Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded that the Programme of Meetings for 2019/20 was approved by Portfolio Holder Decision Notice (PHD881 refers) and is set out below:

The Leader announced that meetings of Cabinet for the remainder of 2019/20 would commence at 9.30am.

RESOLVED:

            That the current timetable of meetings for 2019/20 be noted as set out on the agenda (and as agreed in PHD881).

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Horrill (as former Leader) confirmed no changes were required to the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED:

            That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 25 March 2019, less exempt minute, be approved and adopted.

– to note the names of members of the public wishing to speak on general matters affecting the District or on agenda items (in the case of the latter, representations will normally be received at the time of the agenda item, after the Portfolio Holder’s introduction and any questions from Cabinet Members).

Patrick Davies queried why the minutes of the previous meetings of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit Committee (held on 19 February and 27 February 2019) to consider the new Council constitution had not been made publically available.  The minutes of the Extraordinary Council held on 19 March 2019 had not yet been published either.  He also expressed concern about the use of an informal working group to consider changes to the constitution as he perceived this to lack openness and transparency.

The Leader agreed to investigate this matter further and arrange for a response to be made to Mr Davies accordingly.

Ian Tait clarified a number of points regarding outside organisations to which he was appointed, as set out under the relevant item below.

The Leader made a statement setting out the priorities of the new administration and proposals for the future as summarised below:

·         Focus on the environment with the aim to make the Council carbon neutral by 2024 and the District by 2030;

·         Possible introduction of food waste collection, in addition to the doorstep glass collection;

·         Proposal to adopt an emergency declaration on Climate Change with a special Cabinet meeting to be arranged as soon as possible;

·         Proposals to improve Council services including planning and enforcement and the current refuse collection service;

·         Undertaking a review of the Council’s financial position to address the financial gap;

·         Continuing to deliver the new homes programme and ensuring current housing meets the decent homes standard;

·         The new Constitution introduced two new Policy Committees on Business and Housing and Health and Environment and it was considered there was no longer the requirement for any of the Cabinet Committees.  A review of the three main Council projects (Leisure Centre, Station Approach and Central Winchester Regeneration) would be undertaken.

·         All Portfolio Holder decisions would be taken in public at a “decision day”.

·         Additional proposals would be brought forward on openness, consultation, declaration of interests and greater involvement of all Councillors.

The Leader announced the allocation of Portfolio Holders as attached as Appendix A to the minutes.

As announced above, it was not proposed to re-establish the former Cabinet Committees for 2019/20.  Major decisions on housing would be considered by the Business and Housing Scrutiny Committee and then onto Cabinet.  With regard to the Local Plan, it was proposed that a task and finish group be established.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Horrill expressed disappointment at this change of start time of future Cabinet meetings from 4.30pm as she believed it was less open and transparent and would prevent a number of people, including Councillors with jobs, from attending.  She also expressed concern at the decision at Council on 15 May to appoint a member of the administration as Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee as under the previous Constitution it was custom for the Audit Committee Chair to be held by a member of the opposition group.  She believed this was important to ensure proper governance.

As former Chair of the Audit Committee, Councillor Cutler stated that he had raised the question of chairmanship of the new Audit and Governance Committee a number of times during discussion of the new Constitution and the view had been taken that the role should be filled by best Councillor for the job, regardless of political group. 

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons outlined above.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the following appointments to Fora and other informal consultative groups be made for the 2019/20 Municipal Year:

(i)            East Hampshire and Winchester Joint Environmental Services Committee – Councillors Thompson, Murphy and Leader (Deputy: Porter)

(ii)          Strategic Asset Purchase Scheme Board

Leader and Portfolio Holders with responsibility for Finance; Estates; and Business (Councillors Thompson, Cutler, Learney and Weir)

(iii)         Treasury Investment Group

Portfolio Holder for Finance (Councillor Cutler) and Councillor Prince (from Cabinet).  Councillor Power (Chair of Audit & Governance Committee), Councillor Gottlieb (member of Audit & Governance Committee) and Councillor Miller (Shadow Portfolio Holder).

(iv)         Kings Barton Forum

Councillors: Prince, Learney, Rutter, Porter, Godfrey, Horrill, Cunningham and Griffiths (Deputies: Hutchison and Mather).

(v)          West of Waterlooville Forum –

Councillors: Clear, Cutler, Read and Brook (Deputies: Evans and Weston)

(vi)         North Whiteley Development Forum –

Councillors: Achwal, Bentote, Evans, Lumby, Gemmell and Miller (Deputies: Fern and Pearson)

2.         That the following bodies not be re-appointed for 2019/20:

(i)            Cabinet (Housing) Committee;

(ii)          Cabinet (Local Plan) Committee;

(iii)         Cabinet (Leisure Centre) Committee;

(iv)         Cabinet (Station Approach) Committee;

(v)          Cabinet (Central Winchester Regeneration) Committee;

(vi)         Cabinet (Traffic and Parking) Committee;

(vii)        River Park Area Informal Policy Group.

Cabinet noted that a list of nominations received had been distributed to Members present at the meeting.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Horrill queried the proposal to appoint Councillor Porter to the Citizens Advice Winchester District as she believed it was been agreed between the group leaders that Councillor Griffiths would remain as the representative. 

The Leader responded that the proposed nomination had been made following discussions with the organisation.

During public participation, Ian Tait raised the following points:

·         The Carroll Centre Board of Trustees – he was a member of the Board in his own capacity;

·         St John’s Winchester Charity – he understood that the Charity intended to extend his appointment as nominated trustee for a year and were reviewing their arrangements for the future;

·         Winchester Housing Trust – he was appointed as a Director in his own capacity, not on behalf of the Council;

The Leader agreed that these points be investigated further before any appointments to these three organisations were made and the appointments therefore be deferred to a future meeting.

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the Report.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the following appointments to external bodies be made for the 2019/20 Municipal Year (unless stated otherwise):

(a)      Citizens Advice Winchester District – Councillor Porter (Observer) (until May 2022)

(b)      Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing (HARAH) – Portfolio Holders with responsibility for Housing and Planning (Councillors Learney and Porter)

(c)      Hampshire & Isle of Wight Association of Local Authorities (HIOWA) – Leader and Deputy Leader (Councillors Thompson and Cutler)

(d)      Hampshire County Council Annual Meeting with Parish & District Councils regarding public transport issues – Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Transport (Councillor Murphy)

(e)      Hampshire Homechoice Board – Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Housing (Councillor Learney)

(f)       Hampshire Rural Forum – Portfolio Holder with responsibility for the Economy (Councillor Weir)

(g)      Intergr8 CIC at Unit 12 – Portfolio Holder with responsibility for the Economy (Councillor Weir)

(h)      Live Theatre Winchester Trust Ltd – Councillor Achwal (Observer) (until May 2022)

(i)        Local Government Association – Leader and Deputy Leader (Councillors Thompson and Cutler)

(j)        Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) Joint Committee – Leader and Deputy Leader (Councillors Thompson and Cutler)

(k)      Police and Crime Panel (until May 2021, confirmed annually) – Councillor Griffiths (Councillor Clear)

(l)        Portsmouth Water Customer Forum – Councillor Brook (until May 2022)

(m)     Project Integra Management Board – Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Waste (Councillor Murphy)

(n)      South Downs National Park Authority – Councillor Evans (until May 2023)

(o)      South East Employers – Chair of Audit & Governance Committee (Councillor Power)

(p)      South East Employers – Councillors’ Local Democracy & Accountability Network – Councillors Gottlieb & Power

(q)      South East England Councils (SEEC) – Leader and Deputy Leader (Councillors Thompson and Cutler)

(r)       Southampton International Airport Consultative Committee – Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Transport (Councillor Murphy) plus Councillor Bronk (Councillors Achwal & Clear)

(s)      Streetreach – Councillor Learney (until May 2022)

(t)        Tourism South East –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

RESOLVED:

            That the list of future items, as set out in the Forward Plan for June 2019, be noted.

To consider whether in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

(i)            To pass a resolution that the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business because it is likely that, if members of the public were present, there would be disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100 (I) and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

1.         That in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

2.         That the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business because it is likely that, if members of the public were present, there would be disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

            That the exempt minute of the previous meeting held on 25 March 2019 be approved and adopted.