1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
2. MINUTES - COUNCIL - WEDNESDAY 8 OCTOBER 2014
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on Wednesday 8 October 2014.
Minutes attached
3. MAYORS' COMMUNICATIONS
To receive any communications that the Mayor may wish to put before Council.
4. MAIN DEBATE - 'SHARE THE CARE' - HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION - WHAT THIS MEANS FOR STEVENAGE
To include a presentation from Chris Badger, Assistant Director - Health Integration, Hertfordshire County Council.
5. PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS
None received
6. QUESTIONS FROM THE YOUTH COUNCIL
None received
7. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
None received
8. LEADER OF THE COUNCIL'S UPDATE
In accordance with the Council's Standing Orders, the Leader of the Opposition shall be given the opportunity to raise one matter relevant to the Borough that has arisen since the last meeting of the Council.
The Leader of the Council shall then have the opportunity to advise the Council of matters relevant to the Borough that have arisen since the last meeting.
9. NOTICE OF MOTIONS
Motion to be moved by Councillor R Parker and seconded by Councillor A McGuinness -
'This Council congratulates all the scientists, engineers and others, many of them Stevenage based, who worked for years on the Rosetta spacecraft including the Philae lander, and thereby contributed to the huge success of the mission, resulting in November 2014 in the first ever landing on a comet.'
10. QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS / PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
A. Question from Councillor P Bibby to the Leader -
'I understand that the 'Main Debate' aims to encourage public participation, which is important, but given that this is no more than a presentation on a matter of interest to the community, should the Constitution be amended to reflect this, to save time at Council meetings? According to the Constitution, debates can last approx. one and a quarter hours and, sometimes, if the Mayor does not call for a conclusion after the prescribed time, they can go on for longer. If we treated them as presentations before Council proper starts lasting, say, 30 minutes, with 15 minutes for questions, Council meetings would be much shorter and, hopefully, better retain the public interest in the main Council business.'
B. Question from Councillor R Parker to the Portfolio Holder for Environment & Regeneration -
'What plans does the Council have to tidy up and refresh the wildlife and pond area near the Towers and to tackle the reported anti-social behaviour at this location?'
C. Question from Councillor A McGuinness to the Portfolio Holder for Environment & Regeneration -
'What consideration has been given to the effect on refuse and re-cycling services in Stevenage caused by the cuts in opening hours by HCC at the Stevenage Household Waste and Recycling Centre from January 2015, and what action will the Council be taking in response to these cuts?'
D. Question from Councillor G Snell to the Portfolio Holder for Environment & Regeneration -
'How many penalty charge notices were issued for:
(a) verge and footway parking
(b) other parking offencesin each of the calendar years 2011, 2012, 2013 and so far in 2014, split by each ward in the borough?'
11. AUDIT COMMITTEE MINUTES - 11 NOVEMBER 2014
To note the Minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 11 November 2014.
Minutes attached