Motions approved by Council 2019/2020

Council Meeting Tuesday 17 December 2019

Proposer: Councillor Hill. Seconder: Councillor L. Jones.

Lead Officer: Chris Joyce - Head of Infrastructure, Sustainability and Economic Growth.

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council agrees to continue to review and evaluate all pedestrian crossings on safe walking routes to school and in the vicinity of schools, with particular emphasis given to crossings on main roads, and put in place measures to mitigate identified risks.

Update: There are a number of projects that relate to pedestrian crossings in the borough, which are summarised below. Progress can be found on these via the Council's Submitted Petitions Page.

• St Leonards Road, Windsor, near Bolton Road. 
• St Leonards Road, Windsor near Bulkeley Avenue. 
• Furze Platt Road, Maidenhead, junction with Switchback Road South.
• Smiths Lane, Windsor. 
• Dedworth Road, Windsor. 
• Maidenhead Road, Cookham.

Council Meeting Tuesday 17 December 2019

Proposer: Councillor Davey. Seconder: Councillor McWilliams.

Lead Officer: Kevin McDaniel - Executive Director of People Services

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:

1. Recognises many 15-18 year olds could benefit from community support after school for approximately 3 hours a day.
2. Commits to working harder to find solutions to give our youth the best possible start in life.
3. Encourages all residents and stakeholders to take part in the RBWM's consultation on transforming RBWM's early help services into an integrated Family Hub model 0-19 (up to 25 years for young people with a learning difficulty or disability).

Update: The Council has completed two consultations about the integrated Family Hub model with 687 responses which will inform the final decisions which were considered by Cabinet on Thursday 26 November 2020. The proposals were agreed by Cabinet.

Council Meeting Tuesday 17 December 2019

Proposer: Councillor Taylor. Seconder: Councillor Stimson.

Lead Officer: Chris Joyce - Head of Infrastructure, Sustainability and Economic Growth.

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:

1. Ensures that correct and helpful information is provided via the council's communications channels and libraries to assist people during periods of hot weather.
2. Liaises with other support groups / charities to see what help can be offered to those who are most vulnerable in the Borough.
3. Establishes a Heat Mitigation Research Working Group to discuss what responsibilities the council may have moving forwards to tackle the inevitable changes to a wider range of issues including building regulations, responsibilities for existing housing stock and general heat relief.

Update: 1. This was coordinated through the Berkshire Heatwave Plan which is updated annually with the last update in May 2020. Nominated individuals across all services and organisations were notified of a heatwave to ensure that appropriate communications and information was provided to help people. The refreshed plan would be widely promoted again in the spring of 2021.

2. This was coordinated through the Berkshire Heatwave Plan which was updated annually with the last update in May 2020. Nominated individuals across all services and organisations were notified of a heatwave to ensure that appropriate help was offered to those who were most vulnerable.

3. The issues were being taken forward through a range of established mechanisms and groups. The national planning framework placed a requirement around environmental considerations for new build properties and Supplementary Planning Documents to the Borough Local Plan would be used to take forward specific elements as required. The council’s climate change strategy provided the overarching response and framework for responding to and mitigating these issues.

Council Meeting Tuesday 17 December 2019

Proposer: Councillor Cannon. Seconder: Councillor Bateson.

Lead Officer: Adrien Waite - Head of Planning

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:

1. Acknowledges that sprinklers and other Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) save lives, protect property, reduce the impact of fire on the environment, reduce interruption to business and improve safety for individuals in the community in general and firefighters. In recognising these benefits support the National Fire Chief's Council position on sprinklers by writing to Central Government to express support for the creation of a legal requirement to fit sprinklers or AFSS in buildings.
2. Commit to installation of sprinklers or AFSS within its own building stock when planning for and constructing new buildings or as a retrofitted solution when undertaking major refurbishments of existing buildings.
3. Through building regulations, promote and support the installation of sprinklers or other AFSS for all new or refurbished buildings and particularly those that present the most significant risk to the public and firefighters.

Update: The Building Regulations have been amended and are constantly being reviewed, however the requirement of sprinklers is only for new flats with a storey above 11m from ground level (from amendments in June 2022) or as an alternative approach in some residential buildings. There are also some industrial buildings that require sprinkler systems, where there is no requirement under the Building Regulations it is often an insurance requirement that ensures that they are fitted. We are unable to backdate requirements or ask for enhanced standards over and above the building regulations. Where the regulations require sprinklers to be fitted, we ensure the requirement is met and we have requested sprinkler or mist systems as a compensatory solution in some projects. We also consult with the Fire authority on any building designated under the regulatory reform order where required.

Council Meeting Tuesday 24 September 2019

Proposer: Councillor Tisi. Seconder: Councillor Davey.

Lead Officer: Kevin McDaniel - Executive Director of People Services

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:

1. Recognises the higher costs faced by maintained nursery schools compared to other early years providers due to:
   1. Higher staff qualification levels than private nurseries and childminder settings - Maintained nursery schools are required to employ qualified early years teachers and NNEB trained assistants.
   2. Statutory requirements to employ a qualified Headteacher and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDco).
   3. Being subject to business rates (unlike charity registered preschools) and higher utilities than home-based childminders;
   4. And that securing guaranteed funding beyond 2020 is necessary to avoid their closure.
2. Supports the 'Save Our Nursery Schools' campaign and will write to the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, urging him to guarantee funding beyond 2020 for state funded nursery schools and recognise that as they have at least the same statutory roles and staffing qualification requirements as maintained Primary and Secondary schools they are equal to other schools and should be enabled to benefit from the Designated Schools Grant for rate relief.
3. Request officers to undertake an urgent review into the options available at a local level to support funding for maintained nursery schools.

Update: The authority wrote to the Secretary of State whose officials noted the additional demands on Nursery schools for the reasons set out and indicated that the existing Designated School Grant regulations includes provision for those elements of leadership and skill in a nursery school compared to other early years settings. However they confirmed that the regulations do not include rate relief for early years settings.

Officers have confirmed that it is illegal for the Council to give rates relief to any maintained nursery school - because it is part of the council. Officers have explored the potential of changing the funding allocation formula for maintained nursery schools and the provision of rates coverage can only apply to all early years settings as the same formula must be used for all. Rate relief can be claimed in some circumstances by charitable causes and maintained nursery schools can research the options offered by becoming independent settings. The schools forum have provided some in year relief through the early years block as part of the COVID-19 response to enable the Nursery Federation to continue to lead education work in the early years sector.

Council Meeting Tuesday 24 September 2019

Proposer: Councillor McWilliams. Seconder: Councillor Haseler.

Lead Officer: Louisa Dean - Head of Communications / Karen Shepherd - Head of Governance

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council asks the Lead Member for Communications:

1. To look at innovative ways to involve residents in council forums, such as Maidenhead/Windsor Town Forums, via social media.
2. To invest in new cameras and more effective microphone equipment to better live stream important council meetings across social media and for subsequent use, subject to a detailed report to Cabinet.

Update: 1. Social media is now used to inform residents about the two Town Forum's with instructions on how to get involved provided.

2. A new AV system was installed in the Council Chamber in July 2022 to better improve the audio and visual quality for all meeting attendees, whether in-person or virtual.

Council Meeting Tuesday 23 July 2019

Proposer: Councillor Stimson. Seconder: Councillor Rayner.

Lead Officer: Chris Joyce - Head of Infrastructure, Sustainability and Economic Growth.

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council, in the interests of encouraging biodiversity, and with input from ward councillors, agrees to:

1. Less frequent mowing of grass verges to encourage wildlife friendly grasses and flowers and of parks and open spaces to encourage biodiversity, whilst being cognisant of health and safety issues insofar as traffic is concerned.
2. The introduction of wildflowers to cheer up targeted barren sites within the borough.
3. The introduction of drought resistant insect friendly plants in key roadside areas.

Update: During the 2020 growing season, the Council trialled eleven roadside verges, and a new conservation grass area in Kidwells Park, for less frequent mowing, in order to encourage biodiversity. Work was underway to expand these trials to additional areas from 2021.

During 2020, new wildflower meadow areas were established within three parks (Kidwells Park, Oaken Grove and Shifford Crescent) for a vibrant splash of colour, and inviting nectar-rich blooms, in areas which were previously rather barren. Two highway verge areas were brightened up with wildflowers (Baileys Close and Langdale Close), and flower beds at the entrance to Oaken Grove have been successfully planted with wildflower species. Further areas for wildflower planting will be identified for 2021.

During 2020, three high profile roundabouts in Maidenhead, Windsor, Ascot were planted with nectar-rich, pollinator- friendly wildflower beds, including drought resistant plants, replacing over-mature ornamental shrub/flower beds. 

Progress can now be tracked at Wildlife Verges on the RBWM website. There is also an action within the Environment and Climate strategy to double the original pilot, which will be monitored through annual progress reports presented to Overview & Scrutiny Panels. 

Council Meeting Tuesday 25 June 2019

Proposer: Councillor Rayner. Seconder: Councillor Dudley.

Lead Officer: Andrew Scott - Civic Team Manager

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council will continue to host an annual Armed Forces Flag raising and facilitate and promote an Armed Forces Day every year.

Update: This event has been embedded in the corporate calendar and the flag raising diary.

Council Meeting Tuesday 26 February 2019

Proposer: Councillor Clark. Seconder: Councillor Dudley.

Lead Officer: Chris Joyce - Head of Infrastructure, Sustainability and Economic Growth.

Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:

1. Declares an environmental and climate emergency; whilst noting the council's achievements in reducing its environmental impacts including reducing its energy consumption by 21% and the ambitious ongoing targets to further reduce energy consumption by 10% within four years, adopted in the Energy and Water Strategy 2019-2023;
2. Welcomes the Government's commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and calls on them to provide additional powers and resources to ensure the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead can help deliver on national targets; and
3. Will establish a Cross-Party Working Group to undertake an in-depth review of the council's current carbon footprint and to formulate, consult and agree on a net Zero Carbon Royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead by 2050 Strategy in consultation with local stakeholders and partners with a draft strategy to be brought before Full Council within 12 months.

Update: A cross-party working group was established in August 2019, which brought the draft strategy to Full Council in June 2020. The public consultation has been completed. The Council’s updated Environment and Climate Strategy was presented to Cabinet for approval on Thursday 17 December 2020. The proposed plans were approved.