Agenda item

To consider any recommendations to Council from the Cabinet and any of the Boards or Committees.

 

1)    Cabinet – 13 July 2022

 

(a)    Business Rates Freeport Discretionary Rebate Scheme

RECOMMENDED the introduction of the Freeport Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme.

 

 

2)    Planning Policy Committee – 06 September 2022

 

(a)    “The Building a Better Future Plan – consultation on Havant Borough’s new local plan” 

RECOMMENDED that Council:

 

a.   Approve the consultation on the Building a Better Future Plan (consultation document at appendix A).

 

b.   Approve the approach to consultation in line with the Consultation and Communication Plan (Appendix B)

 

c.   Approve the Local Development Scheme (Appendix C) for publication and delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager to keep this document updated as the plan progresses

 

d.   Approve the Statement of Community Involvement (Appendix D) for publication

 

e.   Endorse the setting up of a community representatives forum

 

f.     Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager1 in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Local Plan, Environment and Water Quality1 to make any necessary amendments which arise to the consultation document (Appendix A) prior to the public consultation period.

 

 

3)     Cabinet – 07 September 2022

 

(a)    2022/23 HBC Revenue Budget Re-base (including Quarter 1 Performance Reporting) 

RECOMMENDED to Full Council:

 

a.   the proposed revenue budget rebase for 2022-23

 

b.   Delegates to s151 the authority to make the necessary budget virements in order to rebase the 2022-23 revenue budget as set out in the report

 

 

4)     Cabinet – 21 September 2022

 

(a)    Delegation Agreement for Environmental Services 

 

(b)   Refreshed Corporate Strategy 

 

(c)   Business Rates – Discretionary Rate Relief Review

 

(a)        Business Rates Freeport Discretionary Rebate Scheme

 

            Councillor Rennie presented a recommendation to Council arising from the meeting of Cabinet held on 13 July 2022 in which he provided an overview of the scheme.  

 

            Following a proposal by Councillor Rennie and seconded by Councillor Satchwell, it was RESOLVED that Council approved the introduction of the Freeport Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme.

 

            (Councillor Stone joined the meeting at 17:43)

 

(b)        The Building a Better Future Plan – consultation on Havant Borough’s new local plan

                   

            Councillor Guest as Vice-Chairman of the Planning Policy Committee introduced the item and proposed the recommendations arising from the meeting of Planning Policy Committee held on 06 September 2022, which was seconded by Councillor Rennie.

 

            Councillor Lloyd proposed the following amendment to the motion:

 

            “g     That Members approve the commissioning of an independent review of the information and data provided by Southern Water which is to be used to inform the Building a Better Future local plan and its Infrastructure Delivery Plan”

 

            Councillor Lloyd’s amendment was duly seconded by Councillor Redsull.

 

            A further amendment was proposed by Councillor Rennie and seconded by Councillor Pike that:

 

            “That Full Council note the consideration for further work to be undertaken on the data provided by Southern Water to go to Planning Policy Committee for their consideration prior to coming back to Full Council, and that this is done separately to the Regulation 18 consultation.

 

            The further amendment was agreed with 13 votes in favour and 12 against and therefore became the substantive motion.

 

            There being no further amendments, the Council voted on the substantive motion, and

 

            RESOLVED that Council:

 

            a      approve the consultation on the Building a Better Future Plan (consultation document at appendix A);

 

            b      approve the approach to consultation in line with the Consultation and Communication Plan (Appendix B);

 

            c      approve the Local Development Scheme (Appendix C) for publication and delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager to keep this document updated as the plan progresses;

 

            d      approve the Statement of Community Involvement (Appendix D) for publication;

 

            e      endorse the setting up of a community representatives forum;

 

            f       delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager1 in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Local Plan, Environment and Water Quality1 to make any necessary amendments which arise to the consultation document (Appendix A) prior to the public consultation period; and

 

            g.     that Full council note the consideration for further work to be undertaken on the data provided by Southern Water to go to Planning Policy Committee for their consideration prior to coming back to Full Council, and that this is done separately to the Regulation 18 consultation. 

 

(c)        2022/23 HBC Revenue Budget Re-base (including Quarter 1 Performance Reporting)

 

            Councillor Rennie presented a recommendation to Council arising from the meeting of Cabinet held on 07 September 2022 in which he clarified that following setting of the budget in February 2022, a financial analysis had been undertaken and changes made to ensure the set budget aligned with the true cost of delivering front line services and staffing establishments. 

 

            A motion proposed by Councillor Rennie and seconded by Councillor Pike to agree the recommendations as set out in the submitted report was approved.

 

            It was therefore RESOLVED that Council:

 

            i.      note the proposed revenue budget rebase for 2022-23; and

 

            ii.      delegates to s151 the authority to make the necessary budget virements in order to rebase the 2022-23 revenue budget as set out in the report

 

(d)        Delegation Agreement for Environmental Services

 

            The Chairman reminded members that should any member be minded to refer to matters in the exempt report that were of a commercially sensitive nature, members were requested to indicate this before speaking, at which point the Council would be requested to consider passing a resolution to exclude the press and public.

 

            Councillor Bowerman as relevant Cabinet Lead introduced a report that set out the present challenges within the existing environmental service arrangements, whereby Havant Borough Council, through its joint venture being Norse South East Limited, delivered environmental services to East Hampshire District Council and the proposals to change these arrangements. 

 

            A proposal by Councillor Bowerman and seconded by Councillor Redsull to agree the recommendations set out in the submitted report was debated. 

 

            In response to a request by Members during the debate to discuss the confidential information set out in an appendix to the submitted report, it was:

 

            RESOLVED that consideration of this matter be deferred until after minutes 30(e), 30(f) and 31 to 39 had been considered

 

            Following completion of matters remaining on the published agenda, the Council

 

            RESOLVED that in accordance with Standing Order 31.1, the meeting continue to sit for a further period not exceeding one hour

 

(the meeting adjourned at 19:39 and reconvened at 19.54)

 

            A motion proposed by Councillor Stone and seconded by Councillor Bowdell to pass a resolution to exclude members of the press and public was approved. Therefore, it was:

 

            RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of this item as:

 

            (i)     it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during further discussion on this item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972; and

 

            (ii).   in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing information.

 

            The Chairman asked members of the public to leave the Council Chamber after which members duly considered and resolved this matter.

 

            The motion proposed by Councillor Bowerman and seconded by Councillor Redsull to agree the recommendations set out in the submitted report was approved. 

 

            Therefore, it was RESOLVED that Council:

 

            A.     withdraw from the existing delegation arrangements regarding delivery of environmental services on behalf of EHDC;

 

            B.     the Chief Executive (acting in consultation with the Leader, Cabinet Lead for Environmental Services, S151 Officer, Monitoring Officer and Executive Head of Commercial) be delegated the authority to facilitate the withdrawal (on or before the end of December 2022 where possible) from the delegation arrangements around environmental services and in particular be delegated the authority to:

 

                      i      agree an early termination of the Delegation Agreement dated 27 September 2019 with EHDC for the delivery of environmental services functions; and

                        

                    ii.      agree the negotiation and novation of the existing Supplemental Agreement dated 23 September 2019 between HBC and NSE, so that EHDC might make its own separate arrangements for delivery of this service

 

            C.    the Chief Executive in consultation with the S151 Officer, Monitoring Officer and Executive Head of Commercial will arrange for a quarterly report to be presented to Cabinet by way of progress report on the environmental services arrangements;

 

            D.     Council approves an uplift of renumeration for Drivers and Loaders as detailed in Appendix1; and 

 

            E.    Council approves previously unexpected expenditure (as per paragraph 4.4. below) relating to the hiring of a specialist skip vehicle and driver to cover the period up to the anticipated termination of the Delegation Agreement

 

e          Refreshed Corporate Strategy 

 

            Councillor Rennie as Leader of the Council presented a recommendation to Council arising from the meeting of Cabinet held on 21 September 2022. 

 

            A motion proposed by Councillor Rennie and seconded by Councillor Pike to agree the recommendations in the submitted report was approved. 

 

            Therefore, it was RESOLVED that Council:

 

            i       adopts the new Corporate Strategy; and

 

            ii       notes that the new Corporate Strategy will be brought back before Cabinet in December 2022 for further consideration following the course of public engagement referenced further in the submitted report. 

 

f           Business Rates – Discretionary Rate Relief Review

 

                    Councillor Rennie as Leader of the Council presented a recommendation to Council arising from the meeting of Cabinet held on 21 September 2022. 

 

            A motion proposed by Councillor Rennie and seconded by Councillor Bowerman to agree the recommendations in the submitted report was approved. 

 

            Therefore, it was RESOLVED that Council approve the updated Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme as detailed in Appendix A.