Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Bellows, Blunden, England, Hopkins, Levitt and Russell.

An apology for absence was received from the Chief Executive, Kate Ryan, who was self isolating following a positive Covid test.

An apology for absence was received from Cllr J Davies, who left the meeting at 8.00 pm.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2021 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2021, be confirmed.

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

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

The Chairman confirmed that all Members of the Council had been granted the necessary dispensations to speak and vote on matters concerning the Annual Members’ Allowances Scheme, Annual Budget and Council Tax, considered at minutes 68 and 71 below.

Cllr Thorne had been granted a dispensation to speak and vote on the Housing Revenue Account Budget and Housing Public Sector Capital Expenditure Programme 2022/23, considered at minute 68 below.  The interest concerned her Council garage.  This dispensation did not extend to any common law issue of bias or predetermination.

Cllr A Wade had been granted a dispensation to speak and vote on matters relating to the Annual Budget 2022/23 and Council Tax, considered at minutes 68 and 71 below.  The interest concerned his employment by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service. This dispensation did not extend to any common law issue of bias or predetermination.

There were no other declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests by Members.

Former Cllr Henry Forse

The Chairman referred with great sadness to the recent passing of former Cllr Henry Forse.   Henry represented the Bramshaw, Copythorne North and Minstead Ward from 2007 until he stood down in May 2011.  Henry was a Member of the Employment, Health and Wellbeing Committee and the Environment Review Panel.  He represented the District Council on the Local Government Association Coastal Issues Group

The Chairman expressed his sincere condolences to Henry’s family and friends and placed on record the Council’s thanks for the service he had given to the District.

Former Cllr Paul Hickman

The Chairman also referred to the very sad news of the recent passing of former Cllr Paul Hickman.  Paul was first elected in February 2002 to the Pennington Ward and served as a District Councillor until 2011.  Paul was a long standing Member of the Environment Review Panel before later becoming a Member of the Housing Review Panel and Planning Committee.  He represented the District Council on a number of Outside Bodies, most notably the New Forest Road Safety Council and the New Forest Highway and Transport Advisory Panel.

The Chairman expressed his sincere condolences to Paul’s family and friends and placed on record the Council’s thanks for the service he had given to the District.

New Councillor

The Chairman welcomed new Cllr Richard Frampton to his first Full Council meeting following his election in December 2021.

Procedures

The Chairman confirmed his intention to ask the Council to agree to suspend Standing Order 47.6 to allow the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition to exceed the time limit of five minutes on their speeches under the Annual Budget item.

Members were reminded that a number of recorded votes would need to be taken on key budget items.

With a substantial amount of complex business, the Chairman asked for Members’ support and cooperation with the smooth running of the meeting.

There were none.

To consider the report of the Audit Committee dated 28 January 2022.

Cllr Alvey presented the report of the Audit Committee meeting held on 28 January 2022, and moved the adoption of the recommendations.  Cllr Lane seconded the motion.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

To consider the report of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee dated 14 January 2022.

Cllr Clarke presented the report of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee meeting held on 14 January 2022, and moved the adoption of the recommendations.  Cllr Harrison seconded the motion.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

To consider the reports of the Cabinet dated:-

·         2 February 2022; and

·         16 February 2022 (to follow).

All Members of the Council had been granted a dispensation to speak and vote on matters concerning the Members’ Allowances Scheme, Annual Budget and Council Tax.

Cllr Thorne had been granted a dispensation to speak and vote on the Housing Revenue Account Budget and Housing Public Sector Capital Expenditure Programme 2022/23.

Cllr A Wade had been granted a dispensation to speak and vote on the Annual Budget 2022/23.

The Leader of the Council presented the report of the Cabinet meeting held on 2 February 2022 and moved the adoption of the recommendations.  Cllr Cleary seconded the motion.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

The Leader of the Council then presented the report of the Cabinet meeting held on 16 February 2022 and moved the adoption of the recommendations.  Cllr Cleary seconded the motion.

Paragraph 1 – Report on Proposed Climate Change and Nature Emergency Action Plan and the role the Council will play going forward (Minute No 64)

The Leader of the Opposition welcomed the introduction of the action plan and strategy, which included specific investment in dedicated officer resources to drive the Council’s ambitions forward on sustainability.

Paragraph 3 – Housing Revenue Account and Housing Public Sector Capital Expenditure Programme 2022/23 (Minute No 66)

Cllr J Davies moved an amendment to the recommendations, to remove recommendation (b), which stated that, from 03 April 2022, an increase in rents of 4.1% from the 2021/22 weekly rent level, in accordance with Government guidelines, be agreed.  Cllr A Wade seconded the amendment.

The Council debated the amendment, and the impact this would have on the proposals contained within the Cabinet report.

The amendment was put to a recorded vote, the outcome of which was as follows:-

Voting for:- Cllrs Brand, Brunsdon, Clark, J Davies, Delemare, Harrison, Kangarani, Osborne, Rackham, A Wade and M Wade.

Voting against:- Cllrs Alvey, Andrews, Bennison, Carpenter, Cerasoli, Clarke, Cleary, Corbridge, Craze, Crisell, S Davies, Davis, Duke, Dunning, Glass, Gossage, Harris, Hawkins, E Heron, J Heron, Hoare, Kidd, Lane, McEvoy, Murray, O’Sullivan, Penman, Reid, Reilly, Rickman, Ring, Rippon-Swaine, Sevier, Thierry, Thorne, Tipp, Tungate, C Ward and J Ward.

Abstaining:- Cllrs Dowd and Frampton.

The amendment was lost, 11 in favour, 39 against, 2 abstaining.

The substantive motion of the Housing Revenue Account Budget as outlined in the report of the Cabinet dated 16 February 2022 was put to a recorded vote, the outcome of which was as follows:-

Voting for:- Cllrs Alvey, Andrews, Bennison, Carpenter, Cerasoli, Clarke, Cleary, Corbridge, Craze, Crisell, S Davies, Davis, Duke, Dunning, Glass, Gossage, Harris, Hawkins, E Heron, J Heron, Hoare, Kidd, Lane, McEvoy, Murray, O’Sullivan, Penman, Reid, Reilly, Rickman, Ring, Rippon-Swaine, Sevier, Thierry, Thorne, Tipp, Tungate, C Ward and J Ward.

Voting against:- Cllrs Brand, Brunsdon, Clark, J Davies, Delemare, Dowd, Harrison, Kangarani, Osborne, Rackham, A Wade and M Wade.

Abstaining:- Cllr Frampton.

The substantive motion was carried, 39 in favour, 12 against, 1 abstaining.

Paragraph 4 – Medium Term Financial Plan and Annual Budget 2022/23

The Chairman  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

Under Standing Order 22.

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 Housing by not later than 12.00 noon on Friday 18 February 2022).

Questions were put and answered under Standing Order 22A as follows:-

·         Cllr Glass to the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Regeneration and Infrastructure, Cllr Andrews, on parking on pavements.

·         Cllr Tungate to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Coastal Services, Cllr S Davies, on EV charging points and reducing CO2 emissions.

·         Cllr Clark to the Leader of the Council, Cllr E Heron on the Solent Freeport.

Note:-

A copy of the full questions and replies are attached to these minutes.

All Members of the Council had been granted dispensations to speak and vote on this item.  Cllr A Wade had been granted a dispensation to speak and vote on this item, as an employee of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.

The Council considered the Council Tax for 2022/23.

The Chairman moved the recommendations in the report.  Cllr O’Sullivan seconded the motion.

The recommendations were put to a recorded vote, the outcome of which was as follows:-

Voting for:- Cllrs Alvey, Andrews, Bennison, Brand, Carpenter, Cerasoli, Clarke, Cleary, Corbridge, Craze, Crisell, S Davies, Davis, Delemare, Dowd, Duke, Dunning, Frampton, Glass, Gossage, Harris, Hawkins, E Heron, J Heron, Hoare, Kidd, Lane, McEvoy, Murray, O’Sullivan, Penman, Reid, Reilly, Rickman, Ring, Rippon-Swaine, Sevier, Thierry, Thorne, Tipp, Tungate, C Ward and J Ward.

Voting against:- Cllr Brunsdon.

Abstaining:- Cllrs Clark, Harrison, Kangarani, Osborne, Rackham, A Wade and M Wade.

The recommendations were carried – 43 in favour, 1 against, 7 abstaining.

RESOLVED:

1.1            That it be noted that on 6 December 2021 the Council calculated the Council Tax Base for the year 2022/23:

(a)          for the whole Council area as 72,122.10 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and

(b)       for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as in Appendix 3 of the report. 

1.2            To calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 (excluding Parish Precepts) is £13,584,920.

1.3            That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2022/23 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: -

(a)                                £139,820,116  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

(b)        £119,248,060  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)        £20,572,056    being the amount by which the aggregate at 1.3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 1.3(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year.  (Item R in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Act).

(d)        £285.24           being the amount at 1.3(c) above (Item R), all divided by the Council Tax Base, Item T (1.1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts).

(e)        £6,987,136      being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per Appendix 4 of the report).

(f)        £188.36           being the amount at 1.3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 1.3(e) above by Item T (1.1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

The Leader of the Council moved the adoption of the recommendations contained within the report, which asked the Council to make appointments to committees and panels in accordance with the principles as set out in Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.  Cllr Cleary seconded the motion.

The Council, having received both the wishes of the political groups and the preferences of the non-aligned Members, considered the option to allocate seats to the non-aligned Members as nearly as possible in proportion to the number of those members on the Council.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the allocation of seats to committees and panels in accordance with the principles set out in the report, be agreed as at paragraph 4.6 of the report; and

2.    That the Council gives effect to the wishes of the political groups in making appointments to these Committees and Panels, for the remainder of the four year period ending May 2023.