Agenda and minutes

The Mayor advised the meeting that the first item on the agenda in Open Council was Public Question Time.  The questions had been received from members of the public and would be taken in the order in which they had been received.  Council was advised that if the questioner was not present then the question would appear on the screen in the Council Chamber.

The following questions had been submitted:

1.         Question from Joe Fitzpatrick via email:

            “I have learnt that a senior officer involved with Council finances has declared that the funding of the capital programme is risky.  Normally reliable sources inform me that the inducements being offered to Mono pumps are in the region of £4 million and the money to be paid to attract a national company to be the anchor store in your plans to develop Prince’s Gate will also be financed out of the capital programme. 

            How can you justify adding this payment to a capital programme, already judged to be risky, and how can you ignore the European Union Regulations designed to prohibit the payment of such inducements. “

            Councillor McMahon, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and City Region gave the following response:

            “May I thank Mr. Fitzpatrick for his question.  I disagree entirely with the principle that the capital programme is risky.  The Capital programme funding is not risky and the Council has a healthy Capital Programme.  A recent summary review identified £10m.  The Council’s debt is the third lowest in Greater Manchester.  The Council has a significant number of PFI liabilities to central government.  The Council has not given Monopumps any money but received funding through a Regional Growth Fund.    I am pleased that Marks and Spencer is coming to Oldham and delighted that a disused area is becoming a Gateway we can be proud of.  Contracts have been exchanged and the development will happen.  The town is coming out fighting and providing a positive future.  The Council will come forward with the development of the site.”

2.         Question received from Jit Patel via email:

            “Behind Langham road in oldham coppice is being plagued with fly tipping. I have reported this many times and to be fair it has been cleaned up,however now I am told that the council no longer clear this fly tipped rubbish as the area is un-adopted. Fly Tipped rubbish started when the council introduced waste collection charges am I supposed to live in a dumping ground as I am no longer in a position to clear it my self.”

            Councillor Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives gave the following response:

            “We agree that the flytipping is completely unacceptable.  We are trying to find out who owns the land so we can take legal actions against them.  This is not Council owned land and we cannot continue to clear it.  The owners must take responsibility.   Enforcement Officers will work with the landowners 

            Officers from Neighbourhood Enforcement will work with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

The Mayor informed the meeting that there were two items of outstanding business from the previous meeting.

“Motion 1

Councillor Price MOVED and Councillor Haque SECONDED the following motion:

Oldham Council, with its responsibility for Public Health, is determined to improve health outcomes in the borough.

This Council notes:

There are three and a half million overweight or obese children in England.

That one in every seven hospital beds is occupied by someone with diabetes.

The number of admissions in NHS hospitals with a primary diagnosis of obesity has risen over 11 times in the last decade.

That 34 per cent of children in year six in Oldham are overweight or obese.

That 6.4 per cent of Oldham’s population are recorded as having diabetes; this is above the average for England.

The NHS currently spends £1 million an hour on diabetes, equivalent to 10 per cent of its annual budget. If a new government allows local government to reinvest a fifth of existing VAT on soft drinks, fast food and confectionery in activity programmes, it could help to prevent problems such as obesity and diabetes to help reduce the burden of ill health later in life.

This Council Resolves:

To support the Local Government Association’s First 100 days of the next government campaign.

Also to instruct The Chief Executive to write to the leaders of all three parties calling on them to adopt the proposal in ‘100 days’ to help the three and a half million overweight or obese children by reinvesting a fifth of existing VAT on soft drinks, fast food and confectionery on activity programmes.”

Councillor Dean spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Harrison spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor McCann spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Price did not exercise her right of reply.

On being put the vote the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

RESOLVED that:

1.            The Local Government Association’s First 100 Days of the next government campaign be supported.

2.            The Chief Executive be instructed to write to the leaders of all three parties calling on them to adopt the proposal in ‘100 days’ to help the three and a half million overweight or obese children by reinvesting a fifth of existing VAT on soft drinks, fast food and confectionary on activity programmes.

“Motion 2

Councillor Heffernan MOVED and Councillor Williamson SECONDED the following motion:

The Council notes that:

·         Local authorities are currently obliged by law to sell entries from the open electoral register to marketing companies. This personal information – the names and addresses of electors in this borough – is used by these companies for direct marketing purposes generating junk mail.

·         Like nuisance calls, junk mail is an irritant to many residents in this borough.

·         90% of all junk mail is immediately deposited by its recipients in the bin

·         17.5 billion items of junk mail are produced every year in the UK, using 550,000 tonnes of paper and 16.5 billion litres of water. It takes about  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Sykes, raised the following three questions:

Question 1 - Learning Lessons from the Coffey Report:

The Leader will doubtless be aware of the recent publication of the findings of the Inquiry, chaired by the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children, Stockport MP Ann Coffey.

The Inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester followed the failure of statutory agencies to safeguard vulnerable children and young people in Rochdale and Rotherham.

Chair Ann Coffey spoke of “the failure of police and partner agencies to listen properly to young victims and their families and to adequately respond to them…

It is clear that victims in Rochdale and elsewhere were not identified or taken seriously because of negative and discriminatory attitudes of the police and other partner agencies towards them.

Their behaviour was seen as a life style choice and because of that they were not seen as vulnerable children and were not given the protection they should have expected from organisations with a responsibility to safeguard them”.

This sounds identical to the tenor of Professor Jay’s Report on Rotherham.

However this Report, titled ‘Real Voices’, is more shocking because it features the voices of vulnerable children and young people from our own communities across Greater Manchester – they could very well be the sons and daughters of our friends and neighbours.

Can the Leader please tell me how this Council will be responding to the findings of this Report to ensure that the children and young people of our Borough will be protected from such exploitation in the future?

Councillor McMahon responded that these were very serious issues and would not go away for some time to come.  He accepted that the institutions had to undergo a cultural change.  This was a complex issue which no one can pre-empt and the pattern of abuse was changing all the time and beginning to understand what we don’t know.  The Council would want to ensure that everyone is safeguarded.  Systems and processes were in place as well as training and a review had taken place when issues for authorities were highlighted.  There is a culture of learning and we must never pretend to know more than you do.  The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) was established and working well with agencies sharing information and accessing databases.  Members have visited the team and were impressed with the systems in place.  There was a play highlighting issues currently going around schools which highlighted the issues, promoted discussion and raised awareness and has been proven beneficial.  The media has been proportionate in its covering of the issues and came to meet staff for a better understanding.  The Council has taken on board the report and not take it in isolation but one element of a wider issue.  This was not just the Council’s or police’s job but for members of the public to report which would be investigated and support offered.

Question 2  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Cabinet Minutes for the meeting held on 20^th October 2014 and the Draft Cabinet Minutes from the meeting held on 8^th December 2014 were submitted.  The Urgent Key Decisions from 24^th February 2014 to 20^th October 2014 were also submitted.  The Mayor reminded the meeting that, as previously agreed by Council, the last eight minutes of this section would be reserved for observations on responses received and responses to observations.

RESOLVED that:

1.         The minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 20^th October 2014 and 8^th December 2014 be noted.

2.         The Urgent Key Decisions from 24^th February 2014 to 20^th October 2014 be noted.

The Mayor advised that there were no items of Administration Business received.

Motion 1

Councillor McCann MOVED and Councillor Murphy SECONDED:

“This Council recognises that a significant number of disabled residents and carers of this borough wish to secure appropriate employment.

As a Council, we are committed to supporting them in this ambition as part of our aspiration to Get Oldham Working.

Many people with disabilities or long-term ill-health have conditions which fluctuate in intensity on a day-by-day basis and many carers care for loved ones with similar conditions.

Traditionally employment is offered on the basis of a set number of hours on a set number of days each week.

This means that where such individuals are seeking employment they do so at a significant disadvantage to able-bodied applicants as they may find it impossible to commit to a regular pattern of work.

Some employers are however open to employing workers on the basis of flexible attendance.

Council recognises that identifying those local employers who are able to offer suitable employment opportunities on this basis to candidates with disabilities or with caring responsibilities will:

·                     advance our corporate goal to Get Oldham Working and

·                     help create more-inclusive local workforces that harness the talent and commitment of disabled people and carers

This Council therefore resolves to:

·         Establish a register for disabled persons and carers wishing to secure flexible employment with local employers

·         Contact those employers who have pledged to support Get Oldham Working to identify those who are willing to offer future opportunities on this basis

·         Provide a service to match suitable applicants from the register to suitable opportunities advertised by employers

·         Promote such a Flex-Ability scheme, and the Access to Work support available through the Department of Work and Pensions, widely to prospective applicants and employers, especially through the Council webpages

It was MOVED that the Motion be put to the vote and was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Councillor McCann exercised his right of reply.

On being put the vote the Motion was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

RESOLVED that:

·         a register for disabled persons and carers wishing to secure flexible employment with local employers be established.

·         those employers who have pledged to support Get Oldham Working to identify those who are willing to offer future opportunities on this basis be contacted.

·         a service to match suitable applicants from the register to suitable opportunities advertised by employers be provided.

·         such a Flex-Ability scheme, and the Access to Work support available through the Department of Work and Pensions, widely to prospective applicants and employers, especially through the Council webpages be promoted.

Motion 2

Councillor Sykes MOVED and Councillor Blyth SECONDED:

Disability hate crime is defined by the Crown Prosecution Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers as being –

‘Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability or perceived disability’

Disability hate crime comprises verbal abuse, harassment, damage to the property of a person because of their disability, and, in three in ten cases, a physical assault.

Council notes that

-  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Consideration was given for the approval of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2015/16.  Legislation as detailed in the Local Government Finance Act 2012 placed a requirement that each year a Collection Authority must formally considered revising its Council Tax Reduction Scheme. 

Before any revision, legislation requires consultation be undertaken.  Consultation was undertaken between 25^th July 2014 and 30^th September on two options which were to leave the current Council Tax Reduction Scheme unchanged from 2015 onwards to increase the level of Council Tax Reduction should the financial position of the Council be able to support the change.  The current scheme had been in place since 1^st April 2014. 

RESOLVED that:

1.         Option 2 be agreed and the Council implement a Council Tax Reduction Scheme from 1^st April 2015 for all applicants of working age which would:

·                     Increase the maximum amount of reduction available to 85% of a Band A rate of Council Tax.

·                     Maintain other changes introduced in the 2014/15 Oldham Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

2.            The scheme at Appendix 2 of the report would be subject to any changes resulting from prescribed requirements issued by the Secretary of State under paragraph 2(8) of Schedule 1A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and any changes from time to time to the figures prescribed by central government for welfare benefit purposes.

Consideration was given to a report which outlined the revised Statement of Licensing Policy.  The Licensing Act 2003 requires that licensing authorities prepare and publish a statement of its Licensing Policy every five years.  The policy must be kept under review. 

The Council adopted the current Statement of Licensing Policy on 15^th December 2010.  Since coming into effect a number of substantial changes to the Licensing Act 2003 which included deregulation of some “regulated entertainment”, the introduction of powers to introduce Early Morning Restriction Order, and/or a Late Night Levy and the introduction of “Public Health” as a responsible authority.

RESOLVED that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy be approved.

Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Executive which sought approval of the nomination to receive the Civic Appreciation Award in recognition of outstanding services and dedication to the Borough of Oldham.  Group Leaders have recommended Mr. Dave McGealey be nominated to receive this award.

RESOLVED that:

1.            Dave McGealy be the agreed nomination to receive the Civic Appreciation Award for 2015.

2.            the ceremony for the award will take place at the Council meeting on 4^th February 2015.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor which presented proposals on polling arrangements as a result of the review of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations. 

The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 required the Council to undertake regular reviews of all polling districts and polling places in its area.  Subsequent reviews must be every five years within a sixteen month period beginning with 1^st October 2018. 

The report outlined proposed changes to polling districts and polling places which incorporate recommendations in respect of Chadderton North, Failsworth West, Hollinwood, Royton South. St. James and Waterhead.  There was to be one minor amendment to Waterhead Polling District 8 with all even numbers on Clarksfield Road to be included.

RESOLVED that:

1.            the proposals made to polling districts and polling places and the polling district review incorporating any changes considered appropriate be approved.

2.         the Chief Executive be authorised as Returning Officer in consultation with the Group Leaders to identify an alternative polling station, if necessary, for any other polling stations unavailable on the date of the election.

3.         the Waterhead Ward Polling District 8  be amended to include all even house numbers on Clarksfield Road.