Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Sandra Coltman 023 8083 2430 

Items
No. Item

88.

Apologies

To receive any apologies.

Minutes:

Apologies for Absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Laming and Lewzey.

89.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 13 KB

To authorise the signing of the minutes of the Council meetings held on 20th November 2013 and 12th February 2014, attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Council meetings held on 20th November 2013 and 12th February 2014 be approved and signed as correct records.

90.

Announcements from the Mayor and Leader

Matters especially brought forward by the Mayor and the Leader.

Minutes:

(i) Honorary Alderman Mrs Ivy White

 

Members stood for a moment’s silence in memory of Honorary Alderman and former Mayor, Honorary Alderman Mrs Ivy White , who sadly passed away on 3rd March, 2014.

 

(ii) German Students

 

The Mayor welcomed to the meeting German students from the University of Hof who were observing the meeting.

 

(iii) Last Meeting of the Municipal Year

 

As this was the last meeting of the municipal year and the last meeting before the elections in May, the Mayor took the opportunity to say goodbye to those councillors who would not be standing for re-election and to those who were, but did not retain their seat.  On behalf of the Council, the Mayor thanked them for their hard work and the contribution they had made during their period in office.

91.

Deputations, Petitions and Public Questions

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

Minutes:

It was noted that no deputations, petitions or public questions had been received.

92.

Executive Business pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Report of the Leader of the Council, attached.

Minutes:

The report of the Leader of the Council was submitted setting out the details of the business undertaken by the Executive.

 

The Leader and the Cabinet made statements and responded to Questions.

 

The following questions were then submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.1.

 

  1. Cost of Dental Extractions

 

Question from Councillor Bogle to Councillor Shields

 

How many of the City's children were admitted to hospital last year for dental extractions and what was the cost of this to the local NHS?

 

Answer

 

Last year 414 children under the age of 16 were admitted to hospital for dental extractions under a general anaesthetic.  Most were under the age of ten. Many of the older children would have had both primary and permanent teeth removed.  The cost to the local NHS was £231,012 (hospital tariff of £558 for every admission).

This continues a trend that has seen approximately 500 children undergo this form of treatment for dental decay every year for at least two decades. 

During this time there has been significant investment in preventive and targeted programmes following the best available evidence, but their impact has not led to a reduction in this very high level of severe dental decay in Southampton’s children. 

Since April of last year, the Council has become responsible for local public health improvement and for dental health improvement services and is continuing to invest in these programmes.

 

  1. Evening Parking Charges

 

Question from Councillor Moulton to Councillor Rayment

 

How many parking tickets have been issued for infringements of evening parking rules since the start of 2014 and how much in cash terms do the fines total?

 

Answer

 

Since the evening charges were introduced on 5th January 2014, the total number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued in the evenings is 1,853 (to 13th March 2014).

A lenient approach to enforcement has been undertaken in the first few months in order to ensure that people are not caught out by the new charges  As a result 115 have been cancelled.  For a further 259 cases the council accepted a £2 payment instead of pursuing the PCN. In addition, warning notices have been issued.

Compliance rates suggest that awareness is now high and regular enforcement activity will commence.

The total income received from these PCNs is currently £27,988.80. However, not all of these PCNs have been paid to date and some will be the subject of representation and the Appeals service.

 

  1. Youth Shelter Lakelands Park

 

Question from Councillor Moulton to Councillor Rayment

 

Will the Cabinet Member please approve the removal of the youth shelter in Lakelands Park in Freemantle as it is a hangout for people drinking and residents would like it removed?

 

Answer

 

No

 

  1. Percentage Planning Thresholds for HMOs

 

Question from Councillor Moulton to Councillor Letts

 

The Administration has said that it would like to see the percentage planning thresholds equalised for HMOs. When does the Administration intend to bring about this equalisation?

 

Answer

 

The guidance on HMOs is currently being discussed as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

93.

Motions

(a)  Councillors Letts to move

 

Council resolves in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Management Procedure Rule 3.4.2 that Councillor Bogle may serve forthwith on Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel and that the firebreak period is accordingly waived.

 

(b)  Councillor Vinson to move

 

This Council recognises the concerns of residents in many parts of the city at the forest of ‘to let’, 'for sale' and 'sold by' boards and posters, left in place for considerable periods of time, which is blighting neighbourhoods. 

 

Council notes that, in the age of the internet, such signs are no longer the principle means of attracting tenants.

 

Council therefore urges the Executive to make full use of the powers available to curb the excessive display of such signs, including consideration of the adoption of a Regulation 7 Direction under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations, and a rigorous Lettings Board Code as adopted by Leeds City Council and others.

 

(c)  Councillor Letts to move

 

Council notes the £148 per capita reduction in Central Government grant for Southampton over the period of this parliament. This compares with the reduction in grant for Winchester of only £28 per capita.

 

Council believes that the current Conservative lead government has discriminated against urban areas like Southampton in favour of wealthier rural areas like Winchester.

 

This Council calls on this information (produced in graphical form by the House of Commons Library) to be displayed prominently on the Council’s website. It also calls for the link to this information to be sent out to residents on the ‘stay connected’ contact list.

 

This Council also calls for the Leaders of all Groups on the City Council to make representations to either their party leader or communities and local government spokesperson on this issue and for these responses to be published on the Council’s website and communicated via ‘stay connected’ when they arrive.

Minutes:

(a)Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel

 

Councillor Letts moved and Councillor Barnes-Andrews seconded:

 

“Council resolves in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Management Procedure Rule 3.4.2 that Councillor Bogle may serve forthwith on Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel and that the firebreak period is accordingly waived”.

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED

 

RESOLVED that the motion as submitted be approved.

 

(b)Estate Agents and Letting Agency Boards 

 

 Councillor Vinson moved and Councillor Turner seconded:

 

“This Council recognises the concerns of residents in many parts of the city at the forest of ‘to let’, 'for sale' and 'sold by' boards and posters, left in place for considerable periods of time, which is blighting neighbourhoods. 

 

Council notes that, in the age of the internet, such signs are no longer the principal means of attracting tenants.

 

Council therefore urges the Executive to make full use of the powers available to curb the excessive display of such signs, including consideration of the adoption of a Regulation 7 Direction under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations, and a rigorous Lettings Board Code as adopted by Leeds City Council and others”.

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED

 

RESOLVED that the motion as submitted be approved.

 

NOTE: Councillor Fitzhenry declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the above matter, as a Letting Agency Proprietor, and left the meeting during the consideration of the matter.

 

(c)Central Government Grant

 

The Mayor considered representations on the appropriateness of the Motion and having heard representations from all the Group Leaders and having taken advice from the Monitoring Officer, under Council Procedure rules, the Mayor ruled that the Motion should not be considered and would therefore be withdrawn from the agenda.

94.

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.

Minutes:

It was noted that no questions to the Chairs of Committees or the Mayor had been received.

95.

Appointments to Committees, Sub-Committees and Other Bodies

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

Minutes:

It was noted that the following changes had been made:

 

(i)  That Councillor Thorpe had been replaced by Councillor Letts on the Governance Committee;

 

(ii)  That Councillor Thorpe had replaced Councillor Chaloner and

Richard Wharton had replaced Tony Blackshaw as the Church of England (Diocesan of Winchester and Portsmouth) representative on the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee;

 

(iii)  That Councillor Jeffery had replaced Councillor Bogle on the Health and Wellbeing Board; and

 

(iv)  That Councillor Bogle had replaced Councillor Chaloner on the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

96.

Revision to Constitution - Voting by Members on Budgets pdf icon PDF 24 KB

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services requiring revision of the Constitution, attached.

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services was submitted concerning revision of the Constitution (copy of report circulated with the agenda and appended to signed minutes).

 

RESOLVED that the Council’s Constitution – Council Procedure Rules be revised to record the way members vote on budget decision matters in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders)(England)(Amendment) Order 2014.

97.

Pay Policy Statement Financial Year 2014-2015 pdf icon PDF 29 KB

Report of the Head of Strategic Human Resources detailing the Annual Pay Policy for the financial year 2013/14, attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Strategic Human Resources was submitted detailing the Annual Pay Policy for the financial year 2014/15 (copy of report circulated with agenda and appended to signed minutes).

 

RESOLVED that the Southampton City Council Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15 be approved.