Meeting agenda for Council

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 28th September 2007 attached marked A.

To receive such communications as the Chairman, Speaker or Chief Executive may desire to lay before Council.

To receive any questions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.

To receive any questions from Members, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2.

Report of the Older People's Champion, Mr S J West, is attached marked D. Contact Liz Nicholson Tel 01743 253701.

The following motions have been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 16: 19.1 Received from Mr R A Evans: "Council Tax is unfair - unrelated to the ability to pay. In default of National legislation to implement a Local Income Tax, the County Council requests the Unitary JMB as part of its budget process to consider means of abating the impact of above inflation Council Tax increases upon residents whose incomes are limited to inflation, e.g. pensioners and those on benefit. Such initiatives worthy of research might include - though not only these: (1) A freeze on Council Tax increases for those over 65 (the Kirklees Initiative). (2) A flat rate sum to over 65s (similar to Edward Heath's pensioners' bonus). (3) An additional, local benefit (flat rate) to residents in receipt of CTB." A background report on this subject is attached marked N. 19.2 Received from Mr P F Phillips: 1. Shropshire’s schools’ funding is persistently amongst the lowest in England. Council urgently requests Government to review the situation. 2. Pupil-led funding is too simplistic and does not recognise the basic problem of financing the running of a school and this should be reviewed. In a scenario of falling rolls it is pernicious. 3. Shropshire’s schools’ funding does not adequately recognise sparsity of population and the demands which this places on the schools’ budget, for example Transport. 4. In 1998 the Secretary of State for Education stated that there would be 'a presumption against' closure of village schools. Council invites the Government to support this statement with appropriate funding." A background report is TO FOLLOW marked O. 19.3 Received from Mr N J Hartin: "That, in the light of the Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines Dft circular 1/06 giving local authorities power to set different road speeds where local needs and considerations suggest the default limit is not appropriate: Council notes that guidelines are all very well but if the government is serious about allowing local authorities to make a major impact on reducing deaths & injuries on our roads then significant additional funding is required from central government. Council therefore resolves to write to Her Majesty's Government to: A) - Request government for increased funding to allow the early introduction of 30mph speed limits in all villages across Shropshire - ( Villages are defined as per Dft circular 1/06 as having 20 or more houses along one stretch of road of minimum length 600 metres). B) - Further request that government changes its definition of a 'village' within the published guidance to allow smaller rural communities who currently fall outside the Dft definition to receive lower speed limits. C) - Ask government to change existing regulations to enable local authorities to introduce mandatory 50mph speed limits without the requirement to place repeater signs along all such roads, costing millions of pounds, thereby rendering such a scheme uneconomic for any local authority to pursue." A background report on this subject is attached marked P. 19.4 Received from Mr A N Mosley: "This Council reaffirms its commitment to comply with the political balance rules and the principle that the chairs of scrutiny committees should be drawn from members of the opposition. Furthermore, it believes that such rules should apply to pre-reorganisation structures (based on County Council membership) and be embodied within the constitution of the new authority thereafter." 19.5 Received from Mr A N Mosley: "This Council recognises that a key priority for the unitary council will be to provide adequate levels of affordable housing, particularly properties available for rent. We support the key policies and desired outcomes within the Housing workstream of the unitary project overview as these are orientated to ensure delivery of an equitable standard of high quality housing services, a coherent set of housing strategies and polices, a coherent overall housing strategy and supporting people strategy for Shropshire, together with coherent sub-strategies, annual housing market and housing need study while making effective use of capital and revenue funding. However we are concerned that "affordable housing provision is not included in the Housing Project" but is to be considered by the Planning Services project. We recognise that planning policy is a major driver in securing affordable housing delivery but believe that most elements including need, types, distribution, strategies, policies, targets, coordination with other services, providers, customer focus and finance should rightly be within the remit of the Housing Project. Hence we believe that the Housing Project definition should be changed to incorporate consideration of affordable housing so as to reflect its vital importance in housing strategy and policy while at the same time recognising the critical role of planning policy in helping to facilitate delivery." 19.6 Received from Mr A N Mosley: "This Council wishes to congratulate all staff, parents and pupils who contributed to the awarding of 'Excellent' status for Children and Young Peoples Services. I doing so it recognises the vital work of the previous administration as being responsible for the first ever 'Excellent' award. Furthermore it recognises that there has been an 82% increase in total cash funding per pupil in Shropshire, over the last 10 years, which represents a 47% increase in real terms. The Council therefore, thanks and congratulates the Government for this additional funding which has contributed so much in facilitating our success."

To receive the report of the West Mercia Police Authority attached marked Q. Contact Ian Payne Tel 01743 344698.