Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bexhill-on-Sea

Contact: For all enquiries please contact Email: democraticservices@rother.gov.uk  Tel: 01424 787813

Items
No. Item

C19/53.

Minutes

To approve as correct records and to authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the Council meetings held on 16 September and 11 November 2019.

Minutes:

The Chairman was authorised to sign the minutes of the Council meetings held on 16 September and 11 November 2019 as correct records of the proceedings.

 

C19/54.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mrs S. Hart.

 

C19/55.

Disclosure of Interest

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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made.

 

C19/56.

Chairman's communications

Minutes:

Prior to the formal Chairman’s Communications, the Chairman paid tribute to Councillors Mrs Bayliss and Mrs Hart who had both worked extremely hard and participated in constructive campaigns to be elected as Members of Parliament.  The Council congratulated Councillor Mrs Hart in her absence for her success as being elected as the Member of Parliament for the Hastings and Rye constituency. 

 

The Chairman announced that:

 

1)    since becoming Chairman he had presided over many lively debates across the political spectrum with Councillors representing the views, concerns and aspirations of their various constituents.  There would be changes in the year ahead with the Council embarking on new challenges including housing development, the creation of a Town Council for Bexhill to name a few.  He hoped that the Council would continue to develop and work together in a constructive, positive manner, as had been the case thus far. 

 

2)    in accordance with paragraph 3.2(a) of the Council Procedure Rules, he had used his discretion in favour of varying the order of business so that Agenda Item 10, presentation by Local Government Information Unit was taken directly after his communications.

 

C19/57.

Local Government Information Unit - A Presentation

Minutes:

In accordance with the Constitution, the Chairman of Council had agreed to the Council receiving a presentation from the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU).

 

The Chairman of the Council welcomed Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of the LGiU to the meeting who proceeded to give a presentation on the work of the LGiU and how the Council could maximise the benefits of its membership.  Following the presentation there was a question and answer session where Members asked a number of questions.  The Chairman thanked Jonathan Carr-West for the informative and interesting presentation.

 

It was moved, seconded and agreed that Council Procedure Rules 3.2 (a) (varying the order of business), 14.4 (content and length of speeches) and 14.5 (when a Member may speak again) be waived for the duration of this item. 

 

C19/58.

Report of the Cabinet on Matters for Determination by Council pdf icon PDF 338 KB

- at its meeting held on 2 December 2019, if any, as under:

 

2 December 2019

 

·        The Council’s Constitution and UK Exit from the European Union (BREXIT) (CB19/67)

·        Housing Development Programme (CB19/68)

·        Medium Term Financial Plan 2020/21 to 2024/25 (CB19/69)

·        Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2020/21 (CB19/70)

·        The Community Infrastructure Levy – Progress, Update and Review (CB19/71)

·        Adoption of the Rother District Development and Site Allocations (DaSA) Plan (CB19/72)

·        Water Feature – Bexhill-on-Sea Promenade (CB19/73)

·        Installation of Video Cameras in the Council Chamber (CB19/74)

Minutes:

1.     It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that the reports of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 2 December as set out in the Agenda be approved and adopted.

 

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

 

Cabinet 2 December 2019                 CB19/68, CB19/70, CB19/71, CB19/72, CB19/73, CB19/74

 

3.     On the Motion of the Chairman of the Council, duly seconded, the Council approved and adopted the following reports, with the exception of the Minutes reserved for discussion:

 

CB19/67 – The Council’s Constitution and UK Exit from the European Union (BREXIT)

CB19/69 – Medium Term Financial Plan 2020/21 to 2024/25

 

C19/59.

Reserved Matters

Minutes:

Cabinet – 2 December 2019

 

CB19/68 – HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

 

It was moved by Councillor J. Barnes, and seconded that Recommendation 1) be amended to read:

 

1) A Local Housing Company be established, but its Board Structure left to be determined after further research into existing companies elsewhere, to be reported at a future meeting;

 

The Amendment on being put, was declared CARRIED.

 

It was moved by Councillor J. Barnes, and seconded that Recommendation 3) be amended by the substitution of the words “aims to complete up to” with the words “should initially aim to complete 1,000” so that the recommendation reads:

 

3) The programme should initially aim to complete 1,000 new homes by 2035, with the primary objective being to increase and accelerate the overall delivery of housing in the district; 

 

The Amendment on being put, was declared CARRIED.

 

It was moved by Councillor J. Barnes, and seconded that Recommendation 6), be amended by the deletion of the words “should seek to sell off the affordable element in each scheme” and insert in its place the words “will look to sell off housing for rent built as part of each scheme” together with the addition of the following words “further consideration will be given to the case for retaining shared equity housing in the control of the District Council” so that the recommendation reads:

 

6) The Local Housing Company will look to sell off housing for rent built as part of each scheme to a local registered provider; further consideration will be given to the case for retaining shared equity housing in the control of the District Council.  

                       

The Amendment on being put, was declared LOST.

 

It was moved by Councillor J. Barnes, and seconded that a new Recommendation 8) be added, as follows:

 

8) The Council undertakes further work to establish if and how best the Local Housing Company can work with Community Land Trusts of similar bodies to deliver housing for local communities.

                       

The Amendment on being put, was declared LOST.

 

CB19/70 – LOCAL COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION SCHEME 2020/21

 

CB19/71 – THE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY – PROGRESS, UPDATE AND REVIEW

 

It was moved by Councillor P. Osborne, and seconded that Recommendation 5) be amended by the deletion of the words “Cabinet”, “Steering Group” and “The initial CILSG to consist of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Strategy and Planning and the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Bexhill Affairs”, and substituted with the words “Overview and Scrutiny” and “Task and Finish Group”, so that the recommendations reads:

 

5) an Overview and Scrutiny Community Infrastructure Levy Task and Finish Group be established to consider draft Terms of Reference for the allocation and spending of the Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy money and report back to Cabinet at the meeting scheduled to be held on 6 April 2020.

                       

The Amendment on being put, was declared LOST.

 

CB19/72 – ADOPTION OF THE ROTHER DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AND SITE ALLOCATIONS (DASA)  ...  view the full minutes text for item C19/59.

C19/60.

Report of the Head of Paid Service on Decisions Taken by Cabinet as Matters of Urgency

In accordance with paragraph 17a of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and paragraph 4 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, to receive the report of the Head of Paid Service of any decisions taken as matters of urgency at the Cabinet meetings held on 30 September, 4 November and 2 December 2019.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that it be noted that there were no executive decisions taken by Cabinet as matters of urgency at its meetings held on 30 September, 4 November and 2 December 2019.

 

RESOLVED: That the report of the Executive Director be received.

 

C19/61.

Report of the Audit and Standards Committee pdf icon PDF 204 KB

- on matters for determination by full Council at its meetings on 23 September and 9 December 2019, to include, as under:

 

23 September 2019

 

·        Revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption Framework (AS19/21)

 

9 December 2019 – TO FOLLOW

 

·        Independent Person Appointment

Additional documents:

Minutes:

1. It was moved by Councillor Dixon, Chairman of the Audit and Standards Committee, and seconded that the reports of the Audit and Standards Committee held on 23 September and 9 December 2019 be approved and adopted. 

 

2. The Chairman of the Council having called over the reports the following Minute was reserved for discussion:

 

Audit and Standards Committee 23 September 2019 – AS19/21

 

3. On the Motion of the Chairman of the Council, duly seconded, the Council approved and adopted the following report, with the exception of the Minute reserved for discussion:

 

AS19/31 – Independent Person Appointment

C19/62.

Reserved Matters

Minutes:

Audit and Standards Committee – 23 September 2019

 

AS19/21 – REVISED ANTI-FRAUD AND CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK

 

RESOLVED: That AS19/21 be approved and adopted as submitted.

 

C19/63.

Christmas Wishes

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council and the Chairman of Council wished all Members a Merry Christmas and good health and thanked all for their participation and contributions over the last six months.