To receive Mayor’s Announcements.

(a)           Christchurch Terrorist Attack

The Council condemned the extreme terrorist violence, which targeted two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. Fifty people had lost their lives in the deadly terror attack and at least another fifty people had been seriously injured.  The Council stood in silence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

The Mayor to sign the Minutes of the proceedings of the previous Council Meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 February 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To receive petitions in accordance with Standing Order 8.

Sarah Watchman and Ettha Mace- Whitehouse presented a petition in the following terms:

“Save the ERAPA Play Area

In the next 12 months, the Council intends to remove the ERAPA (London Road side) play area in Palmer Park when it reaches its end of life.

This play equipment is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

Questions in accordance with Standing Order 9.

Questions in accordance with Standing Order 10.

Report by Director of Resources

The Director of Resources submitted a report recommending that the Council considered the findings of the Independent Remuneration Panel and adopted a scheme of Councillors’ Allowances for the financial year 2019/20.

The report stated that the Independent Remuneration Panel met annually to consider a scheme of allowances and pensions for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

Report by Chief Executive

Further to Minute 18 of the Personnel Committee held on 14 March 2019, the Director of Resources submitted a report outlining the draft pay policy statement, which was appended to the report.  The report stated that Local Authorities were required under Section 38(1) of the Localism Act 2011 (the Act)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

Report by Returning Officer

Further to Minute 52 of Policy Committee on 26 November 2018, and in accordance with the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), which required the Council to undertake a review of its polling districts and polling places every four years to a national timetable, the Returning Officer submitted a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

Councillor Hoskin to move:

This Council notes:

·       NHS England has announced it is privatising Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography (PET-CT) cancer scanning services for the Thames Valley area which includes Reading. This will hand the contract over to InHealth, a private company and take it away from the internationally respected NHS Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

·       That PET-CT scanning provides 3D scans of inside the body that are an essential specialist resource in helping doctors spot tumours, plan the best treatment and monitor whether that treatment is working.

·       That specialist cancer doctors at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust have declared they have “concerns about the potential impact on the safety and quality of patient care at the loss of the current PET-CT service”.

·       That Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs in the Thames Valley have raised objections to this privatisation and concerns about potential impact of patient care.

·       The lack of public consultation on these proposals.

This Council believes:

·       That, as asserted in its carried motion of 27 March 2018 “NHS services should remain in public ownership and that elements of the system that have been privatised ought to be brought back into public ownership”.

·       That privatisation of trusted and respected NHS services can potentially harm patient care and obstruct the collaborative and integrated health and care services that would best serve the people of Reading and the wider area.

This Council resolves:

·       To formally object to the privatisation of the Thames Valley’s specialist PET-CT scanning services.

·       That the Chief Executive writes on behalf of the Council to the Chief Executive of NHS England and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to call for a halt to this procurement exercise, particularly highlighting the lack of consultation with the public, councils or MPs, and the lack of a transparent assessment of the potential risks to clinical care and patient safety.

·       To send a copy of this letter to councils and MPs in the Thames Valley area covered by these services and encourage them to raise any concerns they may have with NHS England.

·       Explore the possibility of a joint health scrutiny of this privatisation with other concerned councils.

Pursuant to Notice, the following motion was moved by Councillor Hoskin and seconded by Councillor David Absolom and CARRIED:

Resolved –

This Council notes:

·                NHS England has announced it is privatising Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography (PET-CT) cancer scanning services for the Thames Valley area which includes Reading. This  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.