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Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Sports Hall, The Leisure Centre, Penrith

Items
No. Item

Cl/15/07/21

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Connell, Holden, Lynch and Patterson.

Cl/16/07/21

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of the existence and nature of any private interests, both disclosable pecuniary and any other registrable interests, in any matter to be considered or being considered.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made.

Cl/17/07/21

Minutes

RECOMMENDATION that:

 

1.            the public minutes Cl/1/5/21 to Cl/14/5/21; and

2.            the confidential minute Cl/14/5/21

 

of the annual meeting of Council held on 27 May 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record of those proceedings (copies previously circulated).

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the public minutes Cl/1/5/21 to Cl/14/5/21 and the confidential minute Cl/14/5/21 of the meeting of Council held on 27 May 2021be confirmed and signed as a correct record of those proceedings.

Cl/18/07/21

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

 

Local Government announcement for Cumbria

 

The UK government has announced their decision on the future of local government in Cumbria.

 

The government announced that it plans to progress with West Cumbria and East Cumbria proposal.

  

It is proposed that Eden, South Lakes and Barrow will form the new East Cumbria authority, with Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland forming the new West Cumbria Authority.

 

Members will continue to be kept informed as matters progress.

 

Eden District Council to conclude shared Chief Exec arrangement with Carlisle

Following the recent Local Government Reorganisation announcement, the Leaders of Eden District Council and Carlisle City Council have agreed that the interim arrangement for Jason Gooding to act as Eden’s Chief Executive will end on Tuesday 31 August 2021.

 

The Human Resources and Appeals Panel are pressing ahead to make alternative arrangements as soon as possible and members will be kept informed.

 

Over half a million paid out to Eden businesses in latest round of grants

 

In its latest round of grant payments, Eden District Council supported more than 200 businesses with over £524,000 in funding.

 

The money was paid out to Eden businesses as part of the Government’s Additional Restrictions Restart Grant discretionary scheme. The deadline for applications was Wednesday 30 June 2021.

 

The total paid out to Eden businesses since the start of the pandemic has surpassed £54 million and has involved paying out on over 14,000 grant applications.

 

Support for Eden businesses to go green

 

As the UK gears up for the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow in November, now is the chance for businesses in Eden to go that #OneStepGreener and commit to reducing carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050.

 

You can speak to Eden District Council about grants and other types of support available locally.

 

One popular scheme is the Greening Eden Businesses Grant, which supports businesses to reduce their carbon emissions and save money; grants of up to £10,000 are available for capital investment projects that significantly reduce a businesses’ carbon footprint.

 

Eden Local Plan Partial Review – Consultation underway

Eden District Council is undertaking a partial review of its Eden Local Plan 2014 – 2032, and it has set out some big questions for Eden residents and stakeholders to answer.

The Partial Review is being carried out to incorporate new policies into the adopted Local Plan, especially in addressing climate change and strengthening the design criteria that must be met by new developments.

Further details about the consultation, including how to respond to the survey, are available on the Council’s website.

The public consultation ends at noon on Monday 9 August 2021.

Council installs new high-tech equipment to help improve air quality

Eden District Council has installed two new high-tech continuous air quality monitors in Penrith.

The new real time data will give the Council a better understanding of peak rates and patterns of all the main health-based air pollutants. The equipment will provide data that can be used to inform future initiatives to reduce air pollution and its  ...  view the full minutes text for item Cl/18/07/21

Cl/19/07/21

Questions by the Public

To receive questions from the public under Rule 10 of the Constitution

 

Minutes:

The following question was received from Councillor J Davies under Rule 10 of the Constitution:

 

‘Given that government has now made its announcement on the shape of local government in Cumbria and the impact this will have on Eden as a council and an area.

Will the leader and council commit to working with town and parish councils in the district over the final year of Eden council to ensure that assets held by Eden council in the communities with examples such as play parks parcels of land public toilets a few examples can be secured in the communities through devolution without delay of those assets and services to town and parish councils who wish to become the custodians for the local communities.’

 

The Leader responded as follows:

 

‘I am pleased to be able to reassure Councillor Davies that the Motion

will neither delay nor frustrate the devolution of assets to communities

and Town and Parish Councils in Eden, rather the reverse. The Motion

merely removes the deadline for completion of the process of devolution

of assets. This means that existing negotiations can proceed, and indeed

new ones may commence.’

 

Councillor Davies then asked a supplementary question:

 

‘Clifton Parish Council has accepted and the devolution of assets from Eden District Council was due to have been completed in May and the Parish Council was told that due to organisational changes that were happening with the Council this had been delayed. The Parish Council got a one line email response saying that nothing was happening. You pledged that the policy was in place, can the Leader explain the policy and what is happening.’

 

The Leader responded as follows;

 

‘I will write a reply to Councillor Davies’

Cl/20/07/21

Questions by Members

To receive questions from Members under Rule 12 of the Constitution

 

Minutes:

Councillor Nicolson asked the following question:

What do you consider a reasonable time for a member to wait to receive a written answer to a question at Council or at the Executive and what are the obligations placed on the member who offers the written answer?’

 

The Leader responded as follows:

 

‘Thank you for your question Councillor Nicolson.  Firstly, apologies I recognise there have been occasions where written responses to questions haven’t been provided in a timely fashion.  I have discussed this with the Interim Director of Resources and understand that a new recording process is being put in place so that responses don’t slip through the net and get forgotten.  The Member support officers will coordinate the process ensuring members are aware of any outstanding responses.  I would normally expect all responses to be provided within 14 days however there may be occasions where the complexity of the question requires longer.  This will be communicated to the questioner once a timescale is established.’

 

Councillor Nicolson asked a supplementary question:

 

‘Thank you. Two weeks seems incompatible with the notice required for questions. I also note that written answers do not enter the public domain as circulation is limited to members and officers. It follows from your answer that the fact I had to wait almost two months for written answers to questions asked at Council on 29 April 2021 was unreasonable. Do you agree?

 

I would also point out that you failed to answer my question about the obligations of members who offer a written answer to a question. I would have thought that they would follow up the matter and ensure that an answer was provided within your two-week timescale. What is your view about this as you seem to be putting the onus on officers to provide replies?’

 

The Leader responded as follows:

 

‘I will give a written reply to the question.’

 

Councillor Nicolson asked the following question:

 

What was the Council’s reserves when the present administration took office in May 2019, what is the projected level of reserves at May 2023 and what projects and other activities involved/will involve expenditure from reserves during the above period?

 

Councillor Greenwood responded as follows:

 

‘Thank you for your question Councillor Nicolson.  I can confirm that the reserves position at March 2019 was £5.4m and is estimated to be £6.1m in May 2023. You will be interested to know that under the previous Conservativeadministration the funding for Heart of Cumbria was set up incorrectly and so the reserves position was understated.

 

Now that this has been rectifiedI can confirm that the planned use of reserves will be to continue to deliver the Heart of Cumbria, the One Eden Programme, Leisure Centre and ICT renewals and Affordable Housing Projects.’

 

Councillor Nicolson asked a supplementary question:

 

‘Thank you. How do you account for the projected increase in reserves form £5.4m in May 2019 to £6.1m in May 2023? Also, may I point out that the funding arrangements for Heart of  ...  view the full minutes text for item Cl/20/07/21

Cl/21/07/21

Motions on Notice

To consider motions on notice under Rule 13 of the Constitution

 

Minutes:

No motions on notice were received.

 

Cl/22/07/21

Capital Grant for Infrastructure Improvements at Penrith Football Club, Frenchfields Stadium pdf icon PDF 361 KB

To consider the attached report CE10/21 of the Deputy Chief Executive, which seeks agreement on grant funding for capital improvements at Penrith Football Club.

 

RECOMMENDED that

 

1.            a supplementary estimate of £100,000 be made in the capital programme as a grant to Penrith Football Club for funding investment in infrastructure at Frenchfields Stadium, which Penrith Football Club hold on a lease from Eden District Council; and

2.            the Portfolio Holder for Communities, in conjunction with the Assistant Director Communities, be authorised to determine proposals from the Football Club to draw down this funding.

Minutes:

The Vice Chairman informed Members that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda because there is a meeting between the Club, the Football Association and Council officers to discuss potential investments at the Club and this meeting now having been arranged it is felt appropriate to postpone the report coming to Council to reflect the outcomes of that meeting.

 

Cl/23/07/21

Date of Next Scheduled Meeting

The next scheduled meeting of Council be confirmed as Thursday 23 September 2021 at 6.45 pm.

Minutes:

The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Thursday 23 September 2021 at 6.45 pm.

Cl/24/07/21

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider whether, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, members of the public (including the press) should be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 to Schedule 12A of the Act.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the press and public be not excluded from the meeting.

Cl/25/07/21

Options for the Delivery of Waste, Recycling and other Front Line Services pdf icon PDF 206 KB

To consider the attached report CE9/21 of the Deputy Chief Executive, which details the Executive’s recommendation in respect of options for the delivery of waste, recycling and other front line services.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Council agrees that the current contracts, with Urbaser Ltd and Cumbria Waste Recycling Ltd, for the delivery of waste, recycling and other front line services, be extended for a period of 5 years from April 2022, as provided for in the terms of the existing contracts.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered report CE9/21 from the Deputy Chief Executive in respect of options for the delivery of waste, recycling and other front line services

 

Proposed by Councillor Tonkin

Seconded by Councillor Eyles

 

and RESOLVED that Council agree that the current contracts, with Urbaser Ltd and Cumbria Waste Recycling Ltd, for the delivery of waste, recycling and other front line services, be extended for a period of 5 years from April 2022, as provided for in the terms of the existing contracts.