Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 23 November 2017.

(a)        Call over (items 9-11) will be read out at the meeting and Members invited to reserve the items for discussion.

(b)        To approve the recommendations of those reports which have not been reserved for discussion.

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.

A period not exceeding three minutes is allowed for the presentation of a petition or deputation 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

To receive announcements from:

a)         The Mayor

b)         Leader of the Council

c)          Members of the Cabinet

d)         Chair of Committees

e)         Head of Paid Service

a)         Leader and Cabinet Members’ Question Time (30 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 Council’s summons

·       A matter coming within their portfolio of responsibilities

        Only one supplementary question is allowed per question.

c)     Questions to Chairs of Meetings (15 Minutes)

To consider the report of the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) concerning the recommendations of the IRP with regard to the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme and to seek a decision on an appropriate scheme for the payment of allowances in 2018-19.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources concerning a Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) for 2018/19.

To consider the report of the Policy and Governance Manager seeking approval for a two-year programme of ordinary meetings of Council and other meetings for the period of May 2018 to April 2020.

1.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR PULLEN

“This council believes in equality of access in providing facilities and services to all residents in Gloucester.  The council currently operates the Community Toilet Scheme whereby some businesses offer toilets in their premises for use by the public when visiting the city centre.

However, there are some people with complex needs and disabilities and some elderly people, who's needs cannot be met either by the Community Toilet Scheme or by existing toilets for disabled people.

In order to address this issue, this council is asked to incorporate a Changing Places Toilet into the plans for the Kings Quarter development. This facility will provide people with complex disabilities with appropriate specialised equipment to meet their sanitary needs.

This council is also requested to influence private sector developers to provide such facilities when considering future developments.”

2.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR HILTON

“This Council notes that after questions from the Liberal Democrats the Cabinet has included in its forward plan a proposal to adopt a public art strategy for Gloucester.

This Council welcomes this decision and notes that the planned date for the public arts strategy to be approved by Cabinet, is the 9^th of May 2018.

This Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure holds an evening seminar, inviting all councillors, to discuss the development of the public arts strategy for Gloucester.

This council also notes that the Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company published a public arts strategy for Gloucester in 2006  called ‘A Place for Art – A Public Art Strategy for Central Gloucester’ (by Ginkgo Projects Ltd) and that this should be used as the basis on which to develop a public art strategy for Gloucester City Council.”

3.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR RYALL

“This Council notes that the government is consulting over the Great Western Rail Franchise and that the consultation ends on the 21^st of February.

This Council agrees that it is important for the people of Gloucester to have excellent rail services to and from Gloucester Railway Station.

This Council notes that the government has listed eighteen questions in their consultation document that was published in November 2017.

This Council agrees to respond to the consultation and asks the Leader of the Council, in consultation with Group Leaders, to prepare a response from this Council to meet the 21^st of February 2018 deadline.”

4.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR HAIGH

“This Council notes that 2018 is the 100^th anniversary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act which gave women aged over 30 the right to vote. Since then women have made significant contributions to the political life of the City and the Country but are still under represented nationally and locally. The “Does Local Government Work for Women” report by the Fawcett Society last year highlighted that only 33% of Councillors are women, less than 1 in 5 Council Leaders are women and 6 out of every 7 Cabinet members are men. Gloucester City Council currently has  ...  view the full agenda text for item 58.

Written questions and answers.  Only one supplementary question is allowed per question.