Apologies were received from Cllrs Hirst, Morrissey, Mrs Murphy and Tumbridge.   

No declarations were made at this point. 

Group leaders paid tribute then all present observed a minute's silence in memory of Member of Parliament Jo Cox who had been tragically killed on 16 June 2016.

The Mayor recounted some of the engagements she had undertaken since her election at Annual Council on 18 May 2016.

The minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on 2 March 2016 were approved as a true record.

The minutes of the Annual Council meeting were approved as a correct record although it was noted that discussion had taken place and not recorded regarding the appointment of Council nominees as Headley Common Trustees. 

The Chief Executive advised that an announcement would be made at the next Ordinary Council meeting regarding the solution achieved in relation to appointment of Headley Common Trustees.

No public questions had been received. 

No memorials or petitions were received. 

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution a brief written report by each committee Chair covering their area of responsibility was included in the agenda. 

Any Member was entitled to ask a Chair a written or oral question on

(a)  any matter included in a Chair’s written report; or

(b) any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affected the Council’s area and which fell within the area of responsibility of the Chair’s committee.

No written questions had been received before the meeting and the Chairs responded to questions put to them by Members.

One Notice of Motion had been submitted by Cllr Chilvers in accordance with Rule 3 in Part 4.1 of the Constitution - Council Procedure Rules, as follows:

“Politics can seem remote, irrelevant and inaccessible and we are not helping this view by holding election counts in the middle of the night with announcements about who will be representing you for the next four years made in the early hours of the morning.

In 2015, the count was done on the following Friday afternoon and nothing untoward happened as a result.  The impact on the health and wellbeing of staff was also minimised as they were able to complete this work as part of a normal day and minimised risk in travelling home and to work the next day.

Therefore, this council resolves that it make a recommendation to the Returning Officer that its preference, subject to the required pre-election consultation with/by the Returning Officer, is for the timing of election counts for future local elections be moved to the Friday afternoon from 2018 and, in doing so, leads the way in encouraging people to take part in the count by inviting supervised school groups to watch part of the count as an education in how politics works and by seeing democracy in action”.

Cllr Mrs Davies SECONDED the Motion and following a full discussion a recorded vote was requested by five Members in accordance with Rule 9.5 of the Council's Procedure Rules.  Members voted as follows:

FOR: Cllrs Aspinell, Barrett, Chilvers, Clarke, Mrs Davies, Mrs Fulcher, Mrs Hubbard, Keeble, Kendall, Mynott, Newberry and Mrs Squirrell (12)

AGAINST:  Cllrs Barrell, Bridge, Cloke, Mrs Coe, Faragher, Mrs Hones, Hossack, Kerslake, McCheyne, Mrs McKinlay, Mrs Middlehurst, Parker, Poppy, Mrs Pound, Reed, Ms Rowlands, Russell, Ms Sanders, Mrs Slade, Trump and Wiles (21)

ABSTAIN (0)

The MOTION was LOST.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Mrs McKinlay, provided an update on the discussions which had taken place regarding Devolution.

She advised that the final decision on the matter would be made by Full Council.

The report and an officer presentation informed Members of the progress on the creation of the Town Hall Hub.  Members were requested to approve expenditure in relation to critical factors such as the remodelling of the area to be occupied by the Town Hall Hub and the provision of new windows to the North side of the Town Hall. 

The report continued to support the development of a hub, effective and efficient back office space for the Council and development of the second and third floor as a revenue stream.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendations in the report and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

1.            To agree to progress the formation of the Town Hall Hub (Services Delivery Hub).

2.            To bring to Full Council for approval the business case for the remainder of the Town Hall (including the association options analysis see para 12.9 of the report) in October 2016 before progressing to implementation.

3.            To agree up to £40,000 expenditure for the replacement of windows on the North side of the building and those within the area to be leased on the lower ground floor. 

Reason for recommendations

To ensure clear lines of decision making enabling agreement on direction and general guidance.   

The report before Members provided an update on the achievements and targets to date of the key corporate projects of the Council which were previously reported to Policy, Finance and Resources Committee.  These were defined as:

a)    The Town Hall & Service Delivery Hub

b)    The Local Development Plan (LDP)

c)    The Town Centre (incorporating William Hunter Way)

d)    The Transformation Agenda of the Council including changing the IT structure.

The above was not an exclusive list  but  these  projects were defined as being integral to the delivery of the revised Corporate Plan 2016-2019.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendation in the report and following a discussion a vote was taken on a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED that

Members agree to the actions and timescales incorporated in the report.   

(Cllr Bridge declared a non-pecuniary interest under the Council's Code of Conduct by virtue of a business connection with IT systems).

Reason for recommendation

To ensure that the Corporate Plan 2016-2019 was supported by projects that deliver the necessary change. 

Due to the likelihood of the details of the confidential information included in the exempt appendix being referred to during consideration of the following item, Members resolved to move into private session.

An item of business may only be considered where the Chair is of the opinion that, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the Minutes, the item should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Mayor considered this item to be urgent business due to the impending deadline for bids to be submitted to Essex County Council.

Members noted that following the relocation of the registrars to the Town Hall, their previously occupied building of 1-2 Seven Arches Road was now vacant and Essex County Council had invited Brentwood Borough Council to submit a bid for the purchase of this property.

Given the location of the property in relation to the Town Hall and how this might interact with the aspirations of the Town Hall hub, Members were asked to approve a bid for the property.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendation within the report and following a discussion a vote was taken on a show of hands. It was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

1. That delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer in consultation with Group Leaders or their Deputy to purchase 1-2 Seven Arches Road, Brentwood, CM14 4JG for up to the amount detailed in Appendix B (exempt).

2. That a capital budget is approved for the purchase of 1-2 Seven Arches Road, Brentwood, CM14 4JG as set out in Appendix A.

3.  That a full business case for the redevelopment of the property be prepared for consideration by the Policy, Finance and Resources Committee.

(Being Essex County Councillors as well as Brentwood Borough Councillors, Cllrs Aspinell and Kendall believed they would have a conflict of interests in relation to this matter and both left the Chamber, taking no part in the discussion or vote).

Having given apologies for the meeting, Cllr Hirst arrived during the discussion on this item and, also being an Essex County Councillor as well as a Brentwood Borough Councillor, left the Chamber and took no part in the discussion or vote.

Reason for Recommendation

The purchase of the property would allow the Council to control the development of the site and provide an investment opportunity.

____________________

The meeting ended at 9.40pm