Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 8 December 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillors paid tribute to and observed a minute’s silence in memory of Councillor Richard Alcock and former Councillor Alan Banks.

1.    Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

2.    Other Interests

The following declarations were made:-

The Chairman reminded councillors that his charity ball would take place on 18 March 2022.

A petition was presented with regards to the Council’s Car Park Strategy which requested the Council to reconsider the proposed charge period (8:00 am to 6:00 pm) and the increased parking tariffs in Leek.

The report presented the proposed Budget for 2022/23, updated Medium-Term Financial Plan 2022/23 – 2025/26, Capital Strategy 2022/23, proposed Fees and Charges for 2022/23 and Procurement Forward Plan 2022/23.

The Leader of the Council announced that with regards to the Council’s Car Park Strategy the Cabinet had agreed to alter the charging period for both Leek and Cheadle car parks which would remain at 9.30am to 3.30 pm.  There would be no further free periods during the day as originally proposed and that the increase in tariffs would remain.

As an AMENDMENT an alternative budget was also PROPOSED and SECONDED as detailed in a supplementary document.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, councillors voted as follows:

Amendment - Alternative Budget

Those voting FOR:

Councillors Atkins, Brady, Cawley, Coleman, Gledhill, Hoptroff, K. Jackson, Page, Price, Salt, Swindlehurst and Taylor (12)

Those voting AGAINST:

Councillors Aberley, Bentley, Bond, Bowen, Davies, Deaville, Ellis, Emery, Fallows, Flunder, Hall, Hart, Herdman, Holmes, Hughes, Hulme, P. Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Lawson, Lea, Plant, Plimley, Porter, Ralphs, Redfern, Riley, Roberts, Routledge, Scalise, Sheldon, Wain, Ward, and Worthington (34)

ABSTENTIONS:

Councillors Hawkins, Malyon, Martin and Wilkinson (4)

Therefore the AMENDMENT was declared LOST.

Substantive Motion

Those voting FOR:

Councillors Aberley, Bentley, Bond, Bowen, Davies, Deaville, Ellis, Emery, Fallows, Flunder, Hall, Hart, Herdman, Holmes, Hughes, Hulme, P. Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Lawson, Lea, Malyon, Martin, Plant, Plimley, Porter, Ralphs, Redfern, Riley, Roberts, Routledge, Scalise, Sheldon, Wain, Ward, Wilkinson and Worthington (37)

Those voting AGAINST:

Councillors Atkins, Brady, Cawley, Coleman, Gledhill, Hoptroff, K. Jackson, Page, Price, Salt, Swindlehurst and Taylor (12)

ABSTENTIONS:

Councillor Hawkins

RESOLVED:

1.    That the General Fund Budget for 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix A (section 9) of the report be approved.

2.    That the revised Medium-Term Financial Plan (2022/23 to 2025/26) as detailed in Appendix A, including the revised Capital Programme (attached at Annex A) to the report be approved.

3.    That the Capital Strategy 2022/23 as set out in Appendix B to the report be approved.

4.    That the proposed Fees and Charges for 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix C to the report be approved.

5.    That the proposed Procurement Forward Plan for 2022/23, providing the authority to procure based on procurement activity detailed in Appendix D to the report be approved.

6.    That a Band D Council Tax of £163.14 for 2022/23 (an increase of  2.99% from 2021/22) be approved.

7.    That a Band D Council Tax of £52.92 for Leek and £10.64 for Biddulph for 2022/23 (no increase from 2021/22) in respect of Special District Expenses be approved.

8.    That the Chief Finance Officer's view that the level of reserves are adequate for the Council based on this budget and the circumstances in place at the time of preparing it (Appendix A Annex E) be noted.

RESOLVED:

That the Treasury Management position as at 31^st December 2021 be noted.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Treasury Management Strategy Statement (TMSS) 2022/23 be approved.

RESOLVED:

That the Pay Policy Statement for 2022/2023 be approved.

RESOLVED:

That the following amounts be calculated by the Council in accordance with Sections 31A and 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011):

(a)     £28,870,396      being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) of the Act. (Gross Expenditure on General Fund Services, Special District Expenses and Parish Precepts)

(b)     £21,511,150      being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act. (Gross Income including External Financing and the Use of Reserves)

(c)     £7,359,246        being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) above exceeds the aggregate at (b) above calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A (4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Amount to be Funded from Council Tax)

(d)     £219.62              being the amount at (c) above divided by the tax base, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31 (B) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year. (Average Local Council Tax)

(e)     Appendix B       being Council Tax for the SMDC District divided by the tax base plus the Parish Precept and any amounts of special items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area divided the local tax base. (Band D Charges for each Parish)

(f)      Appendix C       being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (e) above by the number which, in the proportion applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands (Charges for all Bands)

(g)        Appendix D      being the aggregate of the local charges in (f) above and the amounts levied by major precepting authorities. (Total Council Tax charge for each Band in each Parish)

APPENDIX B

Local Council Tax at Band D – 2022/23

APPENDIX C

Local Council Tax All Bands – 2022/23

“With regard to the suggested increase in prescription charges and introduction of charges for the over 60s I would like to ask this Council to write to our MPs and ask them to lobby the Government that this will not happen. It will affect many of our residents in the Staffordshire Moorlands and across the country and may even deter people from having the medication that they need.”

“With regard to the suggested increase in prescription charges and introduction of charges for the over 60s I would like to ask this Council to write to our MPs and ask them to lobby the Government that this will not happen. It will affect many of our residents in the Staffordshire Moorlands and across the country and may even deter people from having the medication that they need.”

RESOLVED:

Having been PROPOSED and SECONDED, upon being put to the vote, the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously in the terms set out above.

“There is great concern about the emergence of children’s care homes in the Staffordshire Moorlands.  These are often large private houses, purchased by entrepreneurs who then convert them into children’s homes without a change of use planning consent.

The position at the moment is that a dwelling (use class C3) included use for up to six persons living together as a single household where care is provided and it is considered that there is no change of use and planning permission is not required.

This is wrong because these are businesses in every sense and planning permission should be obtained as there is a change of use from dwelling house (C3) to children’s home(C2) and full consultation should be undertaken with relevant stakeholders.

Could I request that a Notice of Motion be considered by the Authority calling for planning permission for the change of use of a private dwelling (C3) to children’s home (C2) and if it is felt worthy of support then I request that it goes directly to Mr Nadhim Zahawi MP Secretary of State for Education with copies to all Staffordshire Moorlands MPs asking for their support.”

“There is great concern about the emergence of children’s care homes in the Staffordshire Moorlands.  These are often large private houses, purchased by entrepreneurs who then convert them into children’s homes without a change of use planning consent.

The position at the moment is that a dwelling (use class C3) included use for up to six persons living together as a single household where care is provided and it is considered that there is no change of use and planning permission is not required.

This is wrong because these are businesses in every sense and planning permission should be obtained as there is a change of use from dwelling house (C3) to children’s home(C2) and full consultation should be undertaken with relevant stakeholders.

Could I request that a Notice of Motion be considered by the Authority calling for planning permission for the change of use of a private dwelling (C3) to children’s home (C2) and if it is felt worthy of support then I request that it goes directly to Mr Nadhim Zahawi MP Secretary of State for Education with copies to all Staffordshire Moorlands MPs asking for their support.”

RESOLVED:

Having been PROPOSED and SECONDED, upon being put to the vote, the MOTION was CARRIED in the terms set out above.

(At least two clear days notice required, in writing, to the Proper Officer in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.3.)

1.    Question to the Leader of the Council received from Councillor Linda Malyon:

“How much has the local food guide cost, who is fig.agency and who chose the restaurants that have gone into this glossy brochure?”

Response:

“The cost to develop, design and print the food guide was £26,593.54. This included print and delivery of a copy for every household in the Moorlands, as well as 3000 copies which will be distributed to accommodation providers across the district to further promote local food and drink establishments to visitors. No Council tax funding was used in either preparation, printing or distribution of the guide – it has all been externally funded via the Government’s ‘Welcome Back Fund’ and/or the Additional Restrictions Grant Funding. The “Welcome Back Fund” is a temporary fund allocated to Local Authorities across England by the UK government. The fund can be used by local authorities, amongst other things, to run publicity campaigns and to hold events that will boost footfall and encourage people back into the high streets and thereby supporting local businesses.

Fig Creative are a creative marketing & PR agency, based in Glossop, Derbyshire. Fig Creative were responsible for the development and design of the food guide. The restaurants selected for inclusion were selected under an independent journalist approach following assessment of customer ratings on Google and Trip advisor (November 21) as well as achieving a registered hygiene score of 4 or 5. Only restaurants/pubs that are independent, open at time of selection and operate in the evenings were included.

It should be noted that not all restaurants/pubs invited to apply chose to take up the offer.”

In response to supplementary questions with regards to consultation arrangements and the potential use of an app the Leader of the Council confirmed that no consultants had been involved, that Staffordshire Moorlands money was not spent on the initiative and that many people had contacted the Leader in a positive manner with regards to the guide.