Agenda and minutes

Council stood in silent tribute to remember the victims of the holocaust.

As the Mayor’s Chaplain was unable to attend, the Mayor delivered a thought for the day, which was a poem from the holocaust memorial trust website called “First they came”.

The Mayor then offered condolences and well wishes to the ex-chairman of Bolsover Council, Ken Walker, following the tragic death of his wife, Freda.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Creamer.

The Mayor spoke about his attendance at a number of engagements, including various Christmas tree lightings and a motorcycle toy run and noted how well attended they were.

He also welcomed Councillor Dunkin to the Council, following the by-election earlier in January 2022.

The Mayor congratulated Ella and Amy Meek on receiving MBE medals for their continued environmental efforts, including founding the charity, “Kids Against Plastic”, which was a contributing factor towards the Council adopting it’s plastic clever policy. They had also received both the Pride of Britain and Pride of Gedling awards and the Mayor commended them on this achievement.

Finally, the Mayor offered congratulations to Councillor John Clarke on receiving his MBE.

Councillors Greensmith and Murray joined the meeting.

To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2021

RESOLVED:

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

 None.

None received.

None received.

None received.

Report of the Democratic Services Manager.

Consideration was given to a report of the Democratic Services Manager, informing Council of the latest report from the Council’s independent remuneration panel. The report related to member remuneration for 2022/23 and invited Council to consider the amended recommendations made by the panel.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Thank the Independent Remuneration Panel for its work;

2)    Accept the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel contained in the report;

3)    Agree the schedule of members’ allowances for 2022/23 as attached at appendix 2 to this report; and

4)    Authorise the Monitoring Officer to make appropriate amendments to part 6 of the constitution to reflect any changes to the members’ allowances scheme agreed.

Report of the Democratic Services Manager

Councillor Keneally joined the meeting.

Consideration was given to a report of the Democratic Services Manager, informing members of the change to the political balance and proposing necessary changes to the allocation of seats held by committee members.

RESOLVED:

To approve the following changes to representation on committees to ensure that political balance is maintained, subject to an amendment at item 2 of the recommendation to remove Councillor Murray from the Appeals and Retirements Committee instead of Councillor Parr.

1)    Remove Councillor Elliott from the Audit Committee;

2)    Remove Councillor Murray from the Appeals and Retirement Committee;

3)    Remove Councillor Elliott from the Joint Consultative and Safety Committee;

4)    Add Councillor Dunkin as a member of the Audit Committee;

5)    Add Councillor Dunkin as a member of the Joint Consultative and Safety Committee; and

6)    Add Councillor Ellwood as a member of the Appeals and Retirements Committee.

Report of the Head of Governance and Customer Services

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Customer Services and Governance, seeking approval of the newly re-written version of the Gedling Borough Council’s constitution.

RESOLVED:

The motion stands adjourned without discussion until the next ordinary meeting of Council.

None received.

None received.

This Council notes recent research by the Resolution Foundation think-tank, which reveals the number of UK households suffering from ‘fuel stress’ – those spending at least 10% of their family budgets on energy bills – is set to treble to 6.3m overnight when the new energy price cap comes in on 1 April 2022.

This Council notes and is concerned by the Government’s latest official data, which reveals 6,088 households in Gedling Borough are in fuel poverty.

This Council agrees with the well-respected ‘Money Saving Expert’, Martin Lewis that ‘it is not an exaggeration to say there are people in the country who will be choosing between heating and eating come April.’

This Council calls on the UK Government to take immediate and substantive action to support families across Gedling Borough who are struggling with the recent sharp increases in household energy costs and the increases to come in the weeks and months ahead.

This Council notes Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s public statement in May 2016 that ‘the least wealthy are hit particularly hard’ by VAT on household energy bills and that ‘when we vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax’.

This Council resolves to call on the UK Government to take immediate action to support families in Gedling Borough by at least: removing VAT on energy bills for at least one year; increasing the Warm Home Discount from £140 to £400 per year and expanding the number of households eligible to 9.3 million; as well as introducing a year-long increase to corporation tax for North Sea oil and gas producers in order to secure £1.2 billion windfall from their increased price rise profits to help mitigate household energy bills.

This Council calls on the UK Government and our two local Members of Parliament to end the dither and delay on tackling the cost-of-living crisis facing Gedling Borough’s families and act now to support them with the escalating costs of household energy bills.

Proposer: Cllr Michael Payne
Seconder: Cllr John Clarke

Upon a notice of motion received in the name of Councillor Payne, a proposition was moved by Councillor Payne and seconded by Councillor Clarke, in the following terms:

This Council notes recent research by the Resolution Foundation think-tank, which reveals the number of UK households suffering from ‘fuel stress’ – those spending at least 10% of their family budgets on energy bills – is set to treble to 6.3m overnight when the new energy price cap comes in on 1 April 2022.

This Council notes and is concerned by the Government’s latest official data, which reveals 6,088 households in Gedling Borough are in fuel poverty.

This Council agrees with the well-respected ‘Money Saving Expert’, Martin Lewis that ‘it is not an exaggeration to say there are people in the country who will be choosing between heating and eating come April.’

This Council calls on the UK Government to take immediate and substantive action to support families across Gedling Borough who are struggling with the recent sharp increases in household energy costs and the increases to come in the weeks and months ahead.

This Council notes Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s public statement in May 2016 that ‘the least wealthy are hit particularly hard’ by VAT on household energy bills and that ‘when we vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax’.

This Council resolves to call on the UK Government to take immediate action to support families in Gedling Borough by at least: removing VAT on energy bills for at least one year; increasing the Warm Home Discount from £140 to £400 per year and expanding the number of households eligible to 9.3 million; as well as introducing a year-long increase to corporation tax for North Sea oil and gas producers in order to secure £1.2 billion windfall from their increased price rise profits to help mitigate household energy bills.

This Council calls on the UK Government and our two local Members of Parliament to end the dither and delay on tackling the cost-of-living crisis facing Gedling Borough’s families and act now to support them with the escalating costs of household energy bills.

In accordance with standing order 17.03, the proposition was put to a named vote as follows:

For the motion:

Councillor Peter Barnes                                  Councillor Hemingway

Councillor Sandra Barnes                               Councillor Hollingsworth

Councillor Bosworth                                        Councillor Hope

Councillor Boyle                                              Councillor Keneally

Councillor Brooks                                           Councillor Lawrence

Councillor Clarke                                            Councillor Ron McCrossen

Councillor Clunie                                             Councillor Viv McCrossen

Councillor Collis                                              Councillor Miller

Councillor Dunkin                                           Councillor Najuk

Councillor David Ellis                                      Councillor Paling

Councillor Rachael Ellis                                  Councillor Payne

Councillor Roxanne Ellis                                 Councillor Scroggie

Councillor Ellwood                                          Councillor Towsey-Hinton

Councillor Feeney                                           Councillor Truscott

Councillor Fox                                                 Councillor Wheeler

Councillor Gibbons                                         Councillor Wilkinson

Against the motion:

None.

Abstentions:

Councillor Adams                                           Councillor Murray

Councillor Barnfather                                      Councillor Parr

Councillor Elliott                                              Councillor Martin Smith

Councillor Greensmith                                    Councillor Sam Smith

RESOLVED that:

This Council notes recent research by the Resolution Foundation think-tank, which reveals the number of UK households suffering from ‘fuel stress’ – those spending at least  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.