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Contact information

E-mail

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Telephone

0345 678 9000

Postal Address

Shropshire Council
Shirehall
Abbey Foregate
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY2 6ND

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND

Contact: Jane Palmer  Senior Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

168.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Robert Macey and Nic Laurens.

169.

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

Minutes:

None were made.

170.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 81 KB

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 28 February 2018.

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 28 February 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 28 February 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

 

171.

Public Question Time

To receive any questions or petitions from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is no later than 24 hours prior to the commencement of the meeting, i.e. by 12.30pm on Tuesday 20 March 2018.

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

172.

Member Questions

To receive any questions of which members of the Council have given due notice.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is 5.00pm on Friday 16 March 2018.

Minutes:

No questions were raised by any member of the Council.

173.

Scrutiny Items pdf icon PDF 110 KB

To consider any matters from Council or from any of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees:

 

·         Report from the Communities Overview Committee – Environmental Maintenance Grant Programme

 

·         Feedback from the People Overview Committee – Proposals for the Future of Education Improvement Support for Schools

 

 

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That the recommendations from the Environmental Maintenance Grant Programme Task and Finish Group as supported by the Communities Overview Committee, be approved.

Minutes:

In presenting this item, the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport paid tribute to the work of the Environmental Maintenance Grant [EMG] Programme Task and Finish Group and drew attention to the additional information that had been tabled on behalf of the Chairman of the Task and Finish Group, Councillor C Motley [and included with the formal record of the meeting]. 

 

Supporting the recommendations from the EMG Programme Task and Finish Group and subsequently the Communities Overview Committee, the Portfolio Holder commented that progress on the revised EMG Programme should be reported back to scrutiny in 12 months’ time in order to monitor the efficacy of the revised design and delivery.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the recommendations from the Environmental Maintenance Grant Programme Task and Finish Group as supported by the Communities Overview Committee, be approved.

174.

Ludlow Assembly Rooms - Lease Review, Community Asset Transfer and Improvement Works pdf icon PDF 98 KB

Lead Member – Councillor Steve Charmley – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Support

 

Report of the Director of Place and Enterprise  TO FOLLOW

 

Contact: George Candler  Tel: 01743 258671

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

i)             That Ludlow Assembly Rooms are granted a 30 – year lease (Lease1) as explained in 4.3 of the report, of the whole building on terms which as far as possible mirror the existing 1992 lease in terms of user restrictions and repairing obligations, with delegated authority to the Head of Business Enterprise and Commercial Services to agree final terms of the lease and to complete the transaction.

 

ii)            That the Landlord and Tenant will, within 3 months of satisfactory completion of the said three projects highlighted within the report, enter into a 123 year CAT lease (Lease 2) on full repairing and insuring terms, with the Head of Business Enterprise and Commercial Services to agree final terms of the lease and to complete the transaction.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Support presented a report from the Director of Place and Enterprise summarising the assessment of an application made by the Ludlow and District Community Association Ltd [LAR] to progress to transfer by way of a two part 125 year lease in accordance with the Council’s Community Asset Transfer [CAT] Policy.

 

Members noted section 3 of the report that detailed the various funding streams and projects that were coming together to provide the opportunity to put the building into a good state of repair and redevelop the ground floor section of the building to include a new box office and a café/restaurant.   He added that the goal to fully transfer this asset would result in the welfare of the Arts in Ludlow being placed fully in the hands of those who would be delivering it.

 

RESOLVED:

 

i)             That Ludlow Assembly Rooms are granted a 30 – year lease (Lease1) as explained in 4.3 of the report, of the whole building on terms which as far as possible mirror the existing 1992 lease in terms of user restrictions and repairing obligations, with delegated authority to the Head of Business Enterprise and Commercial Services to agree final terms of the lease and to complete the transaction.

 

ii)            That the Landlord and Tenant will, within 3 months of satisfactory completion of the said three projects highlighted within the report, enter into a 123 year CAT lease (Lease 2) on full repairing and insuring terms, with the Head of Business Enterprise and Commercial Services to agree final terms of the lease and to complete the transaction.

 

 

 

 

175.

Amendment to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2015 to 2019 pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Lead Member – Councillor Robert Macey – Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services

 

Report of the Director of Public Health

 

Contact: Professor Rod Thomson  Tel: 01743 253934

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That the amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Policy be agreed with effect from 22 March 2018 as set out in Appendix A to the report.

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Support presented a technical report from the Director of Public Health setting out the proposed amendment to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Policy.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Policy be agreed with effect from 22 March 2018 as set out in Appendix A to the report.

176.

Modern Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Lead Member – Councillor Peter Nutting – Leader of the Council

 

Report of the Head of Human Resources and Development

 

Contact: Michele Leith   Tel: 01743 254402

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That the draft statement and policy be considered and approved.

Minutes:

The Leader presented a report from the Head of Human Resources and Development detailing the Statement and Policy to fulfil the Council’s legislative requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 for the Council to have a Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking statement.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the draft Statement and Policy be considered and approved.

177.

Proposals for the Future of Education Improvement Support for Schools pdf icon PDF 161 KB

Lead Member – Councillor Nicholas Bardsley – Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People

 

Report of the Director of Children’s Services  TO FOLLOW

 

Contact: Karen Bradshaw  Tel: 01743 254201

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

i)     That sustaining the Education Improvement Service solely through grant funding from central government and de-delegated funds from Shropshire Council maintained schools be approved. 

ii)    That, as a result of the above, a traded Education Improvement Service professional training development programme be maintained through to April 2019, at which point the Council will cease to deliver this traded service to Shropshire schools.

 

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People presented a report from the Director of Children’s Services on the proposals for the future of the Education Improvement Support for schools.  The Chair of the People Overview Committee was present and reported that the Scrutiny Committee had been in support of the recommended approach once the detail had been fully explained and examined.

 

The Portfolio Holder stated that the proposal would allow statutory obligations to be fulfilled and the retention of the current service level would require over £250k that was not in the core budget.  He paid tribute to the helpful approach that had been taken by the Shropshire Schools Forum that would allow a degree of service to be retained as detailed in paragraph 5.15 of the report.

 

A Member commented that consideration of such a proposal was deplorable given the detrimental impact and associated risks.  The Portfolio Holder commented that neighbouring authorities in the West Midlands region were largely following the same route.  The Leader added that this reflected the changing world of local government and particularly the impact of the academisation of schools.

 

RESOLVED:

 

i)     That sustaining the Education Improvement Service solely through grant funding from central government and de-delegated funds from Shropshire Council maintained schools be approved. 

ii)    That, as a result of the above, a traded Education Improvement Service professional training development programme be maintained through to April 2019, at which point the Council will cease to deliver this traded service to Shropshire schools.

 

178.

Self-Build Register [Charging and Eligibility Criteria] pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Lead Member – Councillor Robert Macey – Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services

 

Report of the Director of Place and Enterprise

 

Contact: George Candler   Tel: 01743 258671

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

i)             That the need for the Council to publish a self-build register and meet its duty to grant planning permission for sufficient serviced plots be agreed and the charging schedule detailed in the report, as per the requirements of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as Amended) be agreed 

 

ii)            That an initial £30.00 (+ VAT) registration fee be agreed for new applicants to register on the Council’s newly updated and developed Self Build register.

 

iii)           That a £30.00 (+ VAT) registration fee be agreed for all existing applicants (359) currently on the self build register who are to be transferred to the new register.

 

iv)           That a £15.00 (+ VAT) annual renewal fee be agreed for all who wish to remain on the register.

 

 

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Support presented a report from the Director of Place and Enterprise on the need for the Council to publish a self-build register of individuals and associations of individuals seeking to acquire serviced plots of land in the local authority’s area to develop a self or custom house build.

 

RESOLVED:

 

i)             That the need for the Council to publish a self-build register and meet its duty to grant planning permission for sufficient serviced plots be agreed and the charging schedule detailed in the report, as per the requirements of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as Amended) be agreed 

 

ii)            That an initial £30.00 (+ VAT) registration fee be agreed for new applicants to register on the Council’s newly updated and developed Self Build register.

 

iii)           That a £30.00 (+ VAT) registration fee be agreed for all existing applicants (359) currently on the self build register who are to be transferred to the new register.

 

iv)           That a £15.00 (+ VAT) annual renewal fee be agreed for all who wish to remain on the register.

 

 

179.

Minimum Income Guarantee pdf icon PDF 138 KB

Lead Member – Councillor Lee Chapman – Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care

 

Report of the Director of Adult Services   TO FOLLOW

 

Contact: Andy Begley  Tel: 01743 258911

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That a public consultation is carried out into the proposals set out below, following which a recommendation will be made to Cabinet:

a)    That the Personal Budgets Contribution Policy is updated for 2018/2019, reducing Shropshire Council’s existing levels of Minimum Income Guarantee for pension aged individuals to the governments’ statutory minimum of £189.00 per week for a single person and £144.30 per week for a member of a couple. 

b)    That, subject to a means tested assessment, the non-residential care contribution charges to this group of individuals be increased in line with the changes to the Minimum Income Guarantee.

 

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care presented a report from the Director of Adult Services on the proposed consultation on the Council’s reduction of its current level of Minimum Income Guarantee [MIG] for people of pensionable age to that of the statutory minimum.  He stressed that Adult Social Care was means tested and those most vulnerable in the community would not have to make a contribution to their care.

 

Responding to a Member’s comment that the consultation did not include an option for the status quo, the Portfolio Holder reiterated that those who did not have sufficient finances would not have to make a contribution.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That a public consultation is carried out into the proposals set out below, following which a recommendation will be made to Cabinet:

a)    That the Personal Budgets Contribution Policy is updated for 2018/2019, reducing Shropshire Council’s existing levels of Minimum Income Guarantee for pension aged individuals to the governments’ statutory minimum of £189.00 per week for a single person and £144.30 per week for a member of a couple. 

b)    That, subject to a means tested assessment, the non-residential care contribution charges to this group of individuals be increased in line with the changes to the Minimum Income Guarantee.

 

 

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