Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 24 May 2023 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

 

To receive and consider any communications from the Chair, Mayor, Executive Members or Chief Executive (if any).

 

The Chair requested that, when voting, members leave their hands up until after their vote had been counted.

There were no valid questions submitted from members of the public, within the required timescale for this meeting.

The Mayor referred to the following in his statement:

 

Long Term Plans and Strategies

 

The Mayor advised that the Council was currently working on the Local Plan, an Anti-Poverty Strategy, a Cumulative Impact Policy, the Strategic Revision, and an Article 4 Direction.

 

The Mayor advised that in terms of the Local Plan, the statistics in relation to the town’s age of the population were concerning. By 2040, it looked as if there would be a large increase in the older population and a decrease in the younger work age population.

 

It was planned to build affordable suitable accommodation within the town centre to encourage young people to stay and work in the town. 

 

Community Safety

 

The Mayor advised that wardens were now returning to the estates and the plan was to build up the number of wardens back to 24. In addition to the wardens, there would be a Neighbourhood Safety Officer and the Flying Squad. It was important to increase the number of wardens to enable them to work across all the estates.

 

Proceeds of Crime

 

The Mayor stated that it was important that when the Council prosecuted people for offences such as selling illegal tobacco, that the Council gained as much benefit as it could from the proceeds of crime other than the Council’s legal costs. This would ensure that criminals committing crime in Middlesbrough could not benefit from the proceeds. He advised that work to achieve this aim, was ongoing.

 

Ward visits

 

The Mayor advised that he was working on visiting each ward in the town. He invited councillors to join him when he was visiting their ward to raise any issues pertinent to their individual wards. Off-road bikes appeared to be an issue in most wards. The Mayor also stated that as part of the visits, it was important to ascertain why health inequalities existed in certain areas of the town.

 

Members commented on the Mayor’s statement.

 

In response to a query from Councillor Smiles with regard to whether the Mayoral Development Corporation could be discussed, the Chair clarified that any questions should relate to the Mayor’s statement.

 

In response to queries regarding Street Wardens, the Mayor advised that the Council currently employed eight Street Wardens, four per shift and the aim was to build that number back up to 24. The reduction in the number of Street Wardens had impacted on the town.

 

The Mayor advised that the Council had received an initial grant towards funding the Street Wardens and they had also applied for “‘Hot Spot Policing and Community Safety’ initiative” funding from the Police and Crime Commissioners office for one year with the possibility of extending it for a further year subject to Home Office funding.

The Mayor advised that in the previous budget, any income generated by the warden’s service such as the income generated from parking fines, had not been allocated back to the service. Over £100k had been generated by the service in one year, but this had not been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23/18

The Mayor has made the following amendment to the Executive Scheme of Delegation:

 

The Mayor (or whoever he decides to nominate) to exercise the Council’s rights as a shareholder in BCCP Limited on behalf of the Teesside Pension Fund.

 

The amendment is to be noted.

 

 

In accordance with the requirements of the Constitution, the Mayor advised members of the following amendment to the Executive Scheme of Delegation:

 

The Mayor (or whoever he decides to nominate) to exercise the Council’s rights as a shareholder in BCCP Limited on behalf of the Teesside Pension Fund.

 

ORDERED that the amendment to the Executive Scheme of Delegation be noted.

The Chair invited Members to raise items for general discussion arising from the Information Booklet of Executive Member reports which detailed activities carried out within the respective Executive Member portfolios (Section 1), Executive decisions taken (Section 2) or to be taken where known, prior to and following the meeting (Sections 3 and 4).

 

Question in relation to the report of the Mayor and Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health

 

Councillor Smiles in relation to homelessness.

 

The Mayor stated that the issue with the PSPO’s was that they would have to be administered. The Council currently had a limited number of wardens, and the Council would need to consider whether their priority would be tackling bin rummaging.

 

In terms of homelessness, the Mayor spoke about priorities and how limited resources could be used effectively to prevent homelessness and how homelessness impacted more generally.

 

Questions in relation to the report of the Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Education and Culture

 

Councillor Clynch in relation to child poverty/poverty strategy.

 

The Executive Member advised that she had contacted LocalMotion and they were currently conducting a consultation listening programme to provide a baseline and to put the voices and experiences of residents who were facing the worst poverty at the heart of any poverty strategy.

 

The Executive Member advised that she had also linked up with MVDA, You’ve Got This, Youth Focus, the Council’s Public Health Team, the North-East Child Poverty Commission, the HAF Team and the IPPR and various local authorities to look at best practice. All of the information and evidence gathered would be co-ordinated, once the outcome of the LocalMotion consultation was received. 

 

Councillor McCabe in relation to Middlesbrough Development Corporation.

 

The Executive Member advised that Middlesbrough House was the preferred temporary accommodation site for the extension to Outwood Riverside. The car park that was located there was required for a playground for the children. Middlesbrough Development Corporation had advised that they required the car park, and therefore refused to consent to it being used as an outdoor play area. As a consequence, the Council was required to find another site for the extension to Outwood Riverside.

 

Councillor Mason in relation to schools in the local area, specifically college and sixth form provision.

 

The Executive Member advised that the question submitted by Councillor Mason was in relation to an earlier draft of the report, which was circulated in error. The Executive Member clarified that the Council did not have any responsibility for sixth form provision across the town. However, the Executive Member advised that if Councillor Mason had any further queries, he should email her and she would respond to him via email.

 

Councillor Smiles in relation to museums.

 

The Executive Member advised that the Council was looking at installing new power points in Centre Square and Albert Park which would enable the Council to host new live, big events. This would mean that companies would not have to bring in large generators, which were not particularly environment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23/20

To consider and Deal with any urgent business brought before the Council by the Proper Officer (if any).

 

There were no urgent items submitted within the specified deadlines for this meeting.

There were no Members Questions submitted within the specified deadlines for this meeting.

 

There were no Notice of Motions submitted within the specified deadlines for this meeting.

 

There were no valid Urgent Notice of Motions submitted within the specified deadlines for this meeting.

 

The Mayor and the Chief Executive submitted a report, the purpose of which was to present the work of the Corporate Governance Improvement Board.

 

The Mayor presented the report. He highlighted that the date in Paragraph 36 of the report with regard to the submission of a report to Executive in relation to the resourcing of the Improvement Advisory Panel should be July 2023.

 

In response to a query with regard to the cost to the authority of the Improvement Advisory Panel, the Mayor advised that contingency funding would be set aside, and the Council would be looking to the Local Government Association to provide extra improvement funding. The definitive costs were not currently available, but it was anticipated that the figures would be available before the item was due to be considered by the Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee.

 

ORDERED that the progress made to date be noted and the proposed focus of the next phase of the Council’s governance improvement journey be endorsed.

 

Council received a report which sought nominations for appointment, following resignations from Committees and Outside Bodies and vacancies that remained outstanding following the Annual meeting.

 

The report included a list of current vacancies on various committees and and outside bodies and nominations were put forward at the meeting by individual members.

 

ORDERED that the following vacancies allocated in accordance with the wishes of the political groups, be approved by Council:

 

Committee Vacancies

 

Licensing Committee

1 vacancy (Labour)

Councillor Ryles appointed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Live Well Board

3 vacancies

Councillor Uddin and M Storey appointed

 

1 vacancy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Works Council

2 vacancies

 

No nominations

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Outside Bodies Vacancies

 

Cleveland Fire Authority

Councillor Hussain has replaced Councillor Thompson (To be noted)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Durham, Darlington, Teesside, Hambledon, Richmondshire and Whitby STP Joint Committee

3 vacancies

2 Labour 1 MICA

 

Councillor Cooper appointed

2 Labour vacancies

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hartlepool Power Station Local Liaison Committee

2 vacancies

 

Councillor Coupe appointed

1 vacancy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Linthorpe Community Centre

1 vacancy

 

Councillor Furness appointed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Middlesbrough Oberhausen Town Twinning

1 vacancy

Cllr Thompson appointed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency

1 vacancy

 

Councillor Uddin appointed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEREO

1 vacancy

 

Councillor Hurst appointed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

River Tees Port Health Authority

1 vacancy

 

No nominations

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tees Valley Health Joint Scrutiny Committee

1 vacancy Labour

 

Councillor J Walker appointed