Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

Contact: Email: CommitteeServices@horsham.gov.uk  Direct Line: 01403 215465

Items
No. Item

CO/13

To receive the Minutes of the Meeting held on the 22 May 2019 pdf icon PDF 242 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 22nd May 2019 (Note: If any Member wishes to propose an amendment to the minutes they should submit this in writing to committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk at least 24 hours before the meeting. Where applicable, the audio recording of the meeting will be checked to ensure the accuracy of the proposed amendment.)

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 22nd May 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

CO/14

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members

Minutes:

Councillor Allen declared an interest in Item 6, as he had a family member who worked for Horsham District Council and Councillor Newman declared an interest at item 9, as he was a member of Friends of the Earth.

CO/15

Announcements

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Council, the Leader, Members of the Cabinet or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

The Chairman announced that she had written to Mrs Katy Bourne, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, in order to congratulate her on the award of an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.  She had also written to Nick Handley, of the West Sussex Mediation Service, to congratulate him and his staff on receiving the Queens award for voluntary services.

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development announced that she and the Director of Place had attended the South East LABC excellence awards in Brighton.  Horsham District Council was represented by Sussex Building Control.  The award recognised design and construction quality.  There had been a number of local nominations, one of which would be going to the final in November.

 

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture reported that the second part of the Year of Culture programme had been published.  When it had been launched, there had been in the region of two hundred and fifty events and this total had risen to five hundred and fifty for the whole year.  He added that the larger car park at the Bridge sports centre would open the following day.

CO/16

Questions from the Public

To receive questions from the public under Rules 4a.2(f) and 4a.8-18

 

Minutes:

No questions relevant to the business of the meeting had been received.

CO/17

Pay Policy Statement 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 91 KB

To approve a report on the Pay Policy Statement.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader presented the Pay Policy Statement and reported that the Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to prepare and publish a Pay Policy Statement annually. The report outlined the Chief Officer remuneration, the remuneration of the lowest paid employees and the relationship between the chief officer’s remuneration and that of other staff.

 

The publication of this information was a statutory requirement and, once approved, the Pay Policy Statement for 2019/20 would be published on the Council’s website.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Pay Policy Statement 2019/20 be approved for publication.

 

REASON

 

To comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 to approve a published pay policy annually.

CO/18

Warnham Neighbourhood Development Plan pdf icon PDF 107 KB

To consider the recommendation by the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development that Council formally “make” the Warnham Neighbourhood Plan as part of the statutory Development Plan, following the Referendum held on 13 June 2019. 

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that, following extensive preparations and Examination the Warnham Neighbourhood Plan had been subject to a Referendum on 13 June 2019, where the majority of those who voted were in favour of the plan.

 

In presenting the report, the Cabinet Member thanked the Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Planning steering group for the effort they had put in to the preparation of the Plan.  The local Members also paid tribute to the work of the Parish Council and local residents and supported the Cabinet Member’s recommendation.

 

Council’s approval was therefore sought to make the Warnham Plan part of the statutory Development Plan as required by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Localism Act 2011. This would mean that the Plan would be used in the determination of planning applications in Warnham Parish in addition to the Horsham District Planning Framework.

 

Resolved

 

That the Warnham Neighbourhood Plan be formally made as part of the statutory Development Plan, following the Referendum held on 13th June 2019.      

 

Reason

 

To meet the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), the Localism Act 2011 and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

CO/19

Amendments to the Constitution - To note alterations to Cabinet Portfolios pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Council is asked to note changes to the Cabinet Portfolio titles and responsibilities and to change the Constitution as necessary.

Minutes:

At the Annual Council Meeting on 22nd May 2019 the Leader announced changes to Cabinet Portfolios and appointed Cabinet Members. The Leader has decided to lead on finance and assets issues as detailed in 3.3.3 in the Constitution. A new Portfolio was announced, Horsham Town, and the functions and responsibilities for this Portfolio is detailed in this report.  Council is asked to note changes to the Cabinet Portfolio titles and responsibilities and to change the Constitution as necessary. 

 

RESOLVED


That the report be noted.

 

 

CO/20

Notice of Motion

To consider the following Notice of Motion, submitted by Councillor David Skipp in accordance with Rule 4a.26 of the Council’s Constitution:

 

We agree that in the face of recent dire warnings from the World Scientific community concerning global warming, the loss of millions of insects and animal species and rampant deforestation, we are facing a climate emergency.

 

We propose therefore that this Council develops and implements a plan for the use of renewable technologies, sustainable transport options, zero carbon building, and for waste reduction and enhanced recycling within the District, working towards a net zero carbon target.

 

We acknowledge that there will need to be public engagement and involvement, and resources will be required to underpin and support the long-term requirements of this far reaching proposal.

Minutes:

The following Motion, of which notice had been given in accordance with Rule 4a.26 of the Council’s Constitution, was moved by Councillor David Skipp and seconded by Councillor Michael Croker in accordance with Rule 4a.26 of the Council’s Constitution:

 

We agree that in the face of recent dire warnings from the World Scientific community concerning global warming, the loss of millions of insects and animal species and rampant deforestation, we are facing a climate emergency.

 

We propose therefore that this Council develops and implements a plan for the use of renewable technologies, sustainable transport options, zero carbon building, and for waste reduction and enhanced recycling within the District, working towards a net zero carbon target.

 

We acknowledge that there will need to be public engagement and involvement, and resources will be required to underpin and support the long-term requirements of this far reaching proposal”.

 

An amended motion was proposed by Councillor Philip Circus and seconded by Councillor Jonathan Chowen

 

We agree that there is growing public concern in the face of recent dire warnings from the World Scientific community that we are facing a wide range of environmental issues including a climate emergency. These concerns include matters such as pollution of the oceans, climate change, single-use plastics, disposal of waste, air pollution, deforestation and biodiversity loss and we support action to tackle these matters.

 

This council has an excellent record of dealing with environmental matters, particularly in the area of waste, recycling and biodiversity and we shall be developing and auditing the council’s activities to see what further practical changes we can implement to reflect best environmental practice and work towards a net zero carbon target.

 

We acknowledge that we shall need to continue with public engagement and involvement and that resources will be required to underpin and support new initiatives that we undertake".

There was a comprehensive debate of the motion.  The discussion ranged from national climate change targets to local initiatives that could be undertaken under the aegis of Horsham District Council, such as recyclable waste and food waste.   A proposal for a year of green action was discussed, and the Leader said that a possible way forward for this initiative would be to consider it through the Environment, Recycling and Waste Policy Development Advisory Group.Members called for a clear set of measureable objectives as part of this amended motion.  The Amended Motion was carried.

It was agreed that the amended motion be further amended to read:

 

“We agree that there is growing public concern in the face of recent dire warnings from the World Scientific community that we are facing a wide range of environmental issues including a climate emergency. These concerns include matters such as pollution of the oceans, climate change, single-use plastics, disposal of waste, air pollution, deforestation and biodiversity loss and we support action to tackle these matters.

 

This council has an excellent record of dealing with environmental matters, particularly in the area of waste, recycling and biodiversity and we  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO/20

CO/21

Members' Questions on Notice

To receive questions from Members under Rules 4a.20(b)-25

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

CO/22

Urgent Business

To consider matters certified by the Chairman as urgent

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.