Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Received from Councillors Philippa Crowder, Osman Dervish, Patricia Rumble and Lawrence Webb.  

Apologies for absence were received from the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Philippa Crowder and from Osman Dervish, Patricia Rumble and Lawrence Webb. 

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 24 February 2016 (attached).

AGREED as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 2016 were before the Council for approval. It was AGREED, without division, that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 24 February 2016 be signed as correct record.

RESOLVED:

            That the minutes of the Council held on 24 February 2016 be signed 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.

No interests were disclosed.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To receive announcements (if any).

The Mayor, on behalf of the Council, sent his best wishes to the Deputy Mayor who was currently unwell.

The text of the announcements given by the Leader of the Council is shown in appendix 1 to these minutes.

Councillors Osman Dervish and David Durant have given notice of intention to present a petition.

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

Received from Councillor Durant and on behalf of Councillor Dervish.

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

By Councillor Damian White, on behalf of Councillor Dervish, concerning opposition to a proposed development at the rear of 36-40 Collier Row Lane.

By Councillor Durant, requesting that enforcement action be taken to lower two two-metre high front walls outside 20, Wilfred Avenue, Rainham.   

NOTE: THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF AMENDMENTS TO ALL REPORTS ISSUED WITH THE COUNCIL AGENDA IS MIDNIGHT, THURSDAY 24 MARCH.

To consider a report of the Appointments Sub-Committee on the appointment of the Chief Executive of the Council (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Appointments Sub-Committee indicated that the Sub-Committee had, the previous day, held interviews for the post of Council Chief Executive. All Cabinet Members had been consulted on the appointment of the successful candidate – Andrew Blake-Herbert, currently the Council’s Deputy Chief Executive, Communities and Resources.

The Leader of the Council confirmed that no well-founded objection had been received from members of the Cabinet in respect of the preferred candidate and added that the decision to appoint Mr Blake-Herbert was unanimous.

The report was of the Appointments Sub-Committee was AGREED without division.

RESOLVED:

That Andrew Blake-Herbert be appointed as Chief Executive and designated Head of Paid Service and Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer, to take effect as soon as possible.

To consider a report of the Governance Committee on Responsibility for Scrutiny of Issues relating to the Children and Families Act 2014 (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Governance Committee recommended a slight change to the Constitution in order to clarify that the responsibility for scrutiny of issues relating to the Children and Families Act 2014 was solely that of the Children and Learning Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee. This reflected the requirements of the Act to provide continuing care services, if required, from 0-25 years.

The report was AGREED without division.

RESOLVED:

That the following changes be incorporated into the Constitution:

The section of the table in Part 3, section 1.4 of the Constitution dealing with the areas of responsibility of the Children & Learning Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee be amended so that the following text is added to the areas of responsibility of the Sub-Committee: 

“Issues relating to the Children and Families Act 2014”

To consider a report of the Governance Committee on Terms of Reference of Governance Committee and Delegation of Authority from Council (attached).

Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 37 votes to 10; deemed motion by the Administration AGREED without division.

A report of the Governance Committee asked Council to approve the delegation to the Governance Committee of decisions on the review of staff terms and conditions and amend the Committee’s terms of reference accordingly. 

Deemed motion by the Administration

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

Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group

Amend recommendation 1 of report so that it reads as follows:

Recommend to Council, at its meeting on 30 March 2016, that it agree to consult with Governance Committee on proposals which arise from the review of employee terms and conditions and make an amendment to its terms of reference to enable this. Full Council to retain the final say in whether to approve proposals arising from the review of employee terms and conditions.

Following agreement, without division, that the matter be dealt with on a vote only basis, the amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 37 votes to 10 (see division 1) and the deemed motion by the Administration was AGREED without division.

RESOLVED:

That Council delegate authority to the Governance Committee to approve proposals which were likely to arise from the review of employee terms and conditions and make an amendment to the terms of reference of the Governance Committee within the Constitution to enable this and therefore amend Part 3, Section 1.2, Governance Committee Appointments and Dismissals to read: 

“To determine matters relating to the Council’s responsibilities as an employer, where a member-level decision is required and can be delegated to a committee, including the overall framework of terms and conditions of employment for employees.”

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2016/17 (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Chief Executive asked Council to agree the Council’s Pay Policy 2016/17 as required under the Localism Act 2011. This showed the remuneration of the Council’s chief officers and of its lowest-paid employees as well as the relationship between the remuneration of its Chief Officers and its other employees.

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

The Pay Policy Statement, 2016/17, as shown in appendix 2 to these minutes, be approved.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on the Schedule of Council Meetings 2016/17 (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Chief Executive asked Council to agree the dates of meetings of full Council for the municipal year 2016/17 and provisionally for the remainder of 2017.

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

The following future dates for Council meetings be agreed:

Attached.

15 questions replied to.

Fifteen questions were asked and replies given.

The text of the questions, together with their answers, is shown is appendix 3 to these minutes.  

Motions paper attached.

A.   LEISURE CENTRES

Amendment by the Conservative Group CARRIED by 29 votes to 19; Amendment by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 44 votes to 5; Conservative Group amendment AGREED as substantive motion by 31 votes to 18.

B.   NEW POLICING MODEL

Amendment by the Conservative Group CARRIED by 43 votes to 5 and AGREED as substantive motion without division.

C.   ‘ROGUE’ LANDLORDS

Motion withdrawn by Independent Residents’ Group and resubmitted to Council meeting, 8 June 2016.

Motion on behalf of the Residents’ Group

Parking charges in the four parks where charges currently apply are not meeting their income targets. In light of this, together with the optimistic visitor numbers and viable alternatives to parking in parks, this council calls upon the Administration to abandon its plans to add further parks and open spaces to the list where parking charges will apply.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

Amend motion to read:

Recognising that the proposal to extend car park charging in parks (at rates reduced following full public consultation and feedback) was one of the measures in the financial strategy and budget savings plan agreed by the Council following public consultation in February of last year, and that a further updated cost benefit analysis has been undertaken, this Council supports a review by the Administration of the proposal before a final decision is taken in the near future. 

Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group

Amend motion to read:

(Additional wording shown in bold for clarity).

Parking charges in the four parks where charges currently apply are not meeting their income targets. In light of this, together with the optimistic visitor numbers and viable alternatives to parking in parks, this council calls upon the Administration to remove charges from these parks and abandon its plans to add further parks and open spaces to the list where parking charges will apply.

Following debate, the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 29 votes to 19 (see division 2) and the amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 44 votes to 5 (see division 3). The amendment by the Conservative Group was AGREED as the substantive by 31 votes to 18 (see division 4).

RESOLVED:

Recognising that the proposal to extend car park charging in parks (at rates reduced following full public consultation and feedback) was one of the measures in the financial strategy and budget savings plan agreed by the Council following public consultation in February of last year, and that a further updated cost benefit analysis has been undertaken, this Council supports a review by the Administration of the proposal before a final decision is taken in the near future. 

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

CCTV cameras are not an alternative to effective policing and punishments but they do complement the New Policing Model and do help detect and deter crime in the borough’s town centres. The New Policing Model reduces the size of the ward based Safer Neighbourhood Teams and creates a larger pooled resource to act throughout the borough, that appears according to reports in the Recorder to be often deployed outside the borough!

Due to this change this Council recommends to the Executive to progress plans to install CCTV by Lamson Road and in Rainham Village to provide the same security as provided in our other high streets in Havering, to allay fears due to growing reports of assault and burglary in the area and to reassure residents in the south of the borough they have not been forgotten.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

Amend motion to read:

This Council commends the Administration for safeguarding C.C.T.V. provision within Havering and welcomes the commitment made to extend this network to areas of the Borough, where resources will permit, on an evidence based business case.

Following debate, the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 43 votes to 5 (see division 5) and AGREED as the substantive motion, without division.

RESOLVED:

This Council commends the Administration for safeguarding C.C.T.V. provision within Havering and welcomes the commitment made to extend this network to areas of the Borough, where resources will permit, on an evidence based business case.

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

Following the Localisation of the Housing Revenue Account and the enhanced status and resources this gives the Housing Department, this Council recommends to the Executive that it agrees a policy to take effective action to deal with ‘rogue’ landlords both large and small throughout Havering in the interests of tenants.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

Amend motion to read:

This Council welcomes the action taken so far in combating rogue landlords within Havering, through the possible introduction of an Article 4 direction and licensing of private landlords, as well as any other measure that would support sustainable tenancies and a vibrant housing sector.

This motion was withdrawn by the Independent Residents’ Group and resubmitted to the next appropriate meeting of Council.

The record of voting decisions is attached as Appendix 4.