Agenda

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 11 September 2024.

Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary or affected interests in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest. If the Disclosable Pecuniary Interest is not entered on the register of Members interests the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

Any Member with an affected Interest in a matter must disclose the interest to the meeting.  There is no requirement to withdraw from the meeting when the interest is only an affected interest, but the Monitoring Officer should be notified of the interest, if not previously notified of it, within 28 days of the meeting.

To receive a presentation from Bracknell BID.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 (Public Participation), a petition has been submitted by Darren Bridgman on behalf of the Acoustic Couch CIC.

The full text of the petition is set out below:

This is a petition to the local council and councillors to ask them to help find the music venue and rehearsal room a new home and save a unique part of music culture in Bracknell.

The Acoustic Couchwill present a written petition to the meeting, together with an online petition available via https:/ /www.change.org/p/find-a-new-home-for-the-acoustic-couch-cic

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Cabinet since the Council meeting held on 11 September 2024.

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

·       Warfield Community Hub

• Community Safety Plan 2025-28
• Youth Justice Plan 2024-27

To received a verbal update on SEND from Councillor Bailey, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Council to note the Standards outputs in 2023/24.

To approve the proposed Council budget meeting procedure rules.

To approve the proposed Schedule of Meetings 2025/26.

To approve membership changes in accordance with the wishes of the labour group and to appoint Diana Anderson to the vacant independent co-opted member seat on the Governance and Audit Committee.

(i)         By Councillor McLean to Councillor Temperton, Cabinet Member for Council Strategy and Climate Change

How does the Leader of the Council define to the residents of Whitegrove and Warfield Park what constitutes a “Working Person”.

(ii)        By Councillor S Forster to Councillor Wright, Cabinet Member for Adult Services Health & Housing

Can the Cabinet Member give an update on what is being done to encourage the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS, specifically the Frimley Integrated Care Board, to ensure that there are sufficient pharmacy facilities in Bracknell Forest? I am asking this question because:

·       All of our residents needing medication depend on pharmacies. Furthermore, the government proposes that pharmacies are to play a much bigger role in relation to diagnosis and prescription going forwards. This will be vital to getting the NHS back on its feet, and delivering the health services we all need.

·       Some pharmacies have closed, and others have reduced their opening hours. For example, the largest pharmacy in Bracknell town centre closes earlier than nearby GP practices, meaning that some patients are unable to promptly collect prescribed medication after visiting their GP. 

·       According to a recent BBC report, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has reported that Bracknell Forest is among the bottom five council areas with the least number of pharmacies per 100,000 people. 

(iii)       By Councillor Barnard to Councillor Bailey, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People:

Special educational needs provision is a significant worry for many in Bracknell Forest.

Parents and carers have raised legitimate concerns about the effectiveness of the case management process and difficulties updating Education, Health and Care Plans.

Parents and carers have submitted feedback to the Council, highlighting the need for improvements, the reported overspending of £8m in SEN and the delayed building of a new SEN school at Bucklers Park.

We request the Cabinet Member for Special Educational Needs provides a comprehensive written report on the state of the case management system used by the Council.  Specifically, we want to understand how this system supports timely case management and keeps parents, carers and schools informed throughout the process.

Finally, we ask that the Overview and Scrutiny Commission carries out a review of the Council’s Special Educational Needs service, as a matter of urgency

(iv)       By Councillor M Forster to Councillor Neil, Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Improvement:

Can the Cabinet Member set out the impact on the Council's financial position of the Autumn Budget Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

(iv)       By Councillor Allen to Councillor Neil, Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Improvement:

Has any work been done to calculate the potential increase in costs to the Council due to the recent changes in the latest budget by the Labour government.  All employers will be affected by the increase in the National Minimum Wage.  Whilst public sector organisations are “exempt” from the increases in employer National Insurance contributions, private sector organisations, who we contract services from either directly or through Personal  ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Motion 06/2024 moved by Councillor Allen and seconded by Councillor Barnard

This Council notes that approximately 16,471 pensioners in Bracknell have had the Winter Fuel Payment taken away from them and only those who qualify for certain, limited means-tested benefits will continue to receive it.

This Council believes that the criticism of this decision from Age UK and other charities highlights the social injustice, risks to health and wellbeing, and financial hardship posed by this sudden policy change.

This Council believes that cutting the Winter Fuel Payment, with little warning and inadequate compensatory measures, will hurt local pensioners and is a damaging policy decision.

Therefore, this Council:

1. notes the good work being done by the Council and our community partners to help those pensioners most in need and signpost them towards available benefits;
2. instructs their Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and local Members of Parliament, to demand a review of the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, in order to protect vulnerable pensioners;
3. will sign the 'Save the Winter Fuel Payment for struggling pensioners' petition being run by Age UK and write to all Bracknell Forest and local Town and Parish councillors, giving them the opportunity to do the same.