Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Annual Meeting held on 25 May 2011 and to authorise the Mayor to sign them.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were before the Council for approval.

Procedural motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

Page 12C, Minute 17: Motions for Debate

To give an accurate account of events, amend the last sentence in the

second paragraph by adding the words in bold, so that it reads:

"Following exchanges and interventions by other Members and an unconstitutional instruction from the Mayor ordering Councillor Jeffrey Tucker to leave the Chamber, the Members of the Independent Residents Group then retired from the meeting".

In accordance with Council Procedural Rule 12.1(a), the procedural motion was put to the vote without debate and was LOST by 2 votes to 32 (see division 1).

The minutes as submitted were AGREED and it was RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on

25 May 2011 be signed as a true record.

Members are invited to declare any interests they may have in the business now before the Council.

Members may make a declaration at any time before the consideration of the relevant business.

Councillor Paul McGeary declared a personal interest in the course of Members’ Questions (see minute 24 below).

The Mayor’s Announcements are attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes.

Councillors Denis Breading, Gillian Ford, Clarence Barrett and Frederick Thompson have each given notice of an intention to present a petition.

Pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23, petitions were presented as follows, by Councillors:

Denis Breading -                   From local residents, supporting the purchase of the Stubbers Outdoor Pursuits Centre by its current lessees

Gillian Ford -                          From local residents, supporting the purchase of the Stubbers Outdoor Pursuits Centre by its current lessees

Clarence Barrett -                 From local residents, expressing concern about the poor condition of the carriageway surface of Laburnham Gardens, Cranham

Frederick Thompson -          From local residents, seeking the gating of an alleyway at the corner of Kyme Road and Dymoke Road

Ron Ower -                             From users of Romford Ice Rink, opposing its closure

It was NOTED that each petition would be passed to Democratic Services for attention in accordance with the Petitions Scheme.

Note: the deadline for questions about, or amendments to, the attached report is midnight, Monday 18 July 2011

There was before the Council a report of the Cabinet concerning the need for an adjustment to the approved capital programme to meet the funding requirements for the proposed new Romford Leisure Centre.

A question relating to the proposal was asked and answered. No amendment was proposed and the recommendations of the Cabinet were ADOPTED without debate or division. It was, accordingly, RESOLVED:

That the Council’s Capital Programme BE AMENDED to include:

·                    an additional scheme for the Romford Leisure development with an estimated spend budget of £24.774m

·                    associated funding for this scheme from a combination of capital receipts and application of funds from the Strategic Reserve, totalling £22.7m

·                    application of further funds of around £2m from within the Corporate Transformation Fund and/or the Corporate Contingency Fund, or from the use of prudential borrowing, to bridge the funding gap.

Note: the deadline for questions about, or amendments to, any of the attached reports is midnight, Monday 18 July 2011

Council received and considered the Annual Reports of the following:

Children & Learning Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Crime & Disorder Committee

Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Individuals Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Towns & Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Value Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Audit Committee

Pensions Committee

Member Champion for Standards (on behalf of the Standards Committee)

Standing Advisory Committee for Religious Education

Each Annual Report was ADOPTED without debate or division.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Reports as listed be approved.

To consider Members’ Questions, and the replies to them.

8 questions were asked and replies given.

The texts of those questions and their answers, together with those not asked orally, are set out in Appendix 2  to these minutes.

To consider the motions set out in the attached order paper.

Motion on behalf the Labour Group

This Council opposes the Administrations cuts to its universal youth services leading to the closure of facilities for young people and the cessation  funding for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in Havering.

This Council recognises that young people are already bearing an unfair burden of the  public expenditure cuts imposed by the Conservative led Coalition Government including a significant  reduction in Education Maintenance Allowance and a steep rise in University Tuition Fees and calls upon the Administration to reconsider its proposals in order to mitigate the impact on young people of both central Government policies and the proposed cuts in Havering’s Youth Services.

1 Amendment on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

Amend to read:

This Council calls upon the Administration to reconsider its damaging cuts to its universal youth services and to contact all Local Authority Council Leaders and Chief Executives in England to seek support for a reform of the biased local government formula grant funding to ensure local councils (on an equitable basis) can provide the youth and public services that local residents so richly deserve.         

2 Amendment on behalf of the Administration

Amend to read:

This Council recognises that all departments within Havering Council, including the Youth Service, are required to make efficiency savings to pay for the mess left to the UK economy by the previous Labour Government.

Following debate, the Independent Residents’ Group amendment was LOST by 2 votes to 36 (see division 2) and the Administration amendment was CARRIED by 31 votes to 7 (see division 3). The Administration amendment was then carried as the substantive motion by 31 votes to 7 (see division 4) and it was RESOLVED that:

This Council recognises that all departments within Havering Council, including the Youth Service, are required to make efficiency savings to pay for the mess left to the UK economy by the previous Labour Government.

Motion on behalf of the Residents' Group

This Council agrees that the Stubbers Centre, Upminster, provides much needed and high quality activities to young people from in and around Havering and that any subsequent sale or change of ownership be conditional on the activity centre being able to continue in its current capacity for future generations to enjoy.

1 Amendment on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

Amend to read:

The popular Stubbers Outdoor Adventure Centre provides high quality activities for young people that builds character and independence and offers a fresh air alternative to video games.

Therefore this Council resolves not to sell Stubbers because any money raised will not cover the real cost to the community of losing this excellent facility.

2 Amendment on behalf of the Administration

Amend to read:

This Council, reaffirming the unchallenged Executive Decision of the 19^th January 2011, notes with approval that any decisions as to the future of Stubbers Centre will continue to be taken with full consideration of the benefits of the use of the site by Havering residents.

Following debate, the Independent Residents’ Group amendment was LOST by 3 votes to 36 (see division 5) and the Administration amendment was CARRIED by 37 votes to 12 (see division 6). The Administration amendment was then carried as the substantive motion by 31 votes to 18 (see division 7) and it was RESOLVED that:

This Council, reaffirming the unchallenged Executive Decision of the 19^th January 2011, notes with approval that any decisions as to the future of Stubbers Centre will continue to be taken with full consideration of the benefits of the use of the site by Havering residents.