Minutes for City Council meeting, Dec 4 2008, 2.30PM official page

The Lord Mayor welcomed members of the public and representatives of organisations to the Council meeting.

The Lord Mayor reported that there were no official announcements to be brought before the Council.

The Lord Mayor reported that there was no business of a non-contentious and/or urgent nature to be brought forward.

Members to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

Members declared interests, as indicated, in accordance with the provisions of the City Council’s Constitution on the issued listed below:

Name

Item

Interest

Nature

Councillors Garner and Gratton

Para. 127 – Mitchell Memorial Youth Arts Centre Refurbishment

Personal

A close  family member is an occasional user of the Mitchell Memorial Theatre

Councillor Follows

Agenda Papers

Personal

Close friend and family member referred to in papers.

Councillor M. Bell and Conteh

Para. 124 – Petition re: Parking on Stoke match days.

Personal

Stoke City Football Club Season Ticket holder.

 

 

 

To deal with any public questions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.

The Lord Mayor reported that there were no questions to consider under Council Procedure Rule 10.

 

To consider any questions (notice of which have been given under Council Procedure Rule 11.2)

The Lord Mayor reported that there were no questions to consider under Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

The City Council received a report of the Interim Assistant Chief Executive giving details of petitions received in relation to the issues listed below:-

• Parking issue around Newford Primary School, Brownley Road, Smallthorne
• Objections to the City Council’s decision to remove six parking bays in favour of providing parking spaces for three taxis in Market Place, Burslem.

The Lead Petitioner, Mr S Davies, addressed the City Council on behalf of the 800 signatories to the petition.

Councillors Garner, Coleman, Salih, J. Davis and Gratton, and the Elected Mayor asked questions of the lead petitioner.

• City Farm – Save our local park facilities.
• Parking in Quarry Avenue, Penkhull

The Lead Petitioner, Mr Arnold, addressed the City Council on behalf of the 78 signatories to the petition.

Councillor Conteh asked a question of the lead petitioner.

• Traffic access problems caused by cars parking during Stoke City match days.

The Lead Petitioner, Mr Wright, addressed the City Council on behalf of the 57 signatories to the petition.

Councillors Follows, Barnes and Billington asked questions of the lead petitioner who was advised that a meeting would be arranged between City Council officers; Stoke City football club officials and local residents to discuss the issues in more detail.

• Request to the City Council and the North Staffs Healthcare Trust to preserve and restore the Victorian gates and the entrance lodge at Westcliffe hospital, Turnhurst Road, Chell, when considering any future development of the site.

The Lead Petitioner, Mr Hardaker addressed the City Council on behalf of the 122 signatories to the petition.

Councillors Billington, Kent-Baguley, James and Salih asked questions of the lead petitioner who was advised that a meeting would be arranged with the Head of Housing Services to discuss the plans for the development of the site.

• Request for traffic calming measures in Tilehurst Place, Blurton.

 

On the motion of Councillor Tolley, seconded by Councillor Lyth, it was:-

 

School Governing Bodies in the City of Stoke-on-Trent

-catchment areas and proposed forms of governance, associated with parts of the restructure of the City's High Schools.

 

This Council further notes that it believes the disquiet, upset and controversy around these issues is having an increasingly unsettling and debilitating effect both within the schools and the wider communities.

 

Therefore this Council resolves that :

 

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee sets up a Task and Finish Group under the Children and Young People's Overview and Scrutiny Committee to research the views of parents, pupils, governors, teachers, councillors and relevant officials with regard to the restructure as it concerns Trentham High, Blurton High, Mitchell High, Berryhill High, Edensor High and Longton High Schools and to present their findings and evaluations to the Executive for debate and resolution".

 

Councillor Kent-Baguley moved and Councillor Salih seconded the following motion (notice of which had previously been given):-

‘This Council notes the widespread and deep disquiet amongst a number of communities across the City concerning the proposed sites, proposed catchment areas and proposed forms of governance, associated with parts of the restructure of the City's High Schools.

 

This Council further notes that it believes the disquiet, upset and controversy around these issues is having an increasingly unsettling and debilitating effect both within the schools and the wider communities.

 

Therefore this Council resolves that:

 

“The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee sets up a Task and Finish Group under the Children and Young People's Overview and Scrutiny Committee to research the views of parents, pupils, governors, teachers, councillors and relevant officials with regard to the restructure as it concerns Trentham High, Blurton High, Mitchell High, Berryhill High, Edensor High and Longton High Schools and to present their findings and evaluations to the Executive for debate and resolution".

 

Further to a debate on the motion, Councillor A. Walker moved the following amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Coleman:-

 

“Leave paragraph 1 and 2 and replace paragraph 3 with:

The whole BSF project is put into review and a fresh consultation exercise is undertaken by this Council with an independent body appointed to provide an accurate projection on future pupil numbers.”

 

During debate on the amendment, Councillor Pervez moved a procedural motion ‘that the question now be put’, which was supported by more that two thirds of the members present and voting at the meeting. 

(Councillor Billington requested that his abstention from the vote on the procedural motion be recorded in the minutes, on the basis that he had not received an answer to questions that he had asked during the debate).

On being put to the vote, the amendment was then defeated.

After a debate on the original motion, Councillor P. Joynson moved and Councillor A. Joynson seconded that a recorded vote be taken and this was supported by more than 25 members present and voting at the meeting.

(At this point in the proceedings (6.00 p.m) the Lord Mayor left the meeting and the Deputy Lord Mayor took the Chair).

Councillor Derek Capey

Lord Mayor

 

 

 

(Deputy Lord Mayor in the Chair)

The outcome of the recorded vote was as follows:-

For the motion:- Councillors Baddeley, M. Bell, Bridges, Coleman, Conteh, Dale, Davis, Follows, Hall, James, A. Joynson, P. Joynson, Kent-Baguley, Marfleet, Mitchell, Pyatt, Salih, Sandland, A. Walker, E. Walker and Webb

 

Against the motion:-  Elected Mayor; Councillors B. Ali, Z. Ali, Barnes, Billington, Bowers, Brian, Clarke, Daniels, M. Davis, Garner, Gratton, Ibbs, Iqbal, Irving, Lyth, Matloob, Matthews, Najmi, Pervez, Powell-Beckett, Reynolds, Ryan, Shotton, Sutton and Wanger.

 

The motion was therefore defeated.

 

Councillor Webb moved, and Councillor A. Joynson seconded, the following motion (notice of which had previously been given):-

Notes of meetings of the Executive and Members Board held on 24/09/08, 08/10/08, 22/10/08 and 05/11/08 were submitted.

On the Motion of Councillor Garner, seconded by Councillor M. Davis, it was:

A report on four meetings of the Development Control Committee held on 17/09/08, 26/09/08, 29/10/08 and 14/11/08 was considered.

On the Motion of Councillor Garner, seconded by Councillor M. Davis, it was:

Councillor P. Joynson moved and Councillor J. Davis seconded that the Appeals Committee be noted.

Councillor Mitchell moved and Councillor Najmi seconded that the minutes of the Audit Committee be noted.

Councillor J. Davis moved and Councillor Clarke seconded that the minutes of the Licensing and Consumer Protection Committee be noted.

 

Councillor Kent-Baguley moved and Councillor Clarke seconded that the minutes of the Mitchell Memorial Your Centre Committee be noted.

 

Councillor Coleman moved and Councillor Z. Ali seconded that the minutes of the Standards Committee be noted.

Councillor M. Davis moved and Councillor J.Davis seconded that the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee meeting be noted.

Councillor Garner moved and Councillor Z. Ali seconded that the minutes of the Adult and Older People’s Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting be noted.

 

Councillor Coleman moved and Councillor Brian seconded that the minutes of the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting be noted.

Councillor Daniels moved and Councillor Reynolds seconded that the minutes of the Economic Development and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

 

Councillor Sutton moved and Councillor Reynolds seconded that the minutes of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

Councillor Garner moved and Councillor M. Davis seconded that the minutes of the Improving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

Councillor Wanger moved and Councillor Clarke seconded that the minutes of the Improving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

 

Councillor jean bowers

deputy Lord Mayor (in the Chair).