Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Akhtar, Allcock, Bhullar, Chapman, Choudhry, Costigan, Davies, G Gill,

M Gill, S Gill, A Hussain, Jalil, Shaeen, Trumpeter and Wilkes.

Members to declare any interests in matters to be discussed at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were received.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 31 January 2023 as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 31 January 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider any urgent business (with prior approval by the Mayor).

There were no additional items of business to consider. 

The Council observed a minute silence to mark the passing of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey.

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor welcomed Shokat Lal, the newly appointed Chief Executive, and on behalf of the Council wished him success in his new role.

Details of Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral engagements since the last meeting of Council had been circulated to members.

To receive petitions under Standing Order No. 8.

No petitions were received under Standing Order No, 5.

To consider written questions under Standing Order No. 9 from

(a)    Elected Members

(b)    Members of the Public

 to:-

(i)       the Mayor;

(ii)      the Leader of the Council;

(iii)     any other member of the Cabinet;

(iv)     any person appointed to preside at a committee, sub-committee or panel;

(v)     the members of the Council nominated pursuant to Section 41 of the Local Government Act 1985, on the discharge of the functions of the following Joint Authorities:-

(i)           West Midlands Combined Authority (the Leader);

(ii)         West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority (Councillor

Jalil);

(iii)        Transport for the West Midlands (Councillor

Webb);

(vi)    a nominated member appointed by the Council to the Board of Sandwell Leisure Trust;

(vii)   a member of the Council who is, as a result of action taken by or on behalf of the Council, a member or director of any company.

Questions received under Standing Order No. 6 were asked of the relevant members and responses received.

To approve the general fund and housing revenue account budget, capital programme and Council Tax for 2023/24

Council considered the Council Finances and Council tax Resolution for the period 2023/24.

The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement was announced on 19 December. The key points from the settlement were as follows:-

·      the Council Tax referendum limit would be 2.99% for local authorities, with social care authorities allowed an additional 2% Adult Social Care precept;

·      the inflation measure used to increase government funding within the Settlement Funding Amount would be CPI (10.1%) rather than RPI (12.6%);

·      Local Government Funding Reform – the Fair Funding Review and reset of Business Rates growth would not be implemented in the next two years;

·      the Social Care Grant had increased by £1.5bn to £3.85bn nationally, although £161m of the increase was due to the rolling-in of the Independent Living Fund;

·      no change to the Better Care Fund;

·      new and additional Adult Social Care Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund intended for local authorities to make tangible improvements to Adult Social Care;

·      new Adult Social Care Discharge Fund aimed at reducing delayed transfers of care;

·      Reduced Services Grant – from £822m to £464m nationally, due to the cancellation of the 1% National Insurance increase and to move funding to the Supporting Families Programme;

·      abolished the Lower Tier Services Grant.

The Council had benefited from additional Social Care grant funding from the settlement, particularly for Adult Social Care, but some of its non-ringfenced funding had been reduced.

Fees and Charges

An external review of Fees and Charges had been undertaken as part of the budget setting process to ensure that each charge was appropriate and achieving its objective. Where charges were intended to either break even or maximise income, analysis had been carried out to look at the total costs of providing the service to understand what the position was.

Reserves Position

The Council had two types of reserves:-

•                earmarked Reserves which were for specific future projects, commitments or risks, both revenue and capital;

•                unallocated balance, which was to ensure the Council can manage unexpected financial challenges.

The level of unallocated balances at the end of March 2022 was £14.7m following a restructuring exercise of the Council’s earmarked reserves. The previous level of unallocated balances was deemed to be at the lower end of prudent and lower than many of the Council’s nearest neighbours. This was anticipated to remain at the same level at the end of March 2022 and through 2023/24, although the Council was experiencing significant cost pressures during the current financial year.

Council Tax Proposals

The draft budget assumed a 2.99% increase in Council Tax, made up of 1.99% ‘core’ increase and 1% for Adult Social Care in line with previous Council Tax Referendum Limits.

The provisional settlement confirmed a referendum principle of 2.99% for core Council Tax and 2% for the Adult Social Care precept. This meant that the Council could raise Council Tax by a total of 4.99% in 2023/24.

Each 1% increase in Council Tax raised approximately £1.2m in

additional Council Tax income and ensured  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

To approve the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24.

Council considered the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

The Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCRTS) provided crucial support to low income families and the most vulnerable residents.

The Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme was based on income bands and residents on very low incomes could continue to receive 100% support.

Sandwell was one of only a few nationally that still provided 100% support.

The matter had been considered by Cabinet on 15 February 2023.

Resolved that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24 be approved.

To approve any revisions to the appointments to Committees, Boards and other bodies.      

Council considered revisions to the appointments to committees, boards and other bodies.

Resolved that the revised appointments to committees, boards and other bodies, as set out at Appendix A, be approved.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18 January 2023 and consider the recommendations arising from the meeting held on 15 February 2023:-

(a)         Revenues and Benefits Policy Framework 2023/24 – Council Tax Award of Discount Policy 2023/24.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18 January 2023 were received.

To consider the following motions received under Standing Order No. 12:-

Approval was sought to the Council Tax Award of Discount Policy.

Resolved that the Council Tax Award of Discount Policy be approved.

The Council proceeded to consider motions received under Standing Order No. 7.

Proposer: Councillor Chapman

Seconder:  Councillor Dunn

          “This council notes that:

1.   Government data for the year 2021/22 shows that local authorities in England dealt with 1.09 million fly-tipping incidents.

2.   That there are significant resident concerns regarding incidents of fly-tipping all across Sandwell.

3.   Fly-tipping on privately owned land is a significant issue in Sandwell.

a.   Our street cleaning teams do their very best, under difficult circumstances, to clear fly-tips when they occur on council owned land, highways and pavements.

          This council resolves to:

1.   Invite the Executive to consider extending free bulk waste collection service for large items, such as sofas and mattresses for all Sandwell residents.

2.   Take a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping on privately owned land in Sandwell.  Ensuring that land managers, occupiers or owners of private property are responsible for clearing and disposing of any fly-tipping found on private land as soon as this is reported with enforcement action taken if not cleared within a reasonable timescale.

These measures are proposed to encourage local people to dispose of their waste items through the proper channels rather than dumping them in the streets or storing them outside of properties.”

The motion had been withdrawn.

Proposer: Councillor Kalari

Seconder: Councillor Anandou

This council acknowledges the need for off street parking and its effect on road safety in residential areas. We acknowledge that with the current cost of living crisis and the annual increase of cars on the road, it is imperative that we are innovative in our approach to making off street parking as affordable and accessible for all residents.

The council moves to invite the executive to explore the benefits of establishing a local authority Company to carry out the installation of dropped kerbs at an affordable price to residents. 

It was moved by Councillor Kalari and seconded by Councillor Anandou:-

‘This council acknowledges the need for off street parking and its effect on road safety in residential areas. We acknowledge that with the current cost of living crisis and the annual increase of cars on the road, it is imperative that we are innovative in our approach to making off street parking as affordable and accessible for all residents.

The council moves to invite the executive to explore the benefits of establishing a local authority Company to carry out the installation of dropped kerbs at an affordable price to residents’.

On being put to the vote, the motion was carried and it was RESOLVED accordingly.

Proposer: Councillor W Gill

Seconder: Councillor Fisher

This Council recognises the importance of having defibrillators accessible, especially in public places, sports grounds and Government funded facilities.

This Council understands the role that it has in facilitating the delivery of new defibrillators across our Borough.

This Council acknowledges the benefits of the new rollout of defibrillators by the Government to all state-funded schools that currently don’t have one, with over 20,000 expected to be

delivered by the end of the academic year to 18,000 schools.

This Council commits to working with the local community to find suitable places to place defibrillators, acknowledging that they are most effective within 3 minutes of a person collapsing.

This Council, therefore, resolves to invite the executive to commission a report into the accessibility of defibrillators in Sandwell and take any steps necessary to ensure that there is a defibrillator within a 3-minute radius of our town centres and high-streets.

It was moved by Councillor W Gill and seconded by Councillor Fisher:-

‘This Council recognises the importance of having defibrillators accessible, especially in public places, sports grounds and Government funded facilities.

This Council understands the role that it has in facilitating the delivery of new defibrillators across our Borough.

This Council acknowledges the benefits of the new rollout of defibrillators by the Government to all state-funded schools that currently don’t have one, with over 20,000 expected to be delivered by the end of the academic year to 18,000 schools.

This Council commits to working with the local community to find suitable places to place defibrillators, acknowledging that they are most effective within 3 minutes of a person collapsing.

This Council, therefore, resolves to invite the executive to commission a report into the accessibility of defibrillators in Sandwell and take any steps necessary to ensure that there is a defibrillator within a 3-minute radius of our town centres and high-streets’

In accordance with Standing Order No.12, Councillor Hartwell moved the following amendment to the Motion, seconded by Councillor Millard:-

‘This council recognises the importance of having defibrillators accessible, in public places, sports grounds, and government funded facilities; especially in schools and this council supports the installation of defibs by the end of the 2022/ 23 academic year.

This council understands the role that it has in facilitating the delivery of new defibrillators across our borough – and fully supports the initiative and will provide all the support necessary for the Sandwell schools who apply for the scheme.

This Council acknowledges the benefits of the new rollout of defibrillators by the government to all states- funded schools that currently don’t have one. Nationally over 20,000 are expected to be delivered by the end of the academic years to 18,000 schools.

We ask that this Council continues to work with the local community to find suitable places to install defibrillators, acknowledging that they are most effective within 3 minutes of a person collapsing, and will continue to use www.defibfinder.uk to ensure local defibs are recorded when the Council is informed and also to monitor each town in Sandwell for coverage.

It is also important that this Council also recognises the importance of Bleed Kits in the community. There are many ways for a catastrophic bleed to occur, such as from a car accident or a work related incident as well as through knife crime.

As both defibs and bleed kits are placed in the community to save lives we ask the executive to commission a report into the accessibility of Bleed Kits in the community while it looks at the location of defibs in Sandwell as we have recently become aware that West Midlands Police have installed 200 around the West Midlands. We also ask that the Council makes businesses aware of the importance of Bleed Kits and that this Council website links to the Daniel Baird Foundations resource page http://controlthebleed.org.uk’

The amendment was accepted, the amended motion was put  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.