Agenda, decisions and minutes

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 23 May 2018 (attached).

Minutes AGREED as a correct record.

The minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on 23 May 2018 were before the Council for approval.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on 23 May 2018 be approved as a correct record.

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

There were no disclosures of interest.

There were no disclosures of interest.

Procedural Motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group

THAT

i)             The Mayor restricts his announcements to the death of former Councillor Eden and some other brief matters. There be no announcements by Leader or CE.

ii)            Petitions be accepted without introduction, handed up and dealt with in accordance with the Constitution.

iii)          Questions on reports will be responded to in writing.

iv)          Item 7 Appointment of Vice chairs by vote only

v)           Item 8 by Vote only

vi)          Item 9 Vote only

vii)         Item 10  Council questions be dealt with by the Mayor making reference to the questions on the agenda and that those be responded to by way of written response to all Members. No Supplementary questions allowed.

viii) Item 11 Motions to be withdrawn or proceed by vote only.

Meeting to be concluded by 7.45pm

The Procedural Motion by the Residents’ Group was AGREED by 43 votes to 3 (see division 1).

RESOLVED:

THAT

i)             The Mayor restricts his announcements to the death of former Councillor Eden and some other brief matters. There be no announcements by Leader or CE.

ii)           Petitions be accepted without introduction, handed up and dealt with in accordance with the Constitution.

iii)         Questions on reports will be responded to in writing.

iv)          Item 7 Appointment of Vice chairs by vote only

v)           Item 8 by Vote only

vi)          Item 9 Vote only

vii)              Item 10  Council questions be dealt with by the Mayor making reference to the questions on the agenda and that those be responded to by way of written response to all Members. No Supplementary questions allowed.

viii)      Item 11 Motions to be withdrawn or proceed by vote only.

Meeting to be concluded by 7.45pm

To receive announcements (if any).

A minute’s silence was held in memory or former Councillor Ted Eden.

The Mayor introduced his Mayor’s Cadet for the year.

The Mayor also made a presentation to his Official Chaplain Reverend David Hague, Vicar, Church of the Good Shepherd, Collier Row and Area Dean of Havering.  

To receive any petition presented pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23.

Councillors Wise, Frost and Durant have given notice of intention to present a petition.

Received from Councillors Frost and Wise.

The following petitions were presented:

By Councillor Wise in relation to a request for extra parking bays in Queen’s Road.

By Councillor Frost in relation to a request for more parking in Vanguard Close.

The petition due to be presented by Councillor Durant was withdrawn and would be presented at the next Council meeting.

NOTE: The deadline for receipt of amendments to all reports submitted with the final agenda and of nominations for the vacant Sub-Committee positions is midnight, Monday 9 July.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on the Appointment of Vice-Chairs of the Environment and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committees (attached).

Councillor Matt Sutton ELECTED as Vice-Chair of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, without division.

Councillor Ciaran White ELECTED as Vic-Chair of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, without division.

A report of the Chief Executive invited Members to nominate candidates for the vacant positions of Vice-Chairmen of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee and of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee.  

Councillor Matt Sutton was ELECTED as Vice-Chair of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, without division.

Councillor Ciaran White was ELECTED as Vice-Chair of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, without division.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on the Terms of Reference for the Joint Venture Working Party (attached).

Report AGREED by 30 votes to 9.

A report of the Chief Executive recommended changes to the Constitution reflecting the decision at Annual Council to create a Joint Venture Working Party and to establish Terms of Reference for this.

The following questions on the report were submitted on behalf of the Residents’ Group and received responses by way of written reply as shown below:

1. Given that the council’s strategic vision for regeneration is already settled and a partner appointed, what advice would the Leader of the Council anticipate will be provided by the Joint Venture Working Party to officers and the Cabinet?

I am pleased you agree that the Council has a clear strategic vision.  The Working Group is an opportunity  for Members from across groups to consider the regeneration programme in detail and comment accordingly.

2. Would the Leader of the Council agree that ensuring that third parties understand his Administration’s vision for house-based regeneration is the role of officers and the council’s Communication Team and not the Joint Venture Working Party?

Council officers including the communications team have a very important role to play, but we are the elected representatives of our community so must  communicate our vision and our expectations of other parties.   

3. Who would the Leader of the Council expect the Joint Venture Working Party to be lobbying for infrastructure improvements?

I anticipate that the Working Party will consider how it engages in supporting any lobbying the council may do. It is important that the council has one voice in respect of lobbying.

4. Would the Leader of the Council agree that Ward Councillors would be in the best position to know what local infrastructure is needed and what is best for their local community from a regeneration scheme rather than the Joint Venture Working Party?

Ward Members have a great deal of knowledge and we will certainly be listening to their views as well as the Working Group – it is not one or the other.    Infrastructure requirements also cross ward boundaries and the impact of  regeneration is not limited to those who live in or close to new developments.  That is why it is right to give Members from across the Borough the opportunity to consider these matters as well as Ward Councillors.   

5. At what stage of the process would the Leader of the Council anticipate the Joint Venture Working Party will advise on whether any new housing development is appropriate and designed to meet local needs?

I would expect that the Working Group will comment on these matters from the outset.   

6. Would the Leader of the Council provide clarity on how he sees the Joint Venture Working Party working with the Strategic Planning Committee to avoid duplication?

There is a clear distinction of responsibilities.  The Joint Venture Working Group will comment to the Cabinet in its executive role.  The Strategic Planning Committee is by law a separate decision making body independent from the Cabinet and from the Joint Venture Working Group.    

The report was AGREED by 31 votes to 9 (see  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Deemed motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

That the statement given by the Leader of the Council at the Annual Meeting on 23 May 2018 be received.

Deemed motion AGREED by 34 votes to 10.

Deemed Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

That the statement given by the Leader of the Council at the Annual Meeting on 23 May 2018 be received.

In accordance with the Procedural Motion agreed by Council at the meeting, this matter was dealt with on a vote only basis.

The Deemed Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group was AGREED by 35 votes to 10 (see division 3).

RESOLVED:

That the statement given by the Leader of the Council at the Annual Meeting on 23 May 2018 be received.

Attached.

15 questions dealt with by way of written reply.

In accordance with the Procedural Motion agreed by Council earlier in the meeting, all fifteen questions were dealt with by way of written reply. The questions and their replies are attached as appendix 2 to these minutes.

Attached.

A.   PARKS MAINTENANCE AND STREET CLEANSING POLICIES

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 27 votes to 17 and AGREED as substantive motion by 26 votes to 18.

B.   REVIEW OF COUNCIL CONSTITUTION

Motion withdrawn by Residents’ group and resubmitted to next meeting of Council.

C.   HAROLD WOOD POLYCLINIC

Motion withdrawn by Labour Group and resubmitted to next meeting of council.

A. PARKS MAINTENANCE AND STREET CLEANING POLICIES

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

The Council calls upon the Executive to review its parks maintenance and street cleaning policy andto agree the change to street cleaning and parks maintenance schedules from “few but often” to “many but less often” needs to be reversed or amended following many complaints from residents about our streets and parks looking littered for longer. That is certain locations do need a group of operatives to clean/maintain, but general litter needs to be removed asap by a lone operative as a priority for residents who want to keep Havering looking tidy.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council welcomes the changes to the cleansing regime brought in to improve efficiency and maintain standards within the Environment Departments and notes that any additional street or parks cleansing must be set alongside the extra financial commitments that it would require.

In accordance with the procedural motion agreed by Council earlier in the meeting, this motion was dealt with on a vote only basis.

The amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 28 votes to 17 (see division 4) and AGREED as the substantive motion by 27 votes to 18 (see division 5).  

RESOLVED:

This Council welcomes the changes to the cleansing regime brought in to improve efficiency and maintain standards within the Environment Departments and notes that any additional street or parks cleansing must be set alongside the extra financial commitments that it would require.

Motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group

In order to ensure that this council operates in a fair, equitable and modern way, this council calls for a comprehensive cross party review of the constitution with the initial emphasis on the committee structure, in particular its functions and responsibilities.

Amendment on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

(amended wording shown in bold).

In order to ensure that this council operates in a fair, equitable and modern way, this council calls for a comprehensive cross party review of the constitution with the initial emphasis on the committee structure, in particular its size, functions and responsibilities.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council notes that the Governance Committee is charged with recommending amendments to the constitution to full council and further notes that no amendments to the current structure were proposed for consideration at the annual council after the local elections.

The motion was withdrawn by the Residents’ Group and resubmitted to the next meeting of Council.

Motion on behalf of the Labour Group

This Council calls upon calls upon the Executive to urge the Clinical Commissioning Group to support the continuation of the health services provided at the Harold Wood Polyclinic and urges all members of the Council to participate in the current public consultation by supporting Option 2 to retain the Polyclinic.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council calls on the Havering Clinical Commissioning Group to undertake a comprehensive review of the provision of GP services throughout the borough, with particular focus upon maintaining services that assist in relieving pressure on the Queen’s A&E, and requests that an all member briefing be held to update all members on this.

The motion was withdrawn by the Labour Group and resubmitted to the next meeting of Council.

The record of voting decisions is attached as appendix 3 to these minutes.