28/09/2010 - Council - Agenda

TO: EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR & MAIDENHEAD

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED TO ATTEND the Meeting of the Council of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead to be held in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, Maidenhead, on Tuesday 28 September 2010 at 7.30 pm for the purpose of transacting the business specified in the Agenda set out hereunder.

A G E N D A

PART I

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE - To receive any apologies for absence.

2. COUNCIL MINUTES - To receive the minutes of the last meeting held on 27 July 2010.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST - To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item to be considered at this meeting.

4. MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS (19KB PDF) - To receive such communications as the Mayor may desire to place before the Council

5. PUBLIC QUESTIONS - Bernadette Laffey of Marlborough Road, Maidenhead, will ask the following question of Councillor Mrs Quick, the Lead Member for Children's Services:

Professionally qualified advisers in Connexions Berkshire have been delivering a universal quality service to all young people age 13-19 and young people up to 24 with special needs since 2004. Connexions careers practitioners support young people to explore their career options, ideas and aspirations, subject choices, college and university ideas, employment and training, hopes and dreams.

Can the RBWM confirm what arrangements it is going to make now and in the long term to deliver impartial information advice and guidance to young people in the Borough?

6. PETITIONS - To receive any petitions presented by Members on behalf of registered electors for the Borough under Rule A.10.

7. NEW GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS - OUTCOME OF CONSULTATION (24KB PDF) - To consider a report on the results of the public consultation on the changes to the Council's executive arrangements.

Appendix B;

Appendix C;

Appendix D;

8. BIG SOCIETY - GOVERNANCE (25KB PDF) - To consider a report, and receive a presentation on, The Big Society, and to also consider the establishment of a cross party member panel for Big Society.

Appendix;

9. MAIDENHEAD TOWN CENTRE AREA ACTION PLAN - SUBMISSION DRAFT (38KB PDF) - To consider a recommendation from Cabinet in relation to the above.

Appendix;

10. POLIITICAL BALANCE AND ALLOCATION OF SEATS

The political balance and allocation of seats on the Standing Panels/Forums has been reviewed following the establishment of the Constitution Sub-Committee, the reduction in the size of the Council's representation on the Maidenhead Town Centre Management Partnership Board and the increase in the size of the Conservative Group by one member, with the corresponding decrease in size of the Liberal Democrat Group.

Members are asked to note that the above changes has resulted in the Conservative Group gaining 4 additional seats and the Liberal Democrat losing 3 seats.

It is proposed that the additional seats/reduction of seats be allocated as follows:

• The Conservative Group to have one additional seat on the Maidenhead Development Control Panel, the Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel and the Licensing Panel. The Liberal Democrat Group to loose a seat on those Panels.

• The Conservative Group to have two seats and the Liberal Democrat Group to have one seat on the Constitution Sub Committee.

• The Conservative Group and the Liberal Democrat Group to loose one seat each on the Maidenhead Town Centre Management Partnership Board.

In accordance with the Council delegation, Group Leaders are requested to inform the Head of Democratic Services after the meeting the names of the respective Members/Substitute Members to be appointed/removed from those Panels etc.

11. MEMBERS' QUESTIONS - To receive Questions submitted under Rule 11.2

a) Question submitted by Cllr Meadowcroft to Cllr Saunders, Lead Member for Corporate Transformation:

Does the Lead Member believe that the adoption of Lean Systems Thinking across the Council will lead to better or cheaper services or both and what concerns does he have about it?

b) Question submitted by Cllr Story to Cllr Burbage, Leader of the Council:

Can the Leader explain how the Council is actively encouraging pride in the Borough's communities?

c) Question submitted by Cllr McBride to Cllr Kellaway, Lead Member for Finance:

Can the Lead Member for Finance explain how the Council's restructure has helped in delivering a 4% Council Tax reduction in the Royal Borough?

d) Question submitted by Cllr T. Bursnall to Cllr Mrs Quick, Lead Member for Windsor:

Can the Lead Member update the Council on the Borough's policy towards development in Windsor?"

12. MOTIONS ON NOTICE - To consider the following Motions submitted under Rule A12 (procedural note enclosed):-

a) by Councillor Adams

This Council resolves to respond to the reforming rail franchising consultation particularly stressing the importance of proper station provision. Drawbacks currently at Maidenhead Station that should be avoided in the future include:

a) For commuters arriving at the south end of the station, no easy drop off point, and access to the ticket office or newspaper shop.

b) Insufficient parking for the commuters at either the front or south car parks of the station

c) Not adequate parking for coaches to meet the official Olympic railway station status arising as being a link to the Dorney Rowing Lake.

b) by Councillor Chelani

With the growing concern of our residents on the increased number of shop and outlets being boarded up, the Council would like to work with the landlords, town centre managers and representatives from the public to find an interim use of these premises.

This Council resolves to:

a) Firstly, work with the Town Centre Managers to evaluate the possibilities to find an interim use of such premises and

b) Secondly, to invite the public to express their opinion on what is best to do with such places even if it is only on a temporary basis.

c) by Councillor Holness

This Council resolves to welcome the recent statement from Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne that local authorities are to be allowed to sell surplus electricity generated by renewable technologies to the national grid, noting that this will drastically improve the value for money of investing in photovoltaics and other renewables on Council buildings, by increasing return on investment.

This Council further notes that when combined with energy efficiency measures, renewable energy generation would make a substantial contribution to reducing the 68% of this Council's carbon dioxide emissions that come from its buildings (Carbon Management Programme 2008).

The Council therefore also resolves to move swiftly towards generating renewable energy on its offices, schools, leisure centres and other property.

d) by Councillor Mrs Pitteway

This Council believes that during a recession it is more important than ever to provide residents with high quality advice and guidance on the choices they make regarding education, training and work. Therefore this Council resolves that we continue to provide top quality services for all young people and not reduce such an important resource to one that just covers the legal minimum requirements.

e) by Councillor Etherington

This Council is delighted with the ending of a ban on local authorities selling renewable electricity by the Conservative led coalition government. At present only 0.01% of energy is supplied by local renewable authority owned resources, but this number can be greatly improved due to all of the land and buildings which Councils have at their disposal. The Council requests an officers' report to the Sustainability Panel on our options.

f) by Councillor Dudley

Following Nick Clegg's comments stating the need to cut welfare, this Council proposes that we write to him in support, acknowledging that difficult decisions must be made in terms of cuts. We are in a better position to make them because of the ability of the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives to work together.

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