Minutes:
Councillor Peter Barnes (Environment)
· Work to procure a contractor to install a temporary car park at Gedling Country Park was ongoing and, due to the value of the works, a lengthier than anticipated process would need to be followed.
· Activities for young explorers would be taking place in the park through the summer period.
· Green flag awards had been given to Jubilee Burton Road and Arnot Hill Parks which is a testament to the hard work of the Parks department.
· A meeting would take place shortly to agree an action plan for Christmas lighting for this year.
· A new network of grit bins, provided by the Council, would be installed in time for the winter period.
Councillor Henry Wheeler (Housing, Health and Well-being)
· A consultation into the future of mental health services in the county was currently taking place.
· Free swimming sessions had launched at the Borough’s leisure centres and were proving popular.
· A newly refurbished fitness suite has opened at Redhill Leisure Centre.
· A sport development “Goals for Life” project for young people was underway and looked to be a successful way to improve mental wellbeing.
Councillor David Ellis (Public Protection)
· The Deregulation Act 2015 has been introduced and means that the Council must alter Taxi Licensing policy. A revised policy would therefore be consulted upon shortly.
· An application from the taxi operator Uber had been made to Nottingham City Council. Officers would be monitoring this development.
· Recent media coverage about child sexual exploitation had prompted a review of how Council policies could be aligned to protect vulnerable children.
Councillor Jenny Hollingsworth (Growth and Regeneration)
· A recent visit to a Keepmoat development site in Coventry was held and this proved to be a useful insight into the way the company engages with the local community. Keepmoat have been appointed as developer for the former Gedling colliery site.
· A worthwhile visit has been made to the local Clear Head Clinic which gives long term unemployed residents advice on personal presentation and hygiene.
· Four out of seven Borough high schools were now taking part in the Council’s employability audit work for their students.
· A refreshed master plan for Top Wighay would be presented in September.
· Affordable homes at Dunstan Street and the Blue Note site were being progressed.
· An assessment on greenbelt land had been recently carried out and was now available.
Councillor John Clarke (Leader of the Council)
· The Council’s Organisational Development Team had recently secured an accreditation to deliver training accredited by the Chartered Management Institute. The team is also accredited to deliver training accredited by City and Guilds and the Institute of Leadership and Management. The training brings in additional income to the Council and Mike Calladine, Training Officer, has been particularly instrumental in the success of the project.
· The Leader had recently attended his first meeting of Gedling Homes Board which proved very useful.
· ERASMUS funding had recently been secured to support local business development.
· The Revenues department had recently collected an additional £200,000 in unpaid council tax following a review of households incorrectly claiming single person discount.
· The Chief Executive updated the meeting about the ongoing work to establish a combined authority for devolved power. He said that submissions had been made to government for a combined Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and two separate county combined authorities. Feedback received from government had suggested that Leicestershire should be considered as part of the combined authority. He added that the situation was ever changing, especially in light of the new direction set by ministers appointed after the general election, and much uncertainty remained. He said that a meeting was scheduled with the Secretary of State to progress the work in the next few days and members would be updated accordingly.