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 Council meeting held on 26 May 2021 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 of the Council announced with sadness, the death of Councillor June Goodchild on 6 July 2021.

 

June was elected in May 2015 to serve the Ladgate Ward. June was a member of a number of different scrutiny panels and was a long standing member of the Licensing Committee.

 

The Chair advised that, prior to her election as a Councillor, June was recognised in a number of different ways. June was made an MBE in 2007 for her voluntary work in Easterside and she also received a Mayor’s award on 30 January 2013.

 

All present stood in silence as a mark of respect.

 

Councillor McTigue, Councillor Mawston and Councillor Higgins paid tribute to June Goodchild.

There were no valid questions submitted from members of the public for this meeting.

June Goodchild

 

The Mayor paid tribute to June Goodchild and sent his condolences to her family.

 

Covid

 

The Mayor advised that infection rates were growing and the North East had one of the highest rates of infections. The Mayor stated that the link between infection rates, hospitalisation and death was breaking down. He stated that there was still a link and everyone should still follow the rules, but people should not be as fearful as they were, they should move forward with cautious confidence, however everyone should be encouraged to have the vaccination.

 

The Mayor stated that Middlesbrough had a very young population compared to the everywhere in the Tees Valley and the North East except Newcastle. Vaccinations were generally being targeted at older people, and as a consequence, Middlesbrough had carried out less vaccinations on young people compared to other towns. The Mayor advised that the people rolling out the vaccinations and the Public Health Team were working hard to ensure that everyone that was entitled to, had access to vaccinations. Middlesbrough had some hard to reach people, and that there was a link between deprivation and people not having the vaccine. He advised that Middlesbrough had more deprivation than anywhere in the North East and although it was a challenge, everything was being done to ensure people were vaccinated.

 

Crime

 

The Mayor advised that a meeting had been held with the new Police and Crime Commissioner. The Mayor had been talking to residents and their view was that dangerous crime was polluting the streets and intimidating the public and trying to intimidate their rivals. This was not just an issue in Middlesbrough, it was a national and international problem. Cleveland Police did not have as high an armed response compared to other forces compared to the level of violent crime. The Mayor advised that he was against arming the police. The Police needed to take control.

 

Anti-Social Behaviour

 

The Mayor advised that he was embarrassed and ashamed at the state of some back alleys. The state of the alleys was damaging mental health and investment in the town. More cameras were due to be installed. The Mayor stated that in the past, Middlesbrough had not been tough enough in relation to the enforcement against people carrying out fly-tipping. He referred to a recent fly-tipping case where a vehicle suspected of being used to carry out fly-tipping had been seized. There was now a dedicated fly-tipping squad to enable more enforcement action to take place. 

 

Children’s Services

 

The Mayor advised that there had been historical issues with Middlesbough’s Children’s Services which had resulted in it being the worst and most expensive in the country.

 

The Mayor advised that due to the hard work of staff the service had improved and all the right steps were being taken to ensure continuous improvement.

 

Queen’s Jubilee

 

The Mayor advised that it was the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022, and as part of the celebrations, the Queen usually awarded “city status” to a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21/16

The Mayor outlined a number of changes to his Executive Scheme of Delegation. He advised that the new Executive was smaller, focussed, committed to Middlesbrough and it cost less.

 

ORDERED that the changes 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 on the Executive Member for Environment, Finance and Governance report

 

Councillor Thompson in relation to the pot hole programme.

 

In response to Councillor Thompson’s query with regard to whether the pot hole programme had ended, how much the programme had cost and whether the remaining pot holes would be repaired, the Executive Member advised that the programme was ongoing. Engineers were assessing the remaining pot holes and would prioritise them to ensure that the worst pot holes would be repaired first. In terms of the cost of the programme, the Executive Member advised that he did not have the information to hand, but he would forward it to Councillor Thompson in due course.

 

Questions on the Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Culture and Communities report

 

Councillor Uddin in relation to alleygates.

 

In response to the question from Councillor Uddin about upgrading and decorating back alleys and the installation of alley gates, the Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Culture and Communities stated that the installation of new alley gates was not just about the cost, other factors needed to be considered such as rights of way and who would have responsibility for the alley gates. The Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Culture and Communities advised that the Head of Stronger Communities was currently looking into the legalities surrounding the installation of new alley gates and an update would be provided to the councillor once this process was completed.

 

The alley project was progressing well. 6 alleys had already been completed and 13

alleys were on the waiting list to be completed. The Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Culture and Communities advised the councillor to contact her if he wished to go ahead with transforming alleys without the alley gates.

 

Councillor Branson in relation to community safety - motor bike nuisance.

 

In response to the question from Councillor Branson in relation to motor bike nuisance and the possibility of installing CCTV and other preventative measures, the Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Culture and Communities advised that off road motor bikes were a blight on the community as well as being noisy and dangerous. The Deputy Mayor acknowledged that there had been issues with motor bikes on the fields in Coulby Newham, and the Council could look at the use of CCTV to tackle this as well as other measures. Operation Endurance was intelligence led and they could be asked to specifically look at the Coulby Newham area. As part of their work, they seized the vehicles that were causing the nuisance.

 

Councillor J Walker in relation to keeping members informed of activities within their wards.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Walker  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21/18

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board submitted a report, the purpose of which was to provide an update on the current position regarding progress made by the Overview and Scrutiny Board and each of the individual Scrutiny Panels.

 

ORDERED that the report be noted.

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 questions from Members 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 Notice of Urgent Motions submitted within the specified deadlines for this meeting.

The report in relation to the Community Governance Review was deferred to the Council meeting scheduled for 28 July 2021.

The report in relation to the Update to the Council Constitution was deferred to the Council meeting scheduled for 28 July 2021.

 

Council received a report which sought Members’ approval to nominations for appointment, arising from vacancies deferred at the Annual Meeting of Council and resignations from Committees.

 

The report included a list of current vacancies on various committees 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 and other councillors be approved by Council:

 

Committees

 

Live Well South Tees Board

2 Vacancies: Councillor Thompson appointed

Still 1 Vacancy

___________________________________________________________________

Constitution and Members Development Committee

1 Vacancy: Councillor J Thompson appointed

__________________________________________________________________

Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel

1 Vacancy: Chair of Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel: Open to all Members of Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel: Councillor McCabe appointed

_________________________________________________________________

Licensing Committee

1 Vacancy: Councillor McCabe appointed

__________________________________________________________________

Outside Bodies Vacancies

 

Appendix A – Appointments by Council  

 

River Tees Port Health Authority

1 Vacancy – Councillor Branson appointed

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Tees Valley Health Scrutiny Committee

1 Vacancy: Originally a MICA place.  No nominations

Open to all Councillors: Councillor Coupe appointed

___________________________________________________________________

Northumbria Regional Flood Defence Committee (will also be required to sit on the Tees Valley Flood Risk Partnership)

1 Vacancy – Open to all Councillors: Councillor Cooper appointed

___________________________________________________________________

Tees Valley Community Foundation – The Endowment Funds Advisory Board

1 Vacancy – Councillor Uddin appointed

___________________________________________________________________

 

Appendix C – Appointments by Executive

 

(ANEC) Resources Task and Finish Group

1 Vacancy – Open to all Councillors - No Nominations - 1 Vacancy

___________________________________________________________________

Family Placement Panel

1 Vacancy – Open to all Councillors - Councillor Hellaoui appointed

___________________________________________________________________

Tennis World

2 Vacancies – Councillor Davison and Councillor Mawston appointed

 

Council received a report which sought approval to the appointment of His Honour Judge Paul Watson QC as Honorary Recorder of Middlesbrough, with immediate effect and for the duration of his tenure of the post of Senior Circuit Judge at Teesside Combined Court Centre.

 

ORDERED that the appointment of His Honour Judge Paul Watson QC as Honorary Recorder of Middlesbrough, with immediate effect and for the duration of his tenure of the post of Senior Circuit Judge at Teesside Combined Court Centre be approved.

 

 

The Mayor provided members with an update in relation to Stanhope Castle.

 

He explained the background to the issue. The Mayor stated that the Council would do everything it could to improve communication with the people affected.

 

The Mayor advised members that when the tribunal provided the Council with guidance to say what it was able to do, the Council would follow that guidance.

 

The Mayor advised that the Council would provide regular updates to the people affected, even if there was nothing to report.

 

ORDERED that the update be noted.

To consider passing a Resolution pursuant to Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, excluding the Press and Public from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that if present there would be disclosure to it of exempt material falling within Paragraph 1 or Part 2 of Schedule 12A of the Act and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

ORDERED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that, if present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Council received an exempt report to consider the level of support provided to political groups.

 

Dependent upon the outcome of Council considerations it was recommended that Council adopt the proposed Political Assistant Protocol.

 

ORDERED as follows:

 

1.     That Council retains the Political Assistant role and allows for up to 3 x FTE Political Assistants, at the Grade and salary as indicated in the report. The number of hours required by each group to be (up to 1FTE - 37hrs) subject to the requisite 10% membership. Recruitment would be subject to Council recruitment policies however appointment and number of hours would be subject to the wishes of the groups who were entitled to a Political Assistant as per the Act. 

2.     That Council adopts the proposed Political Assistant Protocol.

3.     That the Constitution be amended to reflect the revised arrangements for the level of support provided to political groups.