Councillors and Decision Making

To receive any questions from the public which have been submitted under Council Procedure Rules 7.11 and 7.12. The session will last no more than 15 minutes with a maximum of 2 minutes allowed for each question and answer. Questions can be asked of The Leader and Cabinet Members.

(i) The following question to Cllr L D Carter, Cabinet Member: Finance, Commercial Services & Economic Development has been submitted by Nick Gauden:

“Twenty-two authorities have adopted Additional Licencing to deal with unlicensed HMOs.  Given that the Council’s own research proves that many of the housing problems throughout the Borough gravitate to HMOs, why has Selective Licensing been proposed when Additional Licensing would solve many issues throughout the whole Borough?”
 
(ii) The following question to Cllr L D Carter, Cabinet Member: Finance, Commercial Services & Economic Development has been submitted by Kelly Davies of Peter Richardson Estates Ltd:

“As a letting agent, we have noticed a significant rise in tenant evictions in recent months.  This is primarily down to the benefit cap, tax changes and the potential introduction of Selective Licensing. How do the Council propose to deal with the homelessness issue as it continues to worsen?”
 
(iii) The following question to Cllr L D Carter, Cabinet Member: Finance, Commercial Services & Economic Development has been submitted by Gillian Herbert-Jackson:

“Selective Licensing has NOT received cross party support. Scrutiny terms of reference state all meetings will be held in public and working group meetings are informal. When will the authority’s proposals return to scrutiny and as policy condition 3, could landlords be co-opted in to supplement knowledge and clarify misunderstandings?”

Cabinet – 13 July 2017

(i) 2017/18 Financial Management Report

Recommended that the changes to the capital programme in section 1 of the report be approved.

 
(ii) Telford Land Deal

Recommended that –

(a) that delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director: Business, Development & Employment in consultation with Assistant Director: Finance & Human Resources and the Cabinet Member Council Finance, Commercial Services and Economic Development to consider the business case and determine the investment of the balance of the liability capital settlement as set out in section 6.2 of this report; and

(b) that delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director: Business, Development & Employment to undertake the investments following approval to the business case as set out in the report at 2.4.

To answer questions received under Council Procedure Rule 6.2.

NB   In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 6.2.9 there will be a maximum of 30 minutes allowed for questions and answers.  Any question not answered within the 30 minute time limit will receive a written reply within 5 working days.

(i) Councillor S Davies will propose the following Motion:-

“The Council is disappointed by the decision of the CCGs to select a preferred option – of the Emergency Centre and Women & Children’s Centre at Shrewsbury to go out to consultation. This would see a down grading of our A&E department at the PRH to an Urgent Care Centre.  It would also move the current consultant-led in-patient services available at our ‘state of the art’ Women & Children’s Centre in Telford to Shrewsbury. 

This Council opposes the selection of this as the preferred option as it makes no sense to move the Women & Children’s Centre.  It was built just 3 years ago, at a cost of £28m precisely because SaTH identified a clinical need for Telford – that clinical need has not changed and will not change in the future.

The preferred option is also the most costly and could limit further investment in community health services – keeping care closer to home and people out of hospital for as long as possible.

Furthermore, this option causes the most disruption with over 38,000 more journeys for patients living across Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire and Mid-Powys being affected under the preferred option compared to the alternative. The alternative is siting the Emergency Centre and Women & Children’s Centre at Telford.

In the light of this, Telford & Wrekin is clear that its Preferred Option is both the Emergency Centre and existing Women & Children’s Centre located at PRH

With 33,000 residents signed up to PHR4me, this Council will keep campaigning and will do everything possible to encourage the residents of Telford and Wrekin to protect services at Telford’s hospital.”

The Motion will be seconded by Councillor R A Overton
 
(ii) Councillor S P Burrell will propose the following Motion

This Council notes with deep concern that following the recent end of our £200M Building Schools for the Future programme, the Labour Administration’s own report “Local Places for Local Children” forecasts a disastrous shortfall in Secondary School places in the Borough as soon as 2018.

Members are all aware of the need for Telford and Wrekin to offer the very best in secondary education to secure the future prosperity of young people and that of the Borough, instead of which this Council has let down pupils and parents alike.

The current Administration was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide secondary education in the Borough fit for the 21st Century instead of which, and despite repeated warnings, this Borough will run out secondary school places, special needs provision, and a promised 6th form provision at Newport.

This Council demands an urgent and detailed report as to how new secondary school provision will now be funded to meet this disastrous short fall in school places, bearing in mind that: -

a) the current Labour Administration has woefully failed to collect any funding from housing developers between 2011 and  2016 to pay for additional secondary school provision.

b) spending between 2011 and 2017 by the current Labour Administration has resulted in both Council debt and Council borrowing quadrupling to record levels since taking control in 2011

As a result of this huge failing and despite a new Cabinet Member being appointed to oversee this debacle; this Council has no confidence in the current arrangements and calls for an urgent inquiry to establish the causes of the Authority’s failings.

The motion will be seconded by Councillor A J Eade
 
(iii) Councillor S Bentley will propose the following Motion

This Council calls upon the Speaker to write a strongly worded letter on behalf of the Full Council to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd MP and Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice The Rt Hon David Lidington MP calling upon them to utilise their statutory powers to review sentences imposed on, particularly, individuals convicted of crimes which relate to child trafficking.

The Motion will be seconded by Councillor P R Watling