Agenda item

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 3 November 2016

 

Minute 53 - Treasury Management Mid-Year Review (page 19)

 

Policy and Resources Committee - 24 November 2016

 

Minute 36 - Localisation of Council Tax Support 2017/2018 Scheme (page 31)

 

Minute 37 - Scrutiny Review - The Role of the Council in Flood Management (page 45)

 

Minute 38 - Timetable of Meetings 2017-2018 (page 71)

 

3 November 2016 – Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

Minute 53 - Treasury Management Mid-Year Review

 

It was moved by Councillor Keal and seconded by Councillor Acomb that the following recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved and adopted.

 

            That the report be received and the mid year performance of the in-     house managed funds to date be noted.

 

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

Resolved

 

That the report be received and the mid year performance of the in-house managed funds to date be noted.

      

Voting Record

25 For

0 Against

0 Abstentions

 

24 November 2016 – Policy and Resources Committee

 

Minute 36 - Localisation of Council Tax Support 2017/2018 Scheme

 

It was moved by Councillor Cowling and seconded by Councillor Steve Arnold that the following recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee be approved and adopted.

 

That Council be recommended to approve;

 

(i) a Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2017/18 to include a minimum payment of 8.5%, and with the changes proposed to align the new Council Tax Support scheme with changes to Housing Benefit and Universal Credit regulations as follows:

 

(a) To reduce the length of time someone can be temporarily absent from Great Britain and still receive Council Tax Support from 13 to 4 weeks (some exceptions will apply)

(b) To change the treatment of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) cases affecting new claims made after 1 April 2017

(c) To limit the number of dependent children within the calculation for Council Tax Support to a maximum of two where the third child is born after 1 April 2017 (some exceptions will apply)

(d) To remove entitlement to the Severe Disability Premium where another person is paid Universal Credit (Carers Element) to look after them

(e)To use a set income for self employed earners after one years self employment

 

(ii) To authorise the Finance Manager in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee to undertake the necessary consultation work to design a scheme for 2018/19, in light of the experience in previous years, to be presented to Policy and Resources Committee in December 2017.

 

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

Resolved

 

That Council approve:

 

(i) a Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2017/18 to include a minimum payment of 8.5%, and with the changes proposed to align the new Council Tax Support scheme with changes to Housing Benefit and Universal Credit regulations as follows:

 

(a) To reduce the length of time someone can be temporarily absent from Great Britain and still receive Council Tax Support from 13 to 4 weeks (some exceptions will apply)

(b) To change the treatment of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) cases affecting new claims made after 1 April 2017

(c) To limit the number of dependent children within the calculation for Council Tax Support to a maximum of two where the third child is born after 1 April 2017 (some exceptions will apply)

(d) To remove entitlement to the Severe Disability Premium where another person is paid Universal Credit (Carers Element) to look after them

(e)To use a set income for self employed earners after one years self employment

 

(ii) To authorise the Finance Manager in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee to undertake the necessary consultation work to design a scheme for 2018/19, in light of the experience in previous years, to be presented to Policy and Resources Committee in December 2017.

 

Voting Record

25 For

0 Against

0 Abstentions

 

Minute 37 - Scrutiny Review - The Role of the Council in Flood Management

 

It was moved by Councillor Cowling and seconded by Councillor Steve Arnold that the following recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee be approved and adopted.

 

       That Council be recommended to approve;

 

1.  That RDC commits £12,000 funding (up to a maximum of 20%) to resource a project manager to progress delivery of the Malton, Norton and Old Malton Flood Study project and drive partnership working, and seeks match funding from the partners of the Malton and Norton Project Group

2.  RDC commits £2.5k (20%) funding towards a CCTV monitoring survey to understand the drainage system in Old Malton.

3.  That Natural Flood Management (NFM) considerations should be integral to all local flood management solutions and that RDC continues to facilitate links across the various partners and interested stakeholders endorsing a whole catchment approach

4.  That RDC allocates a sum of £50,000 to a grant fund to support local flood solutions which will be allocated through Resources Working Party (similar to the arrangements for the allocation of Community Grants) where the criteria for allocation will also be agreed. Town and Parish Councils would be eligible to apply (including Malton and Brawby), as should any fully constituted community group, with any grant conditional on the preparation of a Community Resilience Plan to ensure sustainability and linkage to NYCC and other flood risk management partner organisations. Any contribution RDC makes towards a local solution involving equipment is on the basis that:

a) The community group or parish council engage with NYCC to set up a community resilience group (CRG) with a Community Resilience Plan (CRP)

b) The CRG undertake training and take responsibility for deploying and insuring the pump with sign off from NYCC 

c)  That the Resources Working Party make recommendations to the Policy & Resources Committee on the grant applications for this fund, and that the criteria be similar to that used for the Community Grant applications ie;

i.   Grant must not exceed £5000.00 or 25% of the total cost - whichever is the lowest

ii.  Grants up to £1000 may be 100% of the total cost.

iii.In certain circumstances the above criteria may be waived if it is felt that an application will be of exceptional benefit to a community.

5. That the above spending be funded from the New Homes Bonus Reserve

6. That council may consider that funding be allocated from the New Homes Bonus towards the funding gap of £1.8m of the approved GiA scheme for the alleviation of flooding in Malton, Norton and Old Malton. That any contribution should be to a maximum of 20% of the funding gap.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Burr and seconded by Councillor Paul Andrews:

 

"Remove Para 4

Money to come from the 1 million plus re RDCs new home bonus.

 

Agree to provide Brawby with up to £10k for a pump to sort out their desperate problem of raw sewage.

 

Agree to provide Old Malton with their own pumps to alleviate significant flooding and road closure up to £15k.

 

Agree to provide Castlegate with up to £15k for their own pump to alleviate closing of the bridge and chaos.

 

Grants up to £1000 from parishes will be granted (£10k available).

 

It is recognised the above will be of exceptional benefit to the community money allocated by Full Council."

 

Upon being put to the vote the amendment was lost.

 

Voting Record

3  For

18  Against

5  Abstentions

 

A further amendment was moved by Councillor Clark and seconded by Councillor Thornton:

 

"In relation to flooding in Ryedale, Ryedale District Council is disappointed with the "pass the parcel" approach of the statutory bodies. If a member of the public has their street or house flooded or sewage in their garden they want the problem solved. Ryedale District Council now has very limited responsibility for flooding other than identifying the health hazard of the sewage.

 

Our understanding is as follows:-

1.    North Yorkshire County Council is responsible for coordinating flooding issues as lead authority

2.    Yorkshire Water is responsible for the drains, their capacity and the treatment and transportation of sewage

3.    The Environment Agency is responsible for the main rivers, catchment areas and major flooding in coordination with North Yorkshire County Council

Ryedale District Council's role is therefore

      i.        To represent the voice of the victims of flooding/sewage pollution etc

    ii.        To ensure that these three bodies carry out their statutory functions

So as to proceed in this direction Ryedale District Council intends to call a "flooding seminar". At this meeting the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire County Council will be held to account as to why these bodies, particularly Yorkshire Water, are allowing sewage to appear in the water and air repeatedly in various places in Ryedale.

 

Ryedale District Council will ensure that this totally unacceptable track record comes to an end. It is not Ryedale District Council's responsibility to lead, organise or pay for the delivery of other statutory bodies duties.

 

On the satisfactory completion of the above Ryedale District Council considers the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the proposed amendment from the Policy and Resources Committee."

 

Upon being put to the vote the amendment was lost.

 

Recorded Vote

For

Councillors Joy Andrews, Clark, Jowitt, Potter and Thornton.

 

Against

Councillor Acomb, Paul Andrews, Steve Arnold, Val Arnold, Bailey, Burr, Cleary, Cowling, Cussons, Duncan, Frank, Gardiner, Ives, Jainu-Deen, Keal, Oxley, Raper, Shields, Wainwright and Windress.

 

Abstentions

Councillor Goodrick.

 

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

Resolved

 

       That Council be recommended to approve;

 

1.  That RDC commits £12,000 funding (up to a maximum of 20%) to resource a project manager to progress delivery of the Malton, Norton and Old Malton Flood Study project and drive partnership working, and seeks match funding from the partners of the Malton and Norton Project Group

2.  RDC commits £2.5k (20%) funding towards a CCTV monitoring survey to understand the drainage system in Old Malton.

3.  That Natural Flood Management (NFM) considerations should be integral to all local flood management solutions and that RDC continues to facilitate links across the various partners and interested stakeholders endorsing a whole catchment approach

4.  That RDC allocates a sum of £50,000 to a grant fund to support local flood solutions which will be allocated through Resources Working Party (similar to the arrangements for the allocation of Community Grants) where the criteria for allocation will also be agreed. Town and Parish Councils would be eligible to apply (including Malton and Brawby), as should any fully constituted community group, with any grant conditional on the preparation of a Community Resilience Plan to ensure sustainability and linkage to NYCC and other flood risk management partner organisations. Any contribution RDC makes towards a local solution involving equipment is on the basis that:

a) The community group or parish council engage with NYCC to set up a community resilience group (CRG) with a Community Resilience Plan (CRP)

b) The CRG undertake training and take responsibility for deploying and insuring the pump with sign off from NYCC 

c)  That the Resources Working Party make recommendations to the Policy & Resources Committee on the grant applications for this fund, and that the criteria be similar to that used for the Community Grant applications ie;

i.   Grant must not exceed £5000.00 or 25% of the total cost - whichever is the lowest

ii.  Grants up to £1000 may be 100% of the total cost.

iii.In certain circumstances the above criteria may be waived if it is felt that an application will be of exceptional benefit to a community.

5. That the above spending be funded from the New Homes Bonus Reserve

6. That council may consider that funding be allocated from the New Homes Bonus towards the funding gap of £1.8m of the approved GiA scheme for the alleviation of flooding in Malton, Norton and Old Malton. That any contribution should be to a maximum of 20% of the funding gap.

 

Voting Record

19 For

1 Against

6 Abstentions

 

Minute 38 - Timetable of Meetings 2017-2018

 

It was moved by Councillor Cowling and seconded by Councillor Steve Arnold that the following recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee be approved and adopted.

 

That Council be recommended to approve the timetable of meetings for 2017-2018, attached as Annex A of the report.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Raper and seconded by Councillor Frank:

 

"That Full Council and Planning Committee should start at 6pm. 

 

That all other meetings start at 4pm.

 

That these changes take effect from 18 May 2017."

 

Upon being put to the vote the amendment was lost.

 

Recorded Vote

For

Councillors Gardiner, Steve Arnold, Cleary, Cowling, Cussons, Frank, Raper and Wainwright.

 

Against

Councillors Joy Andrews, Paul Andrews, Bailey, Burr, Clark, Duncan, Goodrick, Ives, Jainu-Deen, Jowitt, Keal, Potter, Shields, Thornton and Windress.

 

Abstentions

Councillors Acomb, Val Arnold and Oxley.

 

A further amendment was moved by Councillor Keal and seconded by Councillor Shields:

 

"That we refer this matter to O&S for further discussion and production of a report to be considered by P&R and then Full Council."

 

Upon being put to the vote the amendment was carried.

 

Recorded Vote

For

Councillors Steve Arnold, Val Arnold, Bailey, Cleary, Cowling, Gardiner, Jainu-Deen, Keal, Shields, Wainwright and Windress.

 

Against

Councillors Acomb, Joy Andrews, Paul Andrews, Clark, Duncan, Goodrick, Ives, Jowitt, Potter and Thornton.

 

Abstentions

Councillor Oxley.

 

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

Resolved

 

(i)         That Council approve the timetable of meetings for 2017-2018,            attached as Annex A of the report.

 

            (ii)        That we refer this matter [of meeting start times] to O&S for                               further discussion and production of a report to be considered by                P&R and then Full Council.

 

The last two votes had to be taken again as a result of inappropriate use of a voting unit.

 

 

Recorded Vote

For

Councillors Acomb, Steve Arnold, Val Arnold, Bailey, Cleary, Cowling, Gardiner, Keal, Shields, Wainwright and Windress.

 

Against

Councillors Joy Andrews, Paul Andrews, Clark, Duncan, Goodrick, Ives, Jainu-Deen, Jowitt, Potter and Thornton.

 

Abstentions

Councillor Oxley.