Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs Coe.

The minutes for the Community and Health Committee held on 14 December 2015 were approved as a true record.

Members were reminded that the Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to keep a list of assets (meaning buildings or other land) which were of community value. Once an asset was placed on the list it would  usually remain there for five years. The effect of listing was that generally speaking an owner intending to dispose of the asset must give notice to the local authority. A community interest group then had six weeks in which to ask to be treated as a potential bidder. If it did so, the disposal could not  take place for six months. The theory being that this period known as the “moratorium” would allow the community group to come up with an alternative proposal - although, at the end of the moratorium, it was entirely up to the owner whether a disposal  went  through, to whom and for how much. There were arrangements for the local authority to pay compensation to an owner who lost money in consequence of the asset being listed. 

A nomination had been received  from the residents of Wharf Road, Rollason Way, Chase Road and St James Road (Rollason Chase Neighbourhood Group) on Monday 1 February 2016, attached to the agenda as Appendix A, in relation to land  at Wharf Road Green as indicated on the site plans, attached to the agenda as Appendix B and appended to the minutes for clarity.

Members were requested to consider whether or not to list the land as an Asset of Community Value. 

Cllr Russell MOVED and  Cllr Chilvers SECONDED that  recommendation 2.1 (Option1)  be approved.

Following a discussion, a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED

That Option 1 be approved:  To list the land (excluding 3m either side of the gas pipe and public sewer as this is operational land and therefore exempt from listing as a community asset) as indicated on Appendix B of the report as an Asset of Community Value.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

The report provided guidance to allow Members to make an informed decision as to whether to list the nominated asset as an Asset of Community Value.

The Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to keep a list of assets (meaning buildings or other land) which were of community value.

A nomination had been received from the residents local to La Plata Wood ‘Rollason Chase Community Group’  on 1 February 2016, attached to the report as Appendix A, in relation to land  at La Plata Wood as indicated on the site plan, attached to the agenda as  Appendix B and appended to the minutes for clarity.

Members were requested to consider whether or not to list the land as an Asset of Community Value. 

Cllr Russell MOVED and  Cllr Chilvers SECONDED that  recommendation 2.1 (Option1)  be approved.

Following a discussion, a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED

That Option 1 be approved:  To list the land as indicated on Appendix B of the report as an Asset of Community Value.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

The report provided guidance to allow Members to make an informed decision as to whether to list the nominated asset as an Asset of Community Value.

The Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to keep a list of assets (meaning buildings or other land) which were of community value.

A nomination had  been received from the residents of Honeypot Lane, Hive Close, Weald Close, Weald Road, Hill Road and Langley Drive on 1 February 2016 attached to the report as Appendix A  in relation to land off Honeypot Lane as indicated on the site plan, attached to the agenda as Appendix B and appended to the minutes for clarity. The officer presenting the report made it clear to all Members that there were two land registry entries and therefore two maps of the land were tabled to ensure all present were aware of the area of land under discussion.

Members were requested to consider whether or not to list the land as an Asset of Community Value. 

Cllr Russell MOVED and  Cllr Chilvers SECONDED that  recommendation 2.1 (Option1) in the report be approved.

Following a discussion, a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED

That Option 1 be approved:  To list the land as indicated on Appendix B of the report as an Asset of Community Value.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

The report provided guidance to allow Members to make an informed decision as to whether to list the nominated asset as an Asset of Community Value.

Report to follow.

The  report before Members considered the recent negotiations between the Council and Shenfield Cricket Club further to  the report made to the Asset and Enterprise Committee held on 27 March 2015.   Cllr Hirst also provided a detailed verbal update.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Mrs Pound SECONDED the recommendations in the report.  Following a discussion a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1.         To note the negotiations undertaken to date

2.         For Members to decide whether to concur with the provision of the letter which confirms the present known situation and sets out and seeks the Club’s approval of the informal proposals between the Council and the Club in lieu of the provision of a lease for the buildings and a Management Agreement for the cricket field.

3.         Subject to the letter being agreed between the parties, for Members to grant consent for the conversion of the existing grass run up area to a permeable playing surface and to refurbish the two existing cricket nets in their existing position, to the specification approved as part of the Planning Permission 14/00836/FUL(attached as Appendix A), provided that the Club are responsible for all costs associated therewith and to be financially responsible for any damage caused to the Courage Playing Fields in respect thereof.

4.         For Members to decide whether to agree that the informal proposal that the Club continue with existing arrangements for the Club to control and manage the car park (subject to any further Council Committee decisions in relation to the reasonable charges the Club may charge in relation to the use of the car park for parking purposes), retain the income therefrom and be responsible to keep the car park in a clean and tidy condition and be responsible for the repairs and maintenance thereof, provided that the car park is available to all users of the courage Playing Fields on reasonable terms proposed by the Club and approved by the Council from time to time.

5.         For Members to agree to delegate authority to Finance DirectorS151 Officer to take action against the Club if they fail to undertake remedial works to storage containers, including making good and maintaining the structure and condition of the containers, including decorating the containers to the reasonable satisfaction of the Council within the next 8 weeks.

6.         For Members to agree that the Club will continue to have use of the pavilion and be able to use it for its proper purposes, including social events, upon such reasonable terms as the Council may from time to time agree with the Club.

7.         For Members to agree that the Club pay the Council an annual sum of one thousand pounds each year as Mesne Profits, such sum subject to review by the Finance Director S151 Officer, every 5 years.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

To satisfactorily regularise the use of the Courage Playing Fields by the Club.

The Council needed to ensure that a robust response was provided to anti-social behaviour in the borough and that it remained committed to meeting its’ statutory responsibilities with regard to community safety.

The ASB Crime & Policing Act 2014 received Royal Assent in March 2014 and there was a staged introduction to different sections of the Act from 13 May 2014 until the majority of the anti-social behaviour elements came into force on 20 October 2014.  The Act was designed to enable authorities to act at a much earlier stage; some of the tools were very much designed to facilitate early intervention, and in some instances even with the potential to take action before a problem occurred..

 The Corporate ASB Policy & Procedure sought to establish a clear definition of what the Council considered to be anti-social behaviour and how staff would be expected to deal with complaints received given the changes in legislation.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Ms Sanders SECONDED the recommendation and following a discussion  a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

The adoption of the Council’s Corporate Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Procedures.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

The Council had a legal duty as a housing provider and under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to work in partnership to tackle crime and disorder.

The policy and procedures  would  ensure the Council provided a robust response to anti-social behaviour in the borough and importantly identified what the Council could and would do in response to complaints received.

To protect residents by applying controls and ensuring joined up multi-agency working and responsibility/ownership to reduce the risk of vulnerable victims not being protected by the authorities they depended on.

To ensure officers were trained and able to enforce the new controls to ensure that residents received an efficient and effective service to reduce the risk to our communities.

The Volunteering Strategy demonstrated that Brentwood Borough Council was committed to recognising the integral role that volunteers played in its communities in promoting and contributing to community cohesion.  The draft Volunteering Strategy 2016 outlined the Council’s plans for supporting local volunteering. The action plan outlined how the Council would achieve these objectives.

Cllr Russell  MOVED and Cllr Ms Sanders SECONDED  the recommendation.  

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

That Members agree to adopt the Brentwood Borough Council Volunteering Strategy 2016-2019 and its supporting action plan. 

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

The Volunteering Strategy strengthened the commitment to the Council’s vision for volunteering, which ensured that engagement with volunteers in service delivery was prioritised to involve the community in influencing decision-making.

The Strategy also prioritised supporting organisations to raise the profile of volunteering, whilst encouraging Council staff to undertake/ leave to carry out their own volunteering.

The Brentwood Compact committed Brentwood Borough Council, along with other statutory and Voluntary Community Sector organisations  to recognise the social and economic contribution that volunteers made and to recognise and support the importance of good practice and management of volunteers.

Members were reminded that the Compact was an agreement between statutory authorities and the voluntary and community sector (VCS). The Compact principles were set out in the National Compact which was refreshed in 2010 by the Coalition Government. There was also an Essex Wide Compact to which a number of local authorities had signed up and some local district/borough/city authorities had developed their own local Compacts. The draft Brentwood Compact set out the principles of how the local statutory bodies would  work with the local voluntary and community sector. 

Cllr Russell  MOVED and Cllr Ms Sanders SECONDED the recommendations in the report.

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY to:

1.              Sign up to the Brentwood Compact on behalf of Brentwood Borough Council and adhere to the principles as set out in Appendix A.

2.              Sign up to the Essex Compact on behalf of Brentwood Borough Council.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

The Brentwood Compact would give a clear sense of how the statutory and voluntary sector worked together and what to expect of each other. There would be increased benefit to the local communities with both sectors working together to meet local needs and building stronger partnership arrangements. It would also enable both sectors to better manage disputes or disagreements that might arise by clearly outlining expectations.

There were no items of urgent business.

Site plans for Assets of Community Value detailed in minute numbers 403 (Wharf Road Green); 404 (La Plata Wood) and 405 (Land Off Honeypot Lane) are appended overleaf.

_____________________

The meeting ended at 19.40 hrs.