Agenda and minutes

Prayers were led by Rev Canon Ling

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 1 December 2022 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED:  The minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

Councillor R Blunt declared a non pecuniary interest in CAB109 Parkway as a Director of West Norfolk Housing Co and West Norfolk Property Ltd.  He confirmed he would be speaking and voting as a Borough Councillor.

Councillor A Lawrence declared a non pecuniary interest in CAB109 Parkway as a Director of West Norfolk Property Ltd.  He confirmed he would be speaking and voting as a Borough Councillor.

Councillor J Collingham declared a non pecuniary interest in Notice of Motion 1/23.

Councillor I Devereux declared a non pecuniary interest in Notice of Motion 1/23 and confirmed no contractual link.

To receive Mayor’s communications and announcements.

None

To receive any items of business which in the opinion of the Mayor are urgent. 

None

To receive petitions and public questions in accordance with Standing Order 9.

None

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube

Councillor Dark, seconded by Councillor Middleton, proposed the recommendations to changes in proportionality.

It was confirmed that the Labour Group had 9 members.

RESOLVED:  That proportionality be amended by the change of  seats as follows:

·         That the Conservative Group lose 1 seat from the Licensing and Appeals Board to the Labour Group

·         The Group of Independents lose 1 seat  from the Licensing Committee to the Labour Group

(Members are reminded this is a debate, not a question and answer session)

To consider the following recommendations to Council:

Minute extracts will follow

CAB104: West Winch Growth Area Masterplan

CAB105: Council Tax Support Scheme 2023/24 (Including Nom 11/22)

CAB107: Parkway Development Update

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube

Councillor Dark, with Councillor Middleton seconding, proposed the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting on 17 January 2023:

CAB104: West Winch Growth Area Masterplan

Council debated the recommendations with comments made on the lack of infrastructure being provided prior to any development being built, issues around transport,  drainage and the deferral of the recommendations until the current Local Plan Examination had re-convened. 

Council’s attention was drawn to the fact that the West Winch proposals had been dealt with at the previous Local Plan Examination and were not affected by the current one.

Councillor Moriarty proposed an amendment: that the final decision on the West Winch Supplementary Planning Document be deferred until after the Local Plan Examination was reconvened. This was seconded by Councillor Kemp.

Councillor Dark did not accept the amendment. 

Members debated the amendment, and on being put to the vote the amendment was lost 23 For, 24 Against and 1 Abstention.

Council then debated the substantive motion.  At the request of the required number of members a recorded vote was taken on the substantive motion.

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube

Council considered CAB105: Council Tax Support Scheme 2023/24 (Including Nom 11/22).   Councillor Jones, seconded by Councillor Hudson proposed the amendment that the Council Tax support Scheme for 2023-24 be set at 100%.

Councillor Dark did not accept the amendment.

Council debated the amendment, which Councillor Jones recommended be paid for from savings in grass cutting on behalf of the County Council and changes to where money was invested. 

Council debated the amendment, and with the required number of members a recorded vote was taken.

Council then debated the substantive motion which was put to the vote and approved 29 for, 14 against, 2 abstain.

At 18.12, Council adjourned to 18.22.

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube

Council debated CAB107: Parkway Development Update, commenting on the risks of the scheme, its costs, the question of the benefit to the community, air quality. The large numbers on the housing lists were highlighted, along with the green elements to the construction of the properties.

Councillor Squire proposed an amendment that recommendation 4 be replaced with: “the future management arrangements for  ...  view the full minutes text for item C:68i

i)                 To consider the following Notice of Motion (1/23), submitted by Councillor T Parish:

This Council recognises that a very significant commercial campaign to create a barrier across The Wash, for diverse purposes, has been launched and clearly states that the Council’s view on the matter is neutral until sufficient information is available, from all appropriate sources, and that this has been considered fully and impartially.

Further, this Council will act as a receptacle and conduit for local comments and opinion about the proposal and provide help and support to local organisations to enable them to make their case for support or rebuttal. The Council will do this via a Task Group set up well prior to the May elections with the brief to determine the framework for such actions and support so that a new administration can easily pick up and continue the work.

ii)         To consider the following Notice of Motion (2/23), submitted by Councillor T Parish:

‘This Council receives a full briefing on the County ‘devolution’ Deal currently being considered by NCC and, in particular, the impact and ramifications it is likely to have on this Borough Council and its’ inhabitants. The briefing to be shared with officers and employees of the authority.’

iii)        To consider the following Notice of Motion (3/23), submitted by Councillor A Kemp:

The Borough Council and the Government's Devolution Deal

In 2016, this Council voted against the Government's Devolution Deal for an Elected Mayor for Norfolk and Suffolk, and an extra tier of Local Government.

Now Govt has offered  a new Devolution Deal with an Elected Mayor for Norfolk, but none of the £600 million funding offered over 30 years for infrastructure or the new powers, would come to this Council or the Districts, but would all go to the County Council. 

The Elected Mayor would become the County Council Leader and would have extensive Housing powers, Rights of Compulsory Purchase and Land Assembly for development, and could set up a "Mayoral Development Area" in any part of Norfolk, and a "Mayoral Development Corporation". 

But Housing is the function of the Local Planning Authority.

The Devolution Deal would take away powers and funding from the District Council and centralise too much power in the hands of the County Council. 

This Council will write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Levelling Up to make its views clear that it does not agree with the Deal.

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube

The Mayor consented to the request by Councillor Parish for a change in order of business in order to take Notice of Motion 2/23 first in the list of Motions on the agenda.

Councillor T Parish proposed the following Notice of Motion (2/23), seconded by Councillor Squire:

‘This Council receives a full briefing on the County ‘devolution’ Deal currently being considered by NCC and, in particular, the impact and ramifications it is likely to have on this Borough Council and its’ inhabitants. The briefing to be shared with officers and employees of the authority.’

In proposing the Motion Councillor Parish spoke in favour of the motion, questioned the need for an elected Leader and the benefits of such to the electorate.  He considered the deal to be poor and that there was insufficient information for councillors. He also drew attention to the action being taken by some of the other Districts in Norfolk.

Councillor Kemp spoke in favour of the motion and against the devolution proposal and any effect it would have on the Borough’s powers.

Councillor Dark spoke against the motion stating the proposals would not have any effect on the Borough’s powers.  He offered to distribute a letter from DLUP which confirmed that sovereignty would not change. He confirmed the undertaking he had given in December that he would ask for an all councillor briefing on the matter which had been provided the previous evening.

Councillor Moriarty requested hearing from the Borough’s officers on whether to agree a protocol with the county council on such things as housing.

Councillor Rust suggested that the west would not get much of the additional funding, and also supported a Borough officer briefing on it.

Councillor Long addressed council reminding members it was not a proposal for a combined authority as had previously been the case.  He reminded Members that the County Council already built homes.  He suggested that the deal for the county council was that some of Government’s powers would be devolved to the County Council.

As the 3 hour time limit of the meeting was approaching, at 19.40 Councillor Parish proposed that the Council continue to sit for 1 hour, this was seconded by Councillor de Whalley.   On being put to the vote the proposal was lost and the meeting closed.