Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room 1, North Warehouse, The Docks, Gloucester, GL1 2EP. View directions

Contact: Democratic and Electoral Services 

Items
No. Item

113.

Declarations of Interest

To receive from Members, declarations of the existence of any disclosable pecuniary, or non-pecuniary, interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any agenda item. Please see Agenda Notes.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

114.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 131 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 3rd April 2019.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 3rd April 2019 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

115.

Public Question Time (15 minutes)

The opportunity is given to members of the public to put questions to Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs provided that a question does not relate to:

 

·         Matters which are the subject of current or pending legal proceedings, or

·         Matters relating to employees or former employees of the Council or comments in respect of individual Council Officers

Minutes:

A member of the public informed Cabinet that a number of homeless individuals had told him that they had been refused access to the homeless hub in Gloucester.  He asked what the criteria for admission was and why people might not be offered accommodation.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods replied that records indicated only one person had been refused access and that was because they already had accommodation.  She confirmed that the hub was for people who were homeless as assessed by StreetLink and advised that details of specific cases should be taken up with the Countywide Homelessness Co-ordinator.

 

The member of the public advised Cabinet that a City Council officer had not offered information on the homeless hub to a person in need of assistance and sought assurance that the matter would be addressed. The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods expressed concern and emphasised the importance of people being able to access help.  She reassured Members that officers would address the matter.

 

The member of the public enquired how many people have been prosecuted annually between 2010 and 2018 for street begging.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods responded that although there had been 29 criminal behaviour orders issued these concerned all offences not just begging.  She stated that providing a detailed response would take time to retrieve given the different agencies and timescale involved but gave assurance that she would provide a written answer to the questioner.  The member of public asked what was known about the reasons behind people begging and what incentives were in place to prevent them reoffending.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods commented that most people begging suffered with addiction as well as other issues around mental health and general wellbeing.  She made it clear that engaging with and offering support to individuals was prioritised with enforcement seen only as a last resort.  The member of the public further asked if people paid fines while incarcerated and what support was available to those coming out of prison.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods stated that the Council worked hard to fully engage with the criminal justice system and ensure that individuals were engaged with all relevant services and agencies.  She commented that those people often had convictions for other offences but acknowledged that systems sometimes fail and asked that individual cases be raised so that they could be looked into.

 

116.

Petitions and Deputations (15 minutes)

To receive any petitions or deputations provided that no such petition or deputation is in relation to:

 

·         Matters relating to individual Council Officers, or

·         Matters relating to current or pending legal proceedings

Minutes:

There were no petitions or deputations.

117.

Leader and Cabinet Members' Question Time (15 minutes)

Any Member of the Council may ask the Leader of the Council or any Cabinet Member any question without prior notice, upon:

       

·       Any matter relating to the Council’s administration

·       Any matter relating to any report of the Cabinet appearing on the summons

·       A matter coming within their portfolio of responsibilities

 

Only one supplementary question is allowed per question.

Minutes:

There were no questions to the Leader of the Council or Cabinet.

118.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure and Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council announced that the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure and Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy would be stepping down.  He took the opportunity to place on record his thanks to both Cabinet Members for their contribution.

 

119.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To resolve:

that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public are present during consideration of this item there will be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.

 

Agenda Item No. Description of Exempt Information

 

8 Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business (Agenda item 8) on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public are present during consideration of this item there will be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.

 

120.

Bakers Quay Redevelopment

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy seeking to update Members on the development strategy for the remaining phases of the Bakers Quay redevelopment.

Decision:

RESOLVED as per the recommendations in the confidential report

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy that sought to update Members on the development strategy for the remaining phases of the Bakers Quay redevelopment.

 

RESOLVED as per the recommendations in the confidential report