Agenda and minutes

            I.        To receive any apologies for absence.

           II.        To receive any declarations of interest

         III.        To receive any announcements by the Mayor.

Declarations of Interest

The Mayor stated that he had been advised that all members of the Council had a personal interest in Item 6 ‘Members Allowances’ and that each member’s declaration would be assumed.

The Monitoring Officer confirmed to Councillor Hannon that Members had a "personal" interest in relation to this Report regarding the Scheme of Remuneration but this is not deemed to be a "prejudicial" interest because of the saving provisions in paragraph 12 of the Members Code of Conduct.

Mayor’s Announcements

Recent events

The Mayor informed members of the Council that, since the last meeting, there had been news of the loss of former Councillors John Bird and Hugh Clark as well as former Mayoress Mrs Pat Watson. The Council had also received the sad news that Emily Clark who was an Ambassador for Teenage Cancer Trust during Matthew Evans’s year as Mayor has also passed away.  Members and officers stood in silence as a mark of respect to each of them.

Councillor Margaret Cornelious

The Mayor informed members that Councillor Margaret Cornelious had broken her leg. All members wished Councillor Cornelious a speedy recovery.

Councillor Bright

The Mayor referred to Councillor Bright’s intention to stand down as Leader of the Council at the end of this month. He mentioned that Councillor Bright had served as a Councillor for some 45 years and elected as Leader of the Council between 2004 and 2008 and again from May 2012. He was also Newport’s Mayor 1997/98 and was named Welsh Politician of the Year in 2014.

Councillor Truman, Councillor Matthew Evans and Councillor Williams agreed that members from all parties would wish to thank Councillor Bright for his excellent service as Leader, referred to some of his major achievements and passed on best wishes for the future.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 2016 were confirmed as a true record by the Council and signed by the Mayor

The following appointments as LEA governors were agreed:

Alway Primary School: Ms M Miles

High Cross Primary School: Ms T Mckim

Maesglas Primary School: Mr G Williams

Malpas CiW Primary School : Ms K Slade

St Joseph’s RC Primary School: Ms C Gibbons to replace Councillor Christine Jenkins

St Julian’s School: Ms L Moore

Ysgol Gymraeg Casnewydd: Mr M Rushworth

The Deputy Leader introduced a report to the Council and stated that the proposed Plan was considered by the Cabinet earlier in the month.

Cabinet had recommended eight priority areas in which improvement should be demonstrated during the coming two years. The Improvement Objectives relate directly to the priorities of the Corporate Plan and were selected by Cabinet in January 2016 after consideration of consultation responses.

The eight improvement objectives were:

·         Improving independent living for older people

·         Ensuring people have the right social services to meet their needs

·         Ensuring people have access to suitable accommodation

·         City Regeneration and Development

·         Supporting young people into education, employment or training

·         Ensuring the best educational outcomes for children

·         Increasing recycling  Preventing Offending and Re-offending of young people

Councillor Matthew Evans supported the general principles but made a general comment about the need to address basic issues which were of concern to residents in all wards.

Resolved

To adopt the Improvement Plan

The Council was informed by the Deputy Leader that local authorities were required to produce a “pay policy statement” for the financial year.

The Council was informed that the Pay and Reward Policy had been updated to take account of changes which have taken place during the last 12 months which included the new Single Status pay and grading arrangements agreed on 18 May 2015 by way of collective bargaining.  In addition minor revisions had been made to the body of the Policy to better reflect the purpose, scope and application.

The Policy had been recommended to Council by Cabinet

Resolved

To approve the Pay and Reward Policy

The Deputy Leader informed the Council that the Independent Remuneration Panel had issued its annual report. He stated that normally the report provided determinations on all members’ allowances.

This year however there was an element of flexibility introduced in terms of special responsibility payments to cabinet members (other than the Leader and Deputy) and chairs of committees.

The Council always has had the flexibility to pay or not pay the Mayor and Deputy.

This report presented to the Council suggested no change to current arrangements in the current year and asked the Democratic Services Committee to consider recommendations to the new Council next year.

The report also suggests payments would be made to the Mayor and Deputy in the manner that the Democratic Services Committee has recommended in the past

The report sets out all details of the Independent Remuneration panel’s suggested rates of allowances.

Resolved

(1)  To note the key determinations by the Independent Remuneration Panel for 2016-2017 

(2)  To agree that all cabinet posts be remunerated at the maximum level of senior salary as determined by the Panel

(3)  To agree that all Chairs of Committees receive Senior salaries

(4)  To agree that all Chairs are paid at the recommended higher level of salary as determined by the Panel

(5)  To  note that the Leader of the Opposition receives the salary as determined by the Independent Remuneration Panel

(6)  To maintain the current banding on the remuneration of the City’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2016/2017

(7)  To note the publicity and information Schedules requirement

(8)  To ask the Democratic Services Committee to work towards making recommendations to the new Council in May 2017 as to the levels of  senior salaries to be allocated to posts 

The Council received a presentation on a report which sought approval for proposals for a Community Infrastructure Levy for Newport to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination. 

It was explained that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was a new charging mechanism for securing contributions from developers.  It is a levy that will apply to certain types of new development. 

The Council would need to identify the total cost of infrastructure it wishes to fund (wholly or partly) through the levy. In doing so, it must consider what additional infrastructure is needed to support development, and what other sources of funding are available. As such, evidence of a ‘funding gap’ must be demonstrated to justify a CIL.

Infrastructure needs and associated costs will be identified in an Infrastructure Plan (known as a Regulation 123 List), alongside known site-specific S106 items.

CIL will provide a ‘contribution’ towards the overall provision, improvement, replacement, operation and maintenance of ‘city-wide’ projects or ‘types’ of infrastructure (that support the LDP). Examples include roads and transport facilities, flood defences, educational facilities, sporting and recreational facilities, open spaces that are required to support development in the LDP. Whilst core public funding will fund most infrastructure, CIL will provide ‘additional’ funding. The Regulation 123 List will be continually reviewed to reflect corporate priorities

The CIL rates will be set out in a Charging Schedule and therefore developers will know exactly what they will be expected to pay. 

Members were informed that the CIL rates, once set, are effectively non-negotiable; therefore lengthy negotiations over planning contributions between the local planning authority and developers are expected to decrease.  Section 106 contributions for affordable housing and other site specific infrastructure will still be sought.

In setting the CIL rates, the Council must submit its proposals and evidence to the Planning Inspectorate to undergo independent examination. Proposed CIL rates were set out in detail in the report for consideration by members.

Following questions from Councillor Whitcutt, members were informed that it was very difficult to make an accurate assessment of income from continuing Section 106 agreements as this would depend on smaller schemes coming forward .The estimated £8.4 m income from CiL was a cumulative total to 2026.

It was explained to Councillor Chris Evans that the school on the Alcan development had been justified by the scope of the development. The cabinet member for Education and Young People confirmed that all Newport Schools are available to all Newport schoolchildren

Councillor Williams was concerned that the CIL levy would effectively be a rise in house price as the costs would fall to house purchasers and that remediation costs could result in developers shying away from development in Newport. He asked for the level of CiL to be kept under review. Councillor Mogford was also concerned this would be a tax on house purchasers

In response to Councillor Watkins, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that the contributions under CIL will be pooled for the purpose of the Section 123 list and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To provide an opportunity for councillors to ask questions to the Chair

of the Cabinet in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders.

Process: No more than 30 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for oral questions to the Leader

If members are unable to ask their question orally within the allocated time, remaining questions will be answered in writing. The question and response will be appended to the minutes.

The question must be addressed through the Mayor or the person presiding at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned

No questions had been submitted for this meeting

To provide an opportunity to pose Questions to Cabinet Members in line with Standing Orders

Process: No more than 10 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for questions to each Cabinet Member.

Members will have needed to submit their proposed questions in writing in accordance with Standing Orders. If members are unable to ask their question orally within the allocated time, remaining questions will be answered in writing. The question and response will be appended to the minutes.

The question must be addressed through the Mayor or the person presiding at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned

Questions will be posed to cabinet members in the following order:

Deputy Leader

Cabinet Member for Adult & Community Services

Cabinet Member for Education and Young People

Cabinet Member for People & Business Change

Cabinet Member for Regulatory Functions

Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Investment

Cabinet Member for Skills and Work

Cabinet Member for Streetscene & City Services

For Information: A digest of recent decision schedules issued by

Cabinet, Cabinet Members and Minutes of recent meetings of

Committees has been circulated electronically to all Members of the

Council

No questions had been submitted for this meeting

To pose questions to the Chairs of the Committees in the following order:

I.              Scrutiny Committees

· Community Planning and Development

· Learning, Caring and Leisure

· Street Scene, Regeneration and Safety

II. Planning Committee

III. Licensing Committee

IV. Democratic Services Committee

Process: No more than 10 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for questions to each Chair.

Members will have needed to submit their proposed questions in writing in accordance with Standing Orders. If members are unable to ask their question orally within the allocated time, remaining questions will be answered in writing. The question and response will be appended to the minutes.

The question must be addressed through the Mayor or the person presiding at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned.

No questions had been submitted for this meeting

The minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 14 January were received