Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R Bastin, F Edwards, T Hart and M Johnson.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on 11 December 2013.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 11 December 2013 were approved as a correct record.

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

To receive and record any declarations of interests from Members.

There were no declarations of interest from any of the members present.

The Mayor to formally receive a certificate from the Chair of the Havant Borough Fairtrade Forum in recognition of the Borough’s continued status as a Fairtrade Borough.

The Mayor received a certificate from the Havant Fairtrade Forum in recognition of Havant’s continued status as a Fairtrade Borough.  The Chair of the Forum was invited to address the Council and outlined the key principles of the Fairtrade initiative.

The Mayor also gave a brief report on the various charity and other events he had attended since the last meeting of the Council.

To follow.

The Leader reported on a visit earlier in the day by the Minister for Portsmouth and the positive discussions that had taken place regarding the redevelopment of Dunsbury Hill Farm as a key employment site in the Borough.

Proposed by Councillor K Smith and seconded by Councillor D Keast, it was

RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs Marjorie Smallcorn be provisionally appointed as Mayor for 2014/15.

Proposed by Councillor A Lenaghan and seconded by Councillor J Branson, it was

RESOLVED that Councillor Leah Turner be provisionally appointed as Deputy Mayor for 2014/15.

(1)  Budget Speech by the Leader of the Council;

(2)  Reply by the Leader of the Opposition Group;

(3)  Leader reply to the Opposition Group;

(4)  Questions for clarification to the Leader of the Council.

The Leader presented his budget speech to the Council, setting out the achievements made in recent years in making budgetary savings whilst maintaining frontline services through partnership working and other innovative approaches to delivering services.  The Leader also set out future challenges for the Borough and the importance of the Council’s role as a community leader going forward.

The Leader of the Opposition was given an opportunity to reply to the Leader’s report and all members of the Council were given an opportunity to ask the Leader questions of clarification.

To receive the following motion proposed by Councillor A Briggs and seconded by Councillor G Shimbart:

That this Council notes with concern recommendations from the Wessex Clinical Senate that services for patients in South East Hampshire requiring vascular expertise are provided by a single clinical service across the Portsmouth Hospitals and University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trusts.  The Council expresses serious concern about the loss of vascular services at Queen Alexandra Hospital and the impact that such a move would have on local residents and on the provision of other important services at the hospital.

This motion was withdrawn at the request of the proposer and seconder.

To follow.

The Cabinet Portfolio reports had been circulated and the Mayor asked the Portfolio Holders if they wished to add anything to their written reports.

Councillor  Branson reported that the Seminar Day scheduled for 23 June 2014 had been rescheduled to 30 June.

Councillor Guest reported that he had approached the Planning Advisory Service with a view to undertaking a peer review of planning and development services and that the arrangements would be confirmed in due course.

To consider any recommended minutes from the Cabinet and any of the Boards or Committees:

Recommendation from the Cabinet held on 5 February 2014:

(1)       Revenue Budget 2014/2015 to 2018/19

RECOMMENDED to full Council:

(a)        that the following be approved, as set out in the report to the Cabinet on 5 February 2014:

(i)         The proposed Revenue and Capital Budget for 2014/15, including a Council Tax rate of £192.78 at Band D (0% increase);

(ii)        The Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators; and

(iii)       Proposed Prices for Services for Approve the detailed proposals in the Budget Report,

(b)       Note an amendment to para 5.4 that, following the calculation of the Council’s Business Rates (NDR1) return on 31^st January 2014, actual Retained Business Rates income calculated for 2014/15 was £3.207m. The shortfall to the original estimate will be met from section 31 grant received in respect of the Business Rates Retention scheme in 2013/14.

(c)       That it benoted that (on 31st January, 2014) the Chief Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base 2014/2015 for the whole Council area as 38,002.43  [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, (the “Act”)] and that this Council Tax base be split between the regions of the Environment Agency as follows:

Southern – Hampshire – 37,273.83

Southern – Sussex – 728.60

(d)       That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2014/2015 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act.

(i)         £ 55,932,400 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act;

(ii)        £ 48,760,186 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act;

(iii)       £7,172,214 being the amount by which the aggregate at d(i) above exceeds the aggregate at d(ii) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in section 31A(4) of the Act);

(iv)       £192.78 being the amount at d(iii) above (Item R), divided by Item T  (c above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

(e)       Valuation Bands

A                     B                     C                     D

£128.52          £149.94          £171.36          £192.78

E                     F                      G                     H

£235.62          £278.46          £321.30          £385.56

being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at d(iv) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation  ...  view the full agenda text for item 73.

(A)The  Council considered Cabinet minute number 47/02/2014 from its meeting held on 5 February 2014, recommending approval of the Revenue Budget 2014 to 2015.  The Mayor reported that new Government Regulations shortly to be implemented would  require Councils to hold a recorded vote when approving their annual budget strategies.  In the interests of transparency, the Leader had therefore agreed that this Council would comply with the new regulations ahead of implementation.

Proposed by Councillor K Smith and seconded by Councillor D Smith:

The Mayor declared the proposal carried and RESOLVED accordingly:

(a)        that the following be approved, as set out in the report to the Cabinet on 5 February 2014:

(i)         The proposed Revenue and Capital Budget for 2014/15, including a Council Tax rate of £192.78 at Band D (0% increase);

(ii)        The Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators; and

(iii)       Proposed Prices for Services for Approve the detailed proposals in the Budget Report,

(b)       An amendment be noted to para 5.4 that, following the calculation of the Council’s Business Rates (NDR1) return on 31^st January 2014, actual Retained Business Rates income calculated for 2014/15 was £3.207m. The shortfall to the original estimate will be met from section 31 grant received in respect of the Business Rates Retention scheme in 2013/14.

(c)       That it benoted that (on 31st January, 2014) the Chief Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base 2014/2015 for the whole Council area as 38,002.43  [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, (the “Act”)] and that this Council Tax base be split between the regions of the Environment Agency as follows:

Southern – Hampshire – 37,273.83

Southern – Sussex – 728.60

(d)       That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2014/2015 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act.

(i)         £ 55,932,400 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act;

(ii)        £ 48,760,186 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act;

(iii)       £7,172,214 being the amount by which the aggregate at d(i) above exceeds the aggregate at d(ii) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in section 31A(4) of the Act);

(iv)       £192.78 being the amount at d(iii) above (Item R), divided by Item T  (c above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

(e)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and the Built Environment presented a report setting out proposals for the establishment of a Joint West of Waterlooville Major Development Area (WWMDA) Planning Committee for the development control functions of the Development Management Committee in relation to the development of the West of Waterlooville Major Development Area.

Proposed by Councillor C Hilton and seconded by Councillor Mrs E Shimbart, it was

RESOLVED, subject to Winchester City Council agreeing to the creation of a Joint West of Waterlooville Major Development Area Planning Committee, that the following be approved:

(a)       the proposal to set up a Joint West of Waterlooville MDA Planning Committee in accordance with s. 101(5) of the Local Government Act 1972;

(b)       the proposal that the Joint WWMDA Planning Committee be the responsible body for all matters required for delivery of effective delivery of joint development control decision making for the WWMDA;

(c)        decision making powers in respect of those functions set out in paragraph 4.7 of this report be delegated to the Joint WWMDA Planning Committee; and

(d)       authority to determine the size, composition, and terms of reference for the Joint WWMDA Planning Committee be delegated to the Development Management Committee as set out in paragraph 4.6 of the report.

(i)                the Leader and Portfolio Holders to answer questions on matters within their Portfolio;

(ii)                      Chairmen to answer questions on minutes since the last Council meeting.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holders all answered questions within their remit.  There were no questions for the Chairmen.

To receive any questions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 23.4(a).

There were no questions under Standing Order 23.4(a).

There were no urgent questions under Standing Order 23.4(b).

To receive the minutes of meetings held since publication of the agenda for the last meeting of the Council.

Proposed by Councillor D Keast and seconded by Councillor G Shimbart, it was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings held since publication of the last Council agenda, and set out in the Minute Volume, be accepted.