In the absence of the Chairman the Vice-Chairman took the chair.

Prayers were taken by Reverend Dr Frank Coleman, Vicar of Northill, Old Warden and Caldecote.

To approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 April 2013.

(Attached pages 5 to 28)

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting held on 18 April 2013 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations of interest.

None were declared.

To receive any questions, statements and deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution. 

No questions, statements or deputations were received.

To receive and discuss petitions if any, in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of part A4 of the Constitution.

No petitions were received.

The Chairman to announce any matters of communication.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

• Athletes from Biggleswade Athletic Club were achieving great success and at a recent national indoor championship at the National Indoor Arena the Club had picked up two medals.  Biggleswade had been the most successful club in the county.

• Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough Councils’ Children’s Centres, along with South Essex Partnership Trust Community Health Services Bedfordshire had been awarded UNICEF’s Baby Friendly’ status.  The award recognised the efforts of all three organisations to increase breastfeeding and improve care for Bedfordshire mothers and babies.

• Caterlink, who provided the catering for the restaurant at Priory House, had received the Gold Heartbeat Award.  This was given to Caterlink as they were able to demonstrate that they offered nutritious and wholesome food choices to their customers.  The Gold Award was the highest award and was only achieved if the caterer had the maximum hygiene rating and scored over 85% in a comprehensive nutritional assessment.

The Chairman advised Members that he intended to change the order of business at the meeting and take items 15 and 16 before item 14 ‘Open Questions’.

The Leader of the Council to announce any matters of communication.

The Leader welcomed new appointees Marcel Coiffait, Community Services Director and Paul Meigh, Chief Procurement Officer to Central Bedfordshire Council.  He also congratulated Deb Clarke, on her appointment as Director of Improvement and Corporate Services.

The Department for Transport had awarded £5m to the planned Woodside Link road.  The Link road would connect Houghton Regis and the industrial estates in Dunstable to the planned new M1 junction (11a).

The Milton Keynes-based bid for a City Deal had moved a step forward following a recent presentation of the proposals to a Ministerial team.

To receive reports from up to two Executive Members on recent matters of interest and ask questions on matters contained in the reports.

Councillor Young, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Strategic Planning and Economic Development reported on recent developments within his portfolio area including:

• an innovative project for business investment in Middlefield Industrial Estate, Sandy
• recent visits to a number of businesses in Central Bedfordshire from which it was apparent that retail patterns and the role of high streets was changing
• jobs had been secured for 300 people in Central Bedfordshire as a result of a European Union funded programme
• the Luton and Dunstable Busway was progressing well and was due to be in operation from September
• it was anticipated that a planning application for the proposed development of land north of Houghton Regis would be considered in July
• the Department for Transport had awarded £5m for the Woodside Link road to help ease traffic congestion in Dunstable.  The Government had agreed that the link road would be a national infrastructure project
• work on the A1 roundabout at south Biggleswade would commence in September
• Central Bedfordshire College had applied for £9m to refurbish the College
• Prologis was bringing business to Central Bedfordshire and it was anticipated that their investment would create around 1,000 jobs in the area.

Councillor Young responded to a question.

Councillor Versallion, Executive Member for Children’s Services, focused his presentation on the social care of children and changes being introduced nationally.  The impact of these changes was putting pressures on the Children’s Services budget.  He provided statistics for Central Bedfordshire which showed the considerable increase over the last two years of children with a Child Care Plan and of Looked After Children.

Councillor Versallion responded to questions.

To consider a recommendation from the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 16 May 2013and answer questions asked under Rule No. 13.1.

(a)    Capital Programme Management

(Attached pages 29 to 38)

(a)    Capital Programme Management

The Council considered a recommendation from the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 16 May 2013 seeking to amend the Constitution to simplify the approval of capital schemes in order that the Capital Programme could operate more efficiently.

RESOLVED

that  the Constitution be amended by including the proposed capital programme related revisions to the Code of Financial Governance in Part I2, section 4.10 of the Constitution and to the Executive Functions in Part C3, section 3 of the Constitution as set out in Appendices A and B respectively.

To receive and consider the report from the Chairman of the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel and answer questions asked under Rule No. 13.1.

Council received an oral update from Councillor Mrs Chapman on the activities of the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel including:

• the membership and make up of the Panel
• the Panel’s responsibilities for holding the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to account, and to review and report on the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan, the Annual Report and the proposed precept.  It was also responsible for confirming the appointments made by the PCC including the Deputy Commissioner, the Chief Executive of the PCC’s Office and the Chief Constable.  The PCC had unanimously recommended the appointment of Colette Paul as Chief Constable of Bedfordshire at a Confirmation hearing
• the Panel also dealt with non-criminal complaints made about the conduct of the PCC and the Deputy PCC, and any criminal complaints or conduct matters about them which were referred back to it by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

To receive and consider the reports of the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority and answer questions asked under Rule No. 13.1.

(Attached pages 39 to 40)

Council received an update from Councillor McVicar on the activities of the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority (BFRA) including:

• raising awareness of the safety benefits of having sprinklers installed in properties and a proposal to include a reference accordingly in Central Bedfordshire Council’s Design Guide
• the BFRA had been through a Peer Review and feedback from the review had been very positive
• confirmation of attendance by Central Bedfordshire Council Members at BFRA meetings.

Councillor McVicar responded to questions.

To consider motions by Members of the Council under Rule No. 17 in the order received.

Notice had been received from Councillor Pepworth of a Motion under Procedure Rule No 17 as follows:

“In view of the recent revelations about the blacklisting of workers in the construction industry this Council condemns such practices and disassociates itself from any involvement in them.  Accordingly it will make clear to all construction companies bidding for Council contracts that any unlawful blacklisting of workers is unacceptable.

It will take all possible legal steps to remove companies that have engaged in blacklisting and have failed to compensate affected workers from its tender processes until compensation is paid”.

The motion having been duly seconded was debated and voted upon.

The motion was lost.

To answer written questions from Members of the Council under Rule No. 13.2.

A written question had been submitted under Rule No. 13.2 by Councillor Dr Egan as follows:

“On January 24 this year, I submitted a written question to Council highlighting a number of issues regarding land owned by Bellcross Homes (Shanley) in Parkside.  Since that meeting I have requested information on progress on a number of occasions.  All I have received are the occasional communications indicating that meetings have taken place.  However, there has been no observable action on the list of problems identified in written and oral questions to Council over the last three years.  Can Councillor Spurr give me an assurance that these matters will be satisfactorily dealt with before the end of 2013.”

The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services tabled a written response to the question.

The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Strategic Planning and Economic Development explained that a statutory process under Section 125 of the Town and County Planning Act had to be followed to resolve the situation.

To receive the annual report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

(Attached pages 41 to 66)

The Council received the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2012/13 which summarised the activities of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees during the last twelve months.

RESOLVED

that the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2012/13 be noted.

To receive a report from the Chairman of the Audit Committee on the Committee’s activities.

(Attached pages 67 to 72)

The Council received the annual report from the Audit Committee for 2012/13 which presented a summary of the Committee’s activities during the last twelve months.

RESOLVED

that the Audit Committee Annual Report 2012/13 be noted.

To answer Open Questions asked by Members of the Council under Rule No. 13.7.

The Chairman invited the Minority Group Leaders to ask a question each prior to the consideration of questions that had been placed in the Open Questions receptacle. 

1.            Councillor Murray sought assurance about the adequacy of home care support to elderly residents in Central Bedfordshire.

         The Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing referred to the domiciliary care framework which enabled quarterly performance monitoring of complaints to ensure that residents were well looked after and safe from harm.  If a contractor was not fulfilling their duties then the Council would take action.  The Council was also considering replicating a similar system for residential care homes.

2.            Councillor Aldis asked a question what the Executive Member for Children’s Services was doing to address numbers of residents within Central Bedfordshire classified as illiterate.

         The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that he was not aware of the statistics referred to, but he confirmed that he would look into this issue.

3.      Councillor Shadbolt asked for an update on impact of the Government’s Welfare Reform Strategy.

         The Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing explained that a working group had been set up to monitor the impact on a monthly basis and the Council was working with residents to help them. 

         The Executive Member explained that a Member Development session on housing would be taking place on 14 June 2013.  A document had been produced covering the Welfare Reform changes and this would be circulated to all Members.

4.      Councillor Miss Sparrow asked a question about converting land outside Priory House into a wildflower meadow.

         The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services agreed to pass the suggestion on to the ground maintenance team.

5.      Councillor D Lawrence welcomed the news that Biggleswade Hospital would remain open.  In response to his request that Biggleswade ward Members be kept informed of developments he was invited to attend the next meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 29 July where the matter would be discussed.

6.      Councillor Miss Sparrow asked a question about the cutting of grass verges and requested that this should be no more than 12 to 24 inches into the verges to allow wildlife to prosper.

         The Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services explained that a rural verge grass cutting trial was taking place this year to reduce costs and to increase bio-diversity.  He explained the cutting process and agreed to pass Councillor Miss Sparrow’s comments to the contractor.

7.      Councillor Aldis asked a question about the standard of the grass cutting, and enquired about the steps being taken to ensure that public open spaces were appropriately maintained.

         The Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities – Services undertook to look into the perceived problems and respond to Councillor Aldis.

8.      Councillor Aldis asked a question about recent articles in the local press that had not shown the Council in a good light. 

         The Leader explained that the description of the cases concerned  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.