Agenda, decisions and minutes

Cllr Alvey, Davis, Mrs Lovelace, Rippon-Swaine, Mrs Rostand, Russell and J Ward.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2018 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2018 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item.  The nature of the interest must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

Cllr Kendal disclosed a non pecuniary interest in Minute no 56 of the Report of Audit Committee dated 25 January 2019.

Cllr Mrs Thorne disclosed a pecuniary interest in Minute No 59 (Item 6 of the Report to Cabinet dated 6 February 2019).

Cllrs Mrs D and W Andrews disclosed pecuniary interests in Minute No 58 of the Report of the Planning Committee dated 13 February 2019.

All members of the Council had been granted dispensations to speak and to vote on Minute No 59 (Item 7 – MTFP and Annual Budget 2019/20) and Minute No 62, the Council Tax 2019/20.

The Chairman introduced and welcomed Matt Wisdom, the new Democratic Services Manager to Members.

The Chairman reminded members that in accordance with the law, recorded votes would be taken on the budget and Council tax items.

The Chairman reported he had attended the 1,000 edition celebration event of the New Milton Talking Newspaper.

The Chairman reminded members that the Hampshire County Chamber Orchestra and Choir would perform in a charity concert at St Thomas Church in Lymington on 23 March 2019.  The event would raise funds for his chosen charity, Oakhaven Hospice in Totton and tickets could be purchased online.

The Leader had no announcements.

To consider the report of the Audit Committee dated 25 January 2019.

The recommendations were agreed.

Cllr Kendal disclosed a non pecuniary interest in this item as a member of Hampshire County Council.  It was noted that he had been granted a dispensation which allowed him to speak and vote on the matter.

Cllr O’Sullivan, Chairman of the Audit Committee, presented the report of the meeting held on 25 January 2019.

On the motion that the report be received and the recommendations adopted, it was

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

To consider the report of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee dated 25 February 2019 (to follow).

The recommendations were agreed.

Cllr Clarke, Chairman of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee, presented the report of the meeting held on 25 February 2019.

On the motion that the report be received and the recommendations adopted, it was

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

To consider the report of the Planning Committee dated 13 February 2019.

The recommendations were agreed.

Cllrs Mrs D and W Andrews disclosed pecuniary interests in this item on the grounds that the decision might affect their financial affairs.  They did not vote on this matter.

Cllr Armstrong, Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee, presented the report of the meeting held on 13 February 2019.

On the motion that the report be received and the recommendations adopted, it was

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

To consider the reports of the Cabinet dated:

·         18 December 2018; and

·         6 February 2019

The recommendations were agreed.

Cllr Mrs Thorne disclosed a pecuniary interest in item 6 (Housing Revenue Account Budget and Housing Public Sector Capital Expenditure Programme 2019/20) of the report of Cabinet dated 6 February 2019 on the grounds that she rented a council garage.  She had been granted a dispensation which allowed her to speak and to vote on the matter.

The Leader of the Council, as Chairman of the Cabinet, presented the reports of the meetings held on 18 December 2018 and 6 February 2019.

Item 7 (6 February 2019) – Medium Term Financial Plan and Annual Budget 2019/20

The Chairman moved that Standing Order 47.6 be suspended to allow the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition Group to exceed the time limit for making their speeches.  The motion was seconded and carried.

The Chairman ruled that in accordance with Standing Order 47.11 he would allow more than one amendment be proposed and discussed at the same time.

The Leader of the Council made the statement on the Administration’s proposed budget, attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes, which was accompanied by some photographs.

The Deputy Leader of the Council seconded the recommendation.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group then made a statement, attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.

Members discussed the Cabinet’s budget proposals together with the statement made by the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group.

Some members commented that the Liberal Democrat Leader in his speech had repeated what had been said in previous years, adding nothing new or substantive.  No alternative budget had been proposed and therefore it was not possible to know how the proposals would be financed.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat party had raised the issue of the health and leisure centres in his budget speech, and he considered that the partnership approach was “privatisation”.  Some members however, pointed out that a Liberal Democrat member had been involved in the Task and Finish Group which had considered options for the future of the leisure centres.  The partnership approach had been fully agreed by the Liberal Democrat member as the best and most efficient approach for residents of the New Forest.

Members spoke in support of the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner who had committed to deliver an additional 210 front line officers across Hampshire.

The Leader of the Council commended the budget to the Council.

The motion was put to the vote.  A recorded vote was taken on the budget recommended by the Cabinet.  The outcome was:

Members voting for:               58

Members voting against:        2

Abstentions:                            1

Details are shown in Appendix 3 to these minutes.

The motion was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the reports of the Cabinet dated 18 December 2018 and 6 February 2019 be received and the recommendations adopted.

There were none.

To ask questions of Portfolio Holders. Questions received will be tabled at the meeting. (Members are reminded that questions must be submitted to the Chief Executive or to the Executive Head of Governance and Regulation by not later than noon on Friday, 22 February 2019.)

Question 1

Cllr Harrison asked the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Corporate Services and Improvement a question regarding how the£33,000, allocated by Government to New Forest District Council, in respect of Brexit, would be spent and whether it would mitigate the negative aspects of Brexit in the New Forest area.  The Portfolio Holder saw Brexit as an opportunity for change.  Other funding was expected to be available in order to assist with any costs as a result of Brexit.  To date no money had been spent or allocated for specific expenditure in relation to the grant.  The District Council would not be immediately affected by Brexit as it did not have a major port, for example, however, the Council would consult and work with other neighbouring authorities and the Government, in order to address any issues arising from Brexit.

Question 2

Cllr Thierry asked the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services a question regarding the measures the Council was implementing to assist rough-sleepers within the District.  The Portfolio Holder reported that over the last 12 months the Housing Options Team had responded to all reports of rough sleepers, visiting each one in person and encouraged all to engage with the service. Rough sleepers had been accommodated beyond periods of severe weather. A key priority for the Council was to end rough sleeping.  Preventative work with hospitals and prisons, for example, would be carried out. Over the next 12 months it was anticipated that the Council would increase emergency accommodation within its ownership.

Question 3

Cllr David Harrison asked the Portfolio Holder for Community Affairs whether she would acknowledge the important work of "Nightstop" in the New Forest area and to outline how the District Council would support the organisation.  The Portfolio Holder reported that Nightstop in 2017/18 had placed eight people in volunteer accommodation over a total of 48 nights.  This cost £312.50 per night per person.  It was felt that this expenditure was not a good use of the Council’s resources.  The Council needed to make decisions on how best to accommodate the homeless people in the District. An increased number of complex homeless cases were being reported and officers were developing a range of solutions.  The community grants process was transparent and open.  The Council had carefully considered all applications.  It was however, considered that the Council could achieve better value for money helping homeless people by leading on the initiatives set out in the Council’s draft Homeless and Rough Sleeping Strategy.

Question 4

Cllr Thierry asked the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Affairs a question regarding the quality of the budget and asked whether a mark of 9.5 or 10 out of 10 would be accepted.  The Leader reported that work would continue to provide sound and balanced finances.

Question 5

Cllr David Harrison asked the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Wellbeing for a breakdown of the £100,000 that the Council intended to spend on exploring a change in the way the Health and Leisure Centres  ...  view the full decision text for item 61.

Question 1

From Cllr David Harrison, to Cllr Jeremy Heron, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Corporate Services and Improvement:

 "I see that the government have generously allocated the sum of £33,000 to New Forest District Council in respect of Brexit. To what extent do you think that will mitigate the negative aspects of Brexit to the New Forest area and exactly how will this sum be spent?”

Answer

The Portfolio Holder reported he saw Brexit as an opportunity for change.  Other funding was expected to be made available in order to assist with any costs arising as a result of Brexit.  To date no money had been spent or allocated for specific expenditure in relation to the proposed grant.  The District Council would not  immediately be affected by Brexit as it did not have a major port, for example, however, the Council would consult and work with other neighbouring authorities and the Government, in order to address any issues arising from Brexit.

Question 2

From Cllr Michael Thierry, to Cllr Jill Cleary, Portfolio Holder for

Housing Services:

“Rough-sleepers is a national problem.

Would the Portfolio Holder please inform Council members what measures New Forest District Council is implementing to address and assist rough-sleepers within the District?”

Answer

The Portfolio Holder reported that over the last 12 months the Housing Options Team had responded to all reports of rough sleepers, visiting each one in person and encouraged all to engage with the service.  The Council had continued to accommodate rough sleepers beyond periods of severe weather. Successful long term accommodation had been obtained for many of them. The proposed new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy contained four key priorities for the Council to tackle and prevent homelessness.  Ending rough sleeping was identified as one of those key priorities which meant, the Council would carry out specific work and projects to tackle the issue further.  The aim was to prevent rough sleeping where possible, working with hospitals and prisons to identify those with no fixed abode as early as possible before discharge, as one example. Over the next 12 months a programme would be put in place to increase Council owned emergency accommodation.  This would, for the first time provide a suitable furnished home and platform for rough sleepers to settle before moving on to more permanent accommodation. The Portfolio Holder also expressed the aspiration to provide additional dedicated street outreach and accommodation support to build relationships and assist rough sleepers access services and local volunteer support in order to sustain accommodation long term.

Question 3

From Cllr David Harrison, to Cllr Diane Andrews, Portfolio Holder for Community Affairs:

“Would she acknowledge the critically important work that the charity "Nightstop" undertakes in the New Forest area and outline how the District Council will support the organisation?”

Answer

The Portfolio Holder reported that Nightstop in 2017/18 had placed eight people in volunteer accommodation over a total of 48 nights.  This cost £312.50 per night, per person.  It was felt that this expenditure was not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

To set the Council Tax for 2019/2020.

The recommendations were agreed.

All members of the Council had been granted dispensations to speak and to vote on this matter.

The Council considered the Council Tax for 2019/20.

A recorded vote was taken on the recommendation.

The outcome was:

Members voting for:               49

Members voting against:        0

Abstentions:                            2

Details are show in Appendix 4 to these minutes.

The motion was carried.

RESOLVED:

(a)          That it be noted that on 10 December 2018 the Council calculated the Council Tax Base for the year 2019/20:

(i)            for the whole Council area as 71,074.40 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and

(ii)           for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates. 

(b)          To calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2019/20 (excluding Parish Precepts) is £12,321,460.

(c)          That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Sections 31A, 31B and 34 to 36 of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011: -

being the amounts given by adding to the amount at (c) (vi) above the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area mentioned above divided in each case by the amount at (a) (ii) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

The Council operates an extensive scheme of delegation of powers to officers in order ensure that the organisation can operate efficiently and effectively.  It is necessary to update the current scheme of delegations to take account of the appointment of the new Chief Planning Officer. 

RECOMMENDED:

That the Council’s scheme of delegation of powers to officers, that are the responsibility of the Council, be amended to the effect that the Chief Planning Officer be delegated the same powers, throughout, as the Executive Heads.

The recommendation was agreed.

RESOLVED:

That the Council’s scheme of delegation of powers to officers, that are the responsibility of the Council, be amended to the effect that the Chief Planning Officer be delegated the same powers, throughout as the Executive Heads.

To consider any changes to the membership of Committees or Panels that might be proposed by the political groups.

There were no changes.