Agenda item

At this point each of the Cabinet Members made a presentation on their respective portfolios, which had been circulated with the agenda.  Councillor Woods, as the Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Partnerships and Improvement, submitted his portfolio update.  Councillor Palethorpe echoed Councillor Woods statement in respect of the time it was taking for a formal letter of disengagement from DCLG.

Councillor Woods, in Councillor Perkins’ absence, presented the Portfolio Holder’s report for Finance.  Councillor Hadland noted that recent post to Councillors seemed haphazard and that it was important that Councillors received papers in sufficient time for meetings.  Councillor Woods concurred and commented that it may be necessary to consider alternative ways of distributing papers to Councillors.

Councillor B Hoare, as the Portfolio Holder for Engagement, submitted his portfolio update and was pleased to accept Councillor Palethorpe’s congratulations on the running of the recent County Council and European elections.  He noted that the statement attributed to the Audit Commission should refer to “Government monitoring” rather than “Government intervention”.

Councillor Beardsworth, as the Portfolio Holder for Housing, submitted her portfolio report.  Councillor Clarke commented that through the Freedom of Information inquiry referred to earlier in the meeting it was clear that the number of housing wardens had reduced from 53 in November 2006 to 38 in November 2008.  He compared this with the Portfolio Holder’s statement that “the current Administration has not reduced the amount of support to its sheltered housing residents”.  He asked that Councillor Beardsworth remove this statement from her report.  Councillor Beardsworth commented that she would not remove this statement and that the advice that she had been given was that no cut in service had been made.  She commented that there were currently 42 warden/coordinators.  Councillor Palethorpe expressed surprise given the response to the Freedom of Information inquiry as at the end of 2008.  Councillor Palethorpe commented that following his comments previously, in respect of the numbers of young people in temporary accommodation, he had not yet received a response.  Councillor Beardsworth agreed to write to him with the details that he sought.  In answer to a question from Councillor Meredith, Councillor Beardsworth commented that there was no further news at the moment in respect of the PFI bid and that a decision was awaited from the Minister. 

Councillor Crake, as the Portfolio Holder for Environment, submitted her portfolio update.  Councillor Malpas noted that he had observed Council workers using a shopping trolley in which to collect rubbish.  He queried whether there was a lack of suitable equipment.  Councillor Crake queried why Councillor Malpas had not made his enquiry through the Councillor Contact Centre but she would ascertain the details and write to him.  Councillor Lane queried that since the introduction of charges for the collection of bulky waste items, whether there had been a reduction in the requests for this service.  He also queried which parts of the town had been subject to action in respect of unauthorised car sales.  Councillor Crake commented that in respect of unauthorised car sales she did not wish to identify the areas where action was to be taken and undertook to write to him in respect of the query on bulky waste collections.

Councillor Davies commented that, in respect of market testing, the Administration needed to be careful how this matter was dealt with in respect of staff who were likely to find the whole process very traumatic.  Staff were the Council’s most valuable asset and the object of the exercise must be broader than merely effectiveness and cost.  Councillor Crake acknowledged Councillor Davies’ comments.  Councillor Clarke asked whether the Portfolio Holder could give an assurance that no discussions had taken place with Daventry District Council in respect of joint service provision and that no notice had been placed in the European Journals ahead of the Cabinet decision the previous week.  Councillor Crake commented that no discussions had been held with Daventry District Council and that no notices had been placed in the European Journals ahead of Cabinet’s discussions the previous week.

Councillor Church, as the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, submitted his portfolio update and commented that the draft Joint Core Strategy had now been published following a meeting of the West Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee on 6 July.  He noted that a report on the Joint Core Strategy was to be considered by Cabinet on 15 July 2009.  Part of Cabinet’s consideration would be how all Councillors could be involved in the consultation process.  He noted that the Central Area Action Plan would also be considered by Cabinet on 15 July and that this represented an exciting and ambitious document for the town centre.  He also commented on Legal & General’s announcement that the redevelopment of the Grosvenor Centre was a project that they wished to proceed with.  He noted that they had not yet signed a Development Agreement.  He cautioned that it would still be a number of years before a scheme would be completed.  Councillor Davies commented that in supporting the growth of the town, he hoped that the regeneration within Northampton would be handled sensitively and made reference to the proposals for development in North Northampton.  Councillor Church commented that the public consultation now taking place was the first stage before a pre-submission draft of the JCS needed to be sent to the Secretary of State.  The timetable for the process had been set by a Local Development Scheme over a year ago and this was a requirement from Government.  He noted that comments could be received after the six week consultation period up to the date of the November meeting of the West Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee.  He further noted that there would be public consultation on the pre-submission draft and a public inquiry.  Councillor Clarke queried that once a Development Agreement was signed with Legal & General whether this would include penalty clauses for delays in the development taking place and also cover the situation if a third party were to come along with an alternative development proposal.  Councillor Church commented that he could not comment on what should be included in the Development Agreement but he noted that the Central Area Action Plan did identify alternative locations for development should the Legal & General proposal fail.  Councillor Golby queried whether the redevelopment of Grosvenor/Greyfriars would have been started by 2026.  Councillor Church commented that he hoped it would have been completed by that time and noted that the Central Area Action Plan showed anticipated developments in five year phases.  Councillor Simpson referred to a letter circulated to residents by the MP for Northampton North in respect of locations for proposed housing and industrial sites.  Councillor Church commented that the letter did not appear to match the plans shown in the Joint Core Strategy.

Councillor P D Varnsverry, as the Portfolio Holder for Communities, submitted his portfolio update and noted the Thriller dance on the Market Square organised by Flashmob on 11 July and the overflight by the Lancaster Bomber in conjunction with the Dragonboat Race.  Councillor Lane queried in respect of Bands in the Park, when the Abington Wind Band would be playing.  Councillor P D Varnsverry undertook to write to Councillor Lane with the details.  Councillor Davies queried whether screens would be placed in the Market Square for the World Cup in 2010.  Councillor P D Varnsverry indicated that a programme of events was being considered.  Councillor Clarke noted that in respect of Councillor Golby’s question earlier in the meeting about the charge levied for the use of Errington Park that a charge had not been levied for the recent celebrations in Victoria Park.  This did not seem consistent.  Councillor P D Varnsverry undertook to check the situation and write to Councillor Clarke.  Councillor Palethorpe noted the 200th Anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Talavera on 25 July 2009 and thanked Tony Ansell for closing his business in All Saints Church for that afternoon.  He also passed congratulations on to the Portfolio Holder for the Armed Forces Day celebrations.

Councillor Woods, in response to comments made by Mr Swinn in respect of the Minister of Housing, John Healey MP, commented that a ministerial statement on 2 July indicated that a change to the system of negative subsidy would require primary legislation and that this was likely to happen after the next General Election.  Therefore the Council had to plan for the future on the current rules.