Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Council meeting held on 14 December 2017.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 14 December 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive any disclosures of interest from Councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor reported that since the last meeting of this Council she had attended a number of functions and fund raising events including Reigate & Banstead Holocaust Memorial Evening, Shepperton Studios Film Evening, and Sunbury Cricket Club Music Night.

The Mayor announced some forthcoming events: a Horse Racing event at Kempton Park on 21^st March; the Annual Charity Ball at BP on 7^th April and St.George’s Day Ladies Lunch on 23^rd April at London Irish.

To receive any announcements from the Leader.

The Leader made the following announcements:

Heathrow has launched a ten-week public consultation regarding expansion at Heathrow, which runs until 28th March. The Council has publicised the consultation and drop-in events in the Borough Bulletin, on our website and social media, and has also published an online summary explaining the potential impact of the airport expansion on the local area.

The Old Market Square in Staines was recently used as a filming location for the ‘we buy any car.com’ television advert. The Council was paid a fee.

The first Spelthorne Means Business Awards were launched on 6 February. Held at Caffe Gusto in Staines, local businesses and Council representatives gathered to open the competition which is designed to celebrate the achievements of local companies and showcase the ‘best of the best’ in Spelthorne.

A leaflet is being designed to accompany the Council Tax bills which will give residents information about how the bill is divided between the Police, Surrey County Council and Spelthorne.

Cedars Recreation Park in Sunbury-on-Thames is to under-go refurbishment, thanks to funding from London Irish Rugby Club.

Registration has opened for the Staines 10K race taking place on 13 May.

Work to build eight new flats has started on the site of the former Bugle Pub in Upper Halliford and three two-bedroom homes on the site of the former Churchill Hall in Sunbury. Both projects are expected to be completed in September. 

The Council recently announced the purchase of a landmark commercial property. ‘12 Hammersmith Grove’ is in a prime location with outstanding transport infrastructure adjacent to Hammersmith Underground Station. The building was purchased for a sum in the region of £170m and is fully let on long leases. This will generate an ongoing net annual revenue surplus of approximately £2.1m and has made a major contribution towards balancing the 2018-19 Budget and providing services for our residents.

He thanked all councillors who had responded to the challenge to see Every Ward at its Best and asked them to continue to submit ideas and to work across party in their wards.

He had two pieces of sad news:

Firstly, he was very sorry to report that a much respected former Mayor and Leader, and an Honorary Freeman, Gerry Ceaser remained seriously ill in hospital. He and his family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Secondly, he was sorry to announce that we were saying goodbye to Sue Faulkner who served as the Vice-Chairman of the Members’ Code of Conduct Committee, and formerly the Standards Committee, for 10 years. He thanked Sue on behalf of the Council for her many years of service and wished her well for the future.

To receive any announcements from the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive made the following announcement:

He was pleased to announce that as part of the Council’s plans to work more efficiently and effectively, detailed plans have been drawn up for staff to consolidate and occupy a smaller space within Knowle Green. 

This work, which is called Project Lima, will enable us to reduce our operating costs, deal with the backlog of maintenance issues and prepare to generate a sustainable income stream from the office space vacated.  The existing civic space within Knowle Green, including the Council Chamber, will be retained. 

The project team have been engaged in full consultation with staff and existing tenants within Knowle Green, and the first phase of work is due to commence towards the end of April. 

The plans would be available for councillors to view in the Members’ Room from Friday 23 February 2018.

The Leader, or their nominee, to answer any questions raised by members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 14.

Note: the deadline for questions to be considered at this meeting is 12 noon on Thursday 15 February 2018.

The Mayor reported that no questions had been received from members of the public.

To receive any petitions from members of the public.

There were none.

The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet from its meeting held on 21 February 2018 on the Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2018–2019.

The proposed Strategy represented an appropriate balance between risk management and cost effectiveness.

Resolved to approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2018-2019.

The Budget Book (green cover) will be issued in a supplementary agenda and will reflect the recommendations considered at the meeting of the Cabinet on 21 February 2018.

The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet on the detailed Revenue Budget for 2018-19 and the proposed Council Tax for 2018-19. The Mayor referred councillors to the Budget Book (green cover) reflecting the decisions and recommendations made by Cabinet on 21 February 2018, including the precepts being levied by Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police.

The Mayor asked the Council to agree, in accordance with Standing Order 20.4, that the respective Budget speeches of the Group Leaders may each exceed 10 minutes in length if necessary.

Resolved to agree that the respective Budget speeches of the Group Leaders may each exceed 10 minutes in length if necessary.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and the portfolio holder for Finance, Councillor H.R. Williams, made a joint statement on the Budget and the Council Tax and moved and seconded the recommendations on the detailed Budget for 2018-19 as set out in the report circulated in the Budget Book.  The Leader of the Ashford and Staines Residents’ Group then made a statement. Councillor Beardsmore, Leader of the Liberal Democrats declined the opportunity to make a speech.

A copy of Councillor Harvey’s speech is attached to these minutes as Appendix A.

At the conclusion of the debate on the Revenue Budget, the Mayor explained it was a legal requirement to record in the minutes of the proceedings the names of the persons who cast a vote for the decision or who abstained from voting.

Councillor Burkmar was absent from the Chamber for the vote on Item 38/18.

The voting was as follows:

Resolved:

1.    To participate in the Surrey wide 2018/19 Business Rates Retention pilot scheme;

2.    To continue the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations;

3.    To continue the complete disregard of war pension /armed forces pension income from benefit calculations;

4.    The growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices;

5.    The Council Tax Base for the whole council area for 2018-19. [Item T in the formula in Section 31b(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “act”)] should be 39,280.00 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2018-2019 is £197.44 Per Band D equivalent dwelling;

6.    To approve a £5 or 2.6% increase on Band D in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2018-19. Moreover:

The revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

1.    No Money, as set out in this report is appropriated from General Reserves  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38/18

The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet from its meeting held on 21 February 2018 on the Capital Programme and Strategy 2018/19 to 2021/22 and the Prudential Indicators for 2018/19 to 2021/22.

Resolved to:

1.    Approve the Capital Programme for 2018/19 to 2021/22;

2.    Approve the Prudential Indicators for 2018/19 to 2021/22.

The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet from its meeting held on 21 February 218 on the Pay Policy Statement 2018/19.

The Pay Policy Statement must set out the Council’s policies on a range of

issues relating to the pay of its workforce, particularly its senior staff and

the lowest paid employees, including:

·         Remuneration of its Chief Officers

·         Remuneration of its lowest paid employees

·         The relationship between the remuneration of its Chief Officers and the remuneration of those employees who are not Chief Officers

·         The publication of and access to information relating to remuneration of Chief Officers.

Resolved to approve the Pay Policy Statement 2018/19.

To receive the report from the Leader of the Council on the work of the Cabinet at its meetings held on 24 January 2018 (attached) and 21 February 2018 (to follow).

The Leader of the Council, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey, presented the reports of the Cabinet meetings held on 24 January 2018 and 21 February 2018, which outlined the matters the Cabinet had decided since the last Council meeting.

To receive the report from the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the work of her Committee at its meeting held on 16 January 2018.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor S.C. Mooney, presented her report which outlined the matters the Committee had decided since the last Council meeting.

To receive the report from the Chairman of the Planning Committee on the work of his Committee.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor R.A. Smith-Ainsley, presented his report which outlined the matters the Committee had decided since the last Council meeting.

To receive any motions from Councillors in accordance with Standing Order 19.

Note: The deadline for motions to be considered at this meeting was Monday 12 February 2018 and none were received.

There were no motions.

The Leader, or their nominee, to answer questions from Councillors on issues in their Ward, in accordance with Standing Order 15.

Note: the deadline for questions to be considered at this meeting is 12 noon on Thursday 15 February 2018.

There were no questions on Ward issues.

The Leader, or their nominee, to answer questions from Councillors on matters affecting the Borough, in accordance with Standing Order 15.

Note: the deadline for questions to be considered at this meeting was 12 noon on Thursday 15 February 2018.

Five questions were received - from Councillors Robin Sider, Joanne Sexton and Denise Saliagopoulos.

Question from Councillor Sider:

‘Will the Leader and Members of this Council join me in congratulating Freeman of the Borough Colin Squire on his being awarded the OBE in Her Majesty’s New Year’s Honours List’.

Question from Councillor Sexton:

“Once again earlier this month I had to alert the Council to the dire cleaning regime carried out at Knowle Green Leisure Centre.  Members of the public had alerted me to the public areas which were obviously not cleaned for weeks.  Their photographs proved it.  Officers of the Council have been sent these photographs.  I was astounded to find out that there is still no record keeping of cleansing of the public areas - something when I was in position as Cabinet Member, was set up.  The officer in charge informed me that this would be put in place for the future.  Why was this slippage allowed - it is surely mandatory to inspect the public areas for cleanliness?  Our residents need to have confidence that the Leisure Centre is clean and well kept.  

Whilst I thank the Cabinet Member for her intervening to once again try and sort this out, how can the users of the Leisure Centre have confidence that this will continue?  Are we now leaving it to residents to have to make complaints?  If a proper regime of inspection had been put in place this would not be an issue here today.  Officer need to ensure that there are proactive measures at the Leisure Centre and not continual reactive ones”.

Questions from Councillor Saliagopoulos:

“At the request of Cllr Colin Davis, the then Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the Council was put to extra expense on a so called security issue; can I please be advised as to the extra cost incurred to the Council on this whim?  Can the Leader assure me that tax payers' monies were protected at all times?  it would appear that the said Councillor for Staines Town is no longer the Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny - which may I add is an excellent move on the part of the Leader - and indeed no longer a member of the ruling Conservative group - can the Council please be assured that the Committee will now run as a proper scrutiny committee rather than a platform which was used to belittle and dismiss the opposition?  As the Leader is aware, scrutiny is something that is vital to any Council.  Unfortunately it has been stifled continuously by the above named individual (and only the above named individual) due to his own personal agenda.  I believe the local taxpayer needs to be aware of this and that indeed I  ...  view the full agenda text for item 46/18

The Mayor reported that five general questions had been received, in accordance with Standing Order 15, from Councillors Sider, Sexton and Saliagopoulos.

1. Question from Councillor R.W. Sider BEM:

“Will the Leader and Members of this council join me in congratulating Freeman of the Borough Colin Squire on his being awarded the OBE in Her Majesty’s New Year’s Honours List?”

Response from the Leader, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey:

“Thank you for your Question Councillor Sider. Yes I am delighted to congratulate Freeman of the Borough and good friend of this Council, Colin Squire on being awarded the OBE in Her Majesty’s New Year Honours List. I am sure all Members join me in expressing our warm congratulations to Colin and thank him for all his charity work that has so richly earned him this accolade.”

2.    Question from Councillor J. Sexton:

“Once again earlier this month I had to alert the Council to the dire cleaning regime carried out at Knowle Green Leisure Centre.  Members of the public had alerted me to the public areas which were obviously not cleaned for weeks.  Their photographs proved it.  Officers of the Council have been sent these photographs.  I was astounded to find out that there is still no record keeping of cleansing of the public areas - something when I was in position as Cabinet Member, was set up.  The officer in charge informed me that this would be put in place for the future.  Why was this slippage allowed - it is surely mandatory to inspect the public areas for cleanliness?  Our residents need to have confidence that the Leisure Centre is clean and well kept.  

Whilst I thank the Cabinet Member for her intervening to once again try and sort this out, how can the users of the Leisure Centre have confidence that this will continue?  Are we now leaving it to residents to have to make complaints?  If a proper regime of inspection had been put in place this would not be an issue here today.  Officer need to ensure that there are proactive measures at the Leisure Centre and not continual reactive ones.”

Response from Cabinet member for Community and Wellbeing, Councillor M. Attewell:

“I can confirm that there are cleaning checklists for the public toilets and changing areas in place and have never ceased to be available. Regular monitoring of these checks are undertaken both by the Everyone Active management and Spelthorne Leisure Services staff.

Detailed cleaning schedules are in place for all areas of the Centre.   Both contract cleaners and in house teams undertake the cleaning regularly. The location and task being undertaken will determine the frequency of cleaning.

There are checklists for these and managers also undertake regular spot checks.

The contract cleaner at the Centre has recently been changed and the Everyone Active is working with the contractor to ensure continual improvement.  Monthly contractor cleaning audits are carried out by Everyone Active.

Officers from the Council visit the Centre weekly and report the issues they  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46/18