Council - Thursday, 21st February, 2019 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 6th December 2018 (copy Minutes attached).

It was MOVED by Cllr Barbara Hurst; SECONDED by Cllr P.G. Taylor and

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 6th December 2018 (having been circulated previously) be taken as read, approved and signed as a correct record.

(1)       The Mayor reported that it was the 70th birthday of Cllr Terry Bridgeman that day and extended the very best wishes of the Council to him.

(2)       The Mayor reported that, as this was the first full Council Meeting of 2019, he wanted to advise that he had thoroughly enjoyed attending various events in the Borough and beyond in the run up to Christmas.

(3)       The Mayor reported that he had attended a Holocaust Memorial Day Service at the Royal Garrison Church together with the Garrison Commander (Lt Col Paddy Baines) and his fiancée and the Leader of the Council (Cllr David Clifford) and his wife, Liz.   The Mayor confirmed that the Council would be organising an event to mark this important day for 2020.

(4)       The Mayor confirmed that £420 had been raised at a quiz night held in aid of the Mayor’s Charities.  He thanked his Chaplain who had been an excellent Quizmaster and all those who had taken part. 

(5)       The Mayor reminded Members that his Charity Ball would take place on  8th March at Princes Hall. 

(6)          The Mayor advised Members that the Chairman of his Charity Fundraising Committee, Terry Owens, would be doing a sky dive in aid of the Mayor’s Charities.  A JustGiving page had been created to raise funds. 

To receive any questions by Members submitted in pursuance of Standing Order 8 (3).

The Mayor reported that no questions had been submitted under Standing Order 8 (3).

To consider the following Notice of Motion, which has been submitted by Cr. K. Dibble pursuant to Standing Order 9 (1):

“Rushmoor Borough Council recognises its staff is its greatest resource, and, as a good employer, must ensure all staff feel safe and secure in their place of work. We therefore call on the Council to sign up to Unison’s Violence at Work Charter.”

The Council was asked to consider a Motion which had been submitted by Cllr Keith Dibble in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 9 (1).  It was MOVED by Cllr K. Dibble; SECONDED by Cllr J.B. Canty – That

“Rushmoor Borough Council recognises its staff is its greatest resource, and, as a good employer, must ensure all staff feel safe and secure in their place of work.  We therefore call on the Council to sign up to UNISON’s ‘Violence at Work Charter’.

Speaking in support of his Motion, Cllr Dibble stated that, as a good employer, the Council should take all steps necessary to show that the authority met the points of the Charter. 

During the debate, it was PROPOSED by Cllr K. Dibble and SECONDED by Cllr J.B. Canty that - the Motion be referred to the appropriate body to ensure that the Council was meeting the points in the Charter.

The Motion was then put to the meeting.  There voted FOR: 34; AGAINST: 0 and the Motion was DECLARED CARRIED unanimously.

NOTE:  In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Cllrs Sue Dibble and M.L. Sheehan declared their personal interests in this item in respect of their membership of UNISON.  They remained in the meeting during the discussion on this item.

At its meeting on 28th January, 2019, the Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee considered the nominations for Mayor-Elect and the Deputy Mayor-Elect for 2019/20 and made the following recommendations:

(i)              That Cr. Sue Carter be selected as Mayor-Elect for the Municipal Year 2019/20; and

(ii)             That Cr. Peter Frank Rust be selected as Deputy Mayor-Elect for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

The Chairman of the Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee (Cllr J.E. Woolley) reported that the Committee had considered the nominations for the Mayor-Elect and the Deputy Mayor-Elect for 2019/20 at its meeting on 28th January, 2019. Having regard to the criteria adopted by the Council, the Committee had agreed to recommend that:

(i)        Cllr Sue Carter be selected as Mayor-Elect for the Municipal Year 2019/20; and

(ii)       Cllr Frank Rust be selected as Deputy Mayor-Elect for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

It was MOVED by Cllr J.E. Woolley; SECONDED by Cllr B. Jones  – That the Recommendations of the Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee be approved in respect of the Mayor-Elect and Deputy Mayor-Elect.  

There voted FOR: 34; AGAINST: 0 and the Motion was DECLARED CARRIED.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet in relation to the following items:

(1)          Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax Level 2019/20 and Council Tax Support Scheme

Cllr G.B. Lyon introduced the Report of the Cabinet meeting held on 5th February, 2019, which recommended the approval of the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax Level 2019/20.  It was MOVED by Cllr G.B. Lyon; SECONDED by Cllr P.G. Taylor

(a)       That approval be given to the recommendations set out in the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax Level in respect of the following:

(i)            the General Fund Revenue Budget Summary, set out in Appendix 1 to the Report;

(ii)          the detailed General Fund Revenue Budget, as set out in Appendix 2;

(iii)         the additional items for inclusion in the budget, as set out in Appendix 3;

(iv)         the Council Tax Requirement of £6,409,171 for this Council;

(v)          the Council Tax level for Rushmoor Borough Council’s purposes of £204.42 for a Band D property in 2019/20;

(vi)         the Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix 4;

(vii)        the Strategy for the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts, as set out in Appendix 5;

(viii)      the Executive Head of Finance’s report under Section 25 of the Local Government Act, 2003, as set out in Appendix 6; and

(ix)         the additional transfers to earmarked reserves in 2019/20 and the holding of reserves, as previously detailed in Report No. FIN1909.

Following debate, the Motion was put to the meeting.  On a Recorded Vote, there voted FOR: Cllrs Mrs. D.B. Bedford, D.M.T. Bell, J.B. Canty, M.S. Choudhary, Sophia Choudhary, A.K. Chowdhury, D.E. Clifford, R.M. Cooper, Liz Corps, P.I.C. Crerar, R.L.G. Dibbs, Veronica Graham-Green, Barbara Hurst, G.B. Lyon, Mara Makunura, J.H. Marsh, Marina Munro, K.H. Muschamp, A.R. Newell, M.L. Sheehan, M.D. Smith, P.G. Taylor, M.J. Tennant, B.A. Thomas, Jacqui Vosper and J.E. Woolley (26); AGAINST: Cllrs A.H. Crawford,  Keith Dibble, Sue Dibble, Jennifer Evans, C.P. Grattan, A.J. Halstead, B. Jones, M.J. Roberts and P.F. Rust (9); and ABSTAINED: the Deputy Mayor (Cllr Sue Carter) and the Mayor (Cllr S.J. Masterson) (2) and the Recommendations were DECLARED CARRIED; and

(b)       It was MOVED by Cllr G.B. Lyon and SECONDED by Cllr P.G. Taylor - That approval be given to the retention of the current 12% minimum contribution (88% discount) for those of working age for 2019/20 in respect of the Council Tax Support Scheme, as set out in Report No. ED1902.

There voted FOR: 33; and AGAINST: 0 and the Recommendations were DECLARED CARRIED.

(2)          Annual Capital Strategy 2019/20

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Democratic Services (Cllr G.B. Lyon) introduced the Report of the Cabinet Meeting held on 5th February, 2019, which recommended the approval of the Annual Capital Strategy for 2019/20, including the Prudential Indicators for capital finance for 2019/20.

It was MOVED by Cllr G.B. Lyon; SECONDED by Cllr P.G. Taylor – That approval be given to the Annual Capital Strategy  and Prudential Indicators for 2019/20.

There voted FOR: 24; AGAINST: 9 and the Recommendations were DECLARED CARRIED. 

(3)          Annual Treasury Management Strategy and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

To fix the level of Council Tax for the financial year 2019/20 taking into account precepts of Hampshire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority. (A copy of the appropriate draft resolution is attached – Annex 6)

It was MOVED by Cllr D.E. Clifford; SECONDED by Cllr G.B. Lyon – That

(i)            it be noted that the Council calculated the amount of 31,352.21 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011 (the ‘Act’);

(ii)          the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Section 31 and Sections 34 to 36 of the Act:

(a)      £84,543,699  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act

(b)      £78,134,528  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)      £6,409,171     being the amount by which the aggregate at (ii)(a) above exceeds the aggregate at (ii)(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year.

(d)      £204.42          being the amount at (ii)(c) above, all divided by the amount at (i) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (ii)(d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands;

(iii)       it be noted that for the year 2019/20 Hampshire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:

(iv)         That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at (ii)(e) and (iii) above, the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2019/20 for each  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

To receive any questions by Members to Cabinet Members submitted in accordance with the Procedure Note.

The Mayor reported that four questions had been submitted for response by the Cabinet.

(1)          Cllr A.J. Halstead asked a question of the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy (Cllr Barbara Hurst) about the regulation of housing associations.

In response, Cllr Hurst stated that the Council had submitted a comprehensive response to the Government’s social housing green paper.  The Council’s response had been based on its strong confidence in the steady progress that was taking place in Rushmoor.  This had been achieved by constructive collaboration with the Council’s partners and robust scrutiny and could be improved. 

(2)          Cllr R.M. Cooper asked a question of the Leader of the Council (Cllr D.E. Clifford) about Holocaust Memorial Day.

In response, Cllr Clifford stated that the Council would be working with Aldershot Garrison to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in 2020, which was an important reminder of the need to stamp out race and hate crime. 

(3)          Cllr J.H. Marsh asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Operational Services (Cllr M.L. Sheehan) “Bearing in mind the recent publicity about the number of ‘missed bin’ collections with council rubbish collections, how many ‘missed bin’ collections were reported in the past year?”

In response, Cllr Sheehan stated that he would provide a written response to all Members.   

(4)          Cllr A.J. Halstead asked a question of the Leader of the Council (Cllr D.E. Clifford) about LGBT History Month.

In response, Cllr Clifford stated that the Council was delighted to recognise LGBT History Month and said that the Council valued all LGBT members of the community.   He invited Cllr Halstead to organise an event to mark LGBT History Month for the Borough.

To receive and ask questions on the Reports of the following Meetings (copy reports attached):

(1)          Cabinet

It was MOVED by Cllr D.E. Clifford; SECONDED by Cllr K.H. Muschamp and

RESOLVED:  That the Reports of the Meetings of the Cabinet held on 11th December, 2018, 8th January and 5th February, 2019 be received.

(2)          Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee

It was MOVED by Cllr J.E. Woolley; SECONDED by Cllr Jacqui Vosper and

RESOLVED:  That the Report of the Meeting of the Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee held on 26th November, 2018 be received.

(3)          Development Management Committee

It was MOVED by Cllr B.A. Thomas; SECONDED by Cllr J.H. Marsh and

RESOLVED:  That the Report of the meeting of the Development Management Committee held on 5th December, 2018 be received.

(4)          Development Management Committee

It was MOVED by Cllr J.H. Marsh; SECONDED by Cllr Diane Bedford and

RESOLVED:  That the Report of the meeting of the Development Management Committee held on 16th January, 2019 be received.

(5)          Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee

It was MOVED by Cllr J.E. Woolley; SECONDED by Cllr Jacqui Vosper and

RESOLVED:  That the Report of the Meeting of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee held on 29th January, 2018 be received.

To note the Reports of the following meetings (copy reports attached):

RESOLVED:  That the Reports of the undermentioned meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Policy and Project Advisory Board be received: