Full Council - 20 October 2015
Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House20th October 2015
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 20 October 2015 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 14 July 2015 and 21 September 2015 (pages A1 to A13 and B1).
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 meeting on 21 September 2015.
Minute PR36/15 - Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 – Proposed Public Spaces Protection Order Survey Report
Minute PR37/15 - The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
Minute PR44/15 - Budget Monitoring Month 4 (July) (this includes the recommendations which were presented to the Sustainable Development, Planning and Transport Committee on 8 September 2015 at Minute SD10/15 – Budget Monitoring – Month 4 (July 2015))
15 10 20 CL i - (05) recs of P&R Committee
6. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SERVICE COMMITTEES
To consider the recommendation(s) of the Service Committees at their meetings held as follows:
General Public Services and Community Safety Committee – 10 September 2015
Minute GPS12/15 - Budget Monitoring Month 4 (July)
Leisure, Wellbeing and Health Committee – 16 September 2015
Minute LW15/15 - Budget Monitoring – Month 4 (July 2015)
15 10 20 CL i - (06) recs of Service Committees
7. 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.
Question from Councillor Ty Harris to Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst (Lead Member, Economic Development, Sustainability and Transport)
In June, the Council announced in the press it expected an official planning application for an M25 Service Station to be submitted within a few months and the Lead Member said no-one was against it. Can he now confirm he finds the Service Station even more appealing following this Council's financial position and the Conservative announcement that business rates will be kept by local councils, and can he provide more information on this?
Question from Councillor David Sansom to Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst (Lead Member, Economic Development, Sustainability and Transport)
Having accepted the gift of Christmas Lights for Rickmansworth High Street from the Rickmansworth Chamber of Commerce and discarded them without consultation, will the Lead Member for Economic Development, Sustainability and Transport agree that the Council will resolve to fund replacement lights if a commercial sponsor cannot be found?
Question from Councillor Heather Kenison to Councillor Martin Trevett (Lead Member, Housing, Planning and Strategic Schemes)
In December 2014, the Planning Officer for the Chilterns Conservation Board sent a letter to all thirteen planning authorities in the Chilterns asking them to endorse the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Management Plan 2014-19 as a material consideration in the exercise of their planning powers. So far only three local planning authorities have done so and TRDC is not one of these. Could an update be provided as to this Council’s view and intention with regard to this Management Plan?
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.
Question from Councillor Paula Hiscocks to Councillor Chris Lloyd (Lead Member, Leisure, Community and Wellbeing)
Would the Lead Member for Leisure, Community and Wellbeing agree that Hertsmere Leisure has managed and run William Penn Leisure Centre very successfully since it reopened?
Question from Councillor Heather Kenison to Councillor Chris Lloyd (Lead Member Leisure, Community and Wellbeing)
Since first being identified in the UK in 2012, Chalara dieback of Ash trees has spread rapidly in the East and South East of the country and the full impact of this disease is not yet known. Does the Council have any knowledge of the number of Ash trees in the District for which they are responsible? If in the worst case, many of these trees fell victim to Ash dieback, has the Council made budgetary allowance for the necessary management?
Question from Councillor David Sansom to the Councillor Chris Lloyd (Lead Member Leisure, Community and Wellbeing)
Are you aware of the mistakes that were made and the problems that were encountered in the William Penn Swimming Pool Project and can you assure us that they will not be repeated in the construction of the new pool at The Centre?
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 David Sansom to the Councillor Matthew Bedford (Lead Member Resources and Shared Services)
What is the present situation with this Council’s IT and when will it be working at an acceptable level?
8. 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).
9. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 15
10. PETITIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 18
11. MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11
(1) Councillor Ralph Sangster, seconded by Councillor Ty Harris, to move under Notice duly given as follows:
As a consequence of the financial crises of 2009, the consequences of which still remain to be fully overcome, local government was placed in the vanguard as central government strived to save money.
This Council, as many others, responded to that challenge by seeking better value from every pound that it spent and greater revenue from every source that it could. It has shed jobs and merged roles. It has reviewed the services it provides and withdrawn those it could no longer afford.
In responding to the considerable pressure to improve its performance it has been focused on service delivery and the means with which to do so. As a consequence of the effects this process has had on the Council’s management and organisation, it should, given the need to seek value for money in all aspects of its costs, undertake, as a matter of urgency, a full review of its current organisational structure, management and operational effectiveness.
(2) Councillor Paula Hiscocks, seconded by Councillor Reena Ranger, to move under Notice duly given as follows:
The country is facing a serious housing crisis. The Government, in an effort to provide more homes, has sought to reduce planning constraints on the conversion of existing commercial buildings to residential. It recognised, however, that it also needed to provide Councils with the ability to preserve jobs and protect their strategically important commercial areas.
Since this policy was enacted Three Rivers has not sought to establish any protected areas. As a consequence many commercial properties have already been converted and many others are under threat. There is now the prospect that this Government policy may be extended in time and scope. This Council resolves to:
The Council must take immediate action to review its existing policy and seek to protect its strategically important commercial areas by utilising the Government’s protection option (Article 4) and thereby returning control of local planning policy to the proper scrutiny of its Planning Committee.
(3) Councillor Ann Shaw, seconded by Councillor Phil Brading, to move under Notice duly given as follows:
This Council accepts the Government’s plan to offer support and resettlement opportunities in this country for 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next 5 years. We deplore the terrible experiences suffered by vulnerable families and communities in this brutal conflict.
TRDC welcomes the appointment of Richard Harrington MP, as the new minister to co-ordinate and deliver the resettlement programme. The Council looks forward to knowing the details of the plan and will do its best to offer appropriate assistance.
TRDC notes the assurance that there will be government funding for each refugee in the scheme, the intention to minimise the impact on local services, and that this funding will not be taken from existing local authority allocations.
The Council supports the LGA in pressing for all tiers of local government at both political and officer level to be involved.
TRDC must not, and will not, overlook the serious housing shortage here, and the desperate needs of local families and individuals, with increasing pressure on social housing and homelessness.
The Council will work closely with our housing association colleagues to identify temporary accommodation outside the existing social housing stock, and will establish a working party to examine the options.
Chief Executive
12 October 2015
Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Herts WD3 1RL
NOTE AS TO PRAYERS: Nila Madhav das from the Bhaktivedanta Manor 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.