Full Council - 17 October 2017

THREE RIVERS DISTRICT COUNCIL

To:       ALL MEMBERS OF THE

THREE RIVERS DISTRICT COUNCIL

You are hereby summoned to attend an ordinary meeting of the Council to be held in the Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House, Rickmansworth, on Tuesday 17 October 2017 at 7.30pm for the purpose of transacting the under-mentioned business:-

A G E N D A

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
2. MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Council meeting 11 July 2017 (pages A1 to A12).

17-07-11-cl-final-draft-mins

1. PROPORTIONALITY OF COMMITTEES / APPOINTMENT TO COMMITTEES

17-10-17-cl-i-03-appt-of-cttees

1. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

To consider the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee at its meetings held on 4 September 2017, 5 October 2017 and 17 October 2017.

recommendations-from-policy-and-resources-committee

PR25/17          CALENDAR OF MEETINGS 2018/2019

17-10-17-cl-c1-c3-calendar-of-meetings-report-final-draft17-10-17-cl-c3-c6-calendar-of-meetings-2018-2019-draft-revised

PR26/17          AMENDMENT TO CURRENT SCHEME OF DELEGATION TO OFFICERS

17-10-17-cl-c7-c15-delegation-to-officers-dces-to-hrs-final-tracked

PR27/17          SOUTH OXHEY INITIATIVE

17-10-17-cl-c16-c17-so-initiative-report-august-201717-10-17-cl-c18-c21-appendix-a-so-initiative-appropriation-report-30111617-10-17-cl-c22-appendix-b-location-site-plan

PR30/17          BUDGET MONITORING – MONTH 4 (July)

17-10-17-cl-c23-c59-budget-monitoring-p4

PR34/17          LEISURE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT CONTRACT AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTRE, SOUTH OXHEY (NB. The related report and appendices to this recommendation (PR34/17) are NOT FOR PUBLICATION because they deal with information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A).

PR38/17          BUSINESS RATES POOLING

trdc-br-pilot-oct-17

PRxx/17  (tbc) AWARD OF PARKING ENFORCEMENT CONTRACT (NB Appendix D (of Appendix 1) and Appendix 3 to the Award of Parking Enforcement Contract report are NOT FOR PUBLICATION because they deal with information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3 Schedule 12A)

http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/meeting/extraordinary-policy-and-resources-committee-17-october-2017-at-7pm

1. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SERVICE COMMITTEES

None received.

1. PETITIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 18

None received.

1. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 15

None received.

1. CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
2. REPORTS FROM AND QUESTIONS TO LEADER OF THE COUNCIL AND LEAD MEMBERS

LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

Report from the Leader of the Council (Cllr Sara Bedford) and questions.

Question from Cllr David Sansom to Cllr Sara Bedford, Leader of the Council

What is the justification for introducing parking charges in Rickmansworth and not doing so in the largest car park in the District in Abbots Langley.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND TRANSPORT

Reports from the Lead Member for Economic Development, Sustainability and Transport (Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst) and the Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes (Cllr Martin Trevett) and questions.

Question from Cllr Paula Hiscocks to Cllr Martin Trevett, Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes

Could the Lead Member confirm that the first hour of parking will be free in all short stay car parks?

Question from Cllr Paula Hiscocks to Cllr Martin Trevett, Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes

Does the Lead Member agree that if car parks in Rickmansworth are made cashless this will be to the detriment of those who do not use credit/debit cards, those without a mobile phone, those with arthritis and those with young children?

Question from Cllr Stephen King to Cllr Martin Trevett, Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes

Can the Lead Member advise if Three Rivers obtained a discount on the water rates charged to tenants prior to transfer to Thrive Homes and was this discount passed to tenants? When the transfer took place, did any contract with the water company pass to Thrive Homes?

Question from Cllr Angela Killick to Cllr Martin Trevett, Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes

Will the Lead Member please make it clear to Parishes in the District whether or not he encourages them to continue developing their ideas for their respective Neighbourhood Plans, albeit now bearing in mind the likely big changes facing Planning Authorities given the Government's intention of greatly increasing house-building?

LEISURE, WELLBEING AND HEALTH

Reports from the Lead Member for Leisure, Community and Wellbeing (Cllr Chris Lloyd) and the Lead Member for Health (Cllr Alison Scarth) and questions.

Question from Cllr David Sansom to Cllr Chris Lloyd, Lead Member for Leisure, Community and Wellbeing

Out of the £411,000 being spent this year on new plant and equipment, how much is Diesel powered?

Question from Cllr Angela Killick to Cllr Chris Lloyd, Lead Member for Leisure, Community and Wellbeing

Will the Lead Member please advise when a list of the woodland owned by TRDC will be produced, as previously requested, and when will this information will be added to the TRDC website?

GENERAL PUBLIC SERVICES AND COMMUNITY SAFETY

Reports from the Lead Member for Public Services (Cllr Phil Brading) and the Lead Member for Community Safety (Cllr Roger Seabourne) and questions.

RESOURCES AND SHARED SERVICES

Report from the Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services (Cllr Matthew Bedford)

Question from Cllr Paula Hiscocks to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services

How many official complaints stage 1 and stage 2 did we receive in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and 2017 to date? How many complaints have consequently proceeded to the ombudsman each year?

Question from Cllr Joan King to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services

Can the Lead Member please confirm how many of the existing shops in South Oxhey have made applications to return, which they are and have any arrangements been finalised given the fact that rents are expected to increase? Additionally, can it be confirmed what arrangements are there for the return of banking facilities?

Questions from Cllr Stephen Cox to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services

What does the administration mean exactly when it says in respect of the South Oxhey Initiative; “it is intended to provide more homes at cheap rent as the project continues"? What is the definition of cheap? Does it mean in this instance at the lowest social rents or not? as residents would appreciate clarity.

How many extra homes for social rent does the administration intend to provide as part of the South Oxhey Initiative bearing in mind the failure to provide the 96 social homes for rent in perpetuity that were originally promised?

Question from Cllr David Sansom to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services

At the September Policy and Resources meeting we were ‘surprised’ by another huge bill for IT (£191,000), have permanent staff now been employed? Also at that meeting you said that you were going to ask Watford for an explanation, did you get a full explanation and can you share it with us?

1. REPORTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIRMEN OF THE AUDIT, PLANNING, LICENSING AND REGULATORY SERVICES COMMITTEES

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Audit Committee (Cllr Sarah Nelmes).

Question from Cllr Alex Hayward to Cllr Sarah Nelmes, Chairman of the Audit Committee

Whilst we acknowledge our employment turnover is comparable to LG data as

presented at the latest Audit Committee meeting can I ask if exit interviews are carried out, if there are any areas of similarity or patterns emerging that we as employers can act upon?

PLANNING COMMITTEE

Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Planning Committee (Cllr Chris Whately-Smith).

LICENSING

Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Licensing Committee (Cllr Steve Drury).

REGULATORY SERVICES

Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Regulatory Services Committee (Cllr Steve Drury).

1. MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11

• Councillor Sara Bedford, seconded by Councillor Sarah Nelmes, to move under Notice duly given as follows:

Council agrees that the intention of Universal Credit (UC) to make benefits less complicated and to allow those in low paid work to keep more of their wages is a good idea.

Council notes that UC was deliberately introduced on a slow rollout so that any issues could be seen and corrected before the benefit was introduced to all claimants.

Council further notes that the evidence of this Council and others across the country is that UC is causing huge increases in rent arrears and in general debt levels amongst claimants, many of whom have never been in debt before. In addition, evidence demonstrates that most private landlords and even some housing associations are refusing to accept tenants receiving UC, leading to an increase in those registering as homeless and seeking temporary accommodation.

Council believes that the evidence demonstrates that the UC process is flawed and causing unnecessary hardship to local families.

Council therefore resolves to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, making these points, requesting that the Government addresses these issues, and that the rollout is halted until the problems are fixed.

• Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, seconded by Councillor Alex Michaels, to move under Notice duly given as follows:

Council notes that:

a) Following a 12-month review, Hertfordshire County Council intends to extend the highways contract for Ringway until September 2024. This extension will mean that there will be no retendering process for a contract worth approximately £250 million.

b) Ringway has been fined over £1m for substandard work on Hertfordshire’s highways between October 2012 and April 2016.

Council believes that:

a) The condition of roads, pavements and gullets in Hertfordshire has deteriorated significantly since the Ringway contract started in October 2012.

b) The highways contract should be tested by the market to ensure that Hertfordshire residents are getting value for money and a good standard of service.

c) The highways budget should be increased and more funding devolved to local County Councillors so that they are able to use local knowledge and resident involvement to target areas in most need of work.

Council therefore resolves to:

Write to the Chief Executive of Hertfordshire County Council to:

i) Highlight the failings of the current highways contract and need for more investment in Hertfordshire’s roads and pavements.

ii) Request that Ringway’s contract is not automatically extended, but that a retender process or substantial market testing takes place before a new contract is awarded, to ensure value for money for local residents.

1. EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

If Council wishes to consider the remaining item in private, it will be appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

“that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following Item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

(Note: it other confidential business is approved, it will also be necessary to specify the class of the exempt or confidential information in the additional items).

1. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE (PART II REPORT)

PR34/17          LEISURE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT CONTRACT AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTRE, SOUTH OXHEY

Director of Community and Environmental Services

9 October 2017