Full Council - 21 February 2012
Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House21st February 2012
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 21 February 2012 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 December 2011 (pages A1 to A18).
3. CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
4. LEADER’S REPORT
5. STRATEGIC, SERVICE AND FINANCIAL PLANNING 2011-2014
To receive the recommendations from the Administration on Strategic, Service and Financial Planning. (Members are requested to bring to the meeting the papers circulated for the Executive Committee meeting on 30 January 2012). (Members are referred to the procedural rule for budget setting which is attached at (pages B1 to B2).
6. COUNCIL TAX
This report allows the Council to set Council Tax for 2012/2013 (to be tabled).
7. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 16
(None received).
8. PETITIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 19
A petition in the following terms has been received signed by over 100 residents in the District:
“We are concerned about the issue of rainforest deforestation because unsustainable logging causes ecological, economic and environmental damage both locally and on a global scale.
We are pleased that Three Rivers has already taken significant steps of achieving stringent requirements of ISO 14001, which means that the Council is sourcing its timber in a sustainable manner. However, we would like Three Rivers to go a step further and sign up to the WWF declaration because it would demonstrate real commitment to helping to reduce the devastating destruction of rainforests. The declaration would commit the Council to ensure that the timber they buy does not support illegal and unsustainable logging which threatens both forests and people in Indonesia and the Congo Basin.”
9. DISCUSSION TOPIC UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 17
(None received).
10. MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11
(1) Councillor Chris Lucas, seconded by Councillor Helen Lehrle to move under Notice duly given as follows:
- This Council notes that the cost of parking at Watford General Hospital (WGH) is a major issue to Three Rivers’ residents and the wider WGH catchment area.
- This Council recognises that last year (2009/10) the parking schemes at the three West Herts Hospital Trust sites (Hemel Hempstead General Hospital, St. Albans Community Hospital and WGH) generated a loss of £87,500.
- The Council believes that of all the ‘transport modes of access’ outlined in Section 5 Paragraph 1 of the West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust Transport and Parking Strategy Policy, the private car will be the only practical choice for the majority of Three Rivers’ residents.
- This Council subsequently believes that the minimum standard charge for the general public of £4 for up to 3 hours at WGH is totally unreasonable and is unduly punitive on Three Rivers’ residents.
- This Council therefore calls upon the Leader and the Chief Executive (and/or the appropriate delegated office) to:
- Jointly write to the CEO of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Jan Filochowski, and the Director with Accountability for Transport and Parking, Sarah Wiles to:
- Express our belief that the pricing structure of the current scheme is unreasonable and implemented without consultation with Three Rivers’ residents.
- Explain how it disproportionately and negatively impacts on Three Rivers’ residents.
- To ask them to consider a much fairer scheme that allows users to pay in increments of one hour.
- Send a copy of this motion to Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Watford and inform her of Three Rivers District Council’s view on this matter.
- Jointly write to the CEO of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Jan Filochowski, and the Director with Accountability for Transport and Parking, Sarah Wiles to:
(2) Councillor Chris Hayward, seconded by Councillor Barbara Lamb MBE to move under Notice duly given as follows:
This Council condemns the recent court ruling against prayers being said before Council Meetings and confirms its wish that if legally possible Three Rivers District Council should continue with this already established practice. It further defends the rights of all local authorities to make their own choice in this respect. It also notes that as prayers in this Authority are said BEFORE Council starts Members are free to choose whether they wish to attend and participate or not.
In so doing this Council recognises that whilst Britain remains a fundamentally Christian country we also live in a multi-faith community and Three Rivers District Council reflects this in the broad range of those faiths who have hitherto led prayers before Council. In respecting those of all faiths this Council rejects the notion that a secular society is best.
(3) Councillor Ty Harris, seconded by Councillor Russell Smith to move under Notice duly given as follows:
This Council is aware of the Police Commissioners elections in November 2012 and will immediately start to promote these elections through its media channels so residents have enough time to be fully aware.
This Council sees the Police Commissioner as a very demanding and challenging role and a necessary step towards bringing the police and the public closer together and further improving their relationship. This Council will do its very best to support the aims and efforts of the elected Police Commissioner to further improve public safety and upholding the law.
This Council questions if the relationship between the judicial system and the public needs to similarly improve to address any public concern or dissatisfaction with the justice system that the Police Commissioner will have limited influence over when it comes to enforcing the law.
This Council acknowledges the public will have a public figure for upholding the law, and seeks the Chief Executive to write to local MPs requesting on behalf of this Council, their consideration to discuss in Parliament the issue of having a similar accountable public elected person representing the enforcement of the law.
(4) Councillor Paul Goggins, seconded by Councillors Sara Bedford and Chris Whately-Smith to move under Notice duly given as follows:
Many local roads are still not being gritted by the County Council in bad weather, leading to difficulties and danger for travellers. In particular, the roads outside most primary schools in the District are not gritted, leading to a hazardous situation for children and parents walking to school.
Council therefore calls upon Hertfordshire County Council to grit the highways approaching and outside all schools.
(5) Councillor Geoffrey Dunne, seconded by Councillor Pam Hames to move under Notice duly given as follows:
Council notes that the straight line method of determining distance to school is leading to anomalies in the allocation of primary school places where natural boundaries such as railways, motorways and canals are now not taken into account.
This problem has had a particular effect on the natural community of Carpenders Park, where children on the estate are no longer able to gain places at the only primary school.
Council therefore calls upon Hertfordshire County Council to establish rules which enable local children to gain priority for St. Meryl School.
11. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
To consider the recommendations of the Executive Committee at its meeting held on 30 January 2012.
EX77/11 Consideration of Recommendations from the Constitution Working Party
EX80/11 Calendar of Meetings 2012/2013
EX81/11 Chief Officer/ Senior Staff Pay Policy
EX88/11 Restructuring and Succession Planning
12. REPORTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER, CABINET AND CHAIRMEN OF THE POLICY AND SCRUTINY, AUDIT, PLANNING, LICENSING, SHARED SERVICES AND REGULATORY SERVICES COMMITTEES
LEADER OF THE COUNCIL
The following questions have been received from Councillor Paul Gordon to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ann Shaw:-
The South Oxhey Initiative
Residents and Shopkeepers in South Oxhey would like to know why the South Oxhey Steering Committee meeting on 16 January was not open to the public. Allowing all interested parties to attend South Oxhey Steering Committee meetings will provide the openness and inclusivity that will reassure residents that the Council is acting on their behalf.
Prestwick Meadows North – Ashridge Drive access point
On 13 December 2011 a petition signed by 137 residents requesting an access point from Ashridge Drive to Prestwick Meadows was presented to the Council. On 23 January 2012 Cllr Ann Shaw and Cllr Phil Brading visited the site accompanied by Council Officers. As of 13 February 2012 Three Rivers District Council has failed to install the requested access point from Ashridge Drive. Can you tell me when the Council will act to resolve the above issue?
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.
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.
The following question has been received from Councillor Paul Gordon to the Cabinet Member for Public Services and Health, Councillor Phil Brading:
Snow on the roads
Residents in the Ashridge ward would like to thank all of the staff involved in collecting refuse in South Oxhey. We were all surprised and grateful to see collections taking place during week commencing 6 February 2012. Residents also saw a mini snow plough clearing the side roads of snow and ice. Can you tell me if this snow plough is owned by Three Rivers District Council? If so can you also tell me how long the Council has owned this vehicle and who decides which roads are cleared?
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.
SHARED SERVICES
Report from and questions to the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Shared Services Committee (Cllr Brian White)
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Audit Committee (Cllr Nelmes)
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Planning Committee (Cllr Geoffrey Dunne)
LICENSING
Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Licensing Committee (Cllr Pam Hames)
REGULATORY SERVICES
Report from and questions to the Chairman of the Regulatory Services Committee ((Cllr Pam Hames)
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:-
Executive Committee |
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Joint Shared Services Committee |
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Leisure and Community Safety Policy and Scrutiny Committee |
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Planning Committee |
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Planning Committee |
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Public Services and Health Policy and Scrutiny Committee |
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Regulatory Services Committee |
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Standards Committee |
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Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee |
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David Gardner
Director of Corporate Resources and Governance
13 February 2012
Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Herts WD3 1RL
NOTE AS TO PRAYERS: Reverend Simon Cutmore, St Peter’s Church, 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.