Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 27 June 2018 and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 20 August 2018 (less exempt minute) be approved and adopted.

The Mayor announced that he was looking forward to seeing colleagues and representatives of the armed forces and other guests at Sunday’s Remembrance service at the Cathedral.  This year will be commemorating the centenary of the armistice in 1918 and as the 11 November also falls on a Sunday this year, the Cathedral was expected to be full to capacity, and a larger crowd also expected at the War Memorial.

The Mayor then announced that on 15 October, a delegation of officials from Shiyan City in the Hubei Province of China visited Winchester.  During what was a fascinating day, the history and the culture of our areas was explored in relation to tourism and heritage as well as business development.

Finally, the Mayor then referred to the annual Mayor’s Mince Pies which was to be held on Wednesday 12December from 12 midday to 2pm at which he hoped to see many Members and Officers of the Council.

The Leader thanked all the Members and Officers in preparing and securing the planning permission for the new Sports and Leisure facility at Bar End, Winchester. Officers had, in particular, worked tirelessly on the project, which would benefit the health and wellbeing of residents of the district.

The Leader then referred to the recent announcement by the Government that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) debt cap had been raised.  The Council had identified housing projects across the district totalling up to £52 million and these had been submitted to the Government to consider.  The Council was one of the largest bidders outside of London with plans to build over 600 new homes by 2020.

The Leader then referred to the Council’s recent establishment of a High Street Taskforce group. Together with its partners, the Council would look to ensure that Winchester’s High Street continued to flourish.  In the recent budget announcement, the Government had pledged a £675 million ‘Future High Street Fund’. The Council would be submitting a bid to secure funding from the £55 million specifically allocated for heritage areas. 

Finally, the Leader reported on the installation of the new security bollards in Winchester’s High Street.  As well as improving the public realm, they were being constructed to PSA68 Counter Terrorism standards and had received the approval of Hampshire County Council’s Emergency Planning team.

In light of recent changes to the Groups, the membership of the following Committees had been agreed by Group Managers.

RESOLVED:

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (6 Conservative : 5 Liberal Democrat)

·         Councillors Learney (Chairman), Cunningham, Gemmell, McLean, Stallard, Weston, Lumby, Evans, Clear, Thompson and Tod (Deputies Berry, Mather, Hiscock, Weir)

The Audit Committee (4 Conservative : 3 Liberal Democrat):

·         Councillors Cutler (Chairman), Burns, Huxstep, Mather, Stallard, Bentote, Power (Deputies Cunningham and Murphy)

The Planning Committee (5 Conservative : 4 Liberal Democrat):

·         Councillors Ruffell (Chairman), McLean, Read, Berry, Cunningham, Clear, Evans, Izard, Rutter (Deputies Scott, Laming and Weir)

The Standards Committee (6 Conservative : 6 Liberal Democrat):

·         Councillors Berry (Chairman), Cunningham, Gemmell, Mather, McLean, Weston, Bell, Clear, Becker, Izard, Laming, Power

The Licensing and Regulation Committee (6 Conservative : 5 Liberal Democrat):

·         Councillors Mather (Chairman), Berry, Burns, Cook, McLean, Read, Becker, Bentote, Green, Izard, Laming (Deputies Achwal and Huxstep)

The Personnel Committee (4 Conservative : 3 Liberal Democrat):

·         Councillors Read (Chairman), Berry, Cook, Weston, Achwal, Bentote, Cutler (Deputies Murphy and Weston)

To receive any disclosure of interests from Members or Officers in matters to be discussed.

Note: Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests, personal and/or prejudicial interests in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct.

Councillors Stallard and Cutler both declared personal (but not prejudicial) interests with regard to Agenda Item 8 – Draft Reorganisation Order – Community Governance Review Wes of Waterlooville MDA (Report CL141 refers) as were members of Denmead Parish Council and Southwick Parish Council.  Both parishes had been heavily involved in discussions relating to the new parish council.

Councillor Rutter declared a personal (but not prejudicial) interest with regard to Council Question 11 relating to the Winchester Talking Newspaper, as was an occasional reader. 

21 Questions were asked by Members, which are set out in full on the Council’s website, together with responses from the relevant portfolio holder.  The Mayor allowed time for supplementary Questions to be asked and responded to.

There were no petitions received.

Please note that the following Recommended Minute was agreed following brief discussion at the ‘Chairman’s Announcements’ point of the agenda: 

The Committee agreed to recommend to Council that the Audit (Governance) Sub Committee be discontinued as its business could be transacted by the Audit Committee itself.

The Chairman of the Audit Committee, Councillor Cutler, moved that the Recommended Minute of the Audit Committee be approved and adopted. The item was seconded by Councillor Power.    

RESOLVED:

1.      That the Recommended Minute of the Audit Committee be approved and adopted.

2.      That the Audit (Governance) Sub Committee be discontinued.

The Portfolio Holder for Professional Services, Councillor Godfrey, moved that the Report’s recommendations be approved and adopted which were then seconded by Councillor Mather.

RESOLVED:

That the Re-organisation Order as shown in appendix 1 to Report CL141 to give legal effect to the recommendations (as approved by the Licensing and Regulation Committee on 14 June 2018) for the creation of a new parish in the area currently know as the West of Waterlooville MDA, be approved.

“Council notes that it is now more than two years since the Referendum and the Government still has no coherent Brexit plan that has the support of a majority in Parliament. 

Council further notes that nearly 59% of Winchester district residents voted to remain in the European Union and that since the vote:

a)    The performance of the UK economy has fallen behind. It is now the slowest growing economy in Europe with productivity slipping further and competitiveness reliant on the declining value of the Pound;

b)    Winchester residents – particularly those on lower incomes - are being hit hard by rising inflation and squeezed pay rates;

c)    Confidence among investors and established businesses is ebbing with jobs moving away from the UK;

d)    Many non-UK EU nationals resident in the district have had their lives, and those of their UK-national families, destabilised by the uncertainty of Brexit. On top of the social impacts, local businesses and, above all the NHS are losing vital staff; 

e)    New investment, which Winchester relies on for future prosperity, is being jeopardised and new job opportunities are being lost;

Council believes that a ‘hard’ or ‘no deal’ Brexit will seriously harm the long-term prosperity of all Winchester residents.  With only 20 weeks to go before the UK leaves, it is vitally important that Winchester City Council speaks up on their residents’ behalf.

Council calls on the government to abandon plans for a hard Brexit and to give the people of Winchester a vote on the final deal, along with the opportunity to vote on keeping the irreplaceable benefits Britons currently enjoy by staying in the European Union.”

The following Notice of Motion had been submitted by Councillor Rutter and seconded by Councillor Weir, under Council Procedure Rule 9:

“Council notes that it is now more than two years since the Referendum and the Government still has no coherent Brexit plan that has the support of a majority in Parliament. 

Council further notes that nearly 59% of Winchester district residents voted to remain in the European Union and that since the vote:

a)    The performance of the UK economy has fallen behind. It is now the slowest growing economy in Europe with productivity slipping further and competitiveness reliant on the declining value of the Pound;

b)    Winchester residents – particularly those on lower incomes - are being hit hard by rising inflation and squeezed pay rates;

c)    Confidence among investors and established businesses is ebbing with jobs moving away from the UK;

d)    Many non-UK EU nationals resident in the district have had their lives, and those of their UK-national families, destabilised by the uncertainty of Brexit. On top of the social impacts, local businesses and, above all the NHS are losing vital staff; 

e)    New investment, which Winchester relies on for future prosperity, is being jeopardised and new job opportunities are being lost;

Council believes that a ‘hard’ or ‘no deal’ Brexit will seriously harm the long-term prosperity of all Winchester residents.  With only 20 weeks to go before the UK leaves, it is vitally important that Winchester City Council speaks up on their residents’ behalf.

Council calls on the government to abandon plans for a hard Brexit and to give the people of Winchester a vote on the final deal, along with the opportunity to vote on keeping the irreplaceable benefits Britons currently enjoy by staying in the European Union.”

Councillor Rutter introduced the Motion and during the debate which followed, the following points were raised:

·         The prospect of leaving the European Union without a coherent plan was likely to have a negative impact on businesses and employers, due to growing uncertainty.   

·         Members described how the current Brexit situation was likely to personally affect members of their family.  Important issues such as housing, social care, climate change and the NHS must also be urgently addressed.

·         It had been apparent that the majority of younger aged voters had voted to remain in the European Union.  Leaving the EU was likely to have a negative impact on the future of young people by reducing existing opportunities.

·         The Council continued to work closely with residents and businesses to deliver those matters that were within its remit and responsibilities

MOTION         (1) Councillor Weston         (2)       Councillor Cook

“That Council Procedure Rule 10 (14) be moved – To proceed to next business’

As it was the wish of more than a quarter of those present, the Mayor decided that a recorded vote be taken in respect of the Motion.

Division lists

The following Members voted in favour of the Motion to proceed to next business:

Councillors Ashton, Berry, Brook, Burns, Cook,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

(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 Extraordinary Meeting held on 20 August 2018 be approved and adopted.