Agenda and minutes

Venue: Park Suite, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

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

Items
No. Item

CO/12

Minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting of the Council meeting held on 27 April and of the Annual Council Meeting held on 25 May 2022

(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 27 April, and of the Annual Council meeting held on 25 May, were approved as correct records and signed by the Chairman.

CO/13

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members

Minutes:

Item 11 Notice of Motion:   Councillor Colin Minto declared a personal interest because he was an employee of HSBC.  However, he was not part of their commercial operations so this would not be relevant to the debate.

CO/14

Announcements

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

Minutes:

Councillor Kate Rowbottom, Chairman of the Council, announced that there would be a short service at 10.50am on Sunday 26 June to lower the flag at the War Memorial in the Carfax to mark the end of Armed Forces Week.

 

Councillor Jonathan Chowen, Leader of the Council, thanked Adam Chalmers for everything he had done for the Council in his role as Director of Community Services.  He wished him all the best in his new role as Chief Executive at Elmbridge Borough Council.

 

Councillor Roger Noel, Cabinet Member for Leisure & Culture, stated that the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations held in Horsham and across the district had been a resounding success.  He thanked the officers who had worked hard to ensure the smooth running of the weekend’s various events.

 

Councillor James Wright, Cabinet Member for Environment & Rural Affairs, announced that he had written to the five major banks asking them to join him for a meeting to see what could be done to keep banks open and to help residents have access to cash in areas where bank branches had closed. He had also met with Barclays a year ago and secured an agreement to set up a mobile bank in Storrington car park. 

 

Councillor Bevis, Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee, explained that he had withdrawn his request to call in the ‘Development of a District-wide climate change Action Plan’ made by Cabinet on 9 June.  He stated that he had withdrawn it so that the item could be debated at this Council meeting. He also felt uncomfortable with the call-in procedure, which required him to adjudicate his own decision as the Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny.  He confirmed that his concerns regarding a lack of consultation prior to Cabinet decision had been largely addressed as Overview & Scrutiny Committee members would now have access to all papers submitted to the Cabinet Members’ Policy Development Advisory Groups.

CO/15

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/16

Recommendations from Cabinet pdf icon PDF 233 KB

To receive the following reports from the meeting of Cabinet held on 9 June and, if approved, to adopt the recommendations therein:

 

(a)     Using the 2021/22 surplus to help support local residents in need, topping up the 2022/23 Transformation Fund, and earmarking an inflation reserve. Plus increases to the Drill Hall and Community Development revenue budgets and Horsham Park skate park capital 2022/23 budgets and utilising the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Parking is available at: Agenda item 6 )

 

(b)     The Forum Fountain upgrade (the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Parking is available at: Agenda item 7 )

 

(c)     WEEE and Textiles continuation of service and introduction of Podback (the report of the Cabinet Member for Recycling & Waste is available at: Agenda item 10 )

 

(d)     Development of a District-wide climate change Action Plan (the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment & Rural Affairs is available at: Agenda item 11 )

 

(e)     Evidence Resourcing – Biodiversity Net Gain in development (the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning & Development is available at: Agenda item 12 )

Minutes:

6 (a)     Using the 2021/22 surplus to help support local residents in need, topping up the 2022/23 Transformation Fund, and earmarking an inflation reserve. Plus increases to the Drill Hall and Community Development revenue budgets and Horsham Park skate park capital 2022/23 budgets and utilising the UK Shared Prosperity Funding

 

Councillor Tony Hogben, Cabinet Member for Finance & Parking, introduced the report, which explained the background to a £2.1m operational surplus in 2021/22 and recommended how this surplus could be used.  He outlined the additional payments proposed to support residents, including younger people and those on lower incomes, measures to address the cost of inflation, and further investment in the transformation fund to support a number of projects, as set out in the report. 

 

With regards to the £15,000 allocated to Horsham Matters, it was noted that appendix A to the report had been amended so that this funding could be used flexibly to support cost of living crisis interventions, not just on fuel vouchers.

 

The report also set out details of other proposed changes to budgets in 2022/23.  These included an increase in budget for the Drill Hall to enable it to remain open while the Royal British Legion finalise the new arrangements. Councillor Roger Noel, Cabinet Member for Leisure & Culture, stated that he had every confidence that outstanding matters regarding their lease would be resolved by the end of the year.

 

With regards to the increase in the budget for the Horsham Park skate park, Councillor Noel stated that the additional funding would bring the facility up to Olympic standards.

  

RESOLVED

 

(i)      That £0.3m of the 2021/22 surplus is used to further fund existing discretionary schemes in 2022/23 as set out in Appendix A of the Cabinet report.

 

(ii)     To note Cabinet approval of the transfer of £106,499 from the General Fund reserve to the earmarked transformation reserve.

 

(iii)    To note Cabinet approval to delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Parking, the authority to use the transformation fund as appropriate

 

(iv)   To note Cabinet approval of the transfer of £1m of the surplus into an earmarked inflation fund, for use in 2022/23 should current price and salary increases cause an overspend. 

 

(v)     To approve an increase in the revenue budget in Leisure services for the Drill Hall of £17,000 income and £37,000 expenditure, which is a net cost increase of £20,000 in the 2022/23 budget.

 

(vi)    To approve a £300,000 increase in the revenue income and expenditure budgets in Community Development in 2022/23.

 

(vii)    To add an additional £20,000 to the £0.25m already in the 2022/23 capital programme to help deliver a better skate park in Horsham Park.

 

(viii)   That £50,000 of income from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and corresponding expenditure is added to the Economic Development. 2022/23 revenue budget.

 

(ix)    That £120,000 is added to the 2022/23 capital programme which will be fully funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

 

REASON

 

(i)  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO/16

CO/17

Recommendations from Committees pdf icon PDF 104 KB

(a)   To note the report to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 6 June:

 

Overview & Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22 (report of the Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee available at: Agenda item 8 and Scrutiny Work Programme 2022/23 available at Agenda item 12  )

 

(b)   To receive the report to the Governance Committee held on 8 June and, if approved, to adopt the recommendation contained therein:

 

Receipt of External Grant Funding (report of the Monitoring Officer available at: Agenda item 7 )

Minutes:

7 (a)  Overview & Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22

 

Councillor Tony Bevis asked Council to note the Committee’s annual report, which provided a review of the work of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee during the municipal year 2021/22.  

 

RESOLVED

 

That the annual report and the Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s forward plan be noted.

 

REASON

 

The Constitution requires the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to tell the Council about its work at the end of each municipal year and about the work it plans for the new municipal year.

 

7 (b)  Receipt of External Grant Funding

 

Councillor Philip Circus, Chairman of Governance Committee, stated that this proposal was a means of dealing with grant income of up to £100,000 on a delegated basis, thus streamlining the process by removing the need for full Council agreement.   He stated that this would be reviewed in a year’s time.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Ray Dawe.  

 

       RESOLVED

 

i)        To allow the receipt of grant monies and consequent expenditure up to a threshold of £100,000 to be approved by the Section 151 Finance Officer and the Leader in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Parking and the Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

 

ii)       That the Monitoring Officer be given the authority to make the necessary changes to the Constitution to reflect this.

 

REASON

 

The receipt by the Council of grant money has become more and more commonplace. Currently approval is needed which means every grant received needs approval from Full Council, preventing service areas from operating swiftly and efficiently by not being able to bid and spend the monies in time and as a consequence grant opportunity may be missed.

CO/18

Pay Policy Statement - Financial Year 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 196 KB

To receive the report of the Head of HR and OD

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Jonathan Chowen stated that the Pay Policy Statement was a statutory document that the Council was required to publish, and its function was set out in the accompanying report.  It was noted that there had not been a nationally agreed pay settlement yet this year, but this did not affect the current pay policy. 

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Pay Policy 2022/23 be approved for publication.

 

REASON

 

To comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011, to publish an approved pay policy.

CO/19

Appointment of the Permanent Director of Communities pdf icon PDF 209 KB

To receive the report of the Head of HR and OD

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Chowen, who had chaired the Employment Committee on 13 June, stated that, following a rigorous recruitment and interview process, the Committee had nominated Paul Anderson to be the Director of Communities.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Martin Boffey. 

 

RESOLVED

 

i)        To note the Employment Committee nomination of Paul Anderson as the new Director of Communities.

 

ii)       To agree the appointment of Paul Anderson to the position of Director of Communities of Horsham District Council with effect from September 2022, or thereafter, subject to notice period, at a salary of £94,270 to £101,269 p.a. (subject to national cost of living award).

 

REASON

 

To comply with Section 40 of the Localism Act 2011 that elected Members are to vote on salary packages upon appointments of a threshold of £100,000 or above.

CO/20

Reports of representatives

To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies

Minutes:

Councillor Diana van der Klugt, HDC representative on South Downs National Park Authority, updated Council on the consultation process for the development of the Shoreham Cement Works as an exemplar sustainable mixed-use development compatible with its location within the SDNP.  An eight-week consultation on the Area Action Plan would run until 2 August.  

 

Councillor Tony Bevis, HDC representative on WSCC Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, had circulated a report on his attendance to all Members.  He stated that the focus of the Committee had been largely on the University Hospitals Trust based around Brighton and Chichester. He intended to work with Councillors in Crawley to encourage more discussion about the health services in the north of Horsham District.

CO/21

Notice of Motion

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

 

“Council notes the recent closure of numerous bank branches, which is causing great distress to residents. In Horsham Town, 6 branches have closed since 2018 including TSB just a few weeks ago. Across the district, almost every branch has gone in Storrington, Steyning, Southwater, Billingshurst and Henfield. Their loss has not been compensated for by increased access to ATMs – instead, approximately 25% have been removed in the same period. Hopes that banks might provide mobile banking facilities in our car parks in some of our market towns have not been fulfilled as yet.

 

“Council further notes that whilst most residents are able to bank online, a significant number of vulnerable or older residents continue to rely on banking in person and access to free cash-dispensing and deposit facilities. Furthermore, for local businesses it’s often not practical to hold large amounts of cash on the premises. 

 

“Although these closures are a commercial decision for the banks, they have social consequences for Horsham District. A range of possible replacements for traditional banking services have already been trialled nationally by the Cash Action Group, including alternatives to banks. We ask that Council seeks to explore these and all other possible solutions where we can have influence for Horsham District.”

Minutes:

The following Motion was moved by Councillor Clive Trott and seconded by Councillor Martin Boffey:

 

Council notes the recent closure of numerous bank branches, which is causing great distress to residents. In Horsham Town, six branches have closed since 2018 including TSB just a few weeks ago. Across the district, almost every branch has gone in Storrington, Steyning, Southwater, Billingshurst and Henfield. Their loss has not been compensated for by increased access to ATMs – instead, approximately 25% have been removed in the same period. Hopes that banks might provide mobile banking facilities in our car parks in some of our market towns have not been fulfilled as yet.

 

‘Council further notes that whilst most residents are able to bank online, a significant number of vulnerable or older residents continue to rely on banking in person and access to free cash-dispensing and deposit facilities. Furthermore, for local businesses it’s often not practical to hold large amounts of cash on the premises.

 

‘Although these closures are a commercial decision for the banks, they have social consequences for Horsham District. A range of possible replacements for traditional banking services have already been trialled nationally by the Cash Action Group, including some alternatives to banks. We ask that Council seeks to explore these and all other possible solutions where we can have influence for Horsham District.’

 

Following debate, Councillor James Wright stated that he had campaigned on this issue for some time after the closure of Storrington banks, and outlined other progress and actions taken by officers.   He therefore proposed the motion be AMENDED to include the following concluding paragraph:

 

‘That we recognise the work the Council has done and continues to do in supporting our communities and acknowledges that the Cabinet Member for Environment & Rural Affairs has written to the five major high street banks to ask them to attend a meeting to discuss this issue further.’

 

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Christian Mitchell. 

 

After further debate, it was agreed that the motion be amended to include the additional paragraph.  

 

On being put, the motion, as amended, was declared CARRIED.

CO/22

Members' Questions on Notice

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

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

CO/23

Urgent Business

To consider matters certified by the Chairman as urgent

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.