Time: 7.00 p.m.
Place: Council Chamber
Contact: Jackie Cansick
Tel: 01438 242216
AGENDA
PART I
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
- MINUTES - WEDNESDAY 21 MAY, 2008
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Council meeting held on Wednesday 22 May 2008 at 7.00pm in the Council Chamber, Daneshill House,
Danestrete, Stevenage.
Minutes attached - MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS
To receive any communications that the Mayor may wish to put before Council. - MAIN DEBATE - 'ON THE MOVE - GETTING INTO GEAR' - STEVENAGE TRANSPORT 2020
To consider the future of Transport in Stevenage. - PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS
None received. - QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
To receive the following question from a member of the public in accordance with Standing Order 13:
Ms K. Watkins, Hertford Road, Stevenage
"BY 2020 will Stevenage Borough Council recognise that many Stevenage residents who work in London are not highly paid and work in the public or charitable sectors and stop discriminating against them in their car parks?
They already face one of the most expensive journeys per mile, standing in overcrowded trains. A dual system so that there is one price for Stevenage council tax payers and another for non-residents would be equitable".
Question from Mr Jim Brown, Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC) -
"Cycling has a major contribution to make towards health improvement and reducing the impact of travel on climate change.
A few years ago Stevenage Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council and many volunteers, including CTC, put a lot of effort into preparing a Stevenage Cycling Strategy.
Please report how much progress has been made with the implementation of the actions in that strategy including the restoration of the Great North Road cycle route (linking the new and old town centres), enhancement of cycle routes into and across the town centre, protection of existing routes, the tackling of some poor route designs that have been introduced in the last few years, and improvements to cycle parking in the town centre.
CTC do, of course, recognise that nearly all cycle journeys will include cycling on roads for at least some of the time. We are interested to know what measures have been completed in the last five years to improve the road environment for vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, and what are planned for the next five years. We would be very interested to see recent figures for the use of cycles in Stevenage and how they compare with other towns and cities."
Question from Mr Tim Beesley:
'As Stevenage Borough Council progress their plans to develop the West of Stevenage development, can they say in what ways are they integrating cycling and pedestrian facilities into the structure of the development, in order to develop cycling and pedestrianism, and in order to deter and minimise the use of the private car?
For example:- Will the use of 20mph zones be considered? Will ramps be integrated into the structure of residential roads in order to deter speeding?
- Will the areas outside of any new schools be designed as traffic-free in order to deter parents from bringing up their children as indoctrinated into being chauffeur driven everywhere? This will also avoid the blight for local residents of the school rush our traffic jam.
- Will schools be provided with safe, secure cycle parking for every child, and lockers for all who need somewhere to store helmets and other cycling equipment?
This will ensure that cycling to school, rather than being driven, is viewed as the norm, and will have beneficial effects upon levels of childhood activity and obesity. - Will all major roads have cycle lanes designed as a part of the carriageway, so that cyclists have safe access to all major roads from the outset? Please note that separate cycle lanes are not desirable, as they are subjected to constant vandalism in the form of broken glass on the cycle lanes. They also tend to be poorly maintained, as they are generally regarded by local authorities as of secondary importance to carriageways for car use. Broken, pot-holed carriageways on cycle tracks can lead to accidents, punctures etc, and can be a deterrent to regular cycle use?'
- LEADER OF THE COUNCIL'S UPDATE
In accordance with Standing order 11, 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. - NOTICE OF MOTIONS
None received. - QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS/PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
None received. - REFERENCE UP FROM THE BEDWELL AREA COMMITTEE FOR DECISION BY COUNCIL - NAME OF THE AREA COMMITTEE
To consider a recommendation from the Bedwell Area Committee regarding a change of name for the Area Committee.
Report attached - OFFICER REPORT - STEVENAGE BOROUGH COUNCIL CORPORATE PLAN 2008 TO 2013: MAKING A DIFFERENCE
To consider the final draft of the Corporate Plan 2008 to 2013, entitled 'Making a Difference' as at Appendix A.
Report attached
Appendix A
Appendix B - OFFCIER REPORT - COMPLETED SCRUTINY OVERVIEW COMMITTEE AND SCRUTINY TOPIC GROUP STUDIES DURING THE 2007/08 MUNICIPAL YEAR
To report on the work undertaken by the Scrutiny Overview Committee and the Scrutiny Topic Groups during the 2007/08 Municipal Year.
Report attached
Appendix attached - MATTERS REFERRED FROM AUDIT COMMITTEE - CONTRACT STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS - REVISED
At its meeting on 10 June 2008, the Audit Committee considered a report entitled 'Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations' and agreed the following recommendations to Council:- That the revised Contract Standing Orders (Appendix A) and Financial Regulations (Appendix B) be approved and submitted to Council for final approval;
- That before they were submitted to the Full Council for adoption, some revision of the proposed Contract Standing Orders would be required as a result of recent case law on contracts covered by the european procurement directive.
Report attached
Revised Appendices attached
Appendix A
Appendix B Revised - The attached version available has had a small update on the front page document control box.
- MATTER REFERRED FROM AUDIT COMMITTEE 24 JUNE 2008 - STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2007/08 AND CAPITAL CONTROL SYSTEM DETERMINATIONS
At its meeting on 24 June 2008, the Audit Committee will review the 2007/08 Statement of Accounts prior to submission to Council for approval.
The Audit Committee will review certain capital financing determinations required under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and Local Authorities(Capital Finance and Accounting) Regulations 2003, prior to submission to Council for approval.
Report attached
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C - AUDIT COMMITTEE MINUTES - TUESDAY 10 JUNE 2008
To note the minutes of the Audit Committee held on 10 June, 2008.
Minutes attached - URGENT PART I - MATTER REFERRED FROM SCRUTINY OVERVIEW COMMITTEE - 16 JUNE 2008 - APPOINTMENT OF SCRUTINY TOPIC GROUP CHAIRS
At it's meeting on 16 June 2008, the Scrutiny Overview Committee considered a report entitled 'Appointment of Scrutiny Topic Group Chairs' and agreed the following recommendations to Council:- That the following Councillors be appointed Topic Group Chairs for the 2008-2009 Municipal Year -
Councillors Monika Cherney-Craw, Bob Clark, Michael Downing, Pam Gallagher and Liz Harrington. - That these appointments to be backdated to the Annual Council meeting held on 21 May 2008.
(NOTE: Councillor R. Parker, CC requested that his vote against the appointments of the Topic Group Chairs be formally recorded in the Minutes.)
This report was not circulated to Members 5 clear days before this meeting, although it was available for public inspection as it was published on the agenda for the Scrutiny Overview Committee. The Mayor is to determine whether or not this matter be considered on this occasion as a matter of urgency as the next ordinary Council meeting is not scheduled until October.
Report attached
Appendices attached
- That the following Councillors be appointed Topic Group Chairs for the 2008-2009 Municipal Year -