Full Council - 23 February 2016

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 23 February 2016 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 held on 20 October 2015 and 7 December 2015 (pages A1 to A16 and B1 to B7).

15 10 20 mins15 12 07 mins

3.                  CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

4.                  LEADER’S REPORT

5.                  RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

To consider the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee at its meetings on 7 December 2015 and 25 January 2016. (pages C1 to C4)

PR65/15 Right to Build Initiative and the Right to Build Register

PR66/15 Calendar of Meetings 2016/2017

PR71/15 Budget Monitoring – Month 6 (SEPTEMBER)

PR87/15Fixed Penalty Notices

PR88/15 Financial Planning 2016-19 – Introduction

PR89/15 Financial Planning 2016-19 – Revenue Services

PR90/15 Financial Planning Capital Investment Programme

PR91/15Treasury Management

PR92/15 Financial Planning – Recommendations

PR96/15 South Oxhey Initiative

16 02 23 CL i - (05) recs of P&R Committee

6.                  RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SERVICE COMMITTEES

To consider the recommendations of the Service Committees at their meetings held as follows:

General Public Services and Community Safety Committee – 12 November 2015 - GPS22/15 Budget Monitoring – Month 6 (September)

Leisure, Wellbeing and Health Committee – 18 November 2015 - LW31/15 Budget Monitoring – Month 6 (September 2015)

Sustainable Development, Planning and Transport Committee – 10 November 2015 - SD18/15 Budget Monitoring – Month 6 (September 2015)

16 02 23 CL i - (06) recommendations from service committees

7.                  FINANCIAL PLANNING

To receive the recommendations from the Administration on the financial plan.  (Members are requested to bring to the meeting the papers circulated for the Policy and Resources Committee meeting on 25 January 2016).  Details can also be viewed using the weblink provided below (Policy and Resources Committee – 25 January 2016 - reports 13 to 17 refer):

http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/meeting/policy-and-resources-committee-25-january-2016

(Members are referred to the procedural rule for budget setting which is attached at page C1.)

16 02 23 CL i - (07) fin planning-appFinancial Planning Liberal Democrat recommendationsFinancial Planning Conservative recommendations

8.                  COUNCIL TAX – DISTRICT ELEMENT

This report allows the Council to set the District element of the Council Tax for 2016/2017.

16 02 23 CL i - (08) COUNCIL TAX - 2016-17 District Element report

9.                  SETTING THE COUNCIL TAX

This report allows the Council to set the Council Tax for 2016/2017.

16 02 23 CL i - (09) COUNCIL TAX - 2016-17 Setting the Council Tax report

10.                REPORTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER AND LEAD MEMBERS

LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

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.

LEISURE, WELLBEING AND HEALTH

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

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 Councillor Marie-Louise Nolan to Councillor Matthew Bedford (Lead Member, Resources and Shared Services)

On what basis and precisely when did officers come to the belief that funding from the Homes and Communities Agency had been agreed towards re-provision of social housing in perpetuity in South Oxhey?  Further, how and precisely when was it learned that the funding had strings attached; namely that after the first tenancy ended, the property would be required to be let at considerably more expensive so-called 'affordable rents'?

Question from Councillor Stephen Cox to Councillor Matthew Bedford (Lead Member, Resources and Shared Services)

Just 48 properties out of 514 homes being built as part of the South Oxhey Initiative will be at social rents in perpetuity.  Another 48 will convert to so-called 'affordable rents' at the end of the first tenancy.  A further 73 properties, it is understood, may or may not end up being homes for rent and that represents a total of 169 rented homes.  The number of rented homes equates to under 33% of all new homes to be constructed being available for rent.  Does he believe that figure to be just about right, or too low?

11.                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).

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).

12.                QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 15

None received.

13.                PETITIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 18

None received.

14.                MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11

(1)          Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, seconded by Councillor Sara Bedford, to move under Notice duly given as follows:

This Council regrets that:

1. The cuts in local Council funding from the Government have not been equally applied. This means that whilst Hertfordshire County Council sees an increase of 0.5% in spending power over the next four years, Three Rivers sees a 12.5% cut.

2. By 2019, the Government will take money from Three Rivers to subsidise other councils.

Council condemns the unfair approach taken by the Government to local Council funding, and the disproportionate impact on Three Rivers residents.

Council therefore requests the Chief Executive and the Leader to continue to raise the unfairness of this year's Local Government settlement at every opportunity.

15. TO AGREE THE AUTHORISED PERSONS FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENFORCING THE MICROCHIPPING OF DOGS (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2015 AND TO AMEND THE COUNCIL’S SCHEME OF DELEGATION TO OFFICERS

16 02 23 CL i - (15) microchip

16. COUNCILLOR REQUEST FOR EXTENDED LEAVE OF ABSENCE

16 02 23 CL i - (16) Cllr absence report

17. APPOINTMENT TO COMMITTEES

Following the sudden death of Councillor Len Tippen, Council is asked to consider reappointing a Member to replace Councillor Tippen on the following Committees:

Planning Committee

Regulatory Services Committee

Licensing Committee

General Public Services and Community Safety Committee

Audit Committee

Local Strategic Partnership Board

There are now 38 Members on the Council with vacancies on the Committees listed above on which he served.  No appointment to the vacancies can be made without a decision by Council.

Council may choose to conduct a review of proportionality at this meeting. Subject to the result of the proportionality calculation, which would need to be based on 38 Members, Council could either allocate to the seats on Committees in accordance with the proportionality rules or without dissent agree not to apply proportionality and could appoint say a Labour Member to the vacant seat(s).

Alternatively, Council could decide not to conduct a proportionality review and simply leave the seats vacant until the Annual meeting in May 2016.

Officers recommend that Council agree not to apply proportionality and appoint a Labour Member to the vacant seats.

18.                CHIEF OFFICER PAY POLICY

16 02 23 CL i - (18) Chief Officer Pay Policy report 16 02 23 CL i - (18) Chief Officer Pay policy app

Steven Halls

Chief Executive

15 February 2016

NOTE AS TO PRAYERS: Reverend Deborah Snowball, St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth will read prayers at 7.25pm.  Members who are not already in their places are requested to refrain from entering the Chamber during the reading of prayers.  Sufficient time will be allowed for Members to do so after the close of prayers in order that the business of the meeting may begin at 7.30pm.

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