Agenda and minutes

Venue: Assembly Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King's Lynn PE30 5DQ. View directions

Contact: Sam Winter, Democratic Services Manager 616327 

Note: To start immediately following the extraordinary meeting scheduled to start at 4.30pm. 

Items
No. Item

C:88

MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 23 February and 9 March 2023 (previously circulated).

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  The Minutes of the Meetings of Council held on 23 February and 9 March 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

C:89

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

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.

 

 

C:90

MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

To receive Mayor’s communications and announcements.

 

Minutes:

There were none.

C:91

URGENT BUSINESS

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

 

Minutes:

There was none.

C:92

PETITIONS AND PUBLIC QUESTIONS

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

Minutes:

There were none.

C:93

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COUNCIL BODIES

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

To consider the following recommendations to Council:

 

C:93i

Cabinet: 7 March 2023 pdf icon PDF 204 KB

CAB141:          Local Plan – Inspector’s Letter – Recommended Way Forward

CAB142:          Review of Unreasonable Complaints Policy

CAB143:          LGA Model Code of Conduct

CAB144:          Members Allowances Scheme 2021-2025

CAB146:          Freedom of the Borough Update

CAB147:          Governance Review Task Group

 

Minutes:

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

 

Councillor Dark proposed and Councillor Blunt seconded recommendation CAB141:Local Plan – Inspector’s Letter – Recommended Way Forward.

 

Council debated the recommendation and the recommendations for West Winch.  Councillor Joyce and Bone spoke against the recommendations.  As a point of clarification Councillor Kemp pointed out that in the Cabinet meeting she had referred to the Inspectors letter re the West Winch scheme being unsustainable compared with Watlington and Downham Market which had a railway.

 

Councillor de Whalley questioned the presence of the Barrister at the Local Plan Task Group. He commented on the response to the A10 main rail line strategic growth corridor.

 

Councillor Morley drew attention to development plans for rural areas. He proposed an amendment to recommendation 3 to remove the delegation to the Chair and Vice-Chair to agree the Criteria based policy, to require the Policy to be agreed by the full Task Group.  This was seconded by Councillor Moriarty.

 

The amendment was not accepted by Councillor Dark.  Councillor Moriarty spoke in support of the amendment as he felt the Task Group was being sidelined.

 

Councillor Parish as Vice-Chair of the Task Group reminded members that he spoke against rural developments and reassured members that the Chair and Vice Chair would agree the final version following agreement at the last Task Group.  Councillor Joyce spoke against the amendment.  Councillor Dark reminded members that the recommendations from Cabinet were those that had been proposed by the Task Group to Cabinet which had agreed them. 

 

On being put the vote, the amendment was lost.

 

In debating the substantive recommendation Councillor Moriarty questioned the presence of a legal representative at the meeting.  He considered it was too simple a solution to the Inspectors questions.

 

Councillor Blunt explained that he had requested legal advice to the meeting so the Task Group had the opportunity to get the advice first hand.  He reminded members that the Inspectors weren’t challenging the decisions, but the evidence.  He reminded members that it was a response to the Inspectors letter and they would then come back, it would go out to consultation and come back to the Task Group and Council.

 

On being put to the vote the recommendation was carried.

 

Councillor Dark proposed the following recommendations, seconded by Councillor Middleton. 

 

CAB142:          Review of Unreasonable Complaints Policy

CAB143:          LGA Model Code of Conduct

CAB144:          Members Allowances Scheme 2021-2025 – It was noted that there was no change to the scheme, just the date range of the Scheme.

CAB146:          Freedom of the Borough Update.

CAB147:          Governance Review Task Group – Councillor Ryves suggested that the County Deal item should be referred to the Task Group for consideration.  It was agreed that the Task Group was not the correct place for this to be considered.

 

RESOLVED:   That the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting held on 7 March 2023 be approved.

C:94

NOTICES OF MOTION

i)       To consider the following Notice of Motion (6/23), submitted by Councillor Parish and seconded by Councillor Dark:

 

“This Council has received briefings on the County ‘devolution’ Deal currently being considered by Norfolk County Council.

In light of these we note that there is nothing in the ‘deal’ currently that impacts on the powers and sovereignty of this council and more money could be coming to Norfolk as a consequence of it.

However, the ‘deal’ text is currently out to public consultation and going through Parliament before a final debate and decision at Norfolk County Council at around December 2023, so alterations in the coming months are a real possibility.

Consequently,  this council believes it is prudent to reserve it’s final position on the ultimate ‘deal’ at this time and instructs officers to continue engaging on behalf of West-Norfolk, focussed on 3 areas; this council’s powers and sovereignty remain undiminished; West-Norfolk will have a fair say in the priorities being set for any new funding under the ‘deal’ and West-Norfolk will have a fair opportunity to access such funding with a report being brought before council promptly if anything material to the above changes or in sufficient time for consideration and debate to occur and a clear public position to be taken before the County Council decision in December 2023.”

 

 

ii)      To consider the following Notice of Motion (7/23), submitted by Councillor Sandell and seconded by Councillor Dark

 

As this council comes to the end of its term and reflects back on an unprecedented, exceptionally demanding four years it formally thanks its staff, partner councils and agencies, partner charities and the many local volunteer groups and individuals who have worked flexibly, diligently and effectively to support and move West Norfolk forwards throughout this time.

 

 

Minutes:

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

 

i)                 Councillor Parish and seconded by Councillor Dark proposed  the following Notice of Motion (6/23):

 

“This Council has received briefings on the County ‘devolution’ Deal currently being considered by Norfolk County Council.

 

In light of these we note that there is nothing in the ‘deal’ currently that impacts on the powers and sovereignty of this council and more money could be coming to Norfolk as a consequence of it.

 

However, the ‘deal’ text is currently out to public consultation and going through Parliament before a final debate and decision at Norfolk County Council at around December 2023, so alterations in the coming months are a real possibility.

Consequently,  this council believes it is prudent to reserve it’s final position on the ultimate ‘deal’ at this time and instructs officers to continue engaging on behalf of West-Norfolk, focussed on 3 areas; this council’s powers and sovereignty remain undiminished; West-Norfolk will have a fair say in the priorities being set for any new funding under the ‘deal’ and West-Norfolk will have a fair opportunity to access such funding with a report being brought before council promptly if anything material to the above changes or in sufficient time for consideration and debate to occur and a clear public position to be taken before the County Council decision in December 2023.”

 

In debating the Motion, Councillor Morley proposed the following amendments which were seconded by Councillor de Whalley:

 

Consequently, this Council believes it is essential to reserve now its final position on the ultimate “deal”, and instructs oOfficers to continue to engage in the consultation process with the objective of delivering on the following agenda.

This Council’s existing powers and

1.     sovereignty to remain undiminished.

 

2.     Ensure a fair and equitable debate amongst all interested parties to secure an equitable outcome but also having regard to the further agenda.

3.     Apportionment of funds at day 1 and in the future to be based on proven evidence of need and clear improvement opportunities. The era of “shovel ready” projects (revenue or capital) to stop.

 

4.     Funding to recognise that we are a gateway to the North Sea, Hanseatic, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire and our needs, such as transport, road and rail infrastructure and business clusters vary from others.

 

A report is to be brought promptly before Council if anything material   occurs which will frustrate this Agenda being secured and in sufficient time for consideration and debate to permit a clear and open position to be taken before the County Council decision in December 2023

 

 

The amendments were not accepted by Councillor Parish.  In debating the amendment Councillor Long commented that he was part of the Group at the County Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item C:94

C:95

CABINET MEMBERS REPORTS pdf icon PDF 106 KB

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.)

 

 

Corporate Services - Councillor H Humphrey

Environment - Councillor P Kunes

Development - Councillor R Blunt

Finance – Councillor A Dickinson

Property – Councillor A Lawrence

People and Communities – Councillor S Sandell

Deputy Leader and Business, Culture & Heritage – Councillor G Middleton – to follow

 

Leader - Councillor S Dark – to follow

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

Councillor Dark moved the Cabinet Members reports en bloc.  This was seconded by Councillor Middleton.

 

Councillor Morley asked whether grant monies had to be paid back on air source heat pumps, to which Councillor Kunes disagreed.

 

Councillor Bone in expressing delight at the North End Alleyways being cleared asked how they would be kept clear.  Councillor Kunes explained that it had taken so long to do as the ownership of the alleys was in question, he drew attention to the issues having to be dealt with during the clearance. 

 

Councillor Kemp suggested that the training pledge should be used to train young people to work with Freebridge to bring houses back into use.  Councillor Sandell commented that Freebridge had recently provided an update to all councillors on those delays.

 

In response to Councillor Crofts question on when it was expected to have an update on the Local Plan Examination, Councillor Blunt stated that the work was almost complete and he would be discussing the criteria based policy with the task group Vice-Chair in readiness for the 26 April deadline.  From there the Inspectors would decide if it was acceptable and make recommendations on the soundness of the process and following a consultation process it would come back to the Council for further consideration.

 

Councillor Parish asked whether Councillor Blunt’s portfolio was too large to which he responded that it was helpful when Deputy portfolio holders were in place, he also hoped that the changes to the staffing structure would help.

 

Councillor Morley asked of the emergency access for Parkway had been resolved, to which Councillor Blunt commented that the County Highways department were considering it as part of condition 9 of the planning application.

 

Councillor Long asked if Councillor Kunes agreed that the collection of batteries was good for west Norfolk, to which Councillor Kunes commented that he was amazed at how many were being collected, and the collection of smaller electrical goods for recycling was now being rolled out.

 

Councillor Squires asked Councillor Kunes how prepared the Borough was for the unavoidable climate impacts.  Councillor Kunes gave a run down of things the Council was doing such as raising the heights of sea banks in the Borough.  He referred to tree planting but also reported that they were often vandalised.  He suggested that the use of solar farms and battery storage would be a sensible approach.

 

Councillor Collop asked Councillor Lawrence about the reference to Gaywood Community Centre ownership, to which he explained that the similar offer was made to community groups as was made to Hunstanton.

 

Councillor Nockolds asked Councillor Middleton about the Soap Box Derby being held in Hunstanton that weekend.  To which he advised that there were 48 carts registered.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Rust on the where the fine money from Serco was spent, Councillor Kunes explained that things such as solar litter bins had been purchased for Hunstanton.  He  ...  view the full minutes text for item C:95