Agenda and minutes

The Mayor announced that Councillor Dennis Bull had died on the morning of the meeting following a brief illness. All present stood in silence as a mark of respect.

Councillors Michael White, Leader of the Council, Clarence Barrett, Leader of the Opposition, Keith Darvill, Leader of the Labour Group, Jeffrey Tucker, Leader of the Independent Residents’ Group and Keith Wells paid tribute to Councillor Bull.

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 28 November 2012.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 28 November 2012 were before the Council for approval.

The minutes were AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held 28 November 2012 be signed as a correct record.

The following Members disclosed interests in the subject matter of agenda item 14B (motion: closure of police stations): Councillors Wendy Brice-Thompson and Frederick Thompson; Councillor Jeffrey Tucker subsequently disclosed an interest in the subject matter of agenda item 14A (Motion: CCTV in Rainham).

With the consent of the Council, the Labour Group motion at agenda item 14C (Closure of St. George’s Hospital Hornchurch) was withdrawn.

A procedural motion was proposed that agenda item 14D (parking in the Hilldene Shopping area) be referred to the Highways Advisory Committee and was CARRIED by 30 votes to 19 (see divis   ion 1).

A procedural motion to limit the time for debate of agenda items 14A, 14B and 14C to 40 minutes each was LOST by 20 votes to 31 (see division 2).

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

The Leader of the Council announced that, owing to doubt about calculations in the Local Government Finance Settlement, there was a possibility of delay in the budget and Council Tax setting (see also minute 70 below).

Councillor David Durant has given notice of his intention to present a petition.

NOTE:The deadline for amendments to items 7 - 12 following is midnight, Monday 28 January 2013

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

Councillor David Durant -  from members of Rainham Allotment Users Group seeking to be added to the Melville Road allotment waiting list

Councillor Pat Murray -       opposing plans to introduce Pay & Display parking and Residents Parking Permits at Hilldene Shopping Area

It was NOTED that each petition would be passed to Committee Administration for attention in accordance with the Council’s Petitions Scheme.

The Department for Communities and Local Government had indicated revisions would be necessary to the financial settlement for local government. It was possible therefore that it would be necessary  to amend the dates and associated timescales of the forthcoming Cabinet and Council meeting at which the Council Tax would be set for 2013/14.

Accordingly, it was recommended that permission be granted by Council to amend the dates and timescales for the Council Tax meeting of Council in order take into account the late announcement of the revised financial settlement.

The recommendations of the Chief Executive Committee were APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED:

1              That, having regard to the expected late announcement of the revised financial settlement by the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, the Mayor (in consultation with the Group Leaders) be authorised:

(a)            to agree if necessary a revised date for the Council Tax meeting of the Council; and

(b)            to agree such adjustments to the timetable for the submission of motions and amendments as may be necessary to secure the proper consideration of those motions and amendments.

2              That so far as necessary to achieve the objective of recommendation 1, Council Procedure Rules be suspended. 

To consider a report of the Cabinet

There had been a number of changes recently announced by central Government in the way in which local Government was funded. These included the localisation of business rates and of Council Tax support, revised arrangements for school funding and pupil referral units and changes to Capital funding.

Accordingly, Cabinet recommended to Council that the revenue and capital strategy statement, as set out in appendix 2 to these minutes, be approved.

The recommendations of Cabinet were APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the revenue and capital strategy statement, as set out in Appendix 2 of the minutes be approved.

To consider a report of the Cabinet

The Council had been required to implement a local council tax support scheme that would also meet a 10% reduction in central Government expenditure. A consultation on the scheme had been carried out with local residents and a share of £100 million funding would be available to assist the transition from council tax benefit to local council tax support.

The report before the Council included details of the proposed Scheme, an Equality Assessment and details of the responses received to consultation undertaken by the Council on the scheme proposals. The Mayor reminded Members of their obligation to take account of these supporting documents when coming to a decision on the report’s recommendations.

The recommendations of Cabinet were APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

1.         The proposed local council tax support scheme as set out in Appendix 3 of the minutes be adopted.

2.         The proposals to vary the discounts in respect of certain classes of empty dwellings as summarised in Appendix A of the report be adopted.

3.         The responses to consultation on council tax support and the council tax technical reforms be noted.

4.         The financial pressure of a £1.9 million reduction in government grant for council tax support in 2013/14 be noted.

5.         The content of the transitional grant scheme be noted and the band D restriction to local council tax support be deferred to April 2014.

6.         The delegation of responsibility to make any minor and consequential changes necessary to the detailed provision as a result of any changes to the draft regulations upon which the scheme is based to the Director of Finance & Commerce and the Portfolio Lead Member, be approved so far as the Council is concerned.

To consider a report of the Cabinet

Cabinet had asked Council to approve certain key recommendations of the 2013/14 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme. Approval was sought, in advance of approval of the full programme, for elements such as the replacement of windows and installation of new kitchens and bathrooms under the Decent Homes programme. This would allow earlier consultation with tenants, leaseholders and contractors and hence more timely delivery of the work.

The recommendations of Cabinet were APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

The following allocation of capital resources within the HRA Capital Programme for 2013/14 be approved:

To consider a report of the Governance Committee

Council had previously approved the appointment of a new Independent Person for standards of Members’ conduct. Accordingly, Governance Committee now requested Council to approve an amendment of the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme in order to reflect that the Independent Person was entitled to be paid an allowance for carrying out those duties. 

The recommendation of Governance Committee was APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

Paragraph 15 of the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme, be amended to read:

15         Co-Optees and Independent Persons’ Allowances

              The standard rate of allowance for statutory co-optees is £117 per meeting attended.

              The Independent Person for standards of Members’ Conduct will be paid an annual allowance of £1,000, in monthly instalments.

              Co-optees and Independent Persons will be reimbursed for all travel costs in accordance with the above, whether the travel is within or outside the Borough, but will not be paid subsistence.

To consider a report of the Governance Committee

Recent changes had been made to the law with the aim of ensuring that decision-making by the executives of local authorities was more transparent and more open to public scrutiny. Accordingly, the Governance Committee had recommended that Council approve a change in the Executive Procedure Rules to make explicit that the meaning of “saving” in the definition of a key decision included expenditure avoided, additional revenue income generated or capital receipts obtained.

The recommendation of Governance Committee was APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

The note to paragraph (14)(a)(i) of the Council’s Executive Procedure Rules be amended to read:

In determining the meaning of “significant”, regard must be had to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  For the avoidance of doubt, “savings” includes expenditure avoided, additional revenue income generated or capital receipts obtained.

To consider a report of the Governance Committee

In order to make the call-in procedure clearer, Governance Committee had recommended that the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee be required to meet within 10 working days of the requisition being received unless an ordinary meeting of the Committee was due within 15 working days.

The recommendation of Governance Committee was APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

The Overview & Scrutiny Procedure Rules be adjusted by amending paragraph 17(b) of the Rules to read as follows:

(b)         If the Committee Administration and Member Support Manager is notified of a requisition of a decision shown on that notification within three working days in Calendar Brief (or any supplementary Calendar Brief) of a decision, then that decision shall not be acted upon but shall be submitted to the OSC as soon as possible, either at the next ordinary meeting if due within 15 working days of receipt of the requisition or at a special meeting convened for the purpose (to be held, so far as practicable, within 10 working days of the receipt of the requisition), for determination.

See attached paper

Twelve 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 4 to these minutes.

Following the Leader of the Council’s reply to question 2 (Veterans’’ Champion), Members indicated agreement to the submission of a report to the Governance Committee about establishing that appointment.

See attached paper

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

Given the success of CCTV cameras in reducing crime in the borough's town centres, in the interest of the residents south of the borough, this Council will continue with that success and make further progress in reducing crime with the installation of CCTV cameras in Rainham town centre.

Amendment on behalf of the Administration

Amend to read:

This Council notes the success of CCTV cameras in Havering and accepts that, when the further funding becomes available, priority will be given to those communities in Havering where official crime statistics suggest that the local need is greatest.

Amendment on behalf of the Labour Group

Amend as follows:

In the first line, insert after the word "cameras" the following:

"and Safer Neighbourhood Teams"

At the end of the motion, after the word "centre" insert the following:

"and oppose vigorously the proposal of the Mayor of London to close front counter facilities of the Rainham SNT and to cut its dedicated resources"

Following debate, the Administration amendment was CARRIED by 31 votes to 12 (see division 3). The Labour amendment was LOST by 11 votes to 32 (see division 4). The Administration amendment was then CARRIED as the substantive motion by 31 votes to 12 (see division 5).

RESOLVED that:

This Council notes the success of CCTV cameras in Havering and accepts that, when the further funding becomes available, priority will be given to those communities in Havering where official crime statistics suggest that the local need is greatest.

During the debate of the motion recorded in the preceding minute, a procedural motion that the meeting continue until item 14B had been fully debated was LOST by 19 votes to 32 (see division 6).

Motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group

In recognition of the valuable role Police Stations play in the community, this Council expresses its serious concern over any proposals to close our police stations and resolves to:

a)      Express our collective concerns in writing to the Mayor of London, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police

b)      Seek the support of our MPs and GLA Member in opposing any closures

c)       Support any other London wide activity in opposing such closures

Amendment on behalf of the Administration

Amend to read:

This Council is aware of the on-going consultation by the MPS on future strategies for policing in Havering. We note with concern the proposals to close some police stations, but welcome the proposed increased in manpower. We therefore call on all of Havering communities to play an active part in the current consultation.

Amendment on behalf of the Labour Group

Amend as follows:

In the second line after the words "any proposals" insert the following:-

"by the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police Authority"

In the third line after the word "stations" insert the following:-

"and to close Safer Neighbourhood front counter facilities"

In the third line after the word "and" insert the following:-

"reduce the dedicated resources to the SNTs and"

In view of the time, and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1(b), the motion and amendment were dealt with by vote only. The Administration amendment was CARRIED by 31 votes to 19 (see division 7); the Labour Group motion was LOST by 21 votes to 31 (see division 8); the Administration amendment was then CARRIED as the substantive motion by 31 votes to 21 (see division 9).

RESOLVED that:

This Council is aware of the on-going consultation by the MPS on future strategies for policing in Havering. We note with concern the proposals to close some police stations, but welcome the proposed increased in manpower. We therefore call on all of Havering communities to play an active part in the current consultation.

The record of voting divisions is attached as Appendix 5.