Council Minutes

Date:
Wednesday, 3rd May, 2017
Time:
7.00pm
Place:
Council Chamber, Town Hall, High Street, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1AU
 
Please note: all Minutes are subject to approval at the next Meeting

Attendance Details

Present:
The Worshipful the Mayor (Cllr Maurice Perry); Cllr Helen Atkinson, Cllr Sonia Bailey, Cllr Paul Baker, Cllr Chris Barlow, Cllr Jim Beall, Cllr Derrick Brown, Cllr Julia Cherrett, Cllr Carol Clark, Cllr Chris Clough, Cllr Robert Cook, Cllr Nigel Cooke, Cllr Gillian Corr, Cllr Evaline Cunningham, Cllr Ian Dalgarno, Cllr Ken Dixon, Cllr Lynn Hall, Cllr Elsi Hampton, Cllr David Harrington, Cllr Di Hewitt, Cllr Barbara Inman, Cllr Mohammed Javed, Cllr Eileen Johnson, Cllr Paul Kirton, Cllr Mrs Ann McCoy, Cllr Allan Mitchell, Cllr Mick Moore, Cllr Mrs Kathryn Nelson, Cllr Steve Nelson, Cllr Mrs Jean O'Donnell, Cllr Ross Patterson, Cllr Lauriane Povey, Cllr Stephen Richardson, Cllr Paul Rowling, Cllr Michael Smith, Cllr Norma Stephenson O.B.E, Cllr Mick Stoker, Cllr Tracey Stott, Cllr Laura Tunney, Cllr Matthew Vickers, Cllr Sally Ann Watson, Cllr Julia Whitehill, Cllr David Wilburn, Cllr Norma Wilburn, Cllr Bill Woodhead MBE and Cllr Barry Woodhouse.
Officers:
Neil Schneider (CE) Julie Danks, Peter Bell, Kirsty Wannop (DCE), Garry Cummings (F&BS), Martin Gray (CHS), Beccy Brown, Jonathan Nertney (HR, L&C) Jamie McCann (CS), Ann Workman (AH); Reuben Kench (CL&E).
In Attendance:
Members of the Public.
Apologies for absence:
Cllr Philip Dennis, Cllr Kevin Faulks, Cllr John Gardner, Cllr Lisa Grainge, Cllr Stefan Houghton, Cllr Stephen Parry, Cllr Andrew Stephenson and Cllr Sylvia Walmsley.
Item Description Decision
Public
C
22/17		 WELCOME AND EVACUATION PROCEDURE
 The Worshipful the Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and the evacuation procedure was noted.
C
23/17		 FORMER COUNCILLOR MRS MONIKA MARSHALL-DEANE
 Members stood in a minute's silence as a mark of respect for former Councillor Mrs Monika Marshall-Deane.
C
24/17		 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
 Councillor Jim Beall declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 8 - National Review of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) - Consultation Response as his grandson was a patient of the Children’s Cardiac Unit at the Freeman Hospital.

Councillor Steve Nelson declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 9 - Director of Public Health Annual Report as he was a Director of Catalyst and a Director of Tristar Homes.

Councillor Paul Rowling declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 9 - Director of Public Health Annual Report as he was a Director of Tristar Homes.

Councillor Ben Houchen declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 12 - Appointments as he was a candidate in the Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayoral Election.
C
25/17		 PRESENTATION - BETTER HEALTH AT WORK AWARD - GOLD
 The Better Health at Work Award recognised the efforts of local employers in addressing health issues within the workplace. The Council had attained Gold level.

The Council had a network of enthusiastic and committed Health Advocates who supported colleagues to make healthy choices and improve their health and help the Council achieve and maintain the Better Health at Work Award.

Health Advocates offered information on many health and wellbeing issues including smoking cessation and weight loss to stress, anxiety, and heart disease.

The Worshipful the Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health presented Health Advocates Emma Champley and Jenny Collier with the Better Health at Work Award.
C
26/17		 MINUTES
 The minutes of the meetings held on 8 March and 5 April 2017 were signed by the Worshipful the Mayor as a correct record.
C
27/17		 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
 The Chief Solicitor informed Members that no public questions had been received.
C
28/17		 STOCKTON HEALTH CENTRE REGISTERED PATIENT GP SERVICE - CONSULTATION RESPONSE
Preamble
RESOLVED that the consultation submission in response to the proposals for the future of services at Tithebarn be endorsed.
C
29/17		 NATIONAL REVIEW OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE (CHD) - CONSULTATION RESPONSE
Preamble
RESOLVED that Stockton’s input into the Regional Health Committee’s CHD consultation response be endorsed.
C
30/17		 DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH ANNUAL REPORT
Preamble
RESOLVED that the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2015/16 be noted.
C
31/17		 THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF A CREMATORIUM AND GARDENS OF REMEMBRANCE IN STOCKTON-ON-TEES
Preamble
Council RESOLVED that £6.35m be funded through prudential borrowing.
C
32/17		 COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW
Preamble
RESOLVED that:-

1. Grindon Parish be abolished and Grindon Parish Council be dissolved and that two new parishes and parish councils be created based on the ward boundaries of Grindon East and Grindon West.

2. The new parish in the Grindon West Ward be called Grindon and Thorpe Thewles Parish and the new parish in the Grindon East Ward be called Wynyard Parish.

3. Thorpe Thewles Parish Council comprise 7 Parish Councillors and Wynyard Parish Council comprise 9 Councillors.

4. Subject to further consultation on the above proposals and final agreement by Council 21 June 2017, a reorganisation order be made to implement the changes which would come into force at the next ordinary parish elections in May 2019.
C
33/17		 APPOINTMENTS
Preamble
RESOLVED that the above appointments be agreed.
C
34/17		 MEMBERS' QUESTION TIME
 The Chief Solicitor informed Members that no Member questions had been received.
C
35/17		 FORWARD PLAN AND LEADER’S STATEMENT
The Leader of the Council gave his Forward Plan and Leaders Statement.

It had been a busy period since the last meeting on the 8 March 2017. The Council had met at the Annual Meeting on the 5th April and Cabinet had met twice on the 16 March and the 20 April when it considered:

• Older people's and mental health care home services fees
• A review of the council's regulatory service enforcement policy
• The Victoria Estate regeneration plans
• Recording of Council meetings
• A report on Children's Hub performance
• The development of a Tees Valley Regional Adoption Agency
• Accommodation for care leavers and homeless young people
• The Licensing Service
• The scrutiny review of safety of railway crossing points
• The 2017 home energy conservation act report
• Cabinet Member portfolios
• The Council’s Apprenticeship programme
• The regular Economic Climate Report
• The Director of Public Health Annual Report
• The Community Governance Review of Grindon Parish
• Proposals for the development and operation of a crematorium and gardens of remembrance in Stockton-on-Tees

Cabinet would next meet on the 18 May 2017 and consider reports on:

• The borough-wide Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
• The review of the Education Psychology Service
• The 2017-2022 Domestic Abuse Strategy

The Leader of the Council looked forward to seeing Members at the next meeting of Council on the 21 June 2017.

Mayor’s Sunday Service and Parade would take place on the 4 June 2017. There was a packed programme of specialists markets throughout May and June starting with the Retro Market on the High Street.
7.00 pm to 8.00pm

Preamble

ItemPreamble
C
28/17		Consideration was given to a report on Stockton Health Centre Registered Patient GP Service - Consultation Response.

Stockton Health Centre at Tithebarn provided a GP service for c. 2000 registered patients. The future of the service was reviewed as the existing contract ran out on 31 March. At the time it was proposed to retain the service by procuring it as a full time branch surgery, and consultation took place on this basis.

The CCG was not able to secure a provider to provide the service as a full-time, branch surgery, and had undertaken further engagement on the possibility of providing a service as a part-time, branch surgery.

The Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee considered the issues at its meeting on 11 April, and agreed that the proposals represented a potential substantial variation to local health services (under the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013.

The Council’s consultation response was therefore required to be agreed by Council. A copy of the response was attached to the report.
C
29/17		Consideration was given to a report on National Review of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) - Consultation Response.

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) related to heart conditions and defects that develop in the womb, and could require a range of interventional or surgical procedures. Most babies born with the condition survive into adulthood, and was relatively common with between 5,500 and 6,300 born in the UK each year with CHD. Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust provided CHD treatment including surgery. This nationally commissioned service had been subject to several reviews in recent years, particularly in relation to children’s care.

NHS England instituted a new review, this time including Adult services. Consultation was taking place on the proposals that flow from the review, until 5 June 2017. As with previous reviews, the Regional Health Scrutiny Committee had been consulted on the proposals and would be responding.

The Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee considered an update at its meeting on 11 April, and agreed that the proposals again represented a potential substantial variation to local health services (under the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013.

Stockton’s input into the Regional Committee consultation response was therefore required to be agreed by Council. A copy of the response was attached to the report.
C
30/17		Consideration was given to a report on the Director of Public Health Annual Report.

The Director of Public Health Annual Report outlined some of the key health and wellbeing challenges and opportunities in Stockton Borough, including the data and evidence and details of work and planned next steps.

Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), the Director of Public Health in the Local Authority had a statutory duty to publish an independent report on the health of the population in their area; the Local Authority had a duty to publish the Report.

The Report was based on the JSNA and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2012-18, plus additional evidence from other sources and therefore had been developed through consultation with partners and communities. The focus of this year’s Report was a ‘proportionate universalism’ approach i.e. examples of work that were tailored to the needs of the local population, particularly through a combination of universal and targeted approaches.

The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2015/16 was attached to the report.
C
31/17		At its meeting on 20 April 2017 Cabinet approved the construction of a crematorium, including gardens of remembrance and associated landscaping and parking on the former Blakeston School playing field site, which would be owned, and managed by the Council. A copy of the relevant minute was attached to the report. The report now sought Council approval of funding through prudential borrowing.

Stockton had a growing population. The population was estimated at 194,800 [ONS 2015 mid-year population estimate published 23 June 2016]. By 2034, based on most recent trends, it was projected to increase to 211,000 and by 2039 to 214,200 [ONS 2014-Based Subnational Population Projections for Local Authorities released 25 May 2016].

The Borough’s population had increased by 1.56% from 2011 to 2015 and this was projected to increase by 9.96% by 2039 equating to an additional 19,400 residents compared with 2015.

In England, the vast majority of people opt for cremation over burial: 2014 figures from the Cremation Society of Great Britain showed the cremation rate was 74.77%. In a significant and growing number of cases, cremations were themselves followed by the formal burial of cremated remains at cemeteries, crematoria and churchyards.

Of those deaths registered in Stockton [based on statistics 2010 to 2016], the rate for those choosing cremation was 78%, with burials being 22%. This meant, on average 1605 of death informants choosing cremation had no choice other than to cremate their family member outside of the Borough as there was no crematorium facilities.

In February 2014 and February 2016, formal public consultation took place on the proposed provision of a crematorium in Stockton Borough. On both occasions overwhelming support for a crematorium was gained, with the latter identifying over 93% of respondents in favour.

During the period of February 2014 to February 2015, additional informal consultation was undertaken. Information boards used during the Community Engagement Event were placed in the reception area of The Register Office in order to engage with actual service users of Registration and Bereavement Services and to gauge to what extent they agreed or disagreed with a proposal for a new cemetery and crematorium at Stockton - 956 customers completed feedback sheets and the results were 87% strongly agreed with the proposal, 10% slightly agreed, 2% slightly disagreed and 1% strongly disagreed.

Similarly in a consultation exercise between April 2014 - October 2014, 496 death informants were asked the question “If the option had been available, would you have chosen Stockton Crematorium?” 87% stated ‘yes’.

The location for development of a crematorium was the former Blakeston / Northshore School playing fields. The site was located to the north of Junction Road (B1274) and Roseworth housing estate, and fell within the Roseworth Ward.

Directly to the north of the site was a railway line. To the east was Blakeston Court housing estate and to the west was a large supermarket with car park. Adjacent to the western boundary of the site was Roseworth Community and Social Club and Crossley’s Bungalow.

Under planning reference 16/0846/LAO, outline planning permission for a crematorium with associated memorial gardens, access roads, car parking and landscaping with all matters reserved was granted, with conditions, on the 1st September 2016.

A new site access from Junction Road would be required to service the facility. The requirements of the facility must conform to the Crematorium Act of 1902 and the Secretary of State (DEFRA) Statutory Guidance for Crematoria.

It was envisaged that the new crematorium would be a modern single-storey building with one service chapel and two cremators, with abatement equipment. The crematorium would be surrounded by attractive landscaped gardens of remembrance, where enhanced planting would contribute positively to the visual appearance of the site and also provide an enhancement to the ecological value. The location of the crematorium building would be sympathetic to the surroundings in terms of both design and setting and would be complemented by ample car parking provision in accordance with the Council’s Supplementary Planning Document: Parking Provision for New Developments.

The expectation would be the first service to commence no earlier than 09:15 with the last service ending at 16:00 from Monday to Friday as well as morning services available on a Saturday. The preference being that each service should be at least 45-minutes in duration, with the crematorium being served by two cremators able to accommodate the largest of coffins.

Incorporating the overall cremation service period above, it was assumed that the actual crematorium building would not be used outside of the normal opening hours e.g. 08:30 to 17:00. The gardens of remembrance were to be designed to provide both an area for the scattering of ashes and sections for the interment of cremated remains. It was anticipated that the grounds of the crematorium would have suitable summer and winter opening hours to enable bereaved families to tend their loved ones cremated remains graves and visit the remembrance gardens.

Subject to obtaining reserved matters approval it was anticipated that highway works associated with the new crematorium would begin later in 2017 with construction of the crematorium starting in spring 2018 and completed spring 2019.

The assessment of future projected cremations in the Borough and the views of residents had focused the proposed design format as previously identified. These, together with the expected operation costs, had informed the determination process in assessing the viability of the preferred development.

At its meeting held on 20 April 2017 Cabinet RESOLVED that the construction of a crematorium, including gardens of remembrance and associated landscaping and parking on the former Blakeston School playing field site, which will be owned, and managed by the Council be agreed.
C
32/17		Consideration was given to a report that presented feedback from consultation with stakeholders in Grindon Parish.

A community governance review enabled a principal council to review and put in place new arrangements, making changes to current community governance systems and structures, for example by creating, merging, abolishing or changing parish or town councils in the review area.

The Government had emphasized that the aim of a review should be to bring about improved community engagement, more cohesive communities, better local democracy, and result in more effective and convenient delivery of services.

All principal councils had a legal duty to carry out a community governance review if they received a valid petition. For a community governance petition to be valid in an area of less than 2500 electors, as was the case with Grindon, it must be signed by at least 187 local government electors, define the area to which the review related and specify one or more recommendations.

This petition called for the splitting of Grindon into two separate parishes along the ward boundaries of Grindon East and Grindon West with an alteration to the boundary line as shown on the proposed new parish boundaries that was attached to the report.

The timetable approved by Cabinet and Council recognised that the review must conclude within 12 months from receipt of a valid petition (received September 2016).

The key stages of the review were as follows:-

Consultation with all Local Government Electors in the area 9 January 2017 - 28 February 2017 - complete
Consideration of the wider forms of Community Governance in the area 9 January 2017 - 28 February 2017 - complete
Initial findings are considered and draft proposals presented for consideration by SMT 13 March 2017 - complete
Cabinet meeting 20 April consider findings - complete
Draft recommendations to Council 3 May 2017
Consult on draft proposals 8 May 2017 to 31 May 2017
Final recommendation to Cabinet 15 June 2017
Final recommendation to 21 Council June 2017
Final Recommendations and reasons for the decision published and stakeholders informed on 22 June 2017
Implementation will be dependent upon publication of a re-organisation order. Any changes would come into into force at the next ordinary parish elections in May 2019.

A range of consultation mechanisms had taken place:-
- A letter to every local government elector explaining the issue with a consultation reply slip attached that asking for views
- Review Notices placed on the web and displayed within the Parish
- Consultation with the Parish Council, Ward Members, MP, the Locality Forum and residents’ groups
- Press release

A number of comments were also received on the reply slips and these were attached were attached to the report.

Cabinet considered the matter at its meeting held on 20 April and a copy of the relevant minutes extract was attached to the report. Draft proposals would be subject to consultation between 8 and 31 May 2017. A further report would then be submitted to Cabinet on 15 June 2017 prior to Council making a final decision on 21 June 2017.
C
33/17		At its Annual Meeting, held on Wednesday 3 June 2015, the Council approved appointments to its Committees, Panels and Joint/Outside Bodies for 2015/19.

The following appointments had been received and were presented for Council consideration:-

TVCA - Transport Committee - Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport (Councillor Mike Smith and Councillor Nigel Cooke as substitute)

TVCA - Education, Employment and Skills Partnership Board - Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing (Councillor Nigel Cooke)

TVCA - Culture and Tourism Thematic Partnership - Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture & Leisure (Councillor Norma Wilburn)

TVCA - The Land Commission - Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing (Councillor Nigel Cooke)

  • Contact

  • Democratic Services

    Municipal Buildings
    Church Road
    Stockton-on-Tees
    TS18 1LD

  • 01642 526193 or 01642 528173

  • [email protected]

Can't find it

Can't find what you're looking for? Let us know and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction