Agenda and minutes

Council - Wednesday 20th March, 2024 6.00 pm

Venue: Baptist Tabernacle Auditorium, The Square, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1TE

Contact: Democratic Services Officer, Peter Bell 

Items
No. Item

COU/89/23

Welcome and Evacuation Procedure

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and outlined the arrangements for the meeting.

COU/90/23

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

COU/91/23

Minutes of Council from the meetings which were held on 24 January and 21 February 2024 pdf icon PDF 174 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings held on 24 January and 21 February 2024.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January and 21 February 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

COU/92/23

Public Question Time pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Minutes:

The following question had been submitted by David Cooper for response by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport (Cllr Clare Gamble):-

 

“Does the council take the view that S72 of the 1835 Highway Act is no longer in force? (This relates to the edict from the council that parking on the pavement is permitted).”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport responded with:-

 

“We are not aware of any edict being issued by this Council in relation to parking on pavements.

 

Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 is still in force, it does not relate to parking. It primarily covers some offences of driving on the footway and of cycling on the footway as well as more historic issues relating animals on the highway.

 

Currently, there is no legislation, outside of London, making parking on the pavement illegal however, the Highway Code states that drivers should not do so elsewhere (outside of London) unless signs permit it.  It is illegal to leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction which is once again stated in the Highway Code. Any instances of dangerous or obstructive parking can be reported to the Councils Civic Enforcement team.”

 

David Cooper asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“Given the decision of the council to permit drivers to park on pavements, what would its advice be to those teaching children how to be safe?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport:-

 

“Noting the answer to the previous question, confirming that the Council continues to be guided by current national legislation, we recommend those teaching children how to be safe follow the relevant national guidance, provided by the Department for Transport. The Governments ‘Think! Road  safety’ website provides excellent education resources, designed for different age groups.

 

If you enter the term THINK! – Road safety or think.gov.uk into your preferred search engine you should find the resources you need.”

COU/93/23

Amendments to Committee for 2023/27 pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report on an amendment to a committee and an appointment to an outside body for 2023/27.

 

RESOLVED that:-

 

Place Select Committee - Cllr Shakeel Hussain be removed and Cllr Sufi Mubeen be added.

NEREO - Cllr Jim Beall be appointed

COU/94/23

Members' Question Time pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Minutes:

The following question had been submitted by Councillor Ted Strike for response by the Cabinet Member for Access, Communities & Community Safety (Councillor Norma Stephenson OBE):-

 

“"SBC are expanding their “Street Trading Consent “ to cover the whole borough as of

the 1st March this year. Despite raising my concerns at a cabinet meeting and Full

Council meeting as well as emailing licencing I have not had any explanation of what

this involves. IBCP’s first market is April 13th and at the time of submitting this question I have had no clarification of what this new regulations entail.

 

On Friday evening I received a call from the organiser of SirenFest who was concerned as she had been sent a link and was confused. She spoke to an officer from licencing who advised that the cost would be £100 for up to 20 traders.

 

Having looked at this link can the cabinet member advise me:

 

Is my understanding correct,

 

1) That established markets are exempt? The Ingleby Community Market has been

trading for 9 years, is that classed as an established market.

2) Fairs are exempt. Does this include our well-established Christmas Fair?

3) Does the Family Fun weekend come under these rules?

4) Are events that charge to attend exempt?

If events that charge are exempt then why have SirenFest been advised they need to

pay?

 

Could I have some clarity please and can you forward me a copy of the response?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Access, Communities & Community Safety responded with:-

 

“The whole Borough Street Trading regime was implemented on 1 March 2024, after a period of extensive period of consultation, during which all Elected Members were included also.   During the consultation period changes were made to the procedural guidance which included changes to DBS requirements to community events, and charity events on religious or school grounds, themes which were concerns raised during the consultation period.

 

With regards to your specific points of clarity, I can offer the following:

 

That established markets are exempt? The Ingleby Community Market has been trading for 9 years, is that classed as an established market.

 

The Ingleby Community Market, whilst an asset to the area and well attended, is not an established market under the Markets Charter and as such would require a temporary event consent.

 

Fairs are exempt. Does this include our well-established Christmas Fair?

 

Fairground rides are not classed as trading under the primary legislation, so they would not require the consent. However, any trading (selling of goods) would require a temporary event consent.

 

Does the Family Fun weekend come under these rules?

 

The commercial trading at these events would fall under the regime, yes. They would require a temporary event consent. Any fairground rides etc. would not require consent.

 

Are events that charge to attend exempt?

 

Providing robust plans are in place to control access to the event, for example a car boot sale with an entrance fee, then they would be exempt.

 

For clarity, Temporary Event Consents are not  ...  view the full minutes text for item COU/94/23

COU/95/23

Forward Plan and Leader’s Statement

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council gave his Forward Plan and Leaders Statement.

 

Council last met on the 21st February to consider the Medium Term Financial Plan and to set the Council Budget. Since then, Cabinet met on 14 March and considered the following matters:

 

           Procurement Plan, Higher Value Contracts and Social Value Update

           Syllabus for Primary Religious Education

           Durham Lane Industrial Estate Redevelopment

 

Cabinet would meet again on18 April. So far on the forward plan Cabinet is due to consider:

 

           A Powering Our Future - Programme Update

           Scrutiny Review of Cost of Living Response

 

The next meeting of full Council will be 3 April at the Forum Theatre in Billingham which is of course the annual meeting and a significant civic event.

 

The Leader of the Council also reminded members that elections for both the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayor will take place on 2nd May and the Council was in the election period. The monitoring officer had issued advice to members and officers in respect of this period.

 

Coming up at the end of this month there was Stockton Calling on 30th March taking place at various locations.

 

The Leader of the Council looked forward to seeing Members at the Forum on 3rd April 2024.