Apologies

To receive any apologies.

Minutes

To authorise the signing of the minutes of the Council meeting held on 21st November 2007, attached.

2. Minutes    

Announcements From The Mayor And The Leader

Matters especially brought forward by the Mayor and the Leader.

Deputations, Petitions And Public Questions

To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.

Executive Business

Report of the Leader of the Council, attached.

5. Report    

MOTIONS

A. Councillor Noon to move:
Southampton City Council resolves to incorporate within the emerging Core Strategy appropriate policies to include for major developments an obligation for developers to make a contribution to Targeted Recruitment and Training.

B. Councillor Richard Williams to move:
The Council strongly welcomes the Government’s Local Transport Bill, to become law in the near future, as an important extra tool to ensure proper partnership working between local authorities and private sector bus companies.

Council calls on the Executive to use all of its currently available powers and influence to ensure that electronic card reader technology is installed in all buses running local Southampton services by 4th April 2008.

Council requests that if the Executive is unable to facilitate the delivery of the necessary card reader by the beginning of the 2008 – 09 financial year, that the Executive should escalate the matter with the owners of any such bus companies and emphasize the new powers of the forthcoming Local Transport Act.

C. Councillor Sollitt to move:
This Council deplores the decision of the Executive to agree expenditure of £100k of Council Tax payers' money on data collection and other preparatory activities for the possible introduction of the Conservative Administration's proposed 'Pensioner Discount' in advance of any decision by Council as to whether or not this should form part of the Council's Budget for 2008-9.

D. Councillor Baston to move:
This Council resolves that the Southampton City concessionary fares scheme for 2008/9 should continue to be available for holders of passes issued by Southampton City Council from 9.00am to midnight, Monday to Friday, and at any time at weekends and on bank holidays. A local pass for travel within the City will continue to be available to those in receipt of Disability Living Allowance at the lower level. Southampton City Council will continue to issue companion passes for those unable to travel alone for journeys within the City. Holders of passes for registered blind will continue to be able to travel at any time as at present.

Council therefore resolves that the above terms shall form an addendum to the Council's Policy Framework, i.e. an addendum to the City Improvement Plan.

E. Councillor Baston to move:
Council calls on the Executive to adopt schedule 4 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as amended by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005) and to investigate means, including voluntary agreements and possible use of powers of wellbeing or powers to introduce bye-laws under the Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act, of:

(a) requiring supermarkets operating within the City to introduce owner identity marking on shopping trolleys together with coin or token operated systems for their shopping trolleys, and to enable the Council to recover the cost associated with removing such trolleys from areas of the City outside their precincts,

(b) reducing use of non-recyclable packaging, for example by:

1. Requiring supermarkets to provide waste points in store, allowing customers to remove and deposit unwanted packaging before leaving the store;
2. Securing commitments from supermarkets to participate in a deposit scheme for plastic carrier bags, charging consumers for bags and refunding them when bags are returned;
3. Encouraging a moratorium by local retailers on plastic bags, in favour of re-usable or re-cyclable bags as introduced in the town of Modbury and planned by 70+ UK districts and all London boroughs.
4. Improving enforcement of excess packaging regulations by Trading Standards Offices.

F. Councillor Mizon to move:
This Council profoundly regrets the recent announcement by the Home Office of its intention to cease direct funding for the national non-emergency 101 number.

Council believes that the 101 number has been of significant benefit to local citizens through improving co-ordination between the police and City Council, enabling each to focus scarce resources more efficiently on maximising their respective contributions to addressing crime and anti-social behaviour in Southampton.

Council therefore calls on the Home Office to reconsider urgently its decision on future funding of the 101 service.

Council strongly supports dialogue between City Safety, neighbouring authorities and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police Authority to explore viable and cost-effective local options for maintaining the benefits which the 101 service has brought, and asks for a report to be brought forward for consideration by Cabinet and Scrutiny as soon as practicable.

Questions From Members To The Chairs Of Committees Or The Mayor

To consider any question of which notice has been given under
Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

Appointments To Committees, Sub Committees And Other Bodies

To deal with any appointments to Committees, Sub-Committees or other bodies as required.

Changes To Financial Procedure Rules

Report of the Executive Director of Resources seeking approval to the proposed changes to the Financial Procedure Rules, attached.

9. Report    


 

Overview And Scrutiny: Summary Of The Use Of Call-in And Response To The Scrutiny Recommendation In The Corporate Assessment

Report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance, summarising the use of the Call-in procedure over the last three months and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee's initial discussion on the Audit Commission's conclusion that the Council should enhance the support provided for its scrutiny function "to drive improvement through policy development work and provision of greater emphasis on user-focused challenge", attached.

10. Report