Full Council - 13 December 2011

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, 13 December 2011 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 13 September and the Minutes of the Extraordinary Council meeting held on 17 October 2011 (pages A1 to A13 and B1 to B2).

 

3.  CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

4.  LEADER’S REPORT

5.  QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 16

(None received).

 
6.  PETITIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 19

A petition in the following terms has been received signed by 137 residents of South Oxhey:

“We the undersigned call on Three Rivers District Council to carry out their duties as a responsible authority and clear Prestwick Road Meadows North of rubbish on a regular basis.  The path between Burnley Close and Ashridge Drive and Prestwick Road should be opened up to residents.”

7.  DISCUSSION TOPIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 17 

(None received).

8.  MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11 
 

(1)  Councillor Ty Harris, seconded by Councillor James May to move under Notice duly given as follows:

This Council supports free enterprise and believes more can be done for local community economies to thrive and improve prospects for local people.

This Council acknowledges local communities can benefit from local project work, including but not limiting to, The Future Shape of South Oxhey, with local purchasing of materials, more work experience, apprenticeships and local jobs for local people.

This Council acknowledges it can transparently support and encourage businesses to focus more, during the planning and contract stages of local project work, on improving local District economies and further stimulate local employment.

This Council acknowledges the Good Practice Guide from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and will adopt similar Local Labour In Construction (LLiC) agreements as described within the report.

(2)  Councillor David Sansom, seconded by Councillor Ralph Sangster to move under Notice duly given as follows:

This Council notes that the Three Rivers and Watford ICT service budget will be overspent by 10% this year and it notes that in the next financial year an overspend of 20% is projected. It further notes that ten out of the eighteen permanent staff have now left the service.

This Council will undertake an urgent investigation into the reasons for this crisis in the ICT service and assess whether or not the democratic management and scrutiny of ICT has failed.

(3)  Councillor Chris Lucas, seconded by Councillor Ann Shaw to move under Notice duly given as follows:

This Council objects strongly to the way the New Metropolitan Line timetables have been introduced.  These are the most significant changes to the timetable for decades but

• there has been no consultation with local residents or the local authority,
• no trial run, and
• no understanding, or concern about the effect on local travellers.

The alternations are apparently being made to benefit passengers nearer to London at the expense of travellers from Rickmansworth, Moor Park and Chorleywood area, who will lose their 2 per hour fast services and have to rely on trains on the slow line adding at least 5 minutes to their journey.  Rickmansworth and Chorleywood will still have the Chiltern Marylebone services, though these miss Rickmansworth in the peak time and do not serve Moor Park.  But local passengers believe the changes will force many people to use the Chiltern Line adding to the overcrowding already experienced now.

These changes will inevitably mean a reduced standard of service which is unacceptable.

(4)  Councillor Pam Hames, seconded by Councillors Alison Scarth and Sara Bedford to move under Notice duly given as follows:

Council believes that the provision of sufficient grit is essential for safe and accessible roads and pavements during the winter months.

Council is concerned that:

• No further grit bins will be provided by Hertfordshire County Council.
• Local County Councillors are prevented from providing grit bins from their highways budgets.
• Despite suggestions from County Councillors that Parish Councils should be encouraged to provide grit bins, the County Council have declined to fill any such bins.

Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Chief Executive of Hertfordshire County Council, expressing Three Rivers District Council’s concerns with their reduction in service to residents during the winter.

9.  RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

To consider the recommendation of the Executive Committee at its meeting held on 17 October 2011.

EX35/11          Budget Monitoring – Month 5 (August 2011)

To consider any recommendation(s) of the Executive Committee at its meeting held on 5 December 2011.

10.   MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES

To receive the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Members’ Allowances (Pages C1–C4).

 

11.   COUNCIL TAX BASE FINANCIAL YEAR 2012/2013

This report details the Authority’s council tax base for 2012/2013 which must be approved between 1 December 2011 and 31 January 2012.  (Pages D1 – D13)(to follow)

 

12.  REPORTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER, CABINET AND CHAIRMEN OF THE POLICY AND SCRUTINY, AUDIT, DEVELOPMENT CONTROL, LICENSING, SHARED SERVICES AND REGULATORY SERVICES COMMITTEES

LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Reports from the Cabinet Member for Environment (Cllr Martin Trevett), Cabinet Member for Sustainability (Cllr Sara Bedford) and the Chairman of the Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee (Cllr Alison Scarth) and questions.

The following question has been received from Councillor Brian Norman to the Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Martin Trevett:-

“The Housing Minister Grant Shapps has offered a New Homes Bonus scheme to Councils that grant planning permission for new residential moorings on the waterways.  This Council has a substantial canal system within is borough, where many craft already moor.  Does the Council feel it would be prudent to expand discussions with British Waterways to clarify their proposals in the Three Rivers area so that the Council can be in control of the situation and any important necessary infrastructure to support such a scheme.”

The following question has been received from Councillor Chris Lloyd to the Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Martin Trevett:-

“I would like an update on the process the County is using for selecting a Secondary School site in Three Rivers?”

 

LEISURE AND COMMUNITY SAFETY

Reports from the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Community (Cllr Keith Williams), Cabinet Member for Community Safety (Cllr Roger Seabourne) and the Chairman of the Leisure and Community Safety Policy and Scrutiny Committee (Cllr Steve Drury) and questions.

 

PUBLIC SERVICES AND HEALTH

Reports from the Cabinet Member for Public Services and Health (Cllr Phil Brading) and the Chairman of the Public Services and Health Policy and Scrutiny Committee (Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst) and questions.

RESOURCES

Reports from the Cabinet Member for Resources (Cllr Matthew Bedford) and the Chairman of the Resources Policy and Scrutiny Committee (Cllr Sarah Nelmes) and questions.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

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

SHARED SERVICES

Report from and questions to the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Shared Services Committee (Cllr Brian White)

PLANNING COMMITTEE

Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Planning Committee (Cllr Geoffrey Dunne)

The following question has been received from Councillor Chris Lloyd to the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor Geoffrey Dunne:-

Development at OMT Site in Croxley Green

1.  What hours can the contractors be on site Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

2.  What complaints have there been about weekend working? What action has been taken?

3.  What periods are excluded from deliveries taking place to the site?

4.  What monitoring is taking place from TRDC Officers on Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

5.  What meetings, calls and emails have there been with Barratt’s in November and December?

6.  Is Legal action being considered?  What are the next steps?

7.  When is the Development due to complete?

LICENSING AND REGULATORY SERVICES

Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Licensing Committee and Regulatory Services Committee (Cllr Pam Hames)

To consider the recommendation of the Regulatory Services Committee at its meeting held on 12 October 2011.

RG13/11  Hypnotism Act 1952 – Process for Granting Consents for an Exhibition, Demonstration or Performance of Hypnotism

13.  REPORTS OF MEETINGS

 

With the exception of the Executive, Regulatory, Licensing, and Audit Committees recommendations to Council, the following reports are submitted for information only:-

 

Audit Committee	7 September 2011
Audit Committee	10 November 2011
Executive Committee	17 October 2011
Executive Committee	5 December 2011 (to follows)
Joint Shared Services Committee	12 September 2011
Joint Shared Services Committee	21 November 2011 (to follow)
Leisure and Community Safety Policy and Scrutiny Committee	27 September 2011
Leisure and Community Safety Policy and Scrutiny Committee	1 November 2011
Licensing Committee	12 October 2011
Planning Committee	15 September 2011
Planning Committee	20 October 2011
Planning Committee	17 November 2011 (to follow)
Public Services and Health Policy and Scrutiny Committee	29 September 2011
Public Services and Health Policy and Scrutiny Committee	3 November 2011
Regulatory Services Committee	12 October 2011
Resources Policy and Scrutiny Committee	7 September 2011
Resources Policy and Scrutiny Committee	10 November 2011
Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee	11 October 2011
Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee	8 November 2011

 David Gardner
Director of Corporate Resources and Governance
5 December 2011

 

Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Herts WD3 1RL
 

NOTE  AS TO PRAYERS: Reverend Gill Hulme - Abbots, Kings Langley, Berry Lane and Croxley Green Methodist Churches 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.