratic and clinical inputs. 

Council recognises that the present crisis concerns both governance and finance, each of which requires addressing urgently.

Council welcomes the cross-Party initiative by a large group of Labour, Lib Dem, Conservative and Green Members of Parliament seeking to push this agenda of reform of governance and finance of Heath & social care forward on a cross-party basis.

To consider the Motion submitted by Councillor Cummins

It was moved by Councillor Cummins and seconded by Councillor Moncur and unanimously:

RESOLVED:

Minister for Older People

Sefton Council calls upon Her Majesty’s Government to create the post of a Minister for Older People.

The role of this Minister would be to work across government looking at issues which affect older people and look to ways in which quality of life can be improved.

The post would operate in a similar way to that of the Minister for Disabled People which is has a cross-government remit.

This motion is in support of a campaign by The Older Peoples Elected Members Champions Network for the North West which has cross-party support for the creation of a Minister for Older People.

This Council also calls upon Sefton’s three Members of Parliament to show active support for this initiative.