Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Received from Councillors Alexander, Best, Matthews, Mugglestone (part of meeting) Mylod, Ower, Wallace and Westwood.

Apologies were received from Councillors June Alexander, Ray Best, Barbara Matthews, Barry Mugglestone (part of meeting) John Mylod, Ron Ower, Melvin Wallace and Roger Westwood.

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Extraordinary and Annual Meetings of the Council held on 18 May 2016 (attached).

NOTED that Councillor Linda Trew had been elected at the Annual Council meeting as Chairman of the Individuals Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

Minutes otherwise AGREED as a correct record.

The minutes of the extraordinary and annual Council meetings held on 18 May 2016 were before the Council for approval.

It was NOTED that the section of the minutes relating the election of the Chairman of the Individuals Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee should read that Councillor Linda Trew was elected as Chairman of the Sub-Committee, rather than as stated.

Subject to this amendment, it was AGREED that the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 18 May 2016 be signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Council meetings held on 18 May 2016 be signed as a correct record.

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.

Personal interest disclosed by Councillor Darvill in agenda item 9A (motion on restrictions on building of schools) as Councillor Darvill is Chair of Havering Sixth Form College.

Councillor Darvill disclosed a personal interest in agenda item 9A (motion on restrictions on building of schools) as Councillor Darvill is Chair of Havering Sixth Form College.

There were no other disclosures of interest.

To receive announcements (if any).

The Mayor congratulated everyone involved the recent Langtons open air summer concert. The Mayor also reminded Members of her forthcoming charity dinner.

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

To consider a report of the Governance Committee on a review of the operation of the Highways Advisory Committee (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Governance Committee asked Council to agree changes to the Constitution that streamlined the role of the Highways Advisory Committee (HAC) in minor traffic management changes whilst maintaining targeted and local representation of all traffic management proposals Following comments by the Governance Committee, the report now included reference to bus stop accessibility and a flowchart representing the process used by the HAC.

The report was AGREED without division.

RESOLVED:

That the existing Committee Procedure Rules as set out in Part 4 (Rules of Procedure) (Committee Procedure Rules) Para. 15 (Highways Advisory Committee) of the Constitution be deleted and replaced them with the following:

15             Highways Advisory Committee

(a)            The Highway Advisory Committee will consider proposals for a material parking change which meets any of the criteria listed in 1) to 6) below (except for those which are subject to officer delegation as outlined elsewhere in the Constitution):

1)              an integrated scheme such as new Controlled Parking Zones that result in changes other than amendments to existing restrictions

2)              the introduction of single scheme involving 3 or more roads

3)              the introduction of paid for parking not being amendments within an existing scheme, or

4)              the introduction of new permit parking not being amendments within an existing scheme.

5)              the introduction of new bus stop accessibility locations.

6)              proposals with a multi-ward impact

(b)              Any other proposal which will result in a material parking change other than those outlined in 15 (a), will be notified to Members via CalBrief and be available for call-in to HAC by the Ward Councillor for consideration at any stage prior to the final approval of the proposed measures by the Ward Councillor.

(c)              Ward Councillors will be given a 7 day period following notification of the final design during which they may refer an item to HAC.  If no request to refer to HAC is received, the item will proceed through delegated powers for advertising.

(d)              Any request for call-in must be received by the Head of Service in writing (to include email and fax) during the Calbrief stage (as outlined in Appendix 1). If no such request is received by the CalBrief deadline the Head of Service may determine the proposal in agreement with the Cabinet member.

(e)              Referring schemes to HAC

                                          i.    A Ward Councillor should be able to call in any application advertised in CalBrief within their ward citing their reasons for `call-in. 

                                        ii.    Following the scheme's design, a ward councillor will be shown the design. The Ward Councillor is then entitled to refer the scheme to HAC for consideration if they so choose. 

                                       iii.    Any non-Ward Councillor can call in any application across Havering where it is felt by the Cabinet Member or the Head of Service that these objections raise issues in need of advice from HAC/ are issues of material concern (In line with regulatory services - planning)

(f)               A Ward Councillor calling-in a proposal should attend the Highways Advisory Committee or appoint a substitute to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Deemed motion by the Conservative Group

That the statement given by the Leader of the Council at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 18 May 2016 be received.

Deemed motion by the Administration AGREED without division.

Deemed motion by the Conservative Group

That the statement given by the Leader of the Council at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 18 May 2016 be received.

The deemed motion was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the statement given by the Leader of the Council at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 18 May 2016 be received.

Attached.

13 questions replied to.

Thirteen questions were asked and replies given.

The text of the questions, together with their answers, is shown as appendix  2 to these minutes.

Motions paper attached. 

A.   RESTRICTIONS ON BUILDING OF SCHOOLS

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 24 votes to 13; Amendment by Labour Group NOT CARRIED by 30 votes to 14; Conservative Group amendment AGREED as substantive motion without division.

B.   ON-LINE POLICY

Amendment by Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 33 votes to 13; Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 30 votes to 14; Conservative Group amendment AGREED as substantive motion without division.

C.   ‘ROGUE’ LANDLORDS

Motion withdrawn by Independent Residents’ Group and resubmitted to next meeting of Council.

 A   RESTRICTIONS ON BUILDING OF SCHOOLS

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

This Council regrets that Government’sdevolution plans involve banning councils from building new schools and restricting capital funding for existing local authority schools, as part of their policy of removing all schools from local authority control and centralising control to Whitehall.

The Council still retains a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places to meet demand from within and outside the borough, but does not have a statutory duty to provide the infrastructure needed to service the additional places and thus this council further regrets the lack of government capital funding and duty to provide quality facilities as well as additional places.

In particular, this Council believes the forecast demand from the proposed Dovers Corner-Dagenham New Road Housing Zone should be met by building an entirely new 3FE Primary school within the development and not by expanding existing schools. Existing schools should only where appropriate be expanded to meet demand from existing residential areas. At present the prospect of an entirely new school within the New Road Housing Zone is dependent on Officers securing a new privately sponsored school with funding from GLA/developer!

Thus this Council will 1) make representations to our local MPs, the Local Government Association and Secretary of State for Education to seek an urgent increase in capital funding and change in the law to allow councils to build new schools where they are needed. 2) where appropriate expand existing schools with the necessary infrastructure to meet the growing forecast demand for school places in Havering. 3) only progress the New Road Housing Zone if a 3FE Primary school is secured as part of the development to make it sustainable.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

Amend motion to read:

This Council noting that the Government’s further plans to reform school and education provision will be considered by Parliament on introduction of the forthcoming Education for All bill welcomes the intention of the Executive to review the proposals coming forward and to make appropriate representations through the LGA and London Councils and to local MPs.

The Council notes further with approval that primary school provision is an integral part of the Beam Park scheme and that progress on this will be reported to members as the matter progresses.

Amendment on behalf of the Labour Group

Amend motion to read:

This Council regrets the Government’s  Education Policies and the direction of travel set out in the recent White Paper  ‘Education Excellence Everywhere’  which together undermine the role of Local Education Authorities and which:-

1)    Severely restrict the ability of local authorities to plan and build new schools to address the demand for new school places;

2)    Reduce local councils influence and ability to support schools and to assist them achieving higher standards of performance; and,

3)    Eliminates local democratic accountability

In view of the above the Council calls upon the Government to reverse its policies and provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

       This Council calls on the Executive to review its policy that all customer enquires need to be made online to assist those residents who are not computer literate and/or wish to speak to a staff member when accessing council services. 

Amendment on behalf of the Residents’ Group

       Amend motion to read:

Whilst this council agrees the benefits from digitalisation of services, nevertheless, this council agrees to a cross party working group to look at how customers (including members) are able to access all council services other than online to ensure that no resident of this borough becomes socially isolated or excluded.

Amendment on behalf the Conservative Group

Amend motion to read:

This Council welcomes the revision of Cabinet portfolios in order to review all implementation of national policy for channel shift and digitalisation so as to assist those residents who are not computer literate and/or wish to speak to a staff member when accessing council services.

Following debate, the amendment by the Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 33 votes to 13 (see division 3) and the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 30 votes to 14 (see division 4). The amendment by the Conservative Group was AGREED as the substantive motion, without division.

RESOLVED:

This Council welcomes the revision of Cabinet portfolios in order to review all implementation of national policy for channel shift and digitalisation so as to assist those residents who are not computer literate and/or wish to speak to a staff member when accessing council services.

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.

Amendment on behalf of the Labour Group

Amend motion to read:

This Council reaffirms its decision to introduce an Article 4 Direction and an effective Licensing Scheme of Private Landlords as soon as it can and further agrees as a matter of priority to ensure that it takes action under the Housing Act 2004 when it has concerns about the quality of accommodation provided in residential property within the Borough and also to use both housing and planning powers simultaneously to take action against rogue Landlords.

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

The record of voting decisions is attached as Appendix 3.