To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 27 February 2019 (attached).

AGREED as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 27 February 2019 were before the Council for approval.

APPROVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 27 February 2019 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.

To receive announcements (if any).

A minute’s silence was held in memory of Councillor Clarence Barrett who had sadly passed away. Tributes to Councillor Barrett were paid from all sides of the Chamber.

The Mayor reported on the recent Civic Service where guests included the Iraqi Ambassador, the Bishop of Barking, local MPs and 20 other Mayors. Forthcoming events included an evening at Romford Snooker Club on 18 April, a Danceathon on 27 April and a Mayoral Garden Party on 5 May. 

The Leader of the Council passed on his condolences to the family and friends of the recent murder victim – Jodie Chesney.

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

Councillor Ryan and Durant have given notice of intention to present a petition.

Received from Councillors Ryan and Durant.

The following petitions were presented:

From Councillor Ryan relating to parking and HGV issues in Crow Lane and Jutsums Lane.

From Councillor Durant supporting the removal of double yellow lines in Roding Way, Rainham. 

Report attached.

NOTE: The deadline for receipt of amendments to all reports published with the Council agenda is midnight, Monday 18 March.

Amendment by Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 28 votes to 24; deemed motion by Administration CARRIED by 28 votes to 24.

A report of Governance Committee proposed some amendment to the Council Procedure Rules. This followed the delegation by Council to Governance Committee in March 2018 of a review of this issue.

The proposals put forward sought to improve the efficient and effective conduct of business transacted at full Council within the time available.

Deemed motion on behalf of the Administration

That the report be adopted and its recommendations carried into effect.

Amendment on behalf of the Residents’ Group

That all recommendations to Council in the report be replaced with the following:

In order to ensure that this council works in a fair and equitable manner, this council calls for a proper cross party review of the Council Procedure rules with a view of reporting back to the Governance Committee at the earliest opportunity.

Following debate, the amendment on behalf of the Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 28 votes to 24 (see division 1) and the deemed motion on behalf of the Administration was CARRIED by 28 votes to 24 (see division 2).

The agreed revised set of Council Procedure Rules is shown as appendix 1 to these minutes.

Report attached.

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Chief Executive sought the approval of Council for the appointment of Anne Brown as Monitoring Officer. The Monitoring Officer left the meeting during discussion of this item.

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

1.    That the following individual be authorised to exercise the responsibilities of the statutory officer indicated:

Monitoring Officer Anne Brown, Deputy Director Legal & Governance (oneSource), with immediate effect.

2.    Pursuant to that appointment the delegations and references made to that statutory role in the Constitution be amended accordingly.

3.    To note that the Monitoring Officer appoints Kathryn Robinson as Deputy Monitoring Officer, who will exercise the responsibilities of the statutory officer in her absence.

Report attached.

Report AGREED without division.

As required under the Localism Act 2011, a report of the Chief Executive asked Council to approve the pay Policy Statement 2019/20. The Pay Policy Statement set out:

·         The remuneration of its Chief Officers

·         The remuneration of its lowest-paid employees

·         The relationship between the remuneration of its Chief Officers and its other employees

The report as AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the Pay Policy Statement 2019/20 (as shown in appendix 2 to these minutes) be approved.

Report attached.

Report AGREED without division.

In accordance with the Constitution, a report of the Chief Executive proposed dates for future meetings of Council.

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the dates of Council meetings for the Municipal Year 2019/20 and, on a provisional basis, the balance of 2020 be fixed as follows:

Attached.

13 questions asked and answers given.

Thirteen question were asked and replies given. The text of all questions submitted and their answers, as well as a summary of the supplementary questions and answers is shown as appendix 3 to these minutes.

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

The March 7th Governance meeting and subsequent March 21st Council approved a Governance report proposing changes to the council’s planning regime. The report included a recommendation to create two planning committees, a Strategic Planning committee with 7 members and a Planning committee with 11 members, but did say the actual size of the committees (and all committees) would be a matter for Annual Council on May 23rd.

At Annual Council it was proposed to create two size 8 planning committees as part of item 9 on the Council agenda. Item 9 was approved without debate following a procedural motion to go vote only. Following the meeting the Monitoring Officer advised the creation of size 8 committees was to “assist with proportionality”, except it doesn’t and neither does the Planning Advisory Service provide specific advice on size of committees.

Due to the quasi-judicial importance of planning committees, the overall creation of two new planning committee positions is welcome, however this motion calls upon Council to agree to change the size of the two planning committees from size 8 to size 7 (strategic) and 11 (planning) as recommended in the approved March 7th Governance Committee report, subject to approval at 20th March Council.

Council is further asked to agree to increase the total number of seats on committee to 136 (from 134), and to ensure political balance rules are adhered to, agrees to the allocation of seats as set out in the appendix to this motion.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council notes the decision taken by full council on 23^rd May this year to establish the committees of the authority having regard to political balance.

The amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group was AGREED by 27 votes to 20 (see division 3) and AGREED as the substantive motion, without division.

RESOLVED:

This Council notes the decision taken by full council on 23^rd May this year to establish the committees of the authority having regard to political balance.

Motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group

In light of the Administration’s decision to negatively affect the health of our Town Centres by the large jump in parking charges, removal of free parking including evenings, overnight and on Sundays, this council calls for there to be an immediate assessment on the likely impact this will have on the vibrancy of our valued Town Centres, together with ways that this can be mitigated.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council notes that vibrancy of town centres is determined by a range of factors, including external environmental improvements, and welcomes the commitment of the Administration to bring forward plans to support our town centres as a destination of choice.

This motion was withdrawn by the Residents’ Group and resubmitted to the July 2019 meeting of Council.

Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

Seven months after the recent inspection by Ofsted that rated our Children Service as Good, this Council welcomes the improvement programme launched by the Administration to embed that progress and its aspiration to reach Good with outstanding features

This motion was withdrawn by the Conservative Group.

Under Council Procedure Rule 11.10 (e) the Mayor accepted a composite motion on behalf of the Labour and Conservative Groups.

Composite Motion on behalf of the Labour and Conservative Groups

This Council recognises the importance of a well resourced youth service, as well as the progress made in improving the Children’s directorate, and calls upon the Executive to bring forward a report on reducing youth violence within Havering – with particular reference to outside partners.

Amendment on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

This Council agrees an emergency multi-agency summit meeting be held, composing senior councillors, officers and representatives from various outside bodies including Police, Youth Services, Voluntary Services and others, similar to the debrief meeting held following the raid on Travellers sites in Noak Hill, to address the violent street crime menace by identifying the reasons why this is happening and to propose local solutions as appropriate. 

The composite motion on behalf of the Labour and Conservative Groups was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

This Council recognises the importance of a well resourced youth service, as well as the progress made in improving the Children’s directorate, and calls upon the Executive to bring forward a report on reducing youth violence within Havering – with particular reference to outside partners.

The record of voting decisions is attached at appendix 4.