Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall. View directions

Contact: Anthony Clements  Email: anthony.clements@oneSource.co.uk

Items
No. Item

52.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 175 KB

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 17 September 2014 and of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on 22 October 2014 (attached).

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

-       of meeting held on 17 September and of extraordinary meeting held on 22 October. Agreed and signed as a correct record, without division.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 17 September 2014 and of the extraordinary meeting held on 22 October 2014 were before the Council for approval.

                                   

It was AGREED, without division, that the minutes be signed as a correct record.

           

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 17 September 2014 and of the extraordinary meeting held on 22 October 2014, be signed as a correct record.

 

53.

DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS

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

 

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

 

Decision:

-       None.

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest.

 

54.

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE MAYOR, BY THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL OR BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE pdf icon PDF 164 KB

The Leader of the Council will make some announcements.

Minutes:

The Mayor congratulated thanked Members, officers, the Royal British Legion and all participants in the recent Remembrance Day services held around the borough.

 

The recent switching on of the Romford Christmas lights had been a highly successful event with approximately 10,000 people attending. The Havering float for the New Year’s Day parade was currently being constructed by Havering College and details of how Havering’s entry could be supported on the day would be supplied to Members.

 

A summary of the announcements made by the Leader of the Council is shown as appendix 1 to these minutes.

 

55.

PETITIONS

Councillor Dilip Patel has given notice of an intention to present two petitions.

 

Councillor Keith Darvill has given notice of an intention to present a petition.

 

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

Decision:

Two petitions presented by Councillor Dilip Patel; one petition presented by Councillor Keith Darvill.

Minutes:

Pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23, the following petitions were presented:

 

From Councillor Dilip Patel concerning road safety measures in Percy Road and the renewal of pavement slabs and road surfaces in Essex Road.

 

From Councillor Keith Darvill concerning the enforcement of the one-way system in Albert Road.

 

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

 

56.

ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR OF AUDIT COMMITTEE

To elect the Vice-Chairman of Audit Committee.

 

Councillor Julie Wilkes has been nominated by the Residents’ Group.

 

Decision:

-       Councillor Julie Wilkes elected, without division.

Minutes:

Councillor Julie Wilkes had been nominated by the Residents’ Group to the position of Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee.

 

The nomination of Councillor Wilkes was APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

 

Councillor Julie Wilkes be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee.

 

57.

CONVERSION TO LED STREET LIGHTS pdf icon PDF 92 KB

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 24 November 2014.

 

To consider a report of the Cabinet concerning approval to convert 10,600 street lights in roads across the borough to more energy efficient LED lights (attached).

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

-       APPROVED without division.

Minutes:

A report of the Cabinet invited Council to agree to the addition of funding to the capital budget in order to fund the conversion of 10,600 street lights in roads across the borough to more energy efficient LED lights. This work would have a number of advantages including the reduction of annual energy costs to the Council, helping residents feel safe and secure and reducing levels of light pollution.

 

It was noted that, in the footnotes to the financial information, the unit cost of capital investment should have read £254 per unit rather than as stated. It was also noted that the reference in note 3 to ‘planned finish’ referred to the completion date of the work to convert the streetlights, with the first loan repayment due as stated in July 2016.

           

The recommendation of the Cabinet was APPROVED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

 

Funding of the scheme as set out in appendix 2 to these minutes be added to the Capital Budget for 2015/16. 

 

58.

POLLING DISTRICT REVIEW pdf icon PDF 104 KB

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 24 November 2014.

 

To consider a report of the Governance Committee on a Polling District Review (attached, subject to approval by Governance Committee).

Additional documents:

Decision:

-       APPROVED without division.

Minutes:

A report of the Governance Committee asked Council to agree the findings of a recent review of polling stations in Havering. The Governance Committee had requested that a further review be undertaken as to the continued use of the polling station CM5 – Upminster Methodist Church Hall.

 

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

 

The changes to the Polling Districts reviewed should be incorporated into the register published on 1 December 2014, and the alternative polling stations used at the Parliamentary elections in May 2015 in accordance with the Electoral Administration Act 2006 with the exception of CM5 Upminster Methodist Church Hall, Hall Lane for which a further review is to be undertaken and a recommendation brought back to a future meeting of the Council.

 

59.

APPOINTMENTS SUB-COMMITTEE pdf icon PDF 144 KB

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 24 November 2014.

 

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer on the Appointments Sub-Committee – political balance of membership (attached).

Additional documents:

Decision:

-       APPROVED without division.

Minutes:

A report of the monitoring officer asked Council to agree the allocation of seats on the Appointments Sub-Committee following the establishment of the East Havering Residents’ Group and the associated changes in the political make-up of the Council.

 

The recommendations of the Monitoring Officer were AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That, so far as necessary to enable any changes proposed and agreed during this meeting to be carried in to effect, Council Procedure Rule 20.2 (proposals to amend the Constitution to be referred to Governance Committee without discussion) be suspended.

 

(2)       That the Council, having due regard to the political balance rules, agree the allocation of seats on the Appointments Sub-Committee as set out in Appendix 3 to these minutes.

 

60.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE CALL-IN (REQUISITION) PROCEDURE pdf icon PDF 89 KB

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 24 November 2014.

 

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on Overview and Scrutiny Rules – Exceptions to the Call-in (Requisition) Procedure (attached).

Decision:

-       APPROVED without division.

Minutes:

In accordance with paragraph 18e of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, a report of the Chief Executive summarised three recent Executive Decisions to which an exemption from call-in had been agreed. These covered the following issues – arrangements for non-housing repairs, the approval of submission to NHS England for the Better Care Fund programme and the disposal of 16 new flats at Taplow House, Rainham to a registered provider for onward individual sales as shared ownership units.

 

It was noted that in paragraph 2.2.1 of the report, Councillor Clarence Barrett should have been referred to as the Chairman of the then Value Overview and Scrutiny Committee rather than as stated.

 

The recommendation of the Chief Executive was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

 

The report be noted.

 

61.

COUNCIL HOUSING NEW BUILD PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 141 KB

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday 24 November 2014.

 

To consider a report of Cabinet on the Council Housing New Build Programme (attached).

Decision:

-       APPROVED without division.

Minutes:

A report of Cabinet requested Council to approve the allocation of a total of £19,069,000 of unallocated funding from the Housing Revenue Account. This would allow the use of £3,192,000 additional funding which had been successfully bid for from the Greater London Authority (GLA) for schemes comprising a total of 117 new homes and a shop unit integrated into one of the housing schemes.

 

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

 

The requested increase to the Capital Budget to £22,756,000 (inclusive of the externally funded grant from the GLA of £3,192,000) be approved.

 

62.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS pdf icon PDF 126 KB

See attached paper.

Additional documents:

Decision:

-       15 questions replied to.

Minutes:

Fifteen questions were asked and replies given.

           

The text of the questions, and their answers, are set out in Appendix 4 to these minutes.

 

63.

CITY AIRPORT FLIGHTPATHS (agenda item 14A) pdf icon PDF 205 KB

See attached paper.

 

 

 

 

 

Decision:

MOTIONS FOR DEBATE:

A.   CITY AIRPORT FLIGHTPATHS – Motion by East Havering Residents’ Group CARRIED by 50 votes to 0.

B.   CARE ACT – Motion by Conservative Group CARRIED by 50 votes to 0.

C.   REFERENDUM ON COUNCIL TAX INCREASE – Motion by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 38 votes to 4.

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the East Havering Residents’ Group

                 

Given the need to assess in detail any potential impact of the proposed changes to flight paths from City Airport as part of the London Airspace Management Programme, this Council calls upon:  

a) the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to extend the consultation period in respect of the proposed London Airspace Management Programme to 31st January 2015 in order to inform opinion and give Havering residents a greater opportunity to engage in the consultation process.

b) City Airport operators to provide greater detail to local stakeholders in terms of flight numbers, noise levels and Co2 emissions as a result of the legal mandate which requires all aircraft to be equipped with Area Navigation technology and to operate in revised airspace by 2020.

 

Following debate, the East Havering Residents’ Group motion was CARRIED by 50 votes to 0 (see division 1).

 

RESOLVED:

 

 

Given the need to assess in detail any potential impact of the proposed changes to flight paths from City Airport as part of the London Airspace Management Programme, this Council calls upon:  

a) the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to extend the consultation period in respect of the proposed London Airspace Management Programme to 31st January 2015 in order to inform opinion and give Havering residents a greater opportunity to engage in the consultation process.

b) City Airport operators to provide greater detail to local stakeholders in terms of flight numbers, noise levels and Co2 emissions as a result of the legal mandate which requires all aircraft to be equipped with Area Navigation technology and to operate in revised airspace by 2020.

 

64.

CARE ACT (agenda item 14B)

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

 

Under the Care Act’s ‘Ordinary Residence’ rules, people who move into one of Havering’s many residential homes as ‘self-funders’, and then require social care support, automatically become the financial responsibility of Havering Council. This Council calls upon the Government to review the rules associated with this system so that the costs don’t overwhelm Havering Council or other local authorities that support a large care sector.

 

Following debate, the Conservative Group motion was CARRIED by 50 votes to 0 (see division 2). 

 

RESOLVED:

Under the Care Act’s ‘Ordinary Residence’ rules, people who move into one of Havering’s many residential homes as ‘self-funders’, and then require social care support, automatically become the financial responsibility of Havering Council. This Council calls upon the Government to review the rules associated with this system so that the costs don’t overwhelm Havering Council or other local authorities that support a large care sector.

 

65.

REFERENDUM ON COUNCIL TAX INCREASE (agenda item 14C)

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

           

Many groups in the borough are protesting against the cuts to protect local services. They rightly say that EU-austerity [to protect the Euro] has gone on for far too long and it’s now time to promote rather than cut local services.

 

The Government claim they are cutting local government funding because ‘the money has run out’, but if so why are they imposing damaging sanctions on Russia and promoting war in the Middle-East?

 

For the last few years the Council has made efficiency savings and cuts and frozen council tax and this is why the merger with Newham happened because most councillors believed this was the way to make savings and avoid a council tax increase. But now we are faced with having to make a further forecast £45 million of cuts that will wreck local services and our lean but mostly well run council.

 

The only alternative is to hold a legally required referendum and LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE if they want to raise council tax to save local services and keep our borough green, pleasant and secure! A majority of councillors will need to agree before a referendum is held, but we need to consult residents about a possible council tax rise and not just about what services to cut.

 

Thus this Council agrees to hold a referendum on whether to increase council tax by 2% or more to ameliorate the need for cuts and to balance the books. The figure to be agreed by those voting for the motion in consultation with the Finance Officer and the referendum to be held prior to the budget meeting in February to ensure a robust budget is delivered on time.

 

 

Following debate, the Independent Residents’ Group motion was NOT CARRIED by 38 votes to 4 (see division 3).

 

66.

VOTING RECORD pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Minutes:

The record of voting decisions is attached as Appendix 5.