Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations made.

It was moved by Councillor Anthony McKeown and seconded by Councillor Greenhalgh that the minutes of the meeting of th Council held on 3 October 2024 be approved as a correct record.

The motion was carried and the Chair was authorised to sign the minutes.

It was announced that the Civic Dinner would take place on 7 March 2025 to which all councillors were invited to attend. 

The Leader confirmed that meetings of the East Midlands County Combined Authority (EMCCA) continued to take place and included matters to address transport issues.  The meeting due to be hosted in the High Peak on 16 December had been postponed and a new date would be circulated in due course.  The Leader also explained that the Revitalising Buxton development partner contract had been signed off.

1.     Public Question from Rachel Purchase on behalf of High Peak Biodiversity Group

“The High Peak Biodiversity Group welcomes the Council's Plan for Nature and is keen to work with the Council to help implement it. To this end, we would like to know how the Council intends to alter the working arrangements with AES to ensure that their work in parks and open spaces across the Borough is focused on protecting and promoting biodiversity, for example through changes to mowing timings and regimes, planting choices and approaches, and leaf clearance.”

Answer from the Executive Member for Climate Change and Environment

The High Peak Parks Strategy sets out the Council’s commitment to reviewing the maintenance and management of our parks and open spaces with a view to improving and enhancing biodiversity, ensuring that projects and improvements are in the right thing, in the right place and for the right reason.  The recently adopted High Peak Plan for Nature also recommends that the Council reviews existing park management plans to assess if changes can be made to increase biodiversity, aiming for a balance of accessibility, wellbeing and ecology.

We work closely with our delivery partner, AES, to monitor processes and procedures in our parks. We have started to review and, where possible, make changes to these working practices and arrangements.  This has begun with the commitment to review mowing regime changes to improve biodiversity at certain sites across the Borough and to formalise the process of ongoing maintenance of these sites with AES.  A report taken to the Community Select Committee in September discussed the approach, and an internal working group is looking at the requirements of AES in terms of changes to machinery as well as developing a community engagement and comms plan.  Agreed changes will be implemented during 2025 with a view to extending further mowing changes at other sites across the Borough in the future.

Work to address planting choices and approaches has also already started with some trial areas selected for sustainable planting and these include three roundabouts around Spring Gardens in Buxton along with Buxton Cemetery war memorial. These trial areas have been successful, and the roundabout at Ferodo in Chapel is also being included for next year. This approach reduces the need to provide so much annual bedding and replaces it with native perennial species which still provide colour.  The High Peak Nature Declaration also includes a commitment to reviewing bedding suppliers to steadily reduce the use of suppliers who use peat.

Discussions have already taken place with Derbyshire County Council (DCC) regarding the service level agreement for the delivery of flail mowing and, verge maintenance and weed spraying, and these will continue so we can fully understand how changes can be implemented on land owned by DCC. The Council’s commitment outlined in the Nature Declaration is to broaden our existing ban on glyphosate within our parks and open spaces to include any herbicide or pesticide, allowing exceptions for invasive/notifiable species such as Japanese Knotweed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/26

It was moved by Councillor O. Cross and seconded by Councillor M. Taylor that the revised Audit and Regulatory Committee Terms of Reference be approved.

When put to the meeting it was RESOLVED accordingly.

It was moved by Councillor O. Cross and seconded by Councillor M. Taylor that Members note the Treasury Management position at the end of the first quarter 2024/25.

When put to the meeting it was RESOLVED accordingly.

It was moved by Councillor O. Cross and seconded by Councillor M. Taylor that Council confirm that the Conservative Group be invited to make a nomination for the appointment of Mayor for the municipal year 2025/26.

When put to the meeting it was RESOLVED accordingly.

It was moved by Councillor De Pee and seconded by Councillor Baker that Council approves the amended Street Trading Policy 2024-2027.

When put to the meeting it was RESOLVED accordingly.

It was moved by Councillor Quinn and seconded by Councillor Lomax that the Standards Committee Annual Report be noted.

When put to the meeting it was RESOLVED accordingly.

It was moved by Councillor Grooby and seconded by Councillor Hardy that the Council notes that as part of the Spring Budget 2024 the last Conservative Government announced funding of £5 million from the Levelling up Culture and Capital Fund,

This money could have been used to make much needed improvements to the Partington Theatre, Victoria Hall, and Buxton Opera House. It could have played a crucial part in the future of these three venues. Holding so much promise for the future. It was certainly not monopoly money to them.

Council notes: As part of the autumn budget the new Labour government announced that they were “minded to cancel this funding at the same time” as the budget increased annual government spending by £76billion.

This Council believe that this funding would have been of real value to local people and regrets the decision.

The Conservative group notes that Mr. John Pearce MP was elected on a specific promise to “fight for High Peak “We would like to see some evidence of this.

The council resolves to campaign on a cross party basis to protect this vital levelling up funding for High Peak and look forward to support for this motion.

An AMENDMENT was proposed by Councillor McKeown and proposed by Councillor Greenhalgh as follows:

Add after Levelling up Culture and Capital Fund

This Council further notes the extreme disappointment, following investigation by the new Government, that this was a fake allocation from the last Government with no money actually being set aside to support any payment being made.

Add after £76 billion:

‘To start repairing and restoring the country following 14 years of mismanagement by the previous Conservative Government.

Add after regrets this decision:

was necessary to stabilise the County’s finances

Delete Mr John Pearce MP and replace with Mr Jon Pearce MP

Delete The Conservative Group and replace it with The Council notes

Delete ‘We would like to see some evidence of this’ and replace it with and ‘repair the damage done by 14 years of Conservative mismanagement.

Delete ‘to protect this vital levelling up funding for the High Peak’ and replace with ‘for the High Peak to receive its fair share following 14 years of neglect by the previous Conservative Government’.

Delete to protect this vital levelling up funding for High Peak and replace with for the High Peak to receive its fair share and the investment it needs.

Councillors considered the motion and amendment in detail which included the way in which funds had been allocated by central government to local authorities and the need for councillors to work together.

When put to the meeting the AMENDMENT was carried and it was RESOLVED accordingly.