Agenda and minutes

Reverend Michael Taylor, Mayor’s Chaplain, delivered the opening prayers.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bailey, Peter Barnes, Blair, John Clarke, Creamer, Roxanne Ellis, Fox, Paling and Weisz.

The Mayor spoke about a variety of engagements she had attended in particular the very poignant remembrance event in Arnot Hill Park which was attended by children from Arno Vale Junior School.

The Mayor thanked Colwick Theatre Group for allowing her a guest part in their recent production.

Councillor Parr was thanked for arranging the horse sculpture, as part of remembrance activities, which was taking pride of place in the civic centre foyer.

Finally the Mayor thanked members for their good wishes following her son’s recent accident and said that he was feeling much better.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meetings, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.

The Mayor invited Councillor Payne to address Council concerning the Daybook based dentist who was under investigation for poor clinical practice. He advised that this was likely to affect a significant number of Gedling residents and that the Council and its partners were doing all they could to reassure, give information to and support those affected.

None.

Question from Mr Stuart Beniston

“The A W Lymn appeal against refusal of planning permission for a crematorium on Catfoot Lane was turned down on various grounds.

In his report, the inspector highlighted several inadequacies in the way both the Lyumn and Westerleigh applications had been handled by the Planning Department. It therefore seems that the Westerleigh permission was approved by a flawed process. However, that permission was subsequently quashed following a legal challenge by A W Lymn. That decision is now being appealed in a higher court, both by the Council and by Westerleigh, due to be heard in early December.

I was told by one of the planning officers that the Council has appealed in order to resolve wider national planning issues. However, if the appeal succeeds, the Westerleigh permission for a crematorium and cemetary will be automatically reinstated, creating a permanent intrusion into our countryside which may be unjustified.

Is the Council comfortable with adding its weight to the appeal when, according to the Lymn Appeal inspector, the original permission was granted without full and proper consideration of all the issues?

My view is that the Council should now be making every effort to restart the whole process to allow a full evaluation to be carried out, taking account of the Inspector’s comments.

To this end, does the Council agree that its appeal should be withdrawn? In that event, it is likely that Westerleigh will continue with their appeal and the wide planning issue will be resolved anyway. Should that not happen, there will be other opportunities to resolve these issues without saddling the Borough with an intrusive development for with the case has not truly been made. “

Answer from Councillor Pulk, Porfolio Holder for Leisure and Development.

It is correct that the A W Lymn application, which was refused by the Council, was considered at a public inquiry in June 2014. The Inspector upheld the Council’s refusal of that application and dismissed the appeal.

However, it is not correct to conclude that the Inspector highlighted several inadequacies in the way both the A W Lymn and Westerleigh applications were handled by the Planning Department.

I would point out that the inquiry only considered the A W Lymn application – it did not (and had no jurisdiction to) consider the Westerleigh application. The Inspector made this clear both at the time and in his Decision.

However the Inspector did look at the issue of need, which related to both applications and concluded that ‘It may be that there is such a need, but if so, it remains to be demonstrated.’ The Council addressed this at the original Planning Committee by producing a joint report on this one issue. The officer recognised that

“the decision as to whether need has been proven is extremely finely balanced” but came to the conclusion that the evidence was “sufficient to be regarded as very special circumstances in this instance.”

Your question raises separate points:

1.         Your view is that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Consideration was given to a report of the Service Manager Elections and Members’ Services, which had been circulated prior to the meeting, seeking approval to adopt a new scheme of polling places, polling districts and polling stations for Gedling Borough.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Adopt the new polling districts, polling places and polling stations set out in the appendix to the report to be used for elections from May 2015;

2)    Request that the Chief Executive formally publishes the notice of the conclusion of the review and its findings; and

3)    Note that the Chief Executive is authorised to designate an alternative polling place should one become unavailable at short notice before an election.

Consideration was given to a report of Stephen Bray, Corporate Director, which presented the findings of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel for the next financial year.

RESOLVED:

1)    To note the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel;

2)    That pending the outcome of the strategic review of members’ allowances, the allowances be frozen at the current rate and the current scheme of members allowances continues;

3)    To agree the schedule of members’ allowances for 2015/16, as attached at Appendix 2 to the report; and

4)    To authorise the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer to make appropriate changes to Part 6 of the Constitution to reflect the changes to members’ allowances agreed.

Consideration was given to a report of the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, which had been circulated prior to the meeting, asking the Council to approve an addition to the Procedural Standing Orders in the Constitution to prohibit recording of a meeting where the public are excluded

RESOLVED:

That the matter stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

In accordance with Standing Order 11.1, a number of comments were made and responded to by the appropriate Cabinet Member or Committee Chair.

Recognising that tobacco use remains one of the most significant public health challenges in the UK, costing billions of pounds each year, and that smoking is the single greatest cause of premature death and disease in our communities, causing more deaths in England than any other preventable cause, this Council commits to sign the Nottinghamshire Declaration on Tobacco Control. We will, as local leaders with a commitment to contribute to improving the health of local people, take an active lead on developing and implementing a plan of action to support the reduction of harm caused by tobacco with partners, stakeholders and the wider Gedling Community.

Proposer: Councillor Wheeler      

Seconder: Councillor Hughes

Upon a notice of motion received in the name of Councillor Henry Wheeler a proposition was moved by Councillor Henry Wheeler and seconded by Councillor Paul Hughes in the following terms:-

Recognising that tobacco use remains one of the most significant public health challenges in the UK, costing billions of pounds each year, and that smoking is the single greatest cause of premature death and disease in our communities, causing more deaths in England than any other preventable cause, this Council commits to sign the Nottinghamshire Declaration on Tobacco Control. We will, as local leaders with a commitment to contribute to improving the health of local people, take an active lead on developing and implementing a plan of action to support the reduction of harm caused by tobacco with partners, stakeholders and the wider Gedling Community.

After discussion and on the requisition of two Members the motion was put to a named vote and the motion was carried.

For the Motion

Against the motion:

Councillor Meredith Lawrence

Abstentions:

Councillor Roy Allan

Councillor Carol Pepper

Councillor Susanne Prew-Smith

RESOLVED that:

Recognising that tobacco use remains one of the most significant public health challenges in the UK, costing billions of pounds each year, and that smoking is the single greatest cause of premature death and disease in our communities, causing more deaths in England than any other preventable cause, this Council commits to sign the Nottinghamshire Declaration on Tobacco Control. We will, as local leaders with a commitment to contribute to improving the health of local people, take an active lead on developing and implementing a plan of action to support the reduction of harm caused by tobacco with partners, stakeholders and the wider Gedling Community