Agenda and minutes

Council acknowledged that as Councillor Gemmell had been unable to attend the virtual meeting of Mayor Making held on 18 May 2021 due to ongoing technical issues, the Councillor’s apologies should not be shown as having been received.

RESOLVED:

1.     That, subject to the above amendment, the minutes of the Ordinary meeting of the Council held on 24 February 2021 be approved and adopted.

2.     That the minutes of Mayor Making held on 18 May 2021 and the Annual Meeting of Council held on 19 May 2021 be approved and adopted.

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.

Councillor Tod and Warwick declared personal (but not prejudicial)  interests in relation to agenda items which may relate to Hampshire County Council matters due to their role as County Councillors

The Mayor firstly commemorated the 25^th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide and advised that this year’s Memorial Week was taking place from 5 July to 12 July 2021.

The Mayor then advised that further to the Queen’s Birthday Honours, she had written to congratulate Kiran Jassal, Senior Operational Manager at HM Prison Winchester, who was to receive an OBE for services to the HM Prison and Probation Service during Covid-19 and to Diversity and Inclusion.  The Mayor had also written to congratulate Michael David Kileen who was to receive a British Empire Medal for his services to the community of Hursley during Covid-19.

The Mayor’s next announcements were with regard to her recent and forthcoming charities events.

Finally, the Mayor advised that that she would be recording a message of thanks to all staff for their hard work and effort during Covid-19 to keep the council services running efficiently to support communities.  The Mayor also offered her thanks to Members for their commitment and support during this challenging time.

The Leader announced that she had been invited to provide evidence to the forthcoming House of Commons Select Committee regarding the impact of Covid-19 on large towns and smaller cities, such as it resulting in greater inequality.  The council was one of just two district authorities invited.

The Leader then referred to the forthcoming lifting of Covid-19 restrictions by the government.  The Leader advised that she had been especially proud of staff who had worked tirelessly to support vulnerable residents as well as businesses across the district and also that our High Streets were able to re-open safely after the lockdowns over the past 18 months.  The Leader reminded that the pandemic was not over and council was ready to act upon instruction from government.

The Chief Executive announced apologies for the meeting.

Presentation of certificates to retiring members of the council in recognition of service to communities.

The Mayor welcomed Eleanor Bell and Dominic Hiscock to the meeting. 

The Mayor firstly presented Mrs Bell with a certificate in acknowledgment of her service to the community as a ward member for Compton & Otterbourne from 2007 to 2011 and also as a ward member for Badger Farm & Olivers Battery from 2016 to 2021 and as Mayor 2019 – 2020. 

The Mayor then presented Mr Hiscock with a certificate in acknowledgment of his service to the community as ward member for St Bartholomew from 1999 to 2021 and as Mayor 2009 – 2010.

The Council also responded with applause and then acknowledged the service of other retired members of the Council who had been unable to attend the meeting:

Rob Humby for service to the community as ward member for Owlsebury & Curdridge and Bishops Waltham from 2007 to 2021.

Lisa Griffiths for service to the community as ward member for Alresford & Itchen Valley from 2016 – 2021.

Jackie Porter for service to the community as ward member for The Worthys from 2016 – 2021.

Liz Hutchison for service to the community as ward member for St Pauls from 2015 – 2021.

To receive and answer and questions from the public.

(Questions must be received in writing by Democratic Services – democracy@winchester.gov.uk – no later than noon on Wednesday 30 June 2021)

Two written questions had been received from members of the public, who were in attendance at the meeting to present their questions, along with associated supplementary questions.  The questions and response were subsequently set out on the council’s website.

To consider the following Notice of Motion to be proposed by Councillor Cunningham and seconded by Councillor Isaacs:

“This Council welcomes the significant amounts of Government funding that is being channelled through Winchester City Council to support local businesses to recover from the pandemic lockdowns and this Council commits to developing and implementing a fully effective plan to help support the business recovery across the whole District including specific plans for Whiteley and our market towns.”

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, a Motion was submitted by Councillor Cunningham as follows.  The Motion was seconded by Councillor Isaacs.

“This Council welcomes the significant amounts of Government funding that is being channelled through Winchester City Council to support local businesses to recover from the pandemic lockdowns and this Council commits to developing and implementing a fully effective plan to help support the business recovery across the whole district including specific plans for Whiteley and our market towns.”

Councillor Cunningham introduced his Motion.  In summary, Councillor Cunningham reiterated the importance of decisive leadership to ensure the council was fully committed and had the necessary officer resource to ensure that all opportunities were taken to support district wide business recovery. 

During debate of the Motion, in summary, the following points were raised:

·         The council already had a district wide business recovery plan in place (which included Whiteley and the market towns) which it continued to develop and implement.  There had been various specially targeted marketing campaigns. 

·         The council needed to be seen to be supporting business recovery by pulling together all strategies to a structure so it can be seen as taking a lead and taking action.  The council should not just be channelling available grants.

·         The officer team had worked extremely hard throughout the pandemic to ensure grants were paid.  This was in addition to carrying out their usual tasks. Significant additional funding streams had been secured through various successful bids.

·         The Motion was unnecessary as the council was already committed to a strong and effective recovery plan which had already been discussed and endorsed by Members at a recent meeting of the Business and Housing Policy Committee.

MOTION – Moved by Councillor Tod and seconded by Councillor Thompson – Council Procedure Rule 11 (Motions which may be moved without Notice) (14) – ‘To proceed to the next business.’ 

Council voted on the Motion

MOTION CARRIED

RESOLVED:

That Council proceed to the next business

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

That an increase in the scheme budget of £896,691, funded from the “unallocated schemes” provision in the New Homes Capital Programme and capital expenditure of up to £18,840,000 including contingency funding and estimated fees (as set out in exempt appendix 3 of the report), be approved.

Councillor Learney (Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management) moved that the recommended minute of Cabinet be approved and adopted (seconded by Councillor Thompson, Leader).

Council proceeded to ask questions and debate the matters in the recommended minute and the report.

Council agreed that it did not need to ask questions or debate the information in the exempt appendices to Report CAB3300 and agreed that these would therefore be noted.

RESOLVED:

That an increase in the scheme budget of £896,691, funded from the “unallocated schemes” provision in the New Homes Capital Programme and capital expenditure of up to £18,840,000 including contingency funding and estimated fees (as set out in exempt appendix 3 of the report), be approved.

To receive any resignations from committees and to make any necessary re-appointments.

There were no changes to committees for Council to consider.

Paragraph 3 (v) of Part 3.3 of the council’s constitution sets out the functions, terms of reference and appointments to the Joint West of Waterlooville Planning Committee.  The Joint Committee is comprised of 5 Winchester Members and 4 Havant Borough Council Members. 

In accordance with the provisions of Section 15(1) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, Full Council is recommended to make appointments to the Joint Committee as follows  - 3 Liberal Democrats and 2 Conservatives (the chair of the Joint Committee is the Chair of the Planning Committee) plus two deputies from each group.      

RECOMMENDED:

That full Council agree membership of the Joint West of Waterlooville Joint Planning Committee as follows:

Joint West of Waterlooville Planning Committee (5)

Councillors Evans (LD), Bentote (LD), Laming (LD), to be advised (Con), to be advised (Con) plus Deputies Councillors Edwards (LD), Rutter (LD), to be advised (Con), to be advised (Con)

RESOLVED:

That the membership of the Joint West of Waterlooville Planning Committee be agreed as follows: Councillors Evans (Chair of Winchester City Council Planning Committee), Bentote, Laming, Read, McLean (Deputies – Councillors Edwards, Rutter, Pearson and Ruffell)

The total time for questions and the answer and supplementaries thereto shall not exceed 30 minutes.

15 written questions had been received which were all heard at the meeting along with any supplementary questions.  All questions are set out in full on the council’s website, together with responses from the relevant Cabinet Member.

(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 contents of the exempt appendices be noted.

Council considered the above report and recommended minute which set out proposals regarding the purchase of new council homes at Whiteley (detail in exempt minute).