Agenda and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 7^th December 2016

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 7^th December 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members

There were no declarations of interest.

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

The Chairman:

·        Referred to the recent deaths of Pat Rutherford, a former Member of the Council from 1988 to 2011, and Martin Rowbottom, husband of Councillor Kate Rowbottom.  Tributes were paid to Pat Rutherford by current Members.

·        Advised that the Horsham District Council Chairman’s Charitable Trust had recently granted a total of £700, shared between a number of families who had been nominated to receive support over the Christmas Period.  The Trust has also given £1,000 to the Horsham Salvation Army for their work with the elderly over Christmas.

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing advised Members that the Hop Oast Depot redevelopment project was progressing well and gave an update on improvements to the contamination rates of the recycling collected by the Council.

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

No questions had been received.

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

No questions had been received.

To receive the minutes of the following Committee and, if approved, to adopt the recommendation contained therein:

The minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 4^th January 2017 were received.

Councillor Godfrey Newman, the Chairman of the Committee, moved the recommendations contained in Minute No. AAG/34 – Treasury Management Strategy 2017/18.

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the Treasury Management Strategy for 2017/18 be approved.

(ii)        That the Treasury Management Indicators for 2017/18 be approved.

            REASONS

(i)         The Council has adopted the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s Treasury Management in the Public Services: Code of Practice 2011 Edition which requires the Council to approve a treasury management strategy before the start of each financial year.

(ii)        The Department for Communities and Local Government issued revised guidance on local authority investments in March 2010 that requires the Council to approve an investment strategy before the start of each financial year.

(Please note that the report of the Director of Corporate Resources to Cabinet on the 2017/18 Budget and the Medium Term Financial Strategy is online at: Cabinet_agenda )

(a)        Budget for 2017/18 and Medium Term Financial Strategy

Further to the detailed consideration of the Budget for 2017/18 by the Cabinet, Councillor Brian Donnelly, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets introduced this item; presented the recommendations of the Cabinet in respect of the 2017/18 budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy; and moved that they be approved. Councillor Stuart Ritchie seconded the proposal.

Councillor Donnelly reminded Members that all councils were under financial pressure due to the withdrawal of Government funding and additional responsibilities. 

This Council was therefore aiming to deliver approximately £1,400,000 efficiency savings by 2020; looking at innovative approaches to generate new income; and diversifying its cash management to improve the return on investments.  In addition, the Council was undertaking some major capital developments such as the new depot at Hop Oast and the new leisure centre at Broadbridge Heath and was taking action to protect and grow a number of its valued non-statutory services.

As a result, the proposals before Council would deliver a balanced budget for 2017/18 with a modest surplus and a clear plan for the delivery of balanced budgets to 2019/20.  In addition, the proposed increase in council tax of 2.5% was in line with the local Conservative Group’s pledge at the last elections that any rise would be no more than RPI.

Councillor Donnelly thanked the Director of Corporate Resources and her team for their hard work in helping the Council to achieve this position.

Councillor David Skipp, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group also expressed his appreciation of the work undertaken by officers to produce a balanced budget for the next year and indicated his support for the proposals before Council.

Having been moved and seconded, the substantive motion was put.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, the voting in respect of the motion was recorded and was as follows:

FOR THE MOTION: Councillors: John Bailey, Andrew Baldwin, Toni Bradnum, Alan Britten, Karen Burgess, Peter Burgess, John Chidlow, Jonathan Chowen, Philip Circus, Paul Clarke, Roger Clarke, Roy Cornell, Leonard Crosbie, Ray Dawe, Brian Donnelly, Matthew French, Billy Greening, David Jenkins, Nigel Jupp, Liz Kitchen, Adrian Lee, Gordon Lindsay, Christian Mitchell, Mike Morgan, Godfrey Newman, Brian O’Connell, Stuart Ritchie, Jim Sanson, David Skipp, Claire Vickers, Michael Willett, Tricia Youtan

ABSENT: Councillors: John Blackall, David Coldwell, Christine Costin, Jonathan Dancer, Tony Hogben, Tim Lloyd, Paul Marshall, Josh Murphy, Connor Relleen, Kate Rowbottom, Ben Staines, Simon Torn

The motion was declared CARRIED and it was:

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the level of Council Tax for 2017/18 be increased from £137.17 by 2.5% to £140.60 at Band D.

(ii)        That the net revenue budget for 2017/18 of £11,860,000 be approved, as submitted.

(iii)       That Special Expenses of £280,319 and a Band D charge of £24.40 be agreed in respect of the unparished area for 2017/18.

(iv)       That the capital programme for 2017/18 be approved as submitted and that the indicative capital budgets in the programme for  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO/66

To receive the report of the Monitoring Officer on the appointment of Honorary Aldermen of Horsham District Council

Under Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council had powers to confer the title of honorary aldermen on past members of the Council who had in its opinion rendered eminent service to the Council.  However, the Council currently had no formal method of recognising such service in respect of former Horsham District Councillors.

Details of a proposed scheme for the appointment of honorary aldermen, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, were therefore submitted for Council’s consideration.

Councillor Philip Circus moved the adoption of the recommendations in the report and it was seconded by Councillor Jonathan Chowen.

Members debated the proposal and clarification was provided regarding the qualification criteria.

It was moved and seconded that a recorded vote be taken.  The voting was as follows:

FOR THE MOTION: Councillors: John Bailey, Karen Burgess, Peter Burgess, Jonathan Chowen, Philip Circus, Paul Clarke, Roger Clarke, Roy Cornell, Leonard Crosbie, Ray Dawe, Brian Donnelly, Matthew French, Billy Greening, David Jenkins, Adrian Lee, Christian Mitchell, Brian O’Connell, Stuart Ritchie, Jim Sanson, David Skipp, Simon Torn, Claire Vickers, Michael Willett, Tricia Youtan

AGAINST: Councillors: Andrew Baldwin, John Chidlow, Liz Kitchen

ABSTAINED: Councillors: Toni Bradnum, Alan Britten, Nigel Jupp, Gordon Lindsay, Mike Morgan, Godfrey Newman

ABSENT: Councillors: John Blackall, David Coldwell, Christine Costin, Jonathan Dancer, Tony Hogben, Tim Lloyd, Paul Marshall, Josh Murphy, Connor Relleen, Kate Rowbottom, Ben Staines

The motion was declared CARRIED and it was:

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the eminent service given by former Councillors be recognised by allowing them to be proposed for the title of ‘Honorary Alderman of Horsham District’, further to section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

(ii)        That the Protocol for the appointment of Honorary Aldermen be agreed as set out in the report.

REASON

To ensure that the eminent service of former Councillors is formally recognised by the Council.

To receive the report of the Monitoring Officer on the appointment of the Governance Committee

On 7^th December 2016, the revised Constitution had been agreed by Council.  Article 8 of the Constitution formed the committees of the Council for the discharge of its functions and included the constitution of a Governance Committee of nine Councillors including the Chairman of the Council, the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and one Member of the Cabinet.

Council was therefore asked to note the appointment of the Chairman of the Council and the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the Governance Committee ex officio and to approve the appointment of one Cabinet Member and six other Members to the Governance Committee, as nominated by the Leader.

Councillor Ray Dawe moved the adoption of the recommendations in the report and it was seconded by Councillor David Skipp.

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the appointment of the Chairman of the Council and the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the Governance Committee be noted.

(ii)        That the following Members be also appointed to the Governance Committee:

            Councillor Phillip Circus (Cabinet Member)

Councillor Toni Bradnum

Councillor Peter Burgess

Councillor David Coldwell

Councillor Matthew French

Councillor Michael Willett

Councillor Tricia Youtan

REASON

To discharge Article 8 of the Constitution of the Council, and so satisfy resolution CO/53 of the Council, 7^th December 2016.

To receive the report of the Chief Executive on the proposed Calendar of Meetings for 2017/18

The Chief Executive reported on the proposed programme of Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings, including standing Scrutiny & Overview Working Groups, for 2017/18.

Members and officers had been consulted to ensure that the proposed programme met the requirements for reporting on statutory matters, such as the budget and final accounts, and comments received had been taken into account in the submitted calendar.

            RESOLVED

            That the calendar of meetings for 2017/18 be approved as submitted.

            REASON

            To fix a programme of Council meetings, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, and to approve a calendar for Cabinet and Committee meetings, which enables the Council to transact its business in a timely and efficient manner.

To indicate who shall, subject to formal appointment at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 24th May 2017, be the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2017/18

            RESOLVED

            That, subject to formal election at the annual meeting, it be noted that Councillor Roger Clarke will be Chairman and Councillor Peter Burgess will be Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2017/18.

A report from Councillor John Bailey, the Council’s representative on the Wey and Arun Canal Trust, was noted.

To consider matters certified by the Chairman as urgent

There was no urgent business.