Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the previous Council meeting.

Councillor Wilson requested an amendment to minute 7 Questions under Standing Order 8 to include his references to the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Report which stated that 6% of land in Solihull was currently committed for wildlife recovery compared to the regional average of 11% and 16% in Stratford-upon-Avon.

RESOLVED

Subject to the above amendment, the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th December 2020 were approved.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in accordance with the Code of Conduct (Members are directed to the guidance sheet attached)

Councillor Mackiewicz made a declaration of interest as a Director of AMPA Associates Ltd who provided contracts procured by Solihull Council.

Councillor Adeyemo made a declaration of interest as he was employed by a company who provided insurance to HS2 Ltd.

To receive petitions from Members of the Council.

Councillor Howell submitted a petition on behalf of local residents to oppose a proposed development on a greenbelt site at Albany Lane, Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader of the Council or Members of the Cabinet.

The Deputy Mayor announced that the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag would fly at the Council House as a mark of respect and to raise awareness. LGBTQ+ History month focused on the celebration and recognition of LGBT+ people and culture.

Councillor Rolf made a statement on the Winter Grant Scheme, which would provide families in the Borough with food, fuel and other household essentials through the use of a £566,000 funding allocation.

Councillor Mackiewicz announced to Council a vision for the creation of Arden Forest which would enable the Council to create a diverse and continuous green corridor through the Borough of Solihull and the Meriden Gap.  Not only to provide vital green connectivity, but also to help to deal with air pollution, carbon capture and habitat creation through rewilding.

To answer questions asked by residents of the Borough under Standing Order 9 and to hear petitioners or deputations in accordance with Standing Order 12.

No questions or deputations were received.

To answer questions asked under Standing Order 8 by Councillors (30 Minutes)

Councillor Cole to Councillor Rolf, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Stronger and Safer Communities

“With the higher than normal numbers of deaths we are experiencing can you advise me on how many new burial plots (per cemetery) are left in the Councils cemeteries with an estimated time of when these plots will be exhausted.”

The Cabinet Member confirmed that there had been an increased number of cremation services and burials compared to the previous year. The primary focus of Solihull’s burial offer had been at Widney Manor and Woodlands. There were 200 spaces which remained at Widney Manor as well as 220 spaces at Woodlands these would both provide capacity for three years. In both cemeteries, options were being considered to significantly extend the life of the cemetery.

Councillor Ade Adeyemo to Councillor Alison Rolf, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Stronger and Safer Communities

“In recent weeks, the residents of Campden Green have suffered repeated anti-social behaviour by 4x4 drivers and quad bikers driving across the Green, doing doughnuts in mud and snow and generally making a mess of what is normally a nice peaceful area of Lyndon ward.

On one recent occasion, quad bikers doing doughnuts on wet grass covered houses in so much grass and mud that local volunteers had to help jet wash the houses to get it all off.  The week before last, it was the turn of 4x4s driving at high speed across the snow-covered Green.

Similar incidents have also happened on the green areas next to St Mary’s Hobs Moat Church.

Despite several reports to Solihull Police and the Council, nothing has happened and I am concerned that sooner or later, someone will be seriously hurt.

Will the Cabinet Member please tell me what is being done to prevent similar incidents from happening again and to protect local residents and our green spaces in Lyndon ward from irresponsible drivers and quad bikers?”

The Cabinet Member explained that they could not speak on behalf of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner or West Midlands Police, but was aware that multiple agencies were focused on the issue of irresponsible drivers and off-road bikes. The North Locality Group had created a revised Off-Road Bike Action Plan which enabled a partnership response to emerging issues. Members of the public were encouraged to report off-road bikes to Solihull Community Housing who had a dedicated contact telephone and email address for reports of vehicles on parks and open spaces – Tel: 0121 717 1500; email: bikeissues@solihullcommunityhousing.org.uk.  Vehicle related nuisance should be reported to the Police via 101 or 999.

Councillor Brain to Councillor K Grinsell, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health

“I welcome the increased allocation of the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2021/22 to help to deliver the Council's Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy (2020-23) but I am concerned about how far this funding will go to address the shortage of suitable accommodation in Solihull including emergency and temporary accommodation. How many units do we actually need in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To deal with any Topic of Debate submitted.

No topic of debate was submitted.

To deal with any Motion received.

No notice of motion was submitted.

To inform Council of the proposed Council Tax Reduction Scheme from April 2021. Full Council is required to approve the Council Tax Reduction Scheme by 11 March each year.

The Leader of the Council introduced a recommendation from Cabinet on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme which Full Council was required to approve.

RESOLVED

Council agreed to the recommendation from the Cabinet meeting of 5 November 2020 that the current scheme continues and no changes are made to the Council’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme from April 2021.

To deal with the following recommendation from Committees:

Remuneration Committee 26 January 2021*

Minute 5 Pay Policy Statement 2021

The report is asking Council to approve the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2021.

(* As the meeting takes place after the publication of the Council agenda Members will be provided with the extract wording of the recommendation at the meeting.)

Remuneration Committee 26 January 2021

Minute 5 Pay Policy Statement 2021

The Chairman of the Remuneration Committee invited Members to consider the above report and the recommendations to Council.

RESOLVED

Council approved the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2021.

To receive a summary of decisions, reports from and to deal with any subsequent questions in relation to the following Cabinet Portfolios:

a) Leader of the Council Cabinet and Portfolio (Economy) Report

(pages 23-34)

b) Cabinet Member for Resources (pages 35-37)

c) Cabinet Member for Stronger and Safer Communities (pages 39-45)

d) Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing (pages 47-49)

e) Cabinet Member for Children Education and Skills– (pages 51-55)

f)  Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways (pages 57-61)

g) Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health including Solihull Health and Wellbeing Board minutes (the minutes are marked to follow)  (pages 63-66)

h)  Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure (pages 67-69)

(i) Cabinet Member for Leisure Tourism and Sport (pages 71-73)

Councillor Courts – Leader of the Council

The Leader advised Council of the decisions taken at the Cabinet meetings 14 January 2021 and provided a summary of the meetings and activities he had been involved in on behalf of Solihull and the West Midlands, as well as an update on the economic strategy responsibilities of his portfolio.

Councillor Sleigh – Cabinet Member for Resources

The Cabinet Member advised Council of the decisions taken at the decision session on 12 January 2021.

Councillor A Hodgson queried what provision was in place for when the furlough scheme ends, which could lead to an increase in people who qualify for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. The Cabinet Member confirmed he would provide a written response to Councillor Hodgson.

Councillor Rolf – Cabinet Member for Stronger and Safer Communities

The Cabinet Member advised Council of the decisions taken at the decision session on 8 December 2020 and 21 January 2021.

Councillor Mackiewicz – Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing

The Cabinet Member advised Council of the decisions taken at the decision session on 17 December 2020 and provided an update on the Local Plan.

Councillor McCarthy asked if ward Members would be consulted if any changes to the Local Plan in their area were introduced, specifically if there were changes in relation to the Household Waste Recycling Centre being moved to Damson Parkway. The Cabinet Member confirmed that any changes would be made available in the public domain, and would follow the relevant legal process.

Councillor McLoughlin questioned whether the 250,000 trees which the Council committed to planting would still take place, or would the Arden Forest scheme change this. The Cabinet Member explained that the Arden Forest scheme was a long term project which would be linked across the whole Borough.

A number of Members queried a consultation document which had been circulated by the Conservative Party which could have confused respondents thinking it was linked to the Council’s Local Plan consultation and requested that the comments were included in the Local Plan consultation process. The Cabinet Member stated that the document was printed by the Conservative Party and did not relate to his portfolio.

Councillor Meeson – Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Skills

The Cabinet Member advised Council of the decisions taken at the decision session on 11 January 2021 and gave further information on the decision to expand Cheswick Green Primary School. The Cabinet Member also thanked all those who had contributed to the OVOS Christmas collection. He was pleased to report that OVOS had surpassed the collection target.

Councillor K Thomas queried how the target of increased percentage of children walking to school would be met through the decision about Cheswick Green Primary School. The Cabinet Member explained that it would be expected that the children on the new housing development in Cheswick Green would walk to the school but there would still need to be capacity for parking facilities for those who would need to drive.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The minutes of the following Scrutiny Board are presented for information:

a)  Health and Adult Social Care (pages 75-79)

b)  Resources and Delivering Value (pages 81-83)

c)  Children’s Services, Education and Skills (pages 85-91)

d)  Economic Development and Managed Growth (pages 93-99)

e)  Stronger Communities and Neighbourhood Services (pages 101-110)

The minutes of the following Scrutiny Board were presented for information:

·  Health and Adult Social Care (7 January 2021)

·  Resources and Delivering Value (11 January 2021)

·  Children’s Services, Education and Skills (13 January 2021)

·  Economic Development and Managed Growth (18 January 2021)

·  Stronger Communities and Neighbourhood Services (20 January 2021)

Councillor Allen asked Councillor Gough, Chairman of Children’s Services, Education and Skills Scrutiny Board, about the roll out of laptops and 4g routers to vulnerable children, as she had attended a Governors meeting at Burman Infant School, where they had received no equipment. Councillor Allen asked whether this could be investigated and whether the criteria for vulnerable children included those who needed to share devices with siblings and parents. Councillor Gough stated a written response would be provided.

The minutes of the following Committees are presented for information:

a)  Remuneration Committee* (pages 111-112)

b)  HS2 Implementation Advisory Group (pages 113-119)

c)  Audit Committee (pages 121-122)

(* The minutes of the Remuneration Committee held on 26 January 2021 will be circulated separately to the minute book.)

The minutes of the following Committees were presented for information:

·  Remuneration Committee (26 January 2021)

·  HS2 Implementation Advisory Group (17 December 2020)

·  Audit Committee (5 January 2021)

To deal with any questions by Leaders of political groups to the Leader of the Council, a member of the Cabinet, a Chairman of a Committee, Board, Sub-Committee or Task and Finish Group.

Councillor Adeyemo asked what the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing had done to support residents whose properties had combustible cladding or could not get a EWS1 certificate. The Cabinet Member explained that all SCH properties had non-combustible cladding on them, and he was unaware of private properties that had cladding in the Borough. If any properties were, it was requested that details of these were sent to the Cabinet Member.

To receive the following information report from the Chief Executive:

a)  Leader's Scheme of Delegation to Officers

The Leader’s Scheme of Delegation to Officers was reported for information.

The Chief Executive to report on any urgent matters.

There were no urgent matters.

To answer any remaining questions not dealt with under item 7.

No questions remained.