Agenda and minutes

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 4 September 2013 (attached).

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4 September 2013 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 on 4 September 2013 be signed as a correct record.

All Members present disclosed an interest in agenda item 12 B – Motion on Members’ Allowances as they were in receipt of such allowances.  

The Council stood in silence as a mark of respect for former Councillor Jack Hoepelman who had recently died. Five Members paid tributes to Councillor Hoepelman.  

Councillor Clarence Barrett has given notice of an intention to present a petition.

Pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23, a petition was presented by Councillor Clarence Barrett concerning a request to extend double yellow lines outside Huskards Retirement Home, Waldegrave Gardens. 

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

To consider a report of the Governance Committee (attached).

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 7 October 2013.

Following the formation of a fifth group on the Council, Governance Committee had recently considered a report giving options for the redistribution of Council questions. Governance Committee, at a meeting held on 10 September, had agreed that the number of questions should be retained at 15 per meeting and distributed on the same ratio as that used to calculate political balance in Committees. The allocation recommended by Governance Committee was Residents’ Group 8 questions per Council meeting, Labour Group 3, Independent Residents’ Group 2 and UKIP Group 2. 

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

1          The maximum number of questions should remain 15

2          Rule 10.6(a) of the Council Procedure Rules (Notice of Questions) should be amended to read:

“A maximum of 15 questions can be submitted for a Council meeting all of which, together with any supplementary questions under Rule 10.5 will receive an oral reply at the meeting.  Any questions in excess of the maximum number that are submitted will be treated as a Member enquiry and receive a written response.”

3          The distribution of questions should be:

Residents’ Group 8; Labour Group 3; Independent Residents’ Group 2; and United Kingdom Independence Party 2.

To consider a report of the Governance Committee (attached).

Note: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 7 October 2013

At its meeting on 10 September, Governance Committee had approved some changes to the terms of reference of the Pensions Committee covering areas such as the appointment of an Internal Investment Manager, the establishment of an Infrastructure Evaluation Panel and the process for Project Approval. These would require a slight amendment to the powers of the Group Director – Resources as listed in the Constitution.

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

That the section of the Constitution dealing with the powers of the Group Director – Resources - Part 3, (paragraph 3.7.1 (e)) be extended to include the following section:

(vii)     To make direct investments in local infrastructure assets as part of the Pension Fund local infrastructure portfolio in consultation with the Chair of Pensions.

To consider the annual reports of the Pensions Committee, Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education and the Member Champions (attached).

Note: The deadline for amendments (if any) is midnight, Monday 7 October.

Council received and considered the Annual Reports of the following:

     Pensions Committee

     Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

     Member Champion for the Armed Forces

     Member Champion for Diversity

     Member Champion for the Historic Environment

     Member Champion for the Over Fifties

     Member Champion for the Voluntary Sector Compact

     Member Champion for Younger Persons

     Each Annual Report was ADOPTED without debate or division.

     RESOLVED:

     That the Annual Reports as listed be approved.

To consider a motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group:

That Councillor Clarence Barrett be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Amendment by the Labour Group:

That Councillor Denis Breading be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Amendment by the Administration:

That Councillor Frederick Thompson be appointed Vice-Chairman of Audit Committee.

Motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group:

That Councillor Clarence Barrett be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Amendment by the Labour Group:

That Councillor Denis Breading be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Amendment by the Administration:

That Councillor Frederick Thompson be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Councillor Frederick Thompson was declared ELECTED.

Attached.

Twelve questions were asked and replies given.

The text of the questions, and their answers, are set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes.

Motion on behalf of the Labour Group

This Council calls upon the Administration to disclose full details of its Harold Hill Ambitions Programme and its Implementation Plans to ensure democratic participation of its residents and their elected representatives in the future development of such plans.

Amendment on behalf of the Administration

This Council notes that after many years of Labour inactivity, this Administration has delivered on its manifesto pledge to revitalise the Harold Hill community through its ambitions programme.

Following debate, the Administration amendment was CARRIED by 36 votes to 3 (see division 2) and it was then CARRIED as the substantive motion without division.

RESOLVED that:

This Council notes that after many years of Labour inactivity, this Administration has delivered on its manifesto pledge to revitalise the Harold Hill community through its ambitions programme.

Motion on behalf of the United Kingdom Independence Party Group

In view of the cuts that will inevitably have to be  made to the 2014 budget in Havering, we propose that the Council agrees that ALL allowances for  Councillors be cut by 30% to take effect from 1st January 2014. It is unfair that the Council Tax payers of Havering and the various departments within the Council are asked to bear the full brunt of these cuts and so by taking this reduction in Member allowances the Council is demonstrating that Members too are prepared to deal with the hard times ahead.

Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group

With the agreement of Council, this amendment was withdrawn by the Independent Residents’ Group who indicated a wish to submit it as a motion in its own right to the next Council meeting.

Amendment by the Labour Group

The Council believes that Councillors Base and Special Responsibility Allowances should be set following the recommendations of the Independent Panel facilitated by London Councils and due to report early in 2014.

Amendment by the Administration

This Council notes that savings in budgets for the Councillors’ allowances scheme for 2014/15 have been included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy and will be considered and decisions taken in February 2014 as part of the budget process for that year.

In view of the time, and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1 (b) the motion and amendments were dealt with by vote only.

The Labour Group amendment was NOT CARRIED by 30 votes to 3 (see division 3). The Administration amendment was CARRIED by 26 votes to 17 (see division 4) and then CARRIED as the substantive motion by 30 votes to 0 (see division 5).

            RESOLVED that:

This Council notes that savings in budgets for the Councillors’ allowances scheme for 2014/15 have been included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy and will be considered and decisions taken in February 2014 as part of the budget process for that year.

            Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

The Highways Advisory Committee unanimously rejected a proposal to put a bus stop kerb build-out outside the new Tesco store in Butts Green Road, Hornchurch, because the committee considered it would cause congestion and be a road safety hazard, particularly for motorists at night and for cyclists.

This decision was overturned by Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment and he did so without giving HAC members an opportunity to reconsider the matter or even informing Members of his intentions thus avoiding a ‘call in’ to examine his decision.

He said he did so because a kerb build-out was needed to make the bus stop fully accessible for wheelchair users and because he wanted it in place before Tesco opened.

A worthy aim but not something that should be imposed irrespective of local conditions and at the expense of road safety!

Therefore the Council regrets the Cabinet Member’s conduct and his decision to ‘booby-trap’ Butts Green Road, Hornchurch against the unanimous advice of the Highways committee.

Amendment on behalf of the Administration

This Council notes that the Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment took an executive decision as to the build out at the bus stop outside the site of the new Tesco convenience store in Butts Green Road upon the professional advice of Highways Engineers and of TFL and after considering the advice of the Highways Advisory Committee and that the change will be kept under close review and revisited if necessary.

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 Group motion was CARRIED by 26 votes to 7 (see division 6) and it was then CARRIED as the substantive motion without division.

RESOLVED that:

This Council notes that the Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment took an executive decision as to the build out at the bus stop outside the site of the new Tesco convenience store in Butts Green Road upon the professional advice of Highways Engineers and of TFL and after considering the advice of the Highways Advisory Committee and that the change will be kept under close review and revisited if necessary.

            Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

            The Council agrees that in the interests of transparency all future meetings of the Regulatory Services Committee must be webcast, particularly as the existing Webcasting contract allows for the coverage at no extra cost. 

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 Independent Residents’ Group motion was NOT CARRIED by 32 votes to 14 (see division 7).

The record of voting divisions is attached as Appendix 2.