Decisions

‘Report a Rogue’ Landlord and Rogue Landlord Checker Tools for Flintshire

Proposed by Councillor Sam Swash – Seconded by Councillor Alasdair Ibbotson

That the Notice of Motion, as amended, be supported.

Free School Meals – Councillor David Coggins Cogan

That the Notice of Motion, as amended, be supported.

That the completed Schedule of Remuneration for 2023/24 be approved for publication.

Noted.

None received.

Received.

None received.

all Members declared a personal interest in agenda item number 8 – Schedule of Remuneration 2023/24.  The following Members declared a personal interest in agenda item number 10 – Notice of Motion (1) in relation to landlords: Councillors: Davies-Cooke, Gee, Hodge, Lloyd, McKeown, Owen and Preece.  Councillor Lloyd said he would leave the room during the debate.

Noted.

None received.

That the Standards Committee be thanked for its first report and the recommendations be accepted.

To endorse the Annual Performance Report 2022/23 prior to publication

That the 2022/23 Annual Performance Report, noting the performance achieved, be approved.

RESOLVED: 

That the update be noted.

The Programme Manager for Climate Change presented the report.   She provided background information and referred to the current Roundabout Portfolio Sponsorship Policy which was appended to the report.  She explained that an amendment to the Policy was suggested in section 1.06 of the report to ensure that the Council’s advertising policy will not accept sponsorship from fossil fuel products/companies.  This allows the Council to show its support towards companies that share its ambitions towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.  She advised that there could be some impact related to the change as detailed in section 3.01 of the report.

Councillor Steve Copple spoke against the proposal to include reference to “fossil fuel” in the  amendment to the Policy and suggested this be removed from the wording.  Councillor Ian Hodge seconded this amendment.

Councillor Dan Rose spoke in support of the suggested alternative wording which was detailed in section 1.06 of the report.

Councillor Alasdair Ibbotson spoke against the amendment proposed by Councillor Copple. 

When put to the vote the amendment was carried.  The substantive motion (as amended) was that the Policy be amended to include the bullet point “In line with Flintshire County Council’s ambition to decarbonise the Council’s assets and services, and to encourage and influence the wider county to decarbonise, the Council will not be supporting companies or companies that provide products”.

Councillor Ibbotson spoke against the substantive motion.  When put to the vote the motion was lost and therefore the recommendation was not taken forward.

RESOLVED

That the progress made in the past year to improve data collection for the Council’s carbon footprint be noted.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Council’s current position regarding on-street electrical vehicle charging be noted; and

(b)       That the Committee consults with other local authorities to discuss how they have addressed the matter and to learn from their advice and experience. 

RESOLVED:

That the presentation on Procurement Decarbonisation be received.

RESOLVED: 

That the Forward Work Programme be adopted.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a correct record.

This report covers strategic updates in addition to the quarterly workforce statistics and their analysis.

That the mid-year Workforce Information Report for 2023/24 be noted.

To inform the Committee of progress against actions from previous meetings.

That the Committee notes the progress which has been made.

To consider the Forward Work Programme of the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme, as amended, be noted; and

(b)       That the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the Committee Chair, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises.

That the presentation be noted and circulated to Members.

To present the Capital Programme 2024/25 - 2026/27 for review.

That the Committee:

(a)       Supports the allocations and schemes in Table 3 (paragraph 1.09) for the Statutory/Regulatory and Retained Assets sections of the Council Fund Capital Programme 2024/25-2026/27;

(b)       Supports the schemes included in Table 4 (paragraph 1.32) for the Investment section of the Council Fund Capital Programme 2024/25-2026/27;

(c)       Notes that the shortfall in funding of schemes in 2024/25 and 2025/26 in Table 5 (paragraph 1.37) at this point in the approval process allows flexibility.  Options including a combination of future capital receipts, alternative grants (if available), prudential borrowing or the re-phasing of schemes will be considered during 2024/25, and included in future Capital Programme reports;

(d)       Supports the schemes included in Table 6 (paragraph 1.41) for the specifically funded section of the Council Fund Capital Programme which will be funded in part through borrowing; and

(e)       Confirms that it has no comments for Cabinet to consider before the Capital Programme 2024/25-2026/27 report is considered by Council.

To present the Capital Strategy 2024/25 - 2026/27 for review.

(a)       That the Committee recommends the Capital Strategy to Cabinet; and

(b)       That the Committee recommends to Cabinet:-

·         The Prudential Indicators for 2024/25-2026/27 as detailed within Tables 1, and 4-8 of the Capital Strategy, and

·         Delegated authority for the Corporate Finance Manager to effect movements between the separately agreed limits within the authorised limit for external debt and the operational boundary for external debt (Table 6 of the Capital Strategy).

That subject to the amendments, the minutes be approved as a correct record.

On the Budget 2024/25, Councillor Carolyn Preece declared a personal and prejudicial interest as a close relative’s degree was funded through Theatr Clwyd.  She withdrew from the meeting for specific discussion on Theatr Clwyd.

Councillor Bernie Attridge declared a personal interest on the Employment and Workforce Mid-year Update due to close family members employed by the Council.

To provide the Revenue Budget Monitoring 2023/24 (Month 6) report and the Capital Programme 2023/24 (Month 6) report.

(a)       That having considered the Revenue Budget Monitoring 2023/24 (month 6) report, the Committee confirms that there are no specific matters to be raised with Cabinet; and

(b)       That having considered the Capital Programme Monitoring 2023/24 (month 6) report, the Committee confirms that there are no specific matters to be raised with Cabinet.

(a)       That the Monitoring Officer write to all County Councillors (copied to the Standards Committee) to convey the Committee’s concerns following consideration of feedback from a recent visit to a County Council meeting and the findings of a PSOW case; and

(b)       That once visits to County Council meetings had been completed for the 2023/24 municipal year, the Committee would review the situation to assess if further visits were required.

None received.

Councillor Andrew Parkhurst declared a personal and prejudicial interest on minute number 41 which was an urgent confidential item to be discussed at the end of the meeting, as agreed by the Chair.  Councillor Parkhurst left the meeting prior to the start of that item.  Councillor Antony Wren declared a personal interest on the same item.

That subject to the two amendments, the minutes be approved as a correct record.

That the Forward Work Programme, as amended, be approved.

(a)       That the report include examples of good practice observed at the meetings; and

(b)       That the report is circulated to all Town and Community Councils in Flintshire and the common themes and suggestions at paragraph 1.04 of the report are endorsed as recommendations of best practice to those councils.

That the suggested items be put forward for inclusion on the agenda of the next meeting of the National Forum for Chairs of Standards Committees.

That the Committee notes the verbal feedback to be shared with all Members.

That the Committee oversees the development of a training programme for County Councillors and Group Leaders.

That the Committee amends the value above which gifts and hospitality must be registered from £10 to £25.

RESOLVED:

That decisions be recorded as shown on the Planning Application schedule attached as an appendix.

That planning permission be refused for the reason set out in the report, in accordance with the officer’s recommendation.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a true and correct record.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendation.

To approve changes to the Corporate Debt Recovery Policy to strengthen the collection of Housing Rent.

As detailed in the recommendation.

To secure agreement for expansion of specialist provision.

To consider proposals following the Notice of Motion (NOM) presented to Council in September 2023.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

To seek approval for consultation for the authority’s draft waste strategy.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Ted Palmer declared a personal interest as a Council tenant.

13.09.2023

That subject to the suggested amendment, the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

11.10.2023

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme be noted;

(b)       That the Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises; and

(c)       That the Committee notes the progress made in completing the outstanding actions.

(a)       That the Committee note the HRA budget for 2024/25 as set out in the report;

(b)       That the Committee note the proposed minimum rent increase of 6.5%;

(c)       That the Committee note the proposed garage rent increase of 6.5%;

(d)       That the Committee note the proposed increase in serve charges to full cost recovery; and

(e)       That the Committee note the proposed HRA Capital Programme for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix B of the report.

To present the proposed mitigating measures being explored with a view to reducing the budget pressure around emergency accommodation.

(a)       That the Committee note the latest financial position in relation to homelessness; and

(b)       That the Committee support the options outlined in Appendix 1 to increase supply and mitigate further overspends on the homelessness budget.

(a)       That the Committee note the latest financial position for rent collections in 2023/24 as set out in the report; and

(b)       That the Committee support the proposed changes to the Corporate Debt Policy to strengthen the collection of Housing Rent by taking court action, as a default position, in cases where contract holders were not making payment, were 12 weeks in arrears and/or who owe £1,500 or more and who were not engaging with the housing service to address the arrears.

That the update be noted.