The Chairman was authorised to sign the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 31 January 2022 as a correct record of the proceedings. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A.E. Ganly, L. Hacking, Mrs E.M. Kirby-Green, D.B. Oliver, P.N. Osborne and R. Thomas.

To receive any disclosure by Members of personal and disclosable pecuniary interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Member regards the personal interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.  Members are reminded of the need to repeat their declaration immediately prior to the commencement of the item in question.

Declarations of interest were made by Councillors in the Minutes as indicated below:

Barnes, J       Agenda Item 9 – Personal Interest as a Council Appointed Director of Alliance Homes (Rother).

Clark             Agenda Item 9 – Personal Interest as a Council Appointed Director of Alliance Homes (Rother).

Drayson         Agenda Item 9 – Personal Interest as a Council Appointed Director of Alliance Homes (Rother).

The Chairman made the following announcements:

·         The Chairman thanked Councillor Kathy Harmer, the Vice-Chairman, for so competently taking up the reins on his behalf at the meeting held on 31 January.

·         With only one official activity in the three weeks since the last meeting, the Chairman had little to report at the meeting. The one engagement was at 2.30pm that afternoon when, together with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Bexhill Town Council they launched Bexhill’s Free Trade Week, aimed at raising the awareness of the benefits of the scheme to both consumers and producers.

·         At Cabinet two weeks ago, approval was given to a COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund aimed at providing Non-Domestic Rate Relief for businesses who had not been eligible for similar funds. The prompt and diligent work of the Council’s officers within both Finance and Benefits throughout the pandemic has meant additional funds being made available by the Government through RDC to those in most need. Under the ‘Making a Difference’ umbrella alone almost £700k had been paid to Rother businesses.

·         Thursday saw the launch of the Council’s Community Lottery aimed at raising funds for the Council’s Community Grants Scheme while at the same time, raising money for the groups taking part. It was very pleasing to see over 30 groups attended the virtual launch.   

·         Finally, the Chairman reminded those groups who were planning to hold a community event to celebrate HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee that the Community Grants Fund was still open to applications and if they were looking to hold a street party there was still time to apply for a road closure.

1. Pursuant to Paragraph 10 of the Council Procedure Rules the following question was put by Mr Bernard Brown and answered by Councillor Prochak.

Question: In the Budget for the current year there is a Capital Sum of £460,000 for the Development of the Town Hall.  The forecast last seen suggests a spend in this financial year of £445,000 with £15,000 transferred to 2022/23. 

Can the Council give an update on the progress made to date, when the output from this expenditure is expected to be published and the timescale for implementing its conclusions.  Is there any reason to believe the original guesstimate of £14m will be substantially varied?

Answer: The Town Hall Renaissance project is still in the design process and is currently in stage two of the RIBA development process.  The project has undertaken planning pre-application meetings with the Council's planning department to inform the final proposal.  It is anticipated that a full planning application will be ready for submission in the early summer with an aim to have this considered at Planning Committee before Christmas.  In the meantime, a full report on the business case for the development will be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in July and then to Cabinet and Full Council in September.  Whilst we are still in the design process, the professional team are aware of the budget constraints and we do not anticipate a significant variance from the original budget estimates at this stage.  There will be an opportunity for a full debate on the commercial case for this project once full costs are available.

Supplementary Oral Question: Thank you for the very detailed reply which was very very helpful.  There are just a few little bits of information that I would like you explain.   Is it intended that the project will still be cost neutral and if so, over what period of time? Also, I do not see the project on the capital programme, when is it going on there and how much has been spent so far?

Answer: Thank you Mr Brown, welcome to the Council, good to have you here again.  Before I answer your supplementary question can I just say that this is a long-term project, certainly pushed on by COVID also pushed on by the fact that we have signed up to be carbon neutral by 2030 and the Government by 2050 so this has pushed us along this track.  I do not know if anybody knows how much we spend on our energy bills at the moment but it is something like £60,000 a year and as you can imagine, this is not a building where you can switch off one rooms’ heating, the whole building has to be heated.  So that is the long-term aim and so the carbon neutrality of the new build will help enormously towards reducing our carbon footprint.  

I would like also to say the reason why we chose this route apart from what I have already mentioned is  ...  view the full minutes text for item C21/61.

7 February 2022

·         Draft Revenue Budget 2022/23 (CB21/75) (See Agenda Item 9)

·         Capital Strategy 2022/23 to 2026/27 (CB21/76)

·         Development at Beeching Road, Bexhill (CB21/77)           

1.    It was moved by Councillor Prochak and seconded that the reports of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 7 February 2022, as set out in the Agenda be approved and adopted with the exception of Minute CB21/75 which would be considered at Agenda Item 9.

2.    The Chairman of the Council having called over the reports, all the Minutes were reserved for discussion:

7          February 2022                      CB21/76 and CB21/77

3.    On the Motion of the Chairman of the Council, duly seconded, the Chairman proceeded to deal with the reserved minutes.

Cabinet – 7 February 2022

CB21/76 – CAPITAL STRATEGY 2022/23 TO 2026/27

CB21/77 – DEVELOPMENT AT BEECHING ROAD, BEXHILL

RESOLVED: That Minutes CB21/76 and CB21/77 be approved and adopted, as submitted.

In accordance with paragraph 17a of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and paragraph 4 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, that there were no decisions taken as matters of urgency at the Cabinet meeting held on 7 February 2022.

It was moved by Councillor Prochak and seconded that it be noted that there were no executive decisions taken by Cabinet as matters of urgency at its meeting held on 7 February 2022.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

CB21/75 – DRAFT REVENUE BUDGET 2022/23

It was moved by Councillor Prochak, seconded and agreed that Council Procedure Rules 14.4 (content and length of speeches) and 14.5 (when a Member may speak again) be waived for the duration of this item.

It was moved by Councillor Prochak and seconded by Councillor Vine-Hall that the formal Council Tax Resolution at Appendix A to the report be approved and adopted and Minute CB21/75 from the Cabinet meeting held on 7 February 2022 be received.

It was moved by Councillor J. Barnes and duly seconded that the Motion be amended by the addition of the following words at 6):

“To require the Cabinet in view of the rapidly deteriorating financial position of this Council to report before the end of the financial year 2021/22 on a detailed plan to achieve savings of not less than £1.75 million in the financial year 2022/23 together with a clear indication of how they intend to increase property investment income by at least £0.75 million.”

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5(b) a vote by roll call on the Amendment was taken.

FOR the Motion (11): J. Barnes, Mrs. M.L. Barnes, R.K. Bird, G.S. Browne, J.J. Carroll, G.C. Curtis, Mrs D.C. Earl-Williams, J.M. Johnson, C.R. Maynard, M. Mooney and G.F. Stevens.

AGAINST the Motion (20):C.A. Bayliss, J.H.F. Brewerton, T.J.C. Byrne, C.A. Clark, S.J. Coleman, Mrs V. Cook, P.C. Courtel, K.P. Dixon, B.J. Drayson, K.M. Field, P.J. Gray, K.M. Harmer, A.K. Jeeawon, L.M. Langlands, C.A. Madeley, A.S. Mier, Rev. H.J. Norton, S.M. Prochak, H.L. Timpe and J. Vine-Hall.

ABSTENTIONS (1):S.J. Errington.

The Amendment being put forward was declared LOST.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5(b) a vote by roll call for the substantive Motion was taken.

FORthe Motion (21): C.A. Bayliss, J.H.F. Brewerton, T.J.C. Byrne, C.A. Clark, S.J. Coleman, Mrs V. Cook, P.C. Courtel, K.P. Dixon, B.J. Drayson, S.J. Errington, K.M. Field, P.J. Gray, K.M. Harmer, A.K. Jeeawon, L.M. Langlands, C.A. Madeley, A.S. Mier, Rev. H.J. Norton, S.M. Prochak, H.L. Timpe and J. Vine-Hall.

AGAINST the Motion (10): J. Barnes, Mrs. M.L. Barnes, R.K. Bird, G.S. Browne, J.J. Carroll, G.C. Curtis, J.M. Johnson, C.R. Maynard, M. Mooney and G.F. Stevens.

The Motion being put forward was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED: That:

1.       (a)       That Council approves the Rother District Council General Fund Council Tax Requirement of £7,392,337 for 2022/23 and the resultant Band D tax of £193.38 as set out in this report.

          (b)       The expenses incurred by the Council, set out in the minutes of the Cabinet of 7 February 2022 in the sum of £637,460 in respect of Bexhill and £64,430 in respect of Rye, be approved as the Special Expenses chargeable to residents of Bexhill and Rye respectively. All other expenses  ...  view the full minutes text for item C21/65.

(In accordance with normal practice, this process is intended to determine the names to be put forward at the Annual Council Meeting).

Nominations were received for the appointment of Councillor Harmer as Chairman and Councillor Mier for Vice-Chairman respectively of the Council for the Council Year 2022/23.

RESOLVED: That the names of Councillors Harmer and Mier be presented to the Annual Meeting of the Council for appointment respectively as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Council Year 2022/23.