Agenda and minutes

Council held a minute’s silence for the people Israel and Palestine who had lost their lives and the suffering which was continuing.

Prayers were led by Rev Canon Ling

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 24 August and 28 September 2023   (previously circulated).

RESOLVED:  The Minutes of the meetings held on 24 August and 28 September 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Deputy 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.

Councillors Beales, Dark, Heneghan and Moriarty declared non pecuniary interests in the Motion on the Town Deal Board.

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.

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Under Standing Order 9 the Deputy Mayor invited the Public speakers to pose their questions as follows:

1)               Question from Trudy Clark

“This question is to do with Biodiversity Net Gain - Projects already in the planning process will not be subject to the new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), which comes into force in November.  Will this council be following other council’s examples, and encourage those projects already in the planning process to adopt Biodiversity Net Gain into their plans?”

Councillor de Whalley commented that he would also respond to Ms Clark in writing fully but he explained it had been delayed to January 2024.  This provided more time for training and the final legislation to come through.  Mandatory BNG only apply to new applications for major development made after January 2024 and were working with DLUP on transitional arrangements to make sure that it would not be applied retrospectively.  The council could only encourage and not insist on BNG.

An analysis by Carter Jonas found that ¼ of English Planning authorities were preparing for BNG in their local plans 18 months prior before the mandate was nationwide.  Was the Council among those.

Councillor de Whalley confirmed the Local Plan would adopt the BNG as it was statutory, and the Local Plan was under review.

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2)               Question from Patricia Field

“Q1) with reference to the proposed 300- 4000 homes to be built by Hopkins on the new development. Who is going to be counting these homes as they go up?

Q2) with reference to the above proposed plans why when showing the plans to the general public are the council using 2018  maps of the area. They did NOT show my home nor the Lemuer Burt Estate plus other homes that have been built since 2018.

Q: 3) Who in the Council borough or County is will in to take up the challenge of crossing that A10 at peak time! Then tell us we don’t urgently need a crossing.”

Councillor Moriarty responded that the number of houses built on sites was monitored.   Hopkins Homes application was only required to show the application site in their application.  He confirmed that they were familiar with the estate and the proposed road and junction arrangements.  WSP the County’s consultants were  formulating the business case for the access road and were taking account of the existing junctions.

With regard to the third question Councillor Moriarty confirmed as he had discussed previously that a crossing was to be installed prior to the occupation of any homes on the site.  He commented that the applicant couldn’t be held responsible for the existing traffic conditions.  He volunteered Councillors Parish and Dark to undertake the challenge.

By way of supplementary Ms Field commented on the lack of footpath along the A10 and the inability to

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

To consider the following recommendations to Council:

CAB42:           Update to various Housing Standards policies to reflect procedural changes, best practice, case law and statutory guidance

CAB43:           Members Allowances 2023/24

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Councillor Parish proposed the recommendations seconded by Councillor Rust

CAB42:            Update to various Housing Standards policies to reflect procedural changes, best practice, case law and statutory guidance

Councillor Parish proposed the recommendations seconded by Councillor Moriarty

CAB43:            Members Allowances 2023/24

Both recommendations were put to the vote and agreed.

RESOLVED:   The recommendations from the Cabinet meeting on 26 September 2023 were agreed.

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Queen Elizabeth Hospital Governors Council

Councillor Parish nominated Councillor Kemp, this was seconded by Councillor Joyce.  On being put to the vote this was agreed.

Norfolk Countywide Community Safety Scrutiny Panel

Councillor Kemp proposed Councillor Rose to the position.  This was seconded by Councillor Jones.  On being put to the vote this was agreed.

Norfolk Countywide Community Safety Scrutiny Panel - Substitute

Councillor Kemp was proposed as the Substitute by Councillor Joyce and seconded by Councillor Rose.

RESOLVED:   1)         That Councillor Kemp be appointed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Governor’s Council.

2)         That Councillor Rose be appointed to the Norfolk Countywide Community Safety Scrutiny Panel, and Councillor Kemp be appointed as his Substitute.

i)          To consider the following Notice of Motion (14/23), submitted by Councillor Rust

“This council notes the dire situation with NHS dentistry in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.  While the provision of dental services sits with the ICB and isn’t one that our Borough Council can control, we can seek to influence and shape the delivery of improved services and improved access to NHS dentists for our local community. 

We know that a lack of access to NHS dentists impacts on other services such as more calls to NHS 111 and increased visits to Emergency Departments and general practice. 

Norfolk and Waveney have the highest prevalence of dental decay in five-year olds in the region with King’s Lynn and West Norfolk having the second highest prevalence of dental decay in 5-year olds in Norfolk and Waveney. 

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk also had the highest prevalence of 5-year olds with the dental decay affecting incisor teeth in 2022 in the Norfolk and Waveney ICS at 9.6% - higher than the national and regional prevalence.

The number of dentists in our area has declined at a greater rate when compared to the whole of the East and England.  Yet our area has greater levels of need, more areas of deprivation and a higher number of older residents. 

Our Council commits to taking action that will positively improve the local situation regarding NHS dentistry provision and actions will include:

Supporting the provision of Oral Surgery in King’s Lynn, which is currently being provided in Wisbech, by locating a suitable council owned property for use.

Explore and support any funding initiatives in the Borough to provide premises for NHS dental services to operate from.

Write to the Department for Health and Social Care to establish a dental training school in Norfolk, mirroring the success of the School of Nursing based at The College of West Anglia.

Lobby for reform to the National dental contract to help reduce the number of NHS dentists giving up their contracts to deliver private contracts only.

Work with Norfolk County Council to establish preventative services such as school dentists.   

ii)         To consider the following Notice of Motion (15/23), submitted by Councillor Dark

This council recognises the very real threat posed by coastal erosion and sea intrusion to human life and our historic coastal communities, vital tourist industry,  important farming industry and wildlife.

We applaud the recent decision taken at the County Council that as a county Norfolk will now press the Environment Agency, government and local MPs strongly to find and invest sufficient funding to cater for the current level of threat posed and to enhance provision for future years so that coastal defences are up to the task.  

In support of this we now instruct this administration to write to the Environment Agency and relevant Ministers as a matter of urgency, with follow up engagement, to the effect that West Norfolk unequivocally stands alongside Norfolk County Council on this matter on behalf of its residents and that  ...  view the full agenda text for item C:55

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i)            Councillor Rust proposed the following Notice of Motion (14/23), seconded by Councillor Kemp.

“This council notes the dire situation with NHS dentistry in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.  While the provision of dental services sits with the ICB and isn’t one that our Borough Council can control, we can seek to influence and shape the delivery of improved services and improved access to NHS dentists for our local community. 

We know that a lack of access to NHS dentists impacts on other services such as more calls to NHS 111 and increased visits to Emergency Departments and general practice. 

Norfolk and Waveney have the highest prevalence of dental decay in five-year olds in the region with King’s Lynn and West Norfolk having the second highest prevalence of dental decay in 5-year olds in Norfolk and Waveney. 

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk also had the highest prevalence of 5-year olds with the dental decay affecting incisor teeth in 2022 in the Norfolk and Waveney ICS at 9.6% - higher than the national and regional prevalence.

The number of dentists in our area has declined at a greater rate when compared to the whole of the East and England.  Yet our area has greater levels of need, more areas of deprivation and a higher number of older residents. 

Our Council commits to taking action that will positively improve the local situation regarding NHS dentistry provision and actions will include:

Supporting the provision of Oral Surgery in King’s Lynn, which is currently being provided in Wisbech, by locating a suitable council owned property for use.

Explore and support any funding initiatives in the Borough to provide premises for NHS dental services to operate from.

Write to the Department for Health and Social Care to establish a dental training school in Norfolk, mirroring the success of the School of Nursing based at The College of West Anglia.

Lobby for reform to the National dental contract to help reduce the number of NHS dentists giving up their contracts to deliver private contracts only.

Work with Norfolk County Council to establish preventative services such as school dentists.”   

In proposing the Motion, Councillor Rust explained that due to the urgency of the matter she had brought it to the Council as a motion rather than submitting it through the Panels process. She drew attention to the problems with dental provision in the Borough.

Councillor Kemp seconded the Motion and spoke on the issues being faced by families who couldn’t access a dental service and often struggled to afford toothbrushes and toothpaste.  She referred to the lobbying she had carried out on their behalf and the use of some of her grant to provide toothbrushes and toothpaste in schools in her ward.

Councillor Joyce spoke on the potential for the item to be referred to the Environment and Community Panel.  He confirmed the urgency of the motion and that it needed to be decided upon  ...  view the full minutes text for item C:55

In accordance with Standing Order 11, to receive reports from Cabinet Members moved en bloc, under Standing Order 11.2 Members of the Council may ask questions of Cabinet Members on their reports and Portfolio areas. The order of putting questions shall commence with a Member from the largest opposition group, proceeding in descending order to the smallest opposition group, followed by a non-aligned Member and finally a Member from the ruling group. This order shall repeat until the time for questions has elapsed or there are no more questions to be put. 

The period of time for putting questions and receiving responses shall not exceed 50 minutes for all Cabinet Members, excluding the Leader

The period of time for putting questions and receiving responses to the Leader shall not exceed 15 minutes.

(Councillors are reminded that this is a question and answer session not a debate.)

Business – Councillor A Beales

Climate Change and Biodiversity – Councillor M de Whalley (to follow)

Environment and Coastal - Councillor S Squire

Finance – Councillor C Morley

Property & Corporate Services – Councillor B Anota

People and Communities – Councillor J Rust

Tourism Events and Marketing – Cllr S Ring

Deputy Leader Development and Regeneration – Councillor J Moriarty

Leader - Councillor T Parish

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Councillor Parish proposed all Cabinet Members reports en bloc and explained there would be two updates.

Councillor Moriarty informed members that there would be an additional planning Committee on 16 November to deal with a large number of applications.

He drew attention to the Parish event held the previous day for planning training, and also the very well attended consultation event in West Winch where there were some comments that not all homes had been leafleted, however notices had been erected during the day.  He indicated he was minded to hold a further event once the West Winch access road planning application was submitted, both he and Councillor Kemp would deliver notices.

Councillor de Whalley informed members that the EV point in Hunstanton was now working.

Councillor Morley responded to a question from Councillor Dark on the funding of the Gaywood Remembrance service, to which he suggested that the King’s Lynn members could discuss special expenses in their forthcoming meeting.

Councillor Sayers asked if there was ambition to increase the level of recycling in the borough.  Councillor Squires confirmed there was.

Councillor Bullen asked for an update on the Tosca barge.  Councillor Anota confirmed the contractor was appointed and following due diligence the project should be completed later in the month or early next month.

Councillor Lawrence asked what the situation with the night shelter funding was.  Councillor Rust responded that the operating model had changed in the pandemic, the funding for it was mainly from central government.  More preventative measures were now needed to move people on to more long term independent but supported accommodation.  She referred to rough sleeper numbers that those who had complex needs which couldn’t be accommodated within the Council’s means.

Councillor Sayers asked when the next round of Household Support Fund would be available.  Councillor Rust confirmed it was already being distributed, but there was no self referral system so residents had to be referred by GPs or 3^rd parties.  All the information was available on the web site.

Councillor Rust responding to Councillor Lintern who drew attention to the Beat the Bills Roadshow which showed what was available, she had written some articles on beat the bills resulting in enquiries on energy efficiency.  She welcomed any further ideas.

Councillor Dark referred to a press comment that £30,000 for the Night Shelter was being withheld, and anonymous spokesperson making press comments.  He asked who had taken the decision to put it into the press domain.  Councillor Rust commented that as Portfolio Holder and long term volunteer she backed the decision.  She again drew attention to the operating model on which there was concern.  She reminded members that the Council had to see value for model, and there was no sustainable financial model for it. 

At this point in the meeting Councillor Parish proposed the meeting continue to complete the questions, this was seconded by Councillor Moriarty.  On being put to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item C:56

In accordance with Standing Order 11.2 (b), Members of the Council may ask any questions of the Chair of any Council Body (except the Cabinet).

No permissable questions.