To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 22 January 2014 for signature by the Mayor as Chairman.

That, subject to the inclusion of Councillor Boyle in the list of attendances, the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 22 January 2014, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

This is an opportunity for Members of Council to ask the Mayor, Members of the Executive or the Chairman of any Committee or Sub-Committee a question on notice under Procedure Rule 10.2.

The Mayor reported that a question had been received under Procedure Rule 10.2.

Councillor Mrs. Brophy asked the following question for which he had given notice:

“Councillors will remember at a Trafford Council in October 2009 that I asked what we are doing to prepare for the increased risk of flooding in Trafford and across Greater Manchester due to climate change as outlined by the Head of the Environment Agency, in a speech around this time.

Many areas in the south of the country and beyond are experiencing unprecedented flooding. Only last week across the North West and locally in Trafford we had severe storms, which caused a number of trees in the Borough to come down and our motorways closed for periods of time. What is Trafford Council doing to ensure that our residents are protected and warned about flooding and other forms of extreme weather, as climate change starts to impact on all our lives?”

Councillor Mitchell, Executive Member for Highways and Environment responded to the question and reported that in the last week Council officers had attended over 450 incidents in the Borough, responding to emergency calls that had come about as a result of the extreme weather. Most of these incidents related to fallen trees and to his knowledge none related to flooding.

In terms of flooding, Councillor Mitchell assured Members that the Council was active on several fronts to ensure that residents were protected from and warned about flooding and other forms of extreme weather. The Executive Member then outlined the work of the Council in this area, detailing:

work with the Environment Agency to ensure that water levels on the Borough’s main rivers were monitored; how flood warning information is disseminated; emergency plan operations; and regular discussions with Agency staff;

partnership working with the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities to update the Trafford Multi Agency Flood Response Plan and the Greater Manchester Strategic Multi-Agency Flood Plan;

requiring developers to address the issue of climate change, including flood risk, as part of their development proposals following the adoption of the Trafford Core Strategy in January 2012;

publication, in response to the Pitt review and subsequent legislation, of the Council’s first Draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy on 17 February 2014 for a 6 week consultation.

Councillor Mitchell stated that the Council was in a very strong position to deal with extreme weather conditions, with a full management framework in place on a 24 hour 7 day basis. This incorporated senior management from the beginning and clear lines of communication. Reporting on the swift and effective response to the violent storms which occurred on 12 February 2014 and which did so much damage in Trafford, the Executive Member envisaged that all outstanding storm damage works would be completed by 28 February 2014.

In asking her supplementary question, Councillor Mrs. Brophy referred to the redeployment and restructuring of Environment Agency staff and concern that it would be properly prepared for further incidents, particularly given the response to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

To consider a report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services  

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services submitted a report advising of new regulations in accordance with the Audit and Accountability Act 2014, requiring all councils to adopt the practice of requiring a recorded vote at Budget setting meetings. The report also advised of an expectation that those councils meeting before the regulations come into effect adopt the practice even though they are not legally required to do so at that point in time.

RESOLVED –

(1)        That the Council’s Standing Orders be amended with effect from 25 February 2014 so as to include provisions requiring recorded votes at budget meetings as set out in the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

(2)        That, prior to the changes, recorded votes be held for all substantive motions agreeing the budget, setting council taxes or issuing precepts and any amendments proposed at the meeting.

To note a report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services submitted a report advising on the political balance of the Council following the Broadheath by-election on 16 January 2014.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Human Resources, referred from the Employment Committee meeting held earlier on 19 February 2014.

The Director of Human Resources submitted a report providing Members with information relating to the Council’s Pay Policy for 2014/15 in line with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011. The Pay Policy Statement had been recommended to the Council by the Employment Committee at its meeting held on 19 February 2014.

RESOLVED: That Trafford Council’s 2014/15 Pay Policy Statement, as set out in the report, be approved.

To consider a report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services submitted a report on the process for the appointment of the Director of Stockport, Trafford and Rochdale Council’s joint procurement service.

RESOLVED: That the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Director of Human Resources, be authorised to set up a process for the appointment of the Director of the STaR which allows members from Rochdale and Stockport to participate effectively in the process.

(a)        To receive and consider the capital and revenue budget estimates presented by the Executive, together with the summaries, statements, schedules of fees and charges and reports of the Executive in relation thereto and to adopt resolutions therein.

(b)        To set and approve the Council Tax Requirement for the District for the year beginning 1 April 2014, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended.

(c)        To set and approve, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended the amounts as the amounts of the Council Tax for the year 2014/2015 for each of the categories of dwellings included in the respective valuation bands A to H.

(d)        To agree the Treasury Management Strategy 2014/15 – 2016/17.

(Members are requested to refer to the reports circulated in respect of Agenda Item 3 for the Executive meeting on 19 February 2014 and also the Fees and Charges Book 2014/15* which will be made available, with the rest of the agenda papers, on the Council’s website at www.trafford.gov.uk > Home > your Council > Councillors & committees > Committee meetings > Council > 19 Feb 2014 7.00 pm)

*Note: a hard copy will be made available to Members upon request.

(Note: PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENTS - In respect of the main item of business on the agenda, the Mayor announced that the Leader of the Council (or his nominee) would have a maximum of 15 minutes to make the initial speech and a further maximum of 15 minutes to finish the debate. The Leaders of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Groups (or their respective nominees) would each have a maximum of 15 minutes to make their initial speeches and a further maximum of 5 minutes to wind up on behalf of their respective Groups. The Mayor also outlined the approach for dealing with amendments, should any be made to the main motion, and indicated that the mover of an amendment would have 5 minutes, whilst the time for all other speeches would be restricted to 3 minutes.)

The Executive Member for Finance presented a number of reports setting out the proposed budget for the forthcoming year, together with the recommendations from the Executive meeting held earlier that evening.

It was moved and seconded thatthe Executive’s recommendations for the budget, circulated to Members at the meeting, be approved.

Councillors Brotherton and Bowker responded to the Motion on behalf of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Groups respectively. During his speech, Councillor Brotherton gave notice of a Motion under procedure rule 12 to adjourn the meeting. Accordingly, the Mayor proceeded to deal with the proposed adjournment.

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council condemns the Government austerity measures, as they relate to Local Authorities, which have resulted in unprecedented cuts to all Councils but particularly so in Greater Manchester and Metropolitan areas like Trafford.

Since 2010 the Council has already cut its budget by £61 million, a further budget cut of £17 million is proposed for 2014/15 and following the Chancellors announcement further cuts of around £54 million are projected in the following three financial years. This will represent a total of £132 million cut from the Council budget.

The largest share of the total cuts have come from Children and Young People and Older People Services, many of which are services that are provided to the most vulnerable people in Trafford, for example, 10 children centre closures, 4 elderly people home closures, day care centre for elderly people closed, swingeing cuts in social services, social worker numbers reduced, people with learning difficulties budget cut, youth services, connexions, advice services have all suffered significantly with deep cuts in funding.

This Council is rightly concerned for the vulnerable people who receive statutory services from the Council that they will suffer a loss of service and be put at risk, which in turn will put a huge strain on remaining staff. It is of further concern that the Council will be forced to remove those people who require lower levels of care from receiving any care whatsoever, which in the long term will require more resources as these residents slip into high dependency care earlier than they should have. This concern is shared by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.

Note:        At the conclusion of the meeting it is intended to hold an informal meeting of the Council to consider issuing invitations to Members of Council to be the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Borough for 2014/2015.

(Note: At the conclusion of the formal meeting of the Council, an informal meeting was held to extend an invitation to:

Councillor Ejaz Malik to be the Mayor of the Borough of Trafford for 2014/15;

and

Councillor John Holden to be the Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Trafford for 2014/15.

The informal meeting concluded at 9.32 p.m.)