Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Matlock. View directions
Contact: Alec Dubberley, Head of Democratic and Registration Services Email: democratic.services@derbyshire.gov.uk
Note: The Chairman will move that normal business is deferred to a future date to allow Counci to pay respects to her late Majest Queen Elizabeth II
No. | Item |
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Apologies for absence Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors Ainsworth, Bingham, A Dale, A Foster, Griffiths, Gourlay, Grooby, Hobson, Redfern, Stevenson and Wharmby. |
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Declarations of interest Minutes: None received. |
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Chairman's announcements Minutes: The Chairman was delighted to announce that former Councillor Judith Twigg had been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours.
The Chairman reported that Derbyshire had won 3 of the top prizes for schools catering at the recently held LACA awards and this included a very special outstanding achievement award for Kate Evans, the Council’s Head of Catering Services. The Chairman conveyed congratulations to Kate and the entire team. |
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To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the meetings held on 25 May 2022 PDF 274 KB Additional documents: Minutes: On the motion of the Chairman, duly seconded, it was
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 25 May 2022 be confirmed as a correct record. |
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Report of the Leader of the Council and Members' questions Minutes: The Leader of the Council conveyed his congratulations to Kate Evans and her team who had won the award and on behalf of the Council thanked the team and Kate for this fabulous achievement.
He also acknowledged the wonderful news that ex County Councillor Judith Twigg had received an MBE, a very well-deserved recognition of her diligence and hard work she has put in over many years in the community.
Finally, the Leader reported that this would be Dean Wallace, the current Director of Public Health’s last Full Council meeting and he gave Mr Wallace the opportunity to deliver a farewell message to which Mr Wallace responded accordingly. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: Question from David Ingham to Councillor S Spencer, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Budget.
“At Full Council in December 2021 I raised a query associated to a disciplinary FOI and three officer complaints. On 12th May 2022 a Decision Notice regarding DCC was issued, published by ICO on their website. Following the Centralisation of HR and record archiving, obtaining disciplinary case numbers and decision statistics for even a 12-month period now takes longer than 18hours to process. Consequently, the Council chose to apply an exemption based on time factor meaning no response had to be provided. Even if ICO acknowledges a requester's view information sought is in the public interest, as was in this case, the exemption can still be relied upon. The Decision Notice clearly illustrates the hidden cost of having to respond to officer/member internal questions that necessitate the access of archived data/council systems. As a publicly declared transparent Council how can system cost/time access issues be addressed/FOI barriers reduced?”
Councillor Spencer responded as follows:
“We have had numerous lines of correspondence over the months, Mr Ingham, as you are fully aware on various issues of transparency, openness and making sure that the information you have requested has been made available to you. We endeavour to do that as a Council. We endeavour to be transparent, open, and address the issues of transparency and openness in everything we do. I just need to refer you to the IOC’s decision notice, Mr Ingham. I am going to read a little bit from that. It says, “Picking up on the highlighted points raised by Mr Ingham it is correct that the ICO acknowledged the requester’s view that disclosure of information is in the public interest with regards to the Council’s accountability and transparency obligations” but the ICO also pointed out that under section 12 of the FOIA “it is not subject to the public interest test.” In other words, the element that you referred to does not come under that test.
That was declared by the office themselves. We do endeavour, and we will continue to endeavour, Mr Ingham, to keep you informed as best we can, behave in a transparent and open fashion, and that will be the position this Council takes in all other issues. We have supplied you, as you are fully aware, with the details and the numbers with regard to the FOI request and other requests made of this Council in a substantial way. I hope that answers your question.”
Mr Ingham asked the following supplementary question:
“So, arising out of my original question I am just asking Councillor Spencer to agree, to regard today as a watershed moment really and the need for Cabinet and senior officers to recognise a real need for greater awareness and change of approach regarding systems.
To help illustrate the point I make I have recently raised associated Freedom of Information Requests with six other Unitary and County Councils to ensure all my questions at Council meetings, including ... view the full minutes text for item 60/22 |
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Petitions Minutes: None received. |
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Derbyshire County Council’s Senior Officer Accountability Framework PDF 224 KB Minutes: The Managing Director introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that requested that the Council note the work undertaken and the conclusion of the senior officer accountability framework review.
On the motion of Councillor B Lewis, duly seconded it was
RESOLVED:
To note the conclusion to the senior pay and grading review and the adoption of the senior accountability framework. |
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Update on the Council’s Pay Policy Statement PDF 1 MB Minutes: The Director of Organisation, Development and Policy introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that sought approval to amend the Council’s Pay policy Statement to remove limitations that prevented the Council from making recruitment and retention payments outside those covered in the existing Market Supplement Policy.
On the motion of Councillor B Lewis, duly seconded it was
RESOLVED to agree:
1) To update the Council Pay Policy Statement as outlined in Appendix 2 to the report; and
2) That a salary within the range set out in Table 1 of the approved Pay Policy Statement, subject to any in-year JNC pay award, for Chief Officer posts where the salary range exceeds £100k be approved and can be offered in respect of any new appointments during the year. |
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Decisions taken as a matter of Urgency and Key Decisions and Special Urgency PDF 300 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Director of Legal and Democratic Services introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that reported in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, the executive decisions that had been taken as a matter of urgency where 28 days’ notice of the decision could not be given and call-in had been waived.
On the motion of Councillor B Lewis, duly seconded, it was
RESOLVED to note:
1) The key decisions taken where special urgency provisions were agreed as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report; and
2) The urgent decisions taken where the call-in procedure was waived under the Improvement and Scrutiny Procedure Rules as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report. |
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Elected Member questions PDF 273 KB Additional documents: Minutes: 1. Question from Councillor G Kinsella to Councillor K Athwal, Cabinet Member for Highways, Assets and Transport
“Will the Council explore implementing concessionary travel for refugees, including all refugees on means tested benefit and all asylum seekers?”
Response:
“Colleagues in the Local Bus Team are working to progress the development of a Concessionary Travel Card Scheme for Ukrainian refugees similar to the Derbyshire Gold Card. This is being developed alongside Nottinghamshire County Council. Work on the criteria and processes for applications is progressing and the scheme will be launched once the work by Nottinghamshire and our officers is complete later this summer.
Unfortunately, other refugees or asylum seekers cannot be included in this scheme at this time.”
Supplementary question:
“Just so I understand did you say the scheme was looking to be completed and developed this summer? I may have misunderstood that. Secondly - I welcome the fact that refugees will be involved in that Concessionary Travel Scheme - but if you just explain to me the issue around the exclusion of asylum seekers?”
Response:
“Yes, this summer we are looking to implement that.
As regards the exclusion of other refugees and asylum seekers, the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme is governed by legislation which limits the scheme to people over 65 years of age and also disability. Any other concessionary travel initiative therefore must be developed as a stand-alone scheme and separately funded.
As you are probably aware, that is really why we can’t do the scheme that you allude to but you are probably aware that this administration already has a commitment as part of its manifesto pledge to introduce a companion bus pass for people accompanying travellers with disabilities. This scheme is being developed and will be introduced in 2023-24.”
2. Question from Councillor G Kinsella to Councillor B Lewis, Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture, Tourism and Climate Change
“Following approval of the Single Use Plastic Policy in October 2021 how many of the actions, set out in the associated Action Plan have been completed?”
Response:
“In terms of the history of the single use issue of plastics in this organisation it almost goes back, or just before actually the Climate Change and Carbon Reduction manifesto that we started talking about way back in early 2019. It was in fact Councillor Martyn Ford who raised it in this very Chamber as an issue that we could get a quick win on if we eliminated single use plastics within the building and that is kind of how we got going with that.
If everybody remembers, those of us who were here back then, we had a number of coffee machines dotted around public areas in the building which themselves used plastic capsule type things to dish out coffee. I have to say the coffee was absolutely awful, perhaps the worst coffee I have ever tasted, so good riddance to those machines that they actually went. They were also single use plastic cups as in the ones, ... view the full minutes text for item 65/22 |
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Minutes: Councillor J Dixon proposed a motion that was duly seconded, in the following terms:
“This Council recognises the cost of living crisis in Derbyshire and that the Council has both a responsibility to Council taxpayers and its staff. This Council calls for a fair pay rise for Council workers, especially those on the lowest pay, to help them cope with rising costs. The financial burden for a pay rise should not fall upon the Council taxpayer or be at the expense of cuts to Council services. Rather, Central Government should fully fund the pay rise. Therefore, this motion calls upon the Leader of the Council to write to Government to ask for additional financial support to fully fund a fair pay rise.”
An amendment to the motion was proposed by Councillor S Spencer, duly seconded, in the following terms:
“That Council recognises the impact of the international and national cost of living crisis on people across Derbyshire and indeed the Authority itself, and that the Council has both a responsibility to local taxpayers and its staff. This Council supports a fair pay rise for Council workers to help them cope with rising costs, especially those on the lowest pay who often undertake essential jobs and whose dedicated contribution during the Covid 19 pandemic cannot be underestimated.
Council, however, also recognises the reality that the financial burden for any public sector pay rise will always fall upon the taxpayer and that no spending decision comes without opportunity to consider cost considerations. Council asks the Leader to write to the Government making the case for additional financial support to fully fund a fair pay rise for our key workers.”
Following debate, the amendment was put to a vote and the Chairman declared that the amendment was CARRIED so the amendment became the substantive motion.
The proposition as amended was put to a named vote and declared to be WON.
RESOLVED that Council: 1) Recognises the impact of the international and national cost of living crisis on people across Derbyshire and indeed the Authority itself, and that the Council has both a responsibility to local taxpayers and its staff;
2) Supports a fair pay rise for Council workers to help them cope with rising costs, especially those on the lowest pay who often undertake essential jobs and whose dedicated contribution during the Covid 19 pandemic cannot be underestimated; and
3) Recognises the reality that the financial burden for any public sector pay rise will always fall upon the taxpayer and that no spending decision comes without opportunity to consider cost considerations. |