Agenda item

To receive any motions from Councillors in accordance with Standing Order 16.

Motion 1 – Government planning reforms

In the forthcoming government planning reforms, this council believes that planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary homes, and therefore calls on the government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.

Proposer: Councillor R Sider BEM

Seconder: Councillor C Barnard

Motion 2 – Decision of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on 5 July 2021, as detailed in minute 214/21.

This motion is in relation to the decision by Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on 5 July quoted from the Publicly available Minutes Point 214/21, title “Establishment of Task Group” with related announcement in a Spelthorne News Release on 20 August titled “Update on Waterfront Inquiry” the following Points being subject of this motion:

“3.  in consultation with the Review Group, to authorise the Chief Executive to finalise the terms of reference for the inquiry which are to be based upon the terms of reference set out in the report at Appendix B;

4.   in consultation with the Review Group, to authorise the Chief Executive to amend the terms of reference as considered appropriate as the inquiry develops or as recommended by the investigator;

5.   in consultation with the review group, to authorise the Chief Executive to appoint the investigator; and

6.   in consultation with the Review Group, to authorise the Chief Executive to appoint any replacement investigator if the original investigator appointed can no longer act.”

This motion is in three parts, with the request that each part be subject to a recorded vote:

a)    The Terms of Reference for the independent investigation that formed part of the announcement on 20 August 2021 have been deemed unfit for the purposes of the Waterfront Enquiry and as such a request has been put to the Review Group, headed by the Leader Lawrence Nicholls, for the Terms of Reference to be revised in consultation with the Councillors for Staines, Staines South and Riverside and Laleham, and in consideration of the Attached Terms of Reference.

b)    The Chief Executive shall be required to recuse himself from any involvement in determining the new Terms of Reference or taking any part in the independent investigation other than co-operating fully with the investigator and instructing his staff and any relevant advisors/consultants to do the same. This Motion Part b) of Motion 1 arises from concerns related to the Chief Executive having any involvement in the Inquiry, other than to give evidence to it, given his central role in the Waterfront Development Project which is the subject of this Waterfront Inquiry.

The Full Council to approve in advance whatever modifications are required to be made to the Constitution to facilitate the above, specifically, and only in relation to the independent investigation into the Waterfront Development Project.

c)    The person appointed to conduct the independent investigation shall have access to any or all documentation and/or personnel he/she feels would be relevant to his/her investigations without encumbrance.

Proposer: Councillor S Mooney

Seconder: Councillor V Siva

Supported by (in accordance with Standing Order 20.1): Councillor M Beecher, Councillor C Bateson, Councillor J Vinson, Councillor D Saliagopolous, Councillor M Gibson, Councillor I Beardsmore, Councillor J Boughtflower, Councillor N Islam, Councillor M Attewell and Councillor T Lagden.

The terms of reference referred to in this motion are attached, along with a covering letter.

Motion 3 – WHO guidelines for air pollutants

“Spelthorne Borough Council shall adopt the new World Health Organisation guidelines for maximum average annual levels of air pollutants, that is to say, for PM2.5 a maximum level of 5 microgrammes per cubic-metre, for PM10 a maximum level of 15 microgrammes per cubic-metre, and for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) a maximum level of 10 microgrammes per cubic-metre, in all council air quality measurements, reviews and assessments.”

Proposer: Councillor M Beecher

Seconder: Councillor V Siva

In accordance with Standing Order 16 the Council received three written Notices of Motions.

Motion 1 – Government planning reforms

In the forthcoming government planning reforms, this council believes that planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary homes, and therefore calls on the government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.

Proposer: Councillor R Sider BEM

Seconder: Councillor C Barnard

The motion was carried

Motion 2 – Decision of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on 5 July 2021, as detailed in minute 214/21.

This motion is in relation to the decision by Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on 5 July quoted from the Publicly available Minutes Point 214/21, title “Establishment of Task Group” with related announcement in a Spelthorne News Release on 20 August titled “Update on Waterfront Inquiry” the following Points being subject of this motion:

“3.  in consultation with the Review Group, to authorise the Chief Executive to finalise the terms of reference for the inquiry which are to be based upon the terms of reference set out in the report at Appendix B;

4.   in consultation with the Review Group, to authorise the Chief Executive to amend the terms of reference as considered appropriate as the inquiry develops or as recommended by the investigator;

5.   in consultation with the review group, to authorise the Chief Executive to appoint the investigator; and

6.   in consultation with the Review Group, to authorise the Chief Executive to appoint any replacement investigator if the original investigator appointed can no longer act.”

This motion is in three parts, with the request that each part be subject to a recorded vote:

a)    The Terms of Reference for the independent investigation that formed part of the announcement on 20 August 2021 are not comprehensive enough to guarantee that all possible aspects are fully investigated. The Review Group, comprising Cllrs Nichols, Barnard and Noble, are instructed to revise the Terms of Reference to incorporate all the points requested by the Councillors for Staines, Staines South and Riverside and Laleham and detailed in their email dated 24 September 2021. The Council further notes that the Independent Investigator is prepared to accept these additions and requires that the revised Terms of Reference are published without delay.

b)    The Review Group are instructed to ensure that the Chief Executive shall have no involvement in the conduct of the Inquiry or its Terms of Reference, and will ensure that the Principal Lawyer undertakes the cooperation with all requests for information and cooperation from Council staff. The Councill notes the public concern that is associated with the Chief Executive having any involvement in the Inquiry, other than to give evidence to it, given his central role in the Waterfront Development Project which is the subject of this Waterfront Inquiry.

c)    The person appointed to conduct the independent investigation shall have access to any or all documentation and/or personnel he/she feels would be relevant to his/her investigations without encumbrance.

Proposer: Councillor S Mooney

Seconder: Councillor V Siva

Supported by (in accordance with Standing Order 20.1): Councillor M Beecher, Councillor C Bateson, Councillor J Vinson, Councillor D Saliagopolous, Councillor M Gibson, Councillor I Beardsmore, Councillor J Boughtflower, Councillor N Islam, Councillor M Attewell and Councillor T Lagden.

Council agreed to accept the alterations to the motion as advised by Councillor Mooney.

Councillor H. Harvey left the meeting.

It was proposed by the Mayor and agreed by Council that one vote would be taken to cover all three parts of the Motion.

For – 32

Against – 0

Abstain – 2

The motion was carried

Motion 3 – WHO guidelines for air pollutants

“Spelthorne Borough Council shall advocate the new World Health Organisation guidelines for maximum average annual levels of air pollutants, that is to say, for PM2.5 a maximum level of 5 microgrammes per cubic-metre, for PM10 a maximum level of 15 microgrammes per cubic-metre, and for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) a maximum level of 10 microgrammes per cubic-metre, in all council air quality measurements, reviews and assessments.”

Proposer: Councillor M Beecher

Seconder: Councillor V Siva

Council agreed to accept the alterations to the motion as advised by Councillor M. Beecher.

The motion was carried.