Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Brown and Mrs E Shimbart.

To confirm the minutes of the Annual meeting of the Council  held on 13 May 2015.

The minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 13 May 2015 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To consider any matters arising from the last meeting.

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

To receive any declarations of interests from Members.

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

The Mayor reported on the various civic and charity events that she had attended since the last meeting of the Council, highlighting in particular the Armed Forces Flag Raising event on 15 June and the forthcoming VJ commemorations in Havant, which a number of Mayors and Chairmen of neighbouring Hampshire authorities would be attending. The Mayor reminded members that full details of all Mayoral events could be found in the Mayor’s Blog on the Council’s website.

In addition to his published report, the Leader advised that Cabinet and Scrutiny Leads would be undertaking a review of Planning and Licensing processes.

The Leader also reported, with regret, the resignation of Cllr Mrs E Shimbart from the Development Management Committee and thanked her for her considerable contribution as a former Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee.  The Leader confirmed the appointment of Councillor D Patrick to the Committee and reported that the position of Vice-Chairman would remain vacant for the time being.

At the invitation of the Mayor, the recently elected members of the Council, Councillors Bains, Cresswell, Hughes, Patrick, Pike, Rees and Satchwell, were each given an opportunity to address the Council, introducing themselves and setting out their aspirations as Councillors.

To receive the following Notice of Motion received in accordance with Standing Order 14, proposed by the Leader and seconded by the Deputy Leader:

“This Council endorses, in principle, the proposal for a Hampshire-wide Combined Authority.”

Proposed by the Leader and seconded by the Deputy Leader, it was:

RESOLVED that this Council endorses, in principle, the proposal for a Hampshire-wide Combined Authority.

Circulated Separately.

There were no additional matters that the Cabinet Leads wished to report in addition to their published reports.

(A)         Codes and Protocols

To consider the following recommendation to Council arising from the Governance and Audit Committee meeting held on 3 March 2015:

RECOMMENDED to Council that the following codes and protocols be adopted:

• Whistleblowing Policy;

• Anti Bribery Policy;

• Anti Fraud and Corruption Policy;

• Anti Fraud and Corruption Response Plan; and

• Anti Money Laundering Policy.

(B)         Pay Policy Statement

To consider the following recommendation to Council arising from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18 March 2015:

RECOMMENDED to full Council that the Pay Policy Statement for 2015/16 be approved and adopted.

(C)         Delivering Differently – Future Service Delivery of Operational Services

To consider the following recommendation to Council arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 13 July 2015:

RECOMMENDED to full Council:

a)    Approval for officers to continue to explore options for increasing the efficiency and driving down costs of the current in-house core services to ensure that Operational Services are fit for commissioning, including issues outlined within the Business Plan for 2015/16.

b)    Approval for officers to formally enter into discussions with Norse Commercial Services ltd with a view to forming a Joint Venture Company.

c)    Agreement that an outline Business Case will be submitted to Cabinet in September 2015 for approval.

d)    Agreement that additional resources up to the sum of £75k be allocated to this project to ensure delivery by February 2016.

(A)       The Council  considered a recommendation from the Governance and Audit Committee meeting held on 3 March 2015.  Proposed by Councillor K Smith and seconded by Councillor Mrs G Blackett, it was

RESOLVED that the following Codes and Protocols be approved and adopted:

•           Whistleblowing Policy;

•           Anti-Bribery Policy;

•           Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy;

•           Anti-Fraud and Corruption Response Plan; and

•           Anti Money Laundering Policy.

(B)       The Council considered a recommendation from the Joint Human Resources Committee meeting held on 15 March 2015/.  Propose by Councillor Buckley and seconded by Councillor Branson, it was:

RESOLVED that the Pay Policy Statement be approved and adopted.

(C)      The Council considered a recommendation from the Cabinet meeting held on 13 July 2015.  Councillor Briggs briefed the Council on the extensive research and consultations that had been undertaken in reviewing the various options and advised that the recommendation now before Council represented the best option in terms of savings, quality of service, job security for staff and income generation opportunities.  Councillor Briggs also confirmed that a detailed risk register would be incorporated within the final Business Case.

Proposed by Councillor Briggs and seconded by Councillor Keast, it was:

RESOLVED that the following be approved:

a)        Approval for officers to continue to explore options for increasing the efficiency and driving down costs of the current in-house core services to ensure that Operational Services are fit for commissioning, including issues outlined within the Business Plan for 2015/16;

b)         Approval for officers to formally enter into discussions with Norse Commercial Services ltd with a view to forming a Joint Venture Company;

c)         Agreement that an outline Business Case will be submitted to Cabinet in September 2015 for approval; and

d)         Agreement that additional resources up to the sum of £75k be allocated to this project to ensure delivery by February 2016

(i)                the Leader and Cabinet Leads to answer questions on matters within their respective reports.

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

Questions to the Leader and Cabinet Leads in connection with their published reports were taken and responses given.  With the agreement of the Mayor and the Cabinet Leads concerned, questions received under Standing Order 23.4 were also taken under this item.

There were no questions for the Committee Chairmen.

To accept the minutes of Committees held since the last meeting of the Council.

The minutes of Committees held since the last meeting of the Council were accepted.

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

With the agreement of the Mayor and the Cabinet Leads, questions received under Standing Order 23.4 were taken under minute 20 above, Cabinet Leads’ Question Time.

There were no urgent questions.