Full Council - 20 February 2018
REVISED
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 20 February 2018 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 12 December 2017 (pages A1 to A20).
17-12-12-cl-final-council-minutes3. PETITIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 18
The Council has received petitions from residents, workers and business owners in the Three Rivers District requesting that the Council halt the current Proposed Traffic Order to change the parking arrangements and charge for the eight town centre car parks, until such time as evidential reports and surveys can be supplied, and reassurance given that these changes and charges will not harm the residents and businesses in the town.
They further petition that Rickmansworth Town be treated in the same manner as other wards in the District where similar proposals have been halted.
The petitioners assert that the proposals will prevent a frequent turnover of shoppers parking in Rickmansworth and be detrimental to the local shops. The car parks will not accept cash but only card payments which may also deter shoppers. No other car parks in Three Rivers are to introduce parking charges.
The petitioners believe this to be unjust and biased against Rickmansworth Town.
The petitions have been signed by over 25 residents in accordance with Rule 18 of the Council's constitution.
4. FINANCIAL PLANNING
To consider the recommendations from the Administration and the Main Opposition Group on the financial plan.
lib-dem-20-02-18-budget-proposal-recommedations-to-council-4.pdf (pdf)For information, Members can view the papers presented to the Policy and Resources Committee on 29 January 2018 on Financial Planning using the weblink below:
http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/meeting/policy-and-resources-committee-29-january-2018
(Members are referred to Procedural Rule 17 for budget setting provided below)
RULE 17
PROCEDURE RULES FOR BUDGET SETTING
(1) The budget shall be proposed by a member of the Administration who will be allowed a maximum of ten minutes to present the budget.
(Printed copies of the budget proposal and of any related visual presentation must be circulated to all Councillors 5 working days before the meeting. The proposals must be accompanied by a statement from the Council’s Chief Financial Officer as to the robustness of any estimates used and the adequacy of the financial reserves resulting from the budget proposal, in accordance with Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003. The proposals must also be agreed by the Chief Executive or relevant Director to ensure that they are deliverable and that any associated risks are identified. Copies of all budget proposals must have been supplied to the Chief Financial Officer 10 working days prior to the meeting.)
(2) The Leaders of other parties (or nominated Member) or any individual Member may each propose an alternative budget and will be allowed a maximum of ten minutes to present their budget. These proposals will be circulated to all Councillors 5 working days prior to the meeting and must be accompanied by a statement from the Council’s Chief Financial Officer as to the robustness of any estimates used and the adequacy of the financial reserves resulting from the budget proposal, in accordance with Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003. The proposals must also be agreed by the Chief Executive or relevant Director to ensure that they are deliverable and that any associated risks are identified. Copies of all budget proposals must have been supplied to the Chief Financial Officer 10 working days prior to the meeting.)
(3) Each budget will be seconded and the seconder may reserve the right to speak later in the debate for up to five minutes.
(4) After all budgets have been proposed, there will be one debate covering all the propositions.
(5) All other Members may have the opportunity to comment/ask questions but they may only speak once during the debate and for no longer than five minutes, apart from points of order.
(6) The proposer of each budget may sum up/answer questions for no more than ten minutes each, in the reverse order of being proposed.
(7) A vote will be taken in reverse order of being proposed until a majority of Members present vote in favour of one budget.
(8) In accordance with regulations, voting on resolutions setting the budget and Council Tax shall be by means of recorded vote.
5. COUNCIL TAX – DISTRICT ELEMENT
This report allows the Council to set the District element of the Council Tax for 2018/19.
5-council-tax-2018-19-district-element-report6. SETTING THE COUNCIL TAX
This report allows the Council to set the Council Tax for 2018/19.
6-council-tax-2018-19-setting-the-council-tax-report7. COUNCIL PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2018
The Council’s success relies on the talent and contribution of its workforce enabling and ensuring it meets its objectives. The Council’s Pay Policy Statement seeks to ensure the Council is able to attract, recruit, retain and engage the right people in order to achieve this.
18-02-20-cl-i-pay-policy-statement-201818-02-20-cl-i-pay-policy-statement-january-20188. REVISED COUNCIL CALENDAR 2018/19
To agree the revised Council Calendar of meetings 2018/19
2018-19-calendar-of-meetings-new-committees-draft-29. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 16
None received.
10. CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
11. RECOMMENDATION FROM THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
To receive the recommendation from the Sustainable Development, Planning and Transport Committee meeting held on 20 February 2018 on Contracting Out of Homelessness Reviews to an Independent Reviewer
homeless-reviews-report12. REPORTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER AND LEAD MEMBERS
LEADER OF THE COUNCIL
Question from Cllr Stephen Cox to Cllr Sara Bedford, Leader of the Council
1 Given that the Administration believes it runs the Council well, how long does it consider reasonable for a Member to wait for a reply to an email from an Officer?
Question from Cllr Alex Michaels to Cllr Sara Bedford, Leader of the Council
2 Can you please tell me how much it would cost to hold a by-election in a TRDC ward on 3 May?
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.
Questions from Cllr Joan King to Cllr Martin Trevett, Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes
3 What commitment can the Lead Member for the Administration give that parking charges will not be a feature of South Oxhey beyond the station car park?
4 Does the Lead Member believe there is an overspill of car parking taking place in South Oxhey which is associated with the garage since granting planning permission for its move from Station Approach?
Question from Cllr Paula Hiscocks to Cllr Martin Trevett, Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes
5 Have the parking pay and display machines been ordered? If so when were they ordered?
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
6 Following Fusion’s withdrawal from the DBOM Leisure Contract are you confident that Sports and Leisure Management Ltd will be able to manage the Council’s existing facilities successfully while completing the
construction of the new Swimming Pool and Facilities at South Oxhey?
Question from Cllr Stephen Cox to Cllr Chris Lloyd, Lead Member for Leisure, Community and Wellbeing
7 Should residents be concerned by Fusion’s withdrawal as the preferred bidder of the Three Rivers DBOM and Leisure Management Contract? What guarantees can be provided that South Oxhey will not end up with second best in terms of the refurbishment of the Centre and the proposed swimming pool?
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.
Question from Cllr Joan King to Cllr Phil Brading, Lead Member for Public Services
8 How many households have requested a replacement silver food recycling pod in the last 12 months and are any statistics kept as to why?
RESOURCES AND SHARED SERVICES
Report from the Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services (Cllr Matthew Bedford) and questions.
Question from Cllr Stephen Cox to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services
9 If a request for filming is received please can Members be reminded what the protocol is in respect of informing Ward Members?
Question from Cllr Joan King to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services
10 How many vacancies are there presently at Three Rivers District Council and what percentage of the number of employees does this represent?
Questions from Cllr Stephen King to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services
11 How many staff had left this Authority’s employment in the last 12 months? What percentage does this represent?
12 Does the Lead Member believe that the impending loss of the Greengrocer in the precinct and the Baker in Bridlington Road represent a success?
Question from Cllr Stephen Cox to Cllr Matthew Bedford, Lead Member for Resources and Shared Services
13 Under what circumstances will the present Administration refuse to sell amenity greens and amenity land in South Oxhey?
13. REPORTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIRMEN OF THE AUDIT, PLANNING, LICENSING AND REGULATORY SERVICES COMMITTEES (RULE 14)
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).
Question from Cllr Stephen Cox to Cllr Steve Drury, Chairman of the Regulatory Services Committee
14 Does the Chairman of the Regulatory Services Committee share my disappointment that having avoided last position, South Oxhey has once again fallen to the bottom of the electoral registration league table on an 87.35% response rate – some 10% below the Ward with the greatest response as at 1 December 2017?
Question from Cllr Stephen King to Cllr Steven Drury, Chairman of the Regulatory Services Committee
15 Will the Chairman of the Regulatory Services Committee accept the thanks of the Labour Group on behalf of local residents who will retain their polling station in the DCAA polling district of Oxhey Hall and Hayling?
14. MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11
(1) Councillors Phil Brading, Steve Drury, Peter Getkahn, Chris Lloyd and Alison Wall to move under Notice duly given as follows:
Step-free access to Croxley Station
Council notes the desire from residents for, and feasibility of, step-free access to Croxley Station.
Council further notes the preliminary list from Transport for London (TfL) of stations which will become step-free by 2022.
Council is pleased to see Rickmansworth station on the list, but believes that Croxley should also benefit from the improved access.
Council therefore requests to TfL that Croxley station should be included on the final list of stations to benefit from step-free access by 2022, so that more local residents have the opportunity to travel for work and leisure.
(2) Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, seconded by Councillor Peter Getkahn, to move under Notice duly given as follows:
Metropolitan Line Extension
This Council regrets the decision by the Mayor of London to withdrawn his backing for the Metropolitan Line Extension unless ‘all additional potential cost overruns’ are underwritten.
Council notes that the project has secured a further £73m from the government to bridge the funding gap indicated by TfL in order to enable delivery. Council also notes the additional potential to develop land worth up to £40m.
Given the total funding from partners includes £45m contingency funding, Council is shocked that the Mayor is set to withdraw support for this essential infrastructure project that benefits both Hertfordshire and London, especially after his stated wish to run commuter services from outside the GLA area, and the desire to work with areas outside the capital, as expressed in the London Plan.
Council therefore reaffirms its support for the MLX project, urges the London Mayor to rethink his stance and continues to support the efforts of Hertfordshire County Council to secure the delivery of the MLX scheme.
(3) Councillor David Sansom, seconded by Councillor Reena Ranger, to move under Notice duly given as follows:
This Council believes that care should be taken to ensure that Press Releases do not bring Councillors into disrepute and by definition the Council itself.
Chief Executive
12 February 2018
Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Herts WD3 1RL