Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Jane Bryson,

Dexter Bullock, David Dixon, Maxine Dixon, Natalie Hoy, Peter Roberts and Janet Tait.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations made at the meeting.

To receive any announcements that the Chair of the Council may desire to lay before the meeting.

The Chair had no announcements to make. 

Moved by Councillor Nick Clarke and seconded by Councillor Ray Heffer

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 18^th May 2022 be approved as a correct record.

Moved by Councillor Rita Turner and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury

RESOLVED that the Minutes of an ordinary Council meeting held on 18^th May 2022 be approved as a correct record.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8, to allow members of the public to ask questions about the Council’s activities for a period of up to thirty minutes.  A question may only be asked if notice of twelve clear working days has been given.

No questions had been submitted from the public.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9, to allow Members to ask questions about Council activities.  A question may only be asked if notice of twelve clear working days has been given.

No questions had been submitted from Members.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, to consider motions on notice from Members.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, Councillors were able to submit Motions on Notice for consideration at Council meetings. 

The Chair noted that one motion had been submitted.

Motion submitted by Councillor Sandra Peake;

That Bolsover District Council fully supports the retention of Adult Social Care Day Centres in Bolsover District for the benefit of our most vulnerable residents, their carers and families and that the Leader of Bolsover District Council write to the Leader of Derbyshire County Council and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care for confirmation that the Day Centres at Shirebrook, Whitwell and Bolsover will remain open for service users and the most vulnerable in our communities.”

Councillor Ray Heffer seconded Councillor Peake’s motion.

Councillor Duncan McGregor supported Councillor Peake’s motion and read out an email exchange which had taken place between Councillor Andrew Joesbury and Barry Lewis, the Leader of Derbyshire County Council (DCC), after Councillor Joesbury had written to him regarding the catastrophic effect that closing some day care centres in the District would have on vulnerable individuals and families.  Councillor McGregor noted that the email response from the Leader of DCC to Councillor Joesbury had been neither pleasant nor professional and was an unjustified attack on Councillor Steve Fritchley, Leader of BDC.

Councillor Peake noted that DCC were using the Covid Pandemic as an excuse for the centres not re-opening.  However, she was aware that the decision by DCC to close the centres had been made in 2019, pre Covid, so any public consultation they were proposing to carry out was meaningless.

All Members agreed that they fully supported Councillor Peake’s motion and requested that the Leader write a strong letter to the Leader of DCC stating both the community’s and Members’ anger at the closure of the centres.

On being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that (1) Bolsover District Council fully supports the retention of Adult Social Care Day Centres in Bolsover District for the benefit of our most vulnerable residents, their carers and families and,

(2) The Leader of Bolsover District Council writes to the Leader of Derbyshire County Council and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care for confirmation that the Day Centres at Shirebrook, Whitwell and Bolsover will remain open for service users and the most vulnerable in our communities.

(Head of Leader’s Executive/Monitoring Officer)

Members considered a detailed report which sought Council’s approval that the Authority purchase 6 properties for affordable rent from Keepmoat Homes Ltd at Mooracre Lane, Bolsover.

Keepmoat Homes Ltd were building 215 properties off Mooracre Lane, Bolsover, including 19 affordable properties as a S106 planning condition.

The Council had previously purchased 13 properties on this development and Keepmoat Homes Ltd had offered the Council the opportunity to purchase an additional 6 x 3 Bedroom Houses following preliminary discussions with Planning and Housing Management.

At its meeting held on 13^th June 2022, Executive had resolved to purchase the properties subject to Council approving the budget.  The report recommended that the scheme be added to the Council’s Capital Programme utilising HRA borrowing.

A Member raised concern that although he was supportive of the Council purchasing the additional homes, he was also aware that some Council tenants already in properties on the site had raised issues in relation to smoke alarm sensors, boundary disputes and heating issues etc.

The Assistant Director of Property Services and Housing Repairs advised Members that he was aware of these issues which would be addressed, and added that during the building of the properties, technical officers visited the site to ensure that homes were being built to the Council’s specification.  He assured Members that he would look at the Council’s processes to ensure that they met the required need for the properties.

In response to a Member’s query, the Solicitor to the Council, advised that as part of the conveyancing process the title would be checked by Legal Services at the appropriate time.

Moved by Councillor Sandra Peake and seconded by Councillor Deborah Watson

RESOLVED that the purchase of 6 properties off Mooracre Lane, Bolsover from Keepmoat Homes Limited, for £770,000 subject to Stamp Duty Land Tax and 10% contingency to include fees to the Capital Programme utilising HRA borrowing to finance the purchase be approved.

Executive considered a detailed report which sought Members’ approval to recommend that Council purchase 6 properties for affordable rent from Gleeson Homes Ltd.

Gleeson Homes Ltd were building 65 properties off Alfreton Road, Pinxton, including 6 affordable 2 bedroom semi-detached properties as a S106 planning condition.  This presented an opportunity for the Council to purchase the properties from Gleeson Homes Ltd following preliminary discussions with Planning and Housing Management.

At its meeting held on 13^th June 2022, Executive had resolved to purchase the properties subject to Council approving the budget.  The report recommended that the scheme be added to the Council’s Capital Programme utilising HRA borrowing.

Councillor Mary Dooley noted that these homes would be well received for Pinxton.

Moved by Councillor Sandra Peake and seconded by Councillor Mary Dooley

RESOLVED that the purchase of 6 properties off Alfreton Road, Pinxton from Gleeson Homes Limited for £552,000 subject to Stamp Duty Land Tax and 10% contingency to include fees to the Capital Programme utilising HRA borrowing to finance the purchase be approved.

The Treasurer left the meeting at this point.

Council received presentations in turn from officers of the Community Safety Partnership Team.

The Community Safety Partnership Officer provided a presentation in relation to the Community Safety Partnership Plan 2022-2023.

The plan set out how the Council, Police, Derbyshire County Council, Probation Services, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group, together with voluntary and community sectors, worked together with the communities in the District to reduce crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and re-offending.  It also provided information regarding levels of recorded crime in the District, ASB, the Derbyshire Safer Communities Board Joint Risk Assessment, and the plan’s priorities with an action plan covering 2020-2023.

The Community Safety and Enforcement Manager provided a presentation in relation to the Housing and Enforcement Team which included the Community Enforcement Rangers (previously known as the CAN Rangers) and the Anti-Social Behaviour Team.

The Rangers regularly worked together or liaised with the Environmental Health Department on issues including flytipping, noise nuisance, dog fouling / Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) etc.  They also undertook daytime and evening targeted patrols in relation to anti-social behaviour, joint enforcement activities with Police, the ASB Team, Fire Service and other partner agencies including crime prevention and reassurance, safe and secure, and re-assurance patrols.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Officer provided a presentation in relation to her role.  Recent work included significant reduction in anti-social behaviour in Bolsover Town Centre, obtaining an Injunction and putting a support package in place around a vulnerable female, and several multi-agency projects following an increase in crime or major incident.  Aims for the coming year were to continue to work with partners to reduce anti-social behaviour across the District and educate and raise awareness of anti-social behaviour through roadshows.

The Senior Parenting Practitioner provided a presentation in relation to her role.  The Council had provided parenting services since 2006 and demand had been consistently high with over 1800 referrals to date and over 70 parenting courses delivered. 

Due to the success of the service it was now offered in North East Derbyshire. 

Referrals to the service came from the ASB Team, Police, Social Care, IDVA, Schools, P4YP and Early Help Teams.  A testimonial was read out to the meeting which had been received from a service user who had been particularly grateful for the service she had received.

In response to a Member’s query, the Anti-Social Behaviour Officer advised that both she and the Senior Parenting Practitioner were keen to do more work in schools on a permanent basis and were looking at putting a package together in relation to this.

Members thanked the CSP team for their presentations and noted their appreciation for the work they carried out.

The Chair thanked Members and officers for their contributions to the meeting.