Agenda and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13 October 2021

(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.)

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13 October were approved as a correct record, subject to two amendments to clarify the meaning: 

CO/42(c) to correct a spelling mistake by replacing the word ‘leave’ with ‘lease’; 

CO/43 to amend the first sentence of the first bullet point to read ‘The SDNP was producing an Area Action Plan regarding the future of the Shoreham Cement works, which proposed the site as an exemplar of sustainable mixed-use development’. 

The minutes, as amended, were signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members

Councillor Tony Bevis declared a personal interest in Item 6b), Community Advice Agreement, because he was a volunteer at Horsham Citizens Advice.

Councillor Martin Boffey declared a personal interest in Item 7b), Councillor Code of Conduct Amendments, because he was Vice-Chairman of Trafalgar Neighbourhood Council.

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

Councillor David Skipp, Chairman of the Council reminded everyone that there would be an Extraordinary Council meeting immediately following to meeting for the conferring of the title of Honorary Alderman on two past Councillors.

Councillor Skipp stressed the importance of the care and protection of everyone attending Council meetings and the need to adhere to the current Covid regulations.   He asked for masks to be worn when not speaking and said it was important to observe social distancing and other hygiene measures, including taking Lateral Flow Tests before meetings when possible.  

Councillor Skipp called upon Councillor Jonathan Chowen, the new Leader of the Council to make his announcement:

Councillor Chowen thanked the previous Leader, Councillor Paul Clarke for taking on the role at such a challenging time.  He also thanked the Cabinet members who had stepped down for their dedication to the Council. 

He spoke of the new Cabinet’s vision for the district, which included the need to protect and enhance Horsham Town, historic villages and the countryside. The existing draft Local Plan had become undeliverable due to recent events, including Natural England’s decision statement on water neutrality.  This enforced pause in development gave an opportunity to reset housing numbers as the target of 1,200 houses a year looked unlikely; the government’s current targets were no longer achievable and would need to be reviewed.  The Council would work closely with the community and with Parish and Neighbourhood Councils in addressing local housing needs, prioritising brownfield sites and ensuring high quality, eco-friendly development.

Councillor Chowen also spoke of the need to: preserve and enhance the district’s culture, heritage, environment and wildlife; to build the district’s diverse and sustainable communities; support businesses with a strong rural economy; and to encourage young people to live and work in the district.    

Councillor Chowen stated that the challenges of ecological decline, carbon reduction and climate change would be dominating issues and that was why his team would be putting the environment at the top of the agenda.  He announced a further substantial investment in the environment to help towards delivering climate change initiatives and achieving carbon neutrality.  The creation of a new Cabinet portfolio, Environment & Rural Affairs, also reflected this priority.  Councillor Chowen went on to announce the new Cabinet. 

Councillor Roger Noel, Cabinet Member for Leisure & Culture, announced that the Christmas Pantomime at The Capitol was going ahead, with mask wearing and social distancing.  He invited Members to join him and the Chairman for a performance on Friday.

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

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

To receive the recommendations from the meeting of Cabinet held on 25 November:

a)    Update on the Council’s financial position and Medium-Term Financial Strategy update – report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Assets is online at:  Agenda item 6

b)    Community Advice Partnership Agreement – report of the Cabinet Member for Community & Wellbeing is online at:  Agenda item 9

a)      Update on the Council’s financial position and Medium-Term

Financial Strategy update

Councillor Jonathan Chowen introduced the report on the Council’s financial position and MTFS, and outlined how assumptions had changed since the update in September.  He anticipated a modest surplus in the 2022/23 budget, but there was little information from Government to help with later projections and future strategy. Once further details were available on garden waste and food waste collections, business rates and income recovery positions, revisions to the MTFS could be made.

Councillor Chowen advised that the garden waste collection charges had to be agreed before the budget was set in February because of the timing of annual billing.  The recommendations to Council included four new revenue budgets to enable the Council to accept grant funding on specific services.  With regard to the final recommendation, it was noted that the Council had withdrawn from the West Sussex Business Rates pool last year because of uncertainty over the impact of Covid-19 on business rates.

There was also uncertainty over the full cost of measures to tackle climate change, which had not yet been included in the financial planning.  Councillor Chowen advised that this would be funded through the anticipated surplus and by dipping into the reserves as required.  He emphasised that funding decisions would be discussed widely and fully before the budget for this could be confirmed.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Stuart Ritchie.

RESOLVED

i)        That changes in the Council’s financial position in 2021/22 and the medium-term be noted.

ii)       That the charges from 1 April 2022 for the garden waste subscription service are increased from £42 for the first bin to £44 and for any subsequent bin increased from £33 to £35.

iii)      To approve the creation of a £2,500 revenue budget for a short breaks funding grant from West Sussex County Council and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 leisure services budgets.

iv)      To approve the creation of a £99,271 revenue budget for Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant funding from West Sussex County Council and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 environmental health service budgets.

v)      To approve the creation of a £139,000 revenue budget for Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant funding from West Sussex County Council and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 housing services budgets.

vi)      To approve the creation of a £78,946 revenue budget for Winter 2021 COVID-19 rent arrears financial support grant funding from Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 housing services budgets.

vii)     Subject to the safety net being put in place, to approve the Council joining the West Sussex Business Rates pool in 2022/23.

REASON

i)        The Council needs to acknowledge the effects of the local situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued impact this is having on its financial position both in the short and medium-term. This has moved the council from what has been a long-term healthy financial position to one with predicted deficits.  However, given the  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO/55

To receive the recommendations of the following committees and, if approved, to adopt the recommendations contained therein:

Audit Committee held on 1 December:

(a)        Provision of the External Audit of the Annual Accounts – report of the Director of Corporate Resources is online at: Agenda item 11

Standards Committees held on 1 December:

(b)       Councillor Code of Conduct – Amendments – report of the Monitoring Officer is online at: Agenda item 5

(c)        Code of Conduct Complaints – New Procedures – report of the Monitoring Officer is online at: Agenda item 6

(a)     Provision of the External Audit of the Annual Accounts

Councillor Stuart Ritchie, Chairman of Audit Committee, presented the recommendation from Audit Committee, which had considered the appointment of auditors on 1 December.  Previously the Council had opted into national auditor appointment arrangements established by Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA).  These arrangements covered the period from 2018/19 up to and including the audit of the 2022/23 accounts. 

Audit Committee had considered the report of the Director of Corporate Resources, which gave details of the current arrangements. Councillor Ritchie set out the reasons why a PSAA appointed auditor was not satisfactory and advised that an independently appointed auditor would give the Council more control over timing and ensure good quality.   The proposal was seconded by Councillor Gordon Lindsay.

RESOLVED

i)        To decline Public Sector Audit Appointments’ invitation to opt into the sector-led option for the appointment of external auditors to principal local government and police bodies for five financial years from 1 April 2023.

ii)       To instruct the officers to seek to establish and independent audit panel and refers the appointment of this Panel back to its February meeting.

REASON

i)        There is a possibility the position with regards to the timeliness of the audit could improve with a local appointment and there appears to be little chance of this in joining the PSAA arrangements.

ii)       If the Council goes alone it must appoint an independent panel and then complete the procurement by 31 December 2022. 

(b)     Councillor Code of Conduct – Amendments

Councillor Brian Donnelly, Chairman of Standards Committee, outlined the recommended amendments to the Councillor Code of Conduct, which had been adopted by the Council in April 2021.  Council had adopted the Local Government Association’s Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020, with minor amendments to the standard text.  The LGA has subsequently identified an error and had made revisions in relation to Interests.  The Committee recommended other minor amendments to correct and clarify the Code. 

By adopting this revised version, the Council will align itself with the latest version of the LGA Code, without interfering with previous specific amendments already made by this Council.   The proposal as seconded by Councillor Diana van der Klugt.

With regards to the inclusion of Neighbourhood Councils in the definitions section of the Code as being a Local Authority, along with Parish Councils and other bodies, there was some concern that Neighbourhood Councils should be defined differently to Parish Councils as they were not statutory bodies.  The Monitoring Officer clarified that the inclusion of Neighbourhood Councils was to allow them to come under the jurisdiction of the Code and take advice from the Monitoring Officer and her team if they so wished; it did not change their status in any way.

RESOLVED

To adopt the Councillor Code of Conduct for Horsham District Council as amended.

REASON

i)        The Local Government Association Code of Conduct is a national model and now contains additional guidance, working examples and explanatory text. The Horsham District  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO/56

To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies

There were none to report.

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

1. Councillor Louise Potter asked Jonathan Chowen, Leader of the Council, the following question:

“In issuing their statement on water neutrality, Natural England has given us an opportunity to improve the current Local Plan. The Liberal Democrats welcome this and look forward to contributing to those changes.  

“Although many will welcome an attempt to reduce the overall housing numbers, improve standards and increase the percentage of affordable homes - it brings much anxiety to residents that the new Leader may try to put the previously considered site at Rookwood back into the plan.  Fears are particularly heightened in light of the new Leader’s commitment to developing the site when he was the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture. 

“Members will recall the unprecedented public opposition to the proposed development of Rookwood and, on removing it from the plan, the Cabinet at that time assured us that they had listened and learnt. 

“Will the Leader confirm that he will honour the commitment of his predecessors and rule out developing on Rookwood?”

The Leader of the Council replied:

“Rookwood was removed from the emerging Local Plan before Natural England issued their water neutrality decision statement.  That statement highlighted the impact of water extraction in the south of the district on the habitat of particular species and caused a pause on development.  It is highly likely this will result in a significant reduction in our ability to meet centrally imposed housing targets.  Under those circumstances, we will need fewer strategic sites rather than more so there is no need to reconsider Rookwood.”

Councillor Potter asked a supplementary question:

“Can you therefore confirm that you personally will not promote the development of Rookwood for either housing or other purposes that might reduce its amenity as long as you are acting as Leader of Horsham District Council?”

In reply, the Leader of the Council read out the following statement that had been made by the previous Leader and Deputy Leader: 

“ ‘The Council is now under new Leadership and enhancing our green spaces and listening to public consultation are vital in building trust in our Leadership.  Not allocating Rookwood in the Local Plan was the wish of the public at that stage and following a year which has seen increased golfing activity your Councillors have listened.  It is vital that we engage with local groups and find out how we can best use Council owned land at Rookwood.  We are committed and still committed to listening and engaging over the next two years before making any longer term commitments on the future of Rookwood’.

“I agree with this statement from the previous Leader and Deputy Leader.”    

Councillor Potter responded by saying she didn’t think residents would be put completely at ease by the Leader’s reply, but she looked forward to seeing how things progressed.

2. Councillor Martin Boffey asked Councillor Trisha Youtan, Cabinet Member for Housing & Public Protection, the following question:

“At the Council meeting on 13 October, the Cabinet Member for  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO/58

To consider matters certified by the Chairman as urgent

There was no urgent business.