Agenda and minutes

The Head of Legal, Democratic and Regulatory Services advised Councillors to consider declaring personal and non-pecuniary interests, if appropriate, in relation to the matters recorded in Minute nos. 4 and 11 below.  The following Members then declared personal and non-pecuniary interests:-

(i)  The Mayor, who was a pharmacist by profession working in a private hospital which occasionally served NHS patients also, declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in the matters recorded in Minute nos. 4 and 11 below;

(ii)  Councillor Donald declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 4 below because his wife was a former employee of the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust;

(iii)  Councillor T Smith declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 4 below because his partner was currently employed by the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust;

(iv)  Councillor Gardner declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 11 below because worked for a pharmaceutical company;

(v)  Councillor Pawle declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 4 below because his daughter was a health visitor in Hatfield;

(vi)  Councillor T Heritage declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 4 below because she was a member of Hertfordshire County Council’s Health and Wellbeing Partnership and worked with Clinical Commissioning Groups;

(vii)  Councillor Farmer declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 4 below because she was an appointed Governor of Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation University Trust;

(viii)  Councillor Hodgson declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in Minute no. 11 below because he was employed by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

To approve the Minutes of the following meeting of the Council:

·  Meeting held on 13 July 2016.

COUNCIL DECISION

That the Minutes of Meeting No. 2 of the Council held on 13 July 2016 be taken as read and confirmed.

The Mayor welcomed Helen Brown, David Evans and Cameron Ward to the meeting as guests of the Council.

The Mayor advised that she and the Deputy Mayor would be joining the sleep out event in the grounds of the Cathedral on 14 October 2016.  Sponsorship monies were invited, as the local charity to benefit would be Open Door.

The Mayor also reported that she had attended an Affiliates Mess Dinner aboard HMS St Albans which had recently returned from a 9-month deployment to the Middle East.  The ship’s company would be represented at the Civic Service on 16 October and at the Remembrance Sunday events on 13 November.

The Mayor thanked everyone who had participated in her fundraising quiz on 8 October, which had raised over £1,700.  Special thanks were extended to Councillor Bolton who had arranged the event.

The Mayor highlighted various activities that were currently being held in Local Democracy Week and welcomed the participation by Members.  Forthcoming civic events would include the following:-

·  20 November 2106 – the High Sheriff’s Service at the Cathedral;

·  6 January 2017 – a ‘Twelfth Night’ charity fundraising party at St Michael’s Manor, details of which would follow.

To consider the recommendations set out in the attached report at page 7.

David Evans, Programme Director – Your Care, Your Future, Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group, gave a brief introductory presentation and answered questions from Members about the Strategic Review.

The recommendations to Council from the St Albans District Health and Wellbeing Partnership meeting on 1 September 2016 in relation to this Agenda item had been submitted.  However, with the consent of the Council under Council Procedure Rule 14.7(a), Councillor Donald moved and Councillor Farmer seconded the following altered motion:-

“2.1  That Council supports:

(i)  the development of a greenfield site for the provision of emergency and acute care and;

(ii)  the redevelopment of the St Albans City Hospital facilities for the provision of planned care.

(iii)  the development of a Health and Wellbeing Hub on the Memorial Hospital site in Harpenden.

2.2  That in the event the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group either decides against a greenfield site option for the provision of emergency and acute care, or that the development of a greenfield site does not also include the redevelopment of St Albans City Hospital facilities for planned care, and the development of the Memorial Hospital site in Harpenden, this Council will accept:

(i)  a mixture of new build and redevelopment of the existing Watford site for emergency and acute care;

(ii)  the redevelopment of the St Albans City Hospital facilities for the provision of planned care;

(iii)  the development of a Health and Wellbeing Hub on the Memorial site in Harpenden.”

Upon the altered motion being put to the vote, the Mayor declared it to be CARRIED.

COUNCIL DECISION

(i)  That Council supports:

(i)  the development of a greenfield site for the provision of emergency and acute care and;

(ii)  the redevelopment of the St Albans City Hospital facilities for the provision of planned care.

(iii)  the development of a Health and Wellbeing Hub on the Memorial Hospital site in Harpenden.

(ii)  That in the event the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group either decides against a greenfield site option for the provision of emergency and acute care, or that the development of a greenfield site does not also include the redevelopment of St Albans City Hospital facilities for planned care, and the development of the Memorial Hospital site in Harpenden, this Council will accept:

(i)  a mixture of new build and redevelopment of the existing Watford site for emergency and acute care;

(ii)  the redevelopment of the St Albans City Hospital facilities for the provision of planned care;

(iii)  the development of a Health and Wellbeing Hub on the Memorial site in Harpenden.

To consider the recommendations set out in the attached report at page 20.

Councillor Daly moved and Councillor Campbell seconded the following recommendations:

“2.1  That Council receive the 2015/2016 Treasury Management Review.

 2.2  That Council approve the amendments to the 2016/17 capital programme”.

Upon the motion being put to the vote it was declared CARRIED.

COUNCIL DECISION

(i)  That Council receive the 2015/2016 Treasury Management Review.

(ii)  That Council approve the amendments to the 2016/17 capital programme.

To receive the Annual Report of the Council’s Audit Committee for 2015-16.

Councillor White, as Chair of the Audit Committee, moved that the Annual Report of the Audit Committee 2015-16 be received.

Upon the motion being put to the vote it was declared CARRIED.

COUNCIL DECISION

That the Annual Report of the Audit Committee 2015-16 be received.

To consider the recommendations set out in the attached report at page 44.

Councillor Rowlands, as Chair of the Local Services Scrutiny Committee in 2015-16 moved and Councillor Mills as Chair of the Internal Performance Scrutiny Committee in 2015-16 seconded the following recommendations:

“2.1  That the Annual Report of the Scrutiny Committees 2015-16 be received.

 2.2  That the copies of the Annual Report be sent to Town and Parish Clerks and Secretaries to Residents’ Associations and that copies be sent to public libraries in the District”.

Upon the motion being put to the vote it was declared CARRIED.

COUNCIL DECISION

(i)  That the Annual Report of the Scrutiny Committees 2015-16 be received.

(ii)  That copies of the Annual Report be sent to Town and Parish Clerks and Secretaries to Residents’ Associations and that copies be sent to public libraries in the District.

To consider the recommendations set out in the attached report at page 101.

Councillor Read moved and Councillor Daly seconded the following recommendation:

“That for a further trial period of one year from 12 October 2016, the current wording of Rule 14.6 (c) be continued in the following terms:

Where more than one motion or amendment on a matter is to be moved, the Mayor may determine the order in which such motions or amendments are to be taken, and may determine that more than one motion or amendment be debated together”.

Upon the motion being put to the vote it was declared CARRIED.

COUNCIL DECISION

That for a further trial period of one year from 12 October 2016, the current wording of Rule 14.6 (c) be continued in the following terms:

“Where more than one motion or amendment on a matter is to be moved, the Mayor may determine the order in which such motions or amendments are to be taken, and may determine that more than one motion or amendment be debated together.”

The Chair of Cabinet will report the decisions of the meetings on the following dates, as set out in the Minutes:

·  21 July 2016 at 7.00 pm (previously circulated);

·  22 September 2016 at 7.00 pm (previously circulated).

Councillor Daly as Chair of Cabinet presented the decisions of the following meetings by way of report:

·  Meeting held on 21 July 2016 at 7.00 pm;

·  Meeting held on 22 September 2016 at 7.00 pm.

The following five questions had been received under Council Procedure Rule 11.2.  The answers provided by the four Portfolio Holders concerned are set out below.

(i)  Question from Councillor Grover to Councillor Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing

“We are told that the Government’s benefit cap, reducing maximum household benefits from £26,000 to £20,000 will be implemented this November, and that we expect 211 households in our district to be capped, reducing their household income by up to £279.64 a week.

Can you give more information about how we are going to offer help to affected households, what that help might be, and what level of demand we are expecting for Discretionary Housing Payments?”

Answer

“As you may know, Councillor Daly and I have spoken to Anne Main MP who has contacted the relevant Minister to express concern.  We feel that the cap level for St Albans should be £23,000, as in London, in view of the high local rent levels.  The Minister has agreed to a meeting which will be arranged as soon as possible.

The amount of Housing Benefit reduction as a result of the introduction of the Benefit Cap in the District ranges from £0.14 to £279.64 per week.  The average loss is £62.11 per week.  Those households which may be affected have already been contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions.

This Council’s officers will also be contacting affected households shortly to tell them how much their Housing Benefit reduction will be.  They will also be providing details of where residents can get further help and support.  They will be following up this letter by telephoning all affected claimants, both those in the private rental sector and Council tenants. 

Our current estimate is that 80 Council tenants will be affected by the cap.  We will be offering home visits, or office appointments, if they want assistance with claiming a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP).

The Council is working closely with the local Job Centre to provide support.  The Job Centre can provide claimants with coaching to help them find employment, and overcome barriers that may prevent them working (numeracy, literacy, child care issues). 

We currently fund two Citizen’s Advice sessions to help people at risk of losing their home due to debt.  These are individual money advice appointments on Tuesdays and a drop in session on Friday mornings. The team has been in contact with Citizen’s Advice to investigate further opportunities for joint working.

The Council and the Department for Work and Pensions are holding a drop in session at the Alban Arena on Monday 24^th October, between 10am and 2pm.  The aim is to provide advice about the Benefit Cap.  A number of local employers, training providers, housing associations and agencies such as Citizen’s Advice are also attending.  Flyers for this event will be included with the letter sent out by the Council.

To help people affected by the Benefit Cap, the Council has been allocated an additional £30,000 by Central Government (in 2016/17) for Discretionary Housing Payments.

We currently have £96,000 as yet unused funding available for Discretionary Housing Payments up to the end of March 2017.  At this stage it is difficult to anticipate the level of demand.  When the £26,000 per annum benefit cap was introduced in 2013, discretionary payment demand was less than anticipated for most authorities.  Some families managed the reduction in their family income without falling into rent arrears or requiring a Discretionary Housing Payment.  On this occasion the reductions in benefit as a result of the £20,000 cap are more significant.”

Supplementary Question

“The answer says  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To receive notice of the following motion received under Council Procedure Rule 12.1:-

(i)  To be proposed by Councillor Mills and seconded by Councillor Gordon

“This Council recognises and values the work of our local pharmacies in delivering frontline healthcare advice and treatment in easily accessible and local community settings, thus reducing pressure on General Practice, Accident and Emergency Departments and Out of Hours services which are already struggling.

This Council notes that the Department of Health intends reducing funding to community pharmacy budgets by £170m, with cuts being introduced as soon as 1^st December 2016 and considers that this could well result in the closure of smaller independent pharmacies and impact negatively on the quality of service delivery and patient access.

This Council therefore resolves to call upon our two local MPs to contact the Minister and the Health Secretary to ask that they review the decision to proceed with these cuts and enter into discussions with community pharmacy representatives to discuss an alternative way forward”.

Councillor Mills proposed and Councillor Gordon seconded the following motion:

“This Council recognises and values the work of our local pharmacies in delivering frontline healthcare advice and treatment in easily accessible and local community settings, thus reducing pressure on General Practice, Accident and Emergency Departments and Out of Hours services which are already struggling.

This Council notes that the Department of Health intends reducing funding to community pharmacy budgets by £170m, with cuts being introduced as soon as 1^st December 2016 and considers that this could well result in the closure of smaller independent pharmacies and impact negatively on the quality of service delivery and patient access.

This Council therefore resolves to call upon our two local MPs to contact the Minister and the Health Secretary to ask that they review the decision to proceed with these cuts and enter into discussions with community pharmacy representatives to discuss an alternative way forward”.

Upon the motion being put to the vote, it was declared CARRIED.

COUNCIL DECISION

This Council recognises and values the work of our local pharmacies in delivering frontline healthcare advice and treatment in easily accessible and local community settings, thus reducing pressure on General Practice, Accident and Emergency Departments and Out of Hours services which are already struggling.

This Council notes that the Department of Health intends reducing funding to community pharmacy budgets by £170m, with cuts being introduced as soon as 1^st December 2016 and considers that this could well result in the closure of smaller independent pharmacies and impact negatively on the quality of service delivery and patient access.

This Council therefore resolves to call upon our two local MPs to contact the Minister and the Health Secretary to ask that they review the decision to proceed with these cuts and enter into discussions with community pharmacy representatives to discuss an alternative way forward.