Agenda and Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25 September 2008

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25^th September were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.  

The following Petitions were presented :-

Mrs M Baldwin – from residents of Aylesbury regarding a request for a 20 mph speed limit within the Aylesbury Inner Relief Road ;

Mr P Roberts – from residents of Gerrards Cross regarding objections to pavement layout in Orchehill Avenue, Gerrards Cross ;

Mr D Carroll – from residents of Hazlemere regarding speeding traffic in Lower Lodge Lane, Hazlemere.

a        To receive any apologies for absence

b        To receive any communications the Chairman wishes to present to the Council

The Chairman welcomed members back to the Council Chamber. He asked members to note that a special meeting of the Council would be held on Thursday, 29^th January at 10 am, venue to be confirmed.

To declare any personal or prejudicial interests

Members declared the following interests :-

Mrs M Baldwin as a Trustee of Age Concern

Julia Wassell as a member of the Buckinghamshire Association of Social Workers and as a Governor of High crest and Ash Hill Schools.

Mr Ed Macalister-Smith, Chief Executive of the Buckinghamshire NHS Primary Care Trust, gave a presentation on “Our Health Strategy for the next five years” and answered members questions.

A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed for non-written Questions to Cabinet Members.  Written Questions will be taken as normal at the end of each Cabinet Member Report

Members asked Questions of Cabinet Members.

The Council received a report from each of the Chairmen of its Overview and Scrutiny Committees on the Countywide Work Programme. The Chairmen answered questions from members regarding the work of their individual committees.  

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services

The Council considered the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services on new governance arrangements under the provisions of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The Council needed to decide whether to adopt the new style “Leader with Cabinet” model or the “Elected Mayor” model, noting that in either model the person would serve for four years and that implementation would be from 7^th June 2009, following the County Council Elections which had been moved to 4^th June.

It was proposed by Mr S Adams, seconded by Mr P Rogerson, that the Council should adopt the new-style “Leader with Cabinet” model. This was agreed.

RESOLVED-

That the Council :-

1 Adopts the new-style “Leader with Cabinet” model, noting that the person would serve for four years and that implementation would be from 7^th June 2009;

2 Instructs the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to publicise the chosen proposal;

3 Instructs the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to amend the Constitution to take account of the agreed change as from 7^th June 2009  

The Council received and noted the report of the Leader of the Council which contained the following items :-

-          Pathfinder

-          County Councils Network Conference

-          CAA

The Council received and noted the report of the Deputy Leader which contained the following items :-

-          Member Induction

-          Sustainability Annual Report

-          Government Consultations

The Council received and noted the report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care which contained the following items :-

-          Star Rating for Adult Social Care

-          Performance Management and Self Directed Support Benchmarking adult social care services

-          Project Care

-          Shared Lives (formerly Adult Placement)

-          Getting Closer to Communities (GC2C)

-          Partnership Working between Bierton Hill Resource Centre and the Local Police

-          Learning Disability-Campus Transfer

In addition, the Council considered the following item which was taken as an addendum to the Cabinet Member’s Report :-

 – the 2007-2008 Annual Report of the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Board

-          Cabinet Member for Achievement and Learning

-          Cabinet Member for Children and Families Social Care

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Achievement and Learning which contained the following items :-

-          School Attendance

-          Primary Capital Programme

-          Aylesbury Area Plan

-          National Challenge

The Council received and noted the report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Families Social Care which contained the following items :-

-          Celebration Event for Children in Care

-          Regional “Care Matters” Conference

-          Safeguarding Roadshows

-          Recruitment and Retention

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources which included the following items:-

-          Icelandic Bank Update

-          Pensions Administration – Benchmark

-          Services for Schools Quality Review Programme

-          Continued Support for Small Businesses

-          Automated Direct Debits

-          Pitney Bowes Contract

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Community Services which contained the following items:

-          Youth Service Provision

-          Library Service Review

-          Environment

-          Update on the Buckinghamshire Alcohol Strategy

-          National Consumer Week – 17 to 21 November 2008

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Transportation which contained the following items:

-          Annual Transportation Survey 2008

-          Update with We’re Working On It project

-          Aylesbury Vale Parkway

-          Aylesbury Public Transport Hub – Bridge

-          Petitions

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning which contained the following items:

-          SE Plan-Response to Government Proposals

-          Proposals from NATs for revised air traffic flight paths

-          Aylesbury Growth options

-          MKSM Conference

-          Leader Update

-          LAGBI Update

-          Waste Pathfinder update

-          IVC

-          Waste update on procurement

Questions to be taken as appropriate under Agenda Item 7

Questions, Answers and Supplementaries were dealt with under Cabinet Member Reports. Copies are available in the Members Library and on the Council’s website.

Mrs P Lindsley

The Council considered the following Notice of Motion, which had been assigned to Mrs C Willetts by Mrs P Lindsley:-

“This Council is committed to funding the youth service so that it can fulfil its duty to all the young people of Bucks, because “Every Child Matters”.

It was proposed by Mrs M Dewar, seconded by Mr DAC Shakespeare, that the Motion be amended to read as follows :-

“This Council reaffirms its commitment to fund the Youth Service within the Council’s available resources; as Ofsted recognised at the last inspection, in Buckinghamshire “Every Child Matters”.

On a vote being taken the amendment was carried by 21 votes to 0 with 5 abstentions.

The substantive Motion was then put to the vote and carried by 21 votes to 0 with 5 abstentions.

RESOLVED –

“This Council reaffirms its commitment to fund the Youth Service within the Council’s available resources ; as Ofsted recognised at the last inspection, in Buckinghamshire “Every Child Matters” .