Mansfield District Council
Council Minutes
Date: Tuesday 28 October 2014
Time: 6:00 PM
Place: Council Chamber
Present:
Councillor K Allsop (Part), Councillor K Atherton, Councillor M
Barton, Councillor N J Bennett, Councillor T Clay, Councillor M
Colley, Councillor P Crawford, Councillor A Fisher, Councillor S N
Garner, Councillor C I Hammersley, Councillor A Harpham,
Councillor P Henshaw, Councillor S Higgins, Councillor R Jelley,
Councillor J Kerr, Councillor M K Lee, Councillor B Lohan,
Councillor D Moody, Councillor A Norman, Councillor D O'Neill,
Councillor S Richardson, Councillor P Shields, Councillor J Smart,
Councillor R Sutcliffe, Councillor S Ward, Councillor A Wetton,
Councillor M Wright
In Attendance:
R. Marlow, M. Pemberton, K. Rahal and Mrs. K. Vardy
YOUTH MAYOR 2014/15
The Chair introduced Danielle Bridges to the meeting who had recently been
elected as Youth Mayor for 2014/15. Miss Bridges outlined her manifesto for
the year and up-dated members on her work to date.
14/93
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from the Executive Mayor, Councillor
Adey, Councillor Bosnjak, Councillor Clayton,
Councillor Hopewell,
Councillor C.Smith and Councillor Tristram
Councillor Allsop advised that she would leave the meeting at Agenda Item 9
14/94
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest
14/95
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 23 SEPTEMBER 2014
It was proposed by Councillor Kerr and seconded by Councillor Smart that
the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 23 September 2014 be
agreed as a correct record.
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On the motion being put to the vote the Chair declared that the motion had
been carried unanimously.
RESOLVED - That the minutes be agreed as a correct record.
14/96
RECEIPT OF CORRESPONDENCE LAID BEFORE THE COUNCIL BY
THE CHAIR, EXECUTIVE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND
HEAD OF PAID SERVICE
There were no communications laid before the Council by the Chair,
Executive Mayor, Members of the Executive or the Head of Paid Service.
14/97
ADVANCE QUESTIONS RECEIVED FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
There were no questions from members of the public.
14/98
ADVANCE QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY
PARAGRAPH 1.09.4 OF THE CONSTITUTION
MEMBERS
UNDER
Question to Councillor Phil Shields from Councillor Sonya Ward
Regarding the repairs needed to ensure the re-opening of Meden Sports
Centre, what will be the total cost of these to the Council?
Councillor Shields - The total cost is £374,425
Supplementary Question to Councillor Shields - that’s obviously a significant
cost and I’m wondering since you’ve been in charge of leisure services for
the last 4 years now what do you think you could have done differently to
actually prevent or reduce those costs of repairs?
Councillor Shields - I don’t think there’s anything I would have done
differently I think that the reason it is that amount is because of the neglect
that taken place throughout all our leisure centres so we are looking to put
things right now.
Question to Councillor Phil Shields from Councillor Amanda Fisher
Councillor Shields do you feel that all the leisure equipment in the District
that is managed by Serco for Mansfield District Council encourages disabled
people to use it?
Councillor Shields - As you know I’m aware Councillor Fisher I’ve received
an email from yourself via a constituent and I’m currently looking into that
exact thing and so I’ll get all the relevant information, as soon as I’ve got it
I’m expecting it this week I’ve got quite a bit of it and I’ll be replying and
writing to you within seven days.
Supplementary Question to Councillor Shields - The Rebecca Adlington
Centre is to have new equipment same as the Water Meadows, as you are
aware from the emails from Miss Evans who’s a wheelchair user and
struggles to use the equipment at Water Meadows and moved to Rebecca
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Adlington. It’s a twofold question really; firstly have you sent a response with
an explanation to Miss Evans?, the other question is do you not think it is
discriminatory for Miss Evans to have to ask for help when an able bodied
person like me or yourself doesn’t have to?
Response from Councillor Shields - That will be in the report that I’ll get to
you, I replied to Miss Evans saying that I was looking into it and as soon as I
had the information then I would be replying to her as well and I fully intend
doing that and that will be in the report that I’ll put in writing to you.
Questions to Councillor Phil Shields from Councillor Peter Crawford
(i) How much does this authority have to pay Serco during the period that
Meden Centre is closed?
Councillor Shields - At this particular time we don’t know how much it’ll cost
because we don’t know until such it has all been assessed; at that point we
will let everybody know how much it’s going to cost.
Supplementary Question to Councillor Shields - When you read and signed
the leisure contract from Serco on behalf of this authority, did you
understand the concept that we would have to pay remuneration if closed by
this Council, would your answer be fact or fiction?
Councillor Shields - My answer would be yes I knew there would be a
remuneration to pay.
(ii) Owing to the importance of urgent fire safety and remedial work being
done, why were these concerns not picked up following annual fire
inspection in May 2014?
Councillor Shields - Unfortunately I don't have any control over the Fire
Service and the work that they do when they are doing the inspection. I don't
know what we could have done, I can only relate it to when we take our cars
for an MOT, do we get a second opinion on it, I don't know.
Supplementary Question to Councillor Shields - Following the site inspection
at Meden Baths carried out on 22nd August, 2014, the biggest risk identified
was the lack of fire breaks due to removed ceilings, insufficient fire barriers,
some of which had been breached and not of fire retardant materials, lack of
fire protection around main fire escape routes and that the fire alarm system
was only an M type, Manual Call Point Activation. When Fire Inspections
have been carried out, who are reports given to at this Authority and what
action is taken regarding any concerns raised and why were these points I
have highlighted not reported?
Councillor Shields - Not reported when? I don't understand the question. If
you are talking about why they were not reported in May, I can't possibly
answer you, the report was done and it was given a clean bill of health in
May. Subsequently when we went in to look at other work that needed doing,
these were highlighted by the Fire Officer at the time and that time, for the
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reasons you stated, the Leisure Centre was closed.
Question to the Executive Mayor from Councillor Paul Henshaw
(i) I have had a query from a member of the public asking how many tickets
this Authority receives for attendance to the Royal Garden Party, can the
Mayor tell the Council how many we receive?
Executive Mayor - The Council receives two tickets annually.
(ii) In your capacity as Mayor you attended the LGA conference this year in
July can you explain why you have presented no report to this authority on
your attendance?
Executive Mayor - I have not produced a report from the conference as all
the material which was considered by delegates at the conference is
available on the Local Government Associations website and can be
accessed by anyone from there. However, the overriding theme of the
conference was the continuing reduction in local authority funding year on
year until 2020. These further reductions will require greater partnership
working and collaboration between authorities and within authorities in order
to meet the challenges of these financial reductions.
I am happy to discuss with any members any points of interest they may
have.
(iii) Recently you agreed to keep the Heading of supporting vulnerable
people as one of our corporate priorities can the Mayor now outline how he
is going achieve this aspiration and ensure all departments of this authority
work towards supporting the vulnerable in our District.
Executive Mayor - The Council already undertakes considerable work to
support the vulnerable in the district for example through the provision of
targeted nutrition and cooking sessions, assisted refuse bin collections,
support through the Council’s Specialist Parenting Practitioner service, the
ASSIST Long Term Housing Support and money advice amongst other
services. Executive Members will continue to discuss this priority’s
implementation with senior managers.
(iv) Select Commission 3 recently produced a report on the impact of
immigration on Mansfield and District. Will the Mayor tell the Council whether
he has read the report and more importantly does he agree or disagree with
its findings?
Executive Mayor - When Council considered my recommendations for the
Corporate Plan and priorities for 2015/16 at the last Council meeting I made
reference to the report on Immigration, produced by the Graduate
Researcher in Democratic Services which contained information from other
sources including East Midlands Councils.
I can confirm that I have read the report and will give further consideration to
the recommendations.
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14/99
EXECUTIVE DECISION BY EXECUTIVE MAYOR - 20 OCTOBER 2014,
AMENDMENT TO EMPTY HOMES PROGRAMME ROUND 2 CAPITAL
SCHEME AND HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT CAPITAL PROGRAMME
2014/15
In the absence of the Executive Mayor the Portfolio Holder for Resources
proposed and the Portfolio Holder for Tenancy Services and Housing Needs
seconded that the recommendations from the executive decision made on
20 October 2014 relating to the Empty Homes Programme be approved.
One member spoke in favour of the motion although he was disappointed
that the Council couldn't identify 12 empty properties as contained in the
original proposal but that it was pleasing that five empty properties were
being brought back into use .
On the motion being put to the vote the Chair announced that the motion had
been passed unanimously.
RESOLVED (i) That the Council accepts a grant of £194,701 reduced from £447,498 for
the national Empty Homes Programme Round 2 be amended.
(ii) That the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 2014/15 be
amended to reduce the budget for the Empty Homes Programme Round 2
Capital Scheme to £500,000.
14/100
CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS
(i) It was proposed by Councillor Henshaw and seconded by Councillor
Fisher that an independent audit of all the Council's Leisure facilities be
undertaken, to look at all related disability and access issues at the facilities
and to report back to the Council within three months.
In proposing the motion Councillor Henshaw stated that the Council's actions
to disability needs to be in contrast to the stance of the Government on
disability matters. The Council needed to send out the message that its
policies and corporate priorities were applicable to all and that all member of
the district were valued. The Council needed to be proactive to the
complaints received regarding access to leisure facilities, to enable disabled
people to exercise their right to participate in society.
In seconding the motion Councillor Fisher stated that some of the disabled
facilities at the flagship Rebecca Adlington Leisure facility were in a poor
state of repair even after having been reported to Serco. Also following
meetings with a Serco Officer there had been no improvement to access
despite promises of improvement.
One member spoke in favour of the motion stating that the Council's Leisure
facilities should be for all whether disabled or not and that local authorities
had a duty to enable people with disabilities to have the same independence
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and freedom as people without disabilities.
Prior to the motion being put to the vote ten members requested that a
recorded vote be taken
For - Councillors Atherton, Barton, Bennett, Clay, Crawford, Colley, Fisher,
Garner, Hammersley, Harpham, Henshaw, Higgins, Jelley, Kerr, Lee, Lohan,
Moody, Norman, O'Neill, Richardson, Shields, Smart, Sutcliffe, Ward, Wetton
and Wright.
Absent - Councillors Adey, Allsop, Bosnjak, Clayton, Hopewell, C. Smith,
D.Smith, Tristram, Yemm and Executive Mayor.
RESOLVED - That an independent audit of all the Council's Leisure facilities,
be undertaken to look at all related disability and access issues at the
facilities and to report back to the Council within three months.
(ii) Councillor Smart proposed and Councillor Lee seconded that the motion
relating to the re-naming the Water Meadows be withdrawn to enable further
investigation of the issues relating to the motion.
On the motion being put to the vote the Chair announced that the motion had
been carried unanimously.
Published: 11/11/2014 10:23.
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