MInutes - 17.12.01 : Council on 17/12/2001

Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Council held on 17/12/2001
MInutes - 17.12.01

MINUTES of the MEETING of the WAVERLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Godalming on 17th December 2001 at 6.30 p.m.

* Mr M R Goodridge (Mayor)
* Mr B A Ellis (Deputy Mayor)

*	Mr P Betlem	*	Mr P B Isherwood
*	Mr M J Blower	*	Mr R N Jackson
*	Capt P G Burden	*	Mrs J R Keen
*	Mr M W Byham	*	Mrs M T King-Hele
	Mrs S J Campany	*	Mr D G Kinsella
*	Mrs C Cockburn	*	Mr F G R Lambert
*	Mr D H Commaille	*	Dr M-G Lane
	Mrs E M Cooper	*	Mr J C S Mackie
*	Mrs M C Craig	*	Mrs J M Mansley
*	Mr D H Darbishire	*	Mr W M Marshall
*	Mrs E H Denningberg	*	Mr G R Miller
*	Mr H Denningberg		Mrs P N Mitchell
*	Mrs J E Dodd	*	Mrs A Mugford
*	Mr M J Downes	*	Mr D J Munro
*	Mr V Duckett	*	Dr A Newton
*	Mr S D Edge		Mr M W Norris
*	Mr M A Edgington	*	Mrs M Nyazai
*	Mrs P Ellis	*	Mr J R Sandy
*	Mr B V Foulkes	*	Mrs C E Savage
*	Mrs P M Frost	*	Mr J M Savage
*	Mr R J Gates	*	Mr B G Shelley
*	Mr P D Harmer	*	Mr C C E Slyfield
	Mrs J M Harris	*	Mr S D Steel
*	Mrs P Hibbert		Mr R C Terry
	Mrs C J Howard	*	Dr R A Thomas
*	Mrs M V M Hunt		Mr J W P Waters
*	Mr D C Inman	*	Mr J H Wootton

*Mr R H Worby
* Present

At the commencement of the meeting, prayers were led by the Reverend John Ashe, Vicar and Rural Dean of Godalming.

47. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on 6th November 2001 were confirmed and signed.

48. BY-ELECTION IN FARNHAM WEYBOURNE AND BADSHOT LEA WARD

The Mayor informed the Council that Mr S D Edge, Liberal Democrat, had been elected to the vacant seat in Farnham, Weybourne and Badshot Lea Ward. In so doing, he welcomed Mr Edge to his first formal meeting since the by-election.

49. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs S J Campany, Mrs E M Cooper, Mrs J M Harris, Mrs C J Howard, Mrs P N Mitchell and Mr M W Norris.

50. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Mayor informed the Council of the progress of Mrs Cooper, who continued to be unwell. He also advised the Council that his recent Christmas Fair had raised nearly Ł850 for his charity. He thanked all involved for their efforts in helping to achieve this very good outcome.

The Mayor reminded the Council of two forthcoming events in 2002: the Civic Dinner on 25th January and his Charity Concert on 27th April. Further information would be despatched soon on these events.

The Mayor also reminded the Council that BAe Systems (formerly British Aerospace) had donated some Ł5,000 for community projects and the first of five awards over five years would be made during the current Mayoral year. He invited members to inform him of any schools, youth groups and community groups in their areas, so that all could have an opportunity to participate in his Young Citizen’s Award, which would be judged before the end of his Mayoral year in May 2002.

51. DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY AND OTHER INTERESTS

Disclosures of interests were made on matters contained in the Executive Committee’s report as follows:-

Mr M R Goodridge Report item H, non-pecuniary interest as appointee to CAB Management Board.
Dr M-G Lane Report item H, non-pecuniary interest as appointee to CAB Management Board.
Mr B G Shelley Report item P, as employee of Benefits Agency.
Dr M-G Lane Report item NN – as a Director of Community Development Trust.
Mr D January, Director of Report item NN – as a Director of Community
Housing Development Trust.

52. REPORT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

It was moved by the Chairman of the Committee and duly seconded that the report of the Executive Committee be approved and adopted.

(i) Housing Department Responsive Repairs Service – Measured Term Contract (MTC) (Report Item D)

In response to a member’s query, the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Welfare assured the Council that a responsive repairs service for the Council’s housing stock would continue over the remainder of the current year, and changes to the Measured Term Contract would be phased in.

(ii) District Auditor’s Value for Money Report on the Waverley Citizens’ Advice Bureaux (Report Item H)

It was moved and duly seconded that Recommendation 67 be amended by addition of the following words after the word “approved”:-

“… subject to final approval as part of the budget process;”

Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was CARRIED.

It was then moved and seconded that Recommendation 67, as now amended, be further amended by deletion of the work “standstill” and addition of the following works after the words “budget process”:-

“taking into account the increases in the costs faced by the bureaux”

Following a debate on this amendment, it was moved in accordance with Standing Order 21.4 that the voting on this amendment should be by roll-call and recorded. The voting was as follows:

For the amendment (21 votes)

Mr M J Blower, Mrs M C Craig, Mr S D Edge, Mr D H Darbishire, Mrs E H Denningberg, Mr H Denningberg, Mr M J Downes, Mr V Duckett, Mr M A Edgington, Mrs M V M Hunt, Mrs J R Keen, Mrs M T King-Hele, Mr W M Marshall, Dr A Newton, Mrs C E Savage, Mr J M Savage, Mr B G Shelley, Mr C C E Slyfield, Mr S D Steel, Dr R A Thomas, Mr J H Wootton.

Against the amendment (26 votes)

Mr P Betlem, Capt P G Burden, Mr M W Byham, Mrs C Cockburn, Mr D H Commaille, Mrs J E Dodd, Mrs P Ellis, Mr B A Ellis, Mr B V Foulkes, Mrs P M Frost, Mr R J Gates, Mr P D Harmer, Mrs P Hibbert, Mr D C Inman, Mr P B Isherwood, Mr R N Jackson, Mr D G Kinsella, Mr F G R Lambert, Dr M-G Lane, Mr J C S Mackie, Mrs J M Mansley, Mr G R Miller, Mrs A Mugford, Mr D J Munro, Mr J R Sandy, Mr R H Worby.

Abstained (1)

Mr M R Goodridge

The amendment was therefore LOST.

RESOLVED that the report of the Executive Committee, as now amended, be approved and the recommendations contained therein adopted.

[Notes: 1. Mr W M Marshall requested that his abstention from the vote on Recommendation 61 be recorded;

2. Mr J M Savage requested that it be recorded that he abstained from voting in respect of Recommendations 66, 67, 69, 70 and 71;

3. Mr H Denningberg requested that his vote against Recommendations 73, 74, 75 and 76 be recorded;

4. Mr J H Wootton requested that his vote against Recommendation 76 be recorded;

5. Mrs C E Savage requested that it be recorded that she abstained from voting in respect of Recommendation 76;

6. Mr B G Shelley, having declared his interest, left the Chamber during debate and voting on Report Item P, Housing and Council Tax Benefit – Anti-Fraud Strategy and Prosecution Policy;

7. Mr J C S Mackie declared an interest in respect of Report Item H as a CAB representative appointed by Haslemere Town Council; and

8. Mr B A Ellis declared an interest in Report Item H as Chairman of Cranleigh Parish Council].

53. REPORT OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE

It was moved by the Chairman of the Committee, duly seconded and

RESOLVED that the report of the Development Control Committee be approved and adopted.

54. REPORT OF LICENSING COMMITTEE

It was moved by the Chairman of the Committee and duly seconded that the report of the Licensing Committee be approved and adopted.

Proposed Revision of Hackney Carriage Fare Scale (Report Item A)

In considering Recommendation 1, it was moved and seconded as follows:-

“that the Licensing Committee reconsiders the hackney carriage fare scales for distances exceeding one mile”.

Upon being put to the vote, the reference back was CARRIED.

RESOLVED that the report of the Licensing Committee, with the exception of the matter referred back, be approved and the recommendation contained therein adopted.

55. REPORT OF SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEES

It was moved by the Chairman of the Special Joint Meeting, duly seconded and

RESOLVED that the report of the Special Joint Meeting be approved and adopted.

56. REPORT OF COMMUNITY OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

It was moved by the Chairman of the Committee, duly seconded and

RESOLVED that the report of the Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved and adopted.

57. REPORT OF ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

It was moved by the Chairman of the Committee, duly seconded and

RESOLVED that the report of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved and adopted.

58. REPORT OF CORPORATE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

It was moved by the Chairman of the Committee, duly seconded and

RESOLVED that the report of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved and adopted.

59. LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HOUSING ACT 1989
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (COMMITTEES AND POLITICAL GROUPS) REGULATIONS 1990

RESOLVED that the seats on the Council’s Committees be allocated as shown at paragraphs 8.4 and 8.5 of the agenda report and the membership of the Committees, including appointment of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committees, be as set out at the Annexe attached to these minutes.

60. NOTICE OF MOTION

In accordance with Standing Order 9(1) the following notice of motion, received from Mr P D Harmer, was dealt with at the meeting:-

“Waverley Borough Council strongly supports the need for a regime of self-examination and continuous improvement, subject to review by an external audit process. However, the Council believes that such a regime should have a lighter touch than is imposed by the Best Value system, that it should be operated to the Council’s own rules, and that it should be audited in the normal way by the District Auditor.

Waverley Borough Council supports the views expressed by delegates at the Local Government Association Annual Conference 2001, expressing grave concern at the very heavy cost, the excessive bureaucracy and the inefficiency of the present system. The Council, therefore, urges the Government to suspend the Best Value system on a case by case basis in exchange for the introduction of an appropriate scheme of self-examination.”

The motion was formally moved and seconded. There followed a debate, after which it was

RESOLVED that the motion be approved and adopted.

[Note: Mr H Denningberg and Mrs E H Denningberg requested that their votes against the motion be recorded.]

The meeting concluded at 9.41 p.m.

Mayor
comms/council/2001-02/060 25390