Agenda and minutes

          Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Colin Lovell, Kevin Small, Keith Williams and Julie Wright.

The Chief Executive reported that no communications had been received.

          Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th May 2017 be confirmed and signed.

The Mayor reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting. 

Councillors Toby Elliott and Mathew Courtliff made non-prejudicial and personal declarations of interest in respect of Agenda Item No. 6(2) (Draft Airports National Policy Statement) on the grounds of their employment by Network Rail.

          The Worshipful The Mayor made a non-prejudicial and personal declarations of interest in respect of Agenda Item 9 on the grounds that she had been involved in the preparation of the Highworth Town Council input into the Highworth Neighbourhood Plan.

          No Public Questions were asked.

(1)  To consider Minutes for Confirmation from the Cabinet.

·       Minute 122 (2016/17) - (Swindon Local Transport Plan Implementation Plan 2017/18).

·       Minute 12 - (Councillors’ Allowances 2018/19 – Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel).

(2)  To consider Minutes to Note from Cabinet.

·       Minute 123 (2016/17) – (Draft Airports National Policy Statement).

·       Minute 126 (2016/17) - (Swindon Libraries – Children’s Library Membership).

·       Minute 9 - (Swindon Dial A Ride Service Options).

(1)            Councillor Toby Elliottmoved and Councillor David Renard seconded that Minute 122 (2016/17) of the Cabinet (Swindon Transport Plan Implementation Plan 2017/18) be confirmed and adopted.

(2) Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded that Minute 12 of the Cabinet (Councillors’ Allowances 2018/19 – Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel) be confirmed and adopted.

(3) Councillor Garry Perkins moved and Councillor David Renard seconded that Minute 123 of the Cabinet (2016/17) (Draft Airports National Policy Statement) be noted.

(4) Councillor Mary Martin moved and Councillor David Renard seconded That Minute 126 of the Cabinet (2016/17) (Swindon Libraries – Children’s Library Membership) be noted.

(5) Councillor Mary Martin moved and Councillor David Renard seconded that Minute 9 of the Cabinet (Swindon Dial A Ride Service Options) be noted.

(Councillors Toby Elliott and Mathew Courtliff made non-prejudicial and personal declarations of interest in respect of (3) above on the grounds of their employment by Network Rail.)

Councillor David Renard will move and Councillor Jim Grant will second:

“This Council notes:

1.     With sadness, the loss of life at Grenfell Tower, London.

2.     the response by this Council's Officers to communicate with and reassure tenants

3.     The benefits of sprinkler systems in tall buildings

This Council invites the Mayor to write to the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea expressing Council's condolences.

This Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, in consultation with the other key services, particularly the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, bring a report to Cabinet as soon as possible about how the installation of sprinklers and other fire safety measures could be incorporated into the refurbishment programme for Council-owned tall multi-storey residential buildings”.

Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Jim Grant seconded:

“This Council notes:

1. With sadness, the loss of life at Grenfell Tower, London.

2, The response by this Council's Officers to communicate with and reassure tenants.

3. The benefits of sprinkler systems in tall buildings

This Council invites the Mayor to write to the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea expressing Council's condolences.

This Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, in consultation with the other key services, particularly the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, bring a report to Cabinet as soon as possible about how the installation of sprinklers and other fire safety measures could be incorporated into the refurbishment programme for Council-owned tall multi-storey residential buildings”.

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

Councillor Jane Milner-Barry will move:

This Council:

·       Expresses its strong concerns that there has been no private sector investment in the Kimmerfields development, since outline planning permission was agreed in 2012.

·       Notes that the targets set in the original Muse Development Agreement have not been met.

·       Notes that Swindon’s two MPs have both criticised the lack of progress with the Kimmerfields development.

·       Requests the Cabinet Member for Regeneration to bring a report to Cabinet detailing how the Council can terminate its Development Agreement with Muse Development Ltd.

Councillor Jane Milner-Barry moved and Councillor Mark Dempsey seconded:

“This Council:

·       Expresses its strong concerns that there has been no private sector investment in the Kimmerfields development, since outline planning permission was agreed in 2012.

·       Notes that the targets set in the original Muse Development Agreement have not been met.

·       Notes that Swindon’s two MPs have both criticised the lack of progress with the Kimmerfields development.

·       Requests the Cabinet Member for Regeneration to bring a report to Cabinet detailing how the Council can terminate its Development Agreement with Muse Development Ltd.

          Councillor Garry Perkins moved and Councillor David Renard seconded that the motion be amended to read:

“That this motion be referred to the 6^th September 2017 Cabinet meeting and the outcome debated at Council on 28^th September 2017.”

          The amendment was put to the vote and declared carried becoming the Substantive Motion.

          The Substantive Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

Councillor Chris Watts will move:

This Council:
 

·       Welcomes the investment made by BT rolling out fibre broadband to the Northern Sector area.

·       Believes the BT fibre broadband rollout makes redundant any need for a taxpayer-backed UK Broadband Network’s (UKBN) broadband rollout.

·       Notes the Conservative MP for North Swindon has criticised the Council for financially backing UKBN’s broadband network in North Swindon.

·       Notes that UKBN has not started to rollout Superfast Broadband in the North Swindon area.

·       Urges Cabinet to review the Council’s agreement with UKBN and requests the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning & Sustainability to bring a report to Cabinet detailing whether and how the Council can remove the Northern Sector area from the UKBN Broadband rollout, saving money to the Swindon taxpayer.

Councillor Chris Watts moved and Councillor Des Moffatt seconded:

“This Council:
 

·       Welcomes the investment made by BT rolling out fibre broadband to the Northern Sector area.

·       Believes the BT fibre broadband rollout makes redundant any need for a taxpayer-backed UK Broadband Network’s (UKBN) broadband rollout.

·       Notes the Conservative MP for North Swindon has criticised the Council for financially backing UKBN’s broadband network in North Swindon.

·       Notes that UKBN has not started to rollout Superfast Broadband in the North Swindon area.

·       Urges Cabinet to review the Council’s agreement with UKBN and requests the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning & Sustainability to bring a report to Cabinet detailing whether and how the Council can remove the Northern Sector area from the UKBN Broadband rollout, saving money to the Swindon taxpayer.”

          Councillor Oliver Donachie moved and Councillor Gary Sumner seconded that the motion be amended to read:

“This Council:

Notes that:

a)    A modern, vibrant economy needs access to fast broadband, and

b)    before the Council signed the contract with UK Broadband Networks Ltd there was no direct interest in expanding fibre networks across Swindon from the private sector.

Welcomes:

a)    That hundreds of residents now have access to faster broadband;

b)    That decisive action form the Conservative Council has stimulated the market;

c)     The investment made by Virgin and BT in rolling out fibre broadband thanks to the support of local residents, Conservative Councillors and Conservative MPs over many years; and

d)    The exciting news that Swindon is a test bed for both G-Fast and 5Ga broadband.

Council asks the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability to bring a report to Cabinet:

(a) Setting out the costs and benefits so far, particularly in rural areas, and the additional activity by the private sector to provide broadband since the Council’s decision; and

(b) Detailing how Swindon can make progress in securing the ultrafast broadband so that local companies remain as competitive as those in rival locations.”

          The amendment was put to the vote and declared carried becoming the Substantive Motion.

          The Substantive Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

To consider the approval of the South Marston Neighbourhood Plan.

          The Council received a joint report of the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability and Corporate Director, Economy, Regeneration and Skills, setting out the recommendations of the Examiner’s report of the South Marston Village Neighbourhood Plan and seeking the Council’s approval for approval of the plan.

          Resolved – (1) That the South Marston Village Neighbourhood Plan “Decision Statement” set out as an appendix to the joint report of the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability and Corporate Director, Economy, Regeneration and Skills, be approved.

          (2) That subject to the Director of Law and Democratic Services being satisfied as to the carrying out by South Marston Parish Council and Swindon Borough Council of the modifications recommended by the Examiner, the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to undertaken a referendum on the South Marston Village Neighbourhood Plan in South Marston Parish, in accordance with the regulations set out in The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendum) Regulations 2012 as soon as is practically possible.

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

To consider the adoption of the Highworth Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Development Plan for the Borough.

          The Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability submitted a report setting out the result of the referendum of the Highworth Neighbourhood Plan and seeking Council’s approval for its adoption.

          Resolved – That the Highworth Neighbourhood Plan be formally adopted and made as part of the statutory Development Plan for the Borough.

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

(The Worshipful The Mayor made a non-prejudicial and personal declarations of interest in respect of this item on the grounds that she had been involved in the preparation of the Highworth Town Council input into the Highworth Neighbourhood Plan.)

To approve changes to the Council’s membership of Committees and Outside Bodies.

          Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland second that:

“Councillor Caryl Sydney-Smith replace Councillor Dale Heenan as a Conservative Group representative serving on the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel.”

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

          The Council considered (a) the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 26^th April and 14^th June 2017, and (b) questions to the Cabinet Members regarding their portfolio responsibilities and answers received.

          The Council (a) received the minutes set out in the “Minutes of Other Council Bodies” circulated with the Agenda, and (b) considered questions to Chairs relating to the work of their Committees and other bodies and answers received.

          The Director of Law and Democratic Services reported that Standing Order 15 Questions had been received from Councillor Steve Allsopp, Fay Howard and Bob Wright.

          Councillor Steve Allsopp asked a supplementary question in relation to the communication with the public should there be delays in the collection of green waste.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Place responded at the meeting.

          Councillor Steve Allsopp asked a supplementary question regarding road maintenance. The Cabinet Member for Communities and Place responded at the meeting.

          Councillor Fay Howard asked a supplementary question regarding assistance available to families with special needs.  The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment responded at the meeting.

          Councillor Bob Wright asked supplementary questions in respect of (a) the classification of apprenticeships, (b) the use of apprenticeship schemes, (c) the number of apprentices retained by the Council, and (d) the number of care leavers in apprenticeship schemes. The Leader of the Council, on behalf of the cabinet Member for Corporate Services responded to questions (a) and (b) at the meeting and indicated written responses would be provided in respect of questions (c) and (d).