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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall

Contact: Jean Sharp (01277 312655) 

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Items
No. Item

182.

Apologies for Absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Cllrs Aspinell, Mrs Murphy and Mrs Slade.

183.

Declarations of Interest

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Bridge declared a non-pecuniary interest since he worked for an IT provider and IT was referred to in the agenda reports.  Cllr Bridge confirmed that Brentwood Borough Council was not a client of his employer.

184.

Mayors Announcements

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Mayor recounted some of the engagements she had undertaken since the last Ordinary Council meeting held on 29 June 2016.

 

185.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on 29 June 2016 were approved as a true record.

186.

Minutes of Extraordinary Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the Extraordinary Council meeting held on 6 September 2016 were approved as a true record.

187.

Public Questions pdf icon PDF 70 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, a member of the public resident within the Borough may ask a maximum of two questions relating to the business of the Council providing notice had been received by 10.00am two working days before the relevant meeting.

 

One question had been received from Brentwood resident Mrs Gearon-Simm as follows:

 

‘Brentwood Borough's Conservative administration and Essex County Council's Conservative administration are considering having the Brentwood library moved from its present location, which is in the middle of the shopping centre, into the town hall, which is outside the shopping centre.

 

When will Brentwood Borough Council tax payers be consulted on this decision?’

 

Cllr Mrs McKinlay advised that discussions were ongoing regarding occupation of the Town Hall, also that Library Services fell within the remit of Essex County Council and that a consultation would be undertaken if it was a statutory requirement to do so.

188.

Memorials or Petitions

Additional documents:

Minutes:

No notices of memorials or petitions had been received but Cllr Chilvers submitted a petition calling for a halt to be called on proposed felling of trees in Oldfields.

189.

Committee Chairs Reports and Members Questions pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 prescribed deadline and the Chairs responded to oral questions put to them by Members.

 

 

 

190.

Progress Update on Key Corporate Projects pdf icon PDF 137 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members were reminded that the report and presentations made at the 20 September 2016 meeting of the Policy, Finance and Resources (P,F & R) Committee provided an update on the achievements and targets to date of the key corporate projects of the Council.  These were defined as:

 

(a)  The Town Hall and Service Delivery Hub

(b)  The Local Development Plan (LDP)

(c)  The Town Centre (incorporating William Hunter Way)

(d)  The Transformation Agenda of the Council

The above was not an exhaustive list and other projects might be incorporated as determined by the P,F & R Committee.  However, those projects referred to were defined as being integral to the delivery of the revised Corporate Plan 2016-19.

 

The report and presentations made were considered by the P,F & R Committee and it was resolved that Members agreed to the actions and timescales incorporated within the report. 

 

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendation in the report and following a discussion it was:

 

RESOLVED

 

That Members noted the actions and timescales agreed at the 20 September 2016 Policy, Finance and Resources Committee meeting. 

 

Reason for recommendation

 

To ensure that the Corporate Plan 2016-19 was supported by projects that delivered the necessary change. 

 

 

191.

Town Hall Business Case pdf icon PDF 161 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members were requested to consider the options within the report, supported by the business case in Appendix A of the agenda, to determine whether to remodel the Town Hall to:

 

·         Form a service delivery hub, including the transformation of front and back office Council service space and delivery.

·         Develop commercial or residential lease accommodation on the second and third floor of the Town Hall building. 

Both business options were financially viable.  However, they did require an investment and were based on a long term financial plan.  Both options would realise a saving against the current revenue expenditure of the Town Hall after the third year of delivery dependent on the decision taken.   

 

Further, the Council would continue to work with groups to seek early adopters and revenue where appropriate. 

 

The Council’s Project Manager (Customer Transformation) and Section151 Officer provided a presentation for Members’ information detailing the options available and Members thanked officers for their work in relation to the report before them and the presentation.

 

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendations in the report 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 Barrell, Barrett, Bridge, Cloke, Mrs Coe, Faragher, Hirst,

Mrs Hones, Hossack, Kerslake, McCheyne, Mrs McKinlay, Mrs Middlehurst, Morrissey, Parker, Poppy, Mrs Pound, Reed, Ms Rowlands, Russell,

Ms Sanders, Trump, Tumbridge and Wiles (24)

 

AGAINST: Cllrs Clarke, Mrs Davies, Kendall, Mynott and Newberry (5)

 

ABSTAIN Cllrs Chilvers, Mrs Fulcher, Mrs Hubbard, Keeble and Mrs Squirrell (5)

 

The MOTION was CARRIED

 

 and it was

 

RESOLVED to:

 

1.    Agree to Option 1A as set out in section 17.6 of the report and methods to relocate out of the Town Hall while construction work is undertaken.

2.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Leaders of the Opposition groups to make decisions at the appropriate procurement points.

3.    Agree that reports would be provided to Policy, Finance and Resources Committee to enable monitoring of the progress of the project and report as appropriate to Council of any major financial variances for the duration of the project. 

Reasons for recommendations

Although Option 1A was not the most economically advantageous, it considered the future risk against likely return.  The housing market was strong and there appeared to be no indication that it would alter for the foreseeable future.  Option 1A also relocated the services out of the building during construction works to reduce the health and safety risk, speed up the process, reduce costs and accelerate the likely point at which the Council would start to generate income. 

 

It moved the project on to a firm decision which could then be worked up into full specification and the procurement process with delegated authority to the Chief Executive, section 151 Officer and Deputy Chief Executive in conjunction with the Leader, Deputy Leader and opposition leaders. 

 

 

192.

Planning Services Update and Delegation

Report has been withdrawn.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This agenda item had been withdrawn.

193.

Community Infrastructure Levy - Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule Consultation pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report updated Members on the progress preparing the Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the proposed first stage of consultation, the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule.  

 

Viability appraisals had been carried out in relation to residential and commercial development to inform suggested charging rates.  Members were requested to agree the rates and areas as the basis for public consultation. 

 

Cllr McCheyne MOVED and Cllr Parker SECONDED the recommendations in the report and it was

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    To agree the charging rates detailed in paragraphs 5.5, 5.8 and 5.9, as the basis for the production of the Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule.

2.    To approve the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule document as set out in Appendix B of the report, for a six week public consultation. 

 

 

194.

Boundary Commission - Proposed Changes pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Report has been withdrawn.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members were reminded that the Boundary Commission was an independent and impartial advisory public body, which reviewed the boundaries of Parliamentary constituencies in England. 

 

On 13 September 2016, the Boundary Commission published the first set of proposals which was a full map of the new parliamentary constituencies for its first consultation which would end on 5 December 2016.

 

It was agreed in-principle by all the Political Group Leaders to a Cross Party representation to the boundary Commission draft proposals.  Both the Conservative and Labour Groups had agreed to the wording and two proposed amendments had been received in accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules.

 

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendation in the report.

 

Cllr Barrett withdrew the proposed amendment he had submitted.

 

Cllr Kendall MOVED and Cllr Mynott SECONDED a proposed AMENDMENT to the wording of the letter in Appendix A which was not accepted by Cllr Mrs McKinlay.

 

Following a full discussion a recorded vote was requested by five Members in accordance with Rule 9.5 of the Council's Procedure Rules. 

 

Cllrs Barrell, Hirst and Newberry were absent from the Chamber during part of the debate therefore did not vote.  Cllr Mrs Squirrell had left the meeting before the vote was taken.

 

Members voted as follows:

 

FOR: Cllrs Barrett, Chilvers, Clarke, Mrs Davies, Mrs Fulcher, Mrs Hubbard, Keeble, Kendall, Morrissey and Mynott (10)

 

AGAINST:  Cllrs Bridge, Cloke, Mrs Coe, Faragher,  Mrs Hones, Hossack, Kerslake, McCheyne, Mrs McKinlay, Mrs Middlehurst, Parker, Poppy,

Mrs Pound, Reed, Ms Rowlands, Russell, Ms Sanders, Trump, Tumbridge and Wiles (20)

 

ABSTAIN (0)

 

The AMENDMENT was LOST.

 

Returning to the original motion, following a discussion a vote was taken on a show of hands and it was

 

RESOLVED

That Members agreed that the draft letter as set out in Appendix A of the report be sent as a Council response to the first Boundary Commission consultation.

 

Reason for recommendation

To ensure that the Council provided the views of our communities.     

 

195.

Notices of Motion pdf icon PDF 87 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Kendall withdrew his first  motion.

 

Cllr Ms Sanders MOVED and Cllr Mrs Davies SECONDED her Motion and following a full discussion a vote was taken on a show of hands and it was

 

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

 

'Following Cllr Olivia Sanders’ re-appointment as the Lead Mental

Health Champion the Council reaffirms its ongoing commitment to mental health by appointing every newly elected Member in 2016 as a Mental Health Champion for 2016-2017 and that accordingly such councillors be duly appointed'.

 

Cllr Kendall MOVED and Cllr Mynott SECONDED his Motion as follows:

 

‘The members of Brentwood Borough Council call upon the Cabinet Member for Highways at Essex County Council to allow members of the public to attend Brentwood Local Highways Panel meetings’.

 

Members were advised that a new Cabinet Member for Highways at Essex County Council had been appointed and he had directed that the public were able to attend LHP meetings at the discretion of the chairman.  The chairman of Brentwood LHP, County Cllr Mrs Naylor, had advised she was prepared to allow the public to attend.

 

Following a 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 Barrett, Chilvers, Clarke, Mrs Davies, Mrs Fulcher, Mrs Hubbard, Keeble, Kendall, Morrissey, Mynott and Newberry(11)

 

AGAINST:  Cllrs Barrell, Bridge, Cloke, Mrs Coe, Faragher, Hirst, Mrs Hones, Hossack, Kerslake, McCheyne, Mrs McKinlay, Mrs Middlehurst, Parker, Poppy, Mrs Pound, Reed, Ms Rowlands, Russell, Ms Sanders,  Trump, Tumbridge and Wiles (22)

 

ABSTAIN (0)

 

The MOTION was LOST.

 

In accordance with Procedure Rule 10.1, the Mayor interrupted the meeting at 10.15pm and advised that  the remaining Motions included in the agenda would be voted on without discussion.

 

Cllr Mrs Hubbard had submitted the following Motion but following reported action having been taken in relation to  the subject matter she MOVED the second paragraph of the Motion.

 

'That this Council writes to The Secretary of State expressing grave concern about unaccompanied children in the Calais ‘Jungle’ and asking that the promise to accept up to 3,000 of them in the UK be prioritised and for emergency measures to be taken at all levels of Government to expedite this. Also stating that we deplore the apparent delay in fulfilling this promise.

 

At the same time to resolve that this Council refers the task of co-ordinating the necessary measures required in Essex to care for lone children seeking sanctuary, to the County Council, and requesting that the County Council commits to offer resettlement places to unaccompanied refugee children as part of the implementation of the central Government scheme. This Council urges the County Council, by writing to appropriate Ministers, to work closely with local government to ensure that councils have the funding and support to build the essential regional infrastructure necessary to secure the placement and support of children across the Country, particularly in relation to housing provision, health care, educational needs, and English language provision so that the whole process of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 195.

196.

Urgent Business

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.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

 

 

 

_____________________________

 

 

 

The meeting ended at 10.30pm