Decisions

The Council considered a report on the application of the six month’s rule, as set out in Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, to Councillor M. Madams, the Mayor.

Resolved to approve Councillor Madams’ absence from attendance at meetings from 25 October 2019 until the Annual Meeting of the Council on 21 May 2020.

The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet on the detailed Revenue Budget for 2020-21 and the proposed Council Tax for 2020-21. The Mayor referred councillors to the Budget Book (green cover) reflecting the decisions and recommendations made by Cabinet on 26 February 2020, including the precepts being levied by Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police.

It was moved, seconded and 

Resolved to agree that in accordance with Standing Order 20.4, 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 made a statement on the Budget and the Council Tax and moved the recommendations on the detailed Budget for 2020-21 as set out in the report circulated in the Budget Book.  The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, Councillor S. Dunn then made a statement.

A copy of Councillors Harvey’s and Dunn’s speeches are attached to these minutes as Appendices A and B respectively.

During the debate on this item, it was moved, seconded and

Resolved to suspend Standing Order 5, Duration of Meeting, to allow the meeting to continue until the completion of this item of business.

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 J. Boughtflower left the meeting before the vote was called.

The voting was as follows:

The motion was carried.

Resolved to:

1. Continue the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations;
2. Continue the complete disregard of war pension / armed forces pension income from benefit calculations;
3. Agree the growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices;
4. Note the Chief Finance Officer’s commentary in section 4 of the report on the robustness of budget estimates and levels of reserves under sections 25 and 26 of the Local Government Act 2003;
5. Agree the Council Tax Base for the whole council area for 2020/21. [Item T in the formula in Section 31b(3) of the local government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “act”)] should be 40,085.00 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2020/21 is £205.05 Per Band D equivalent dwelling;
6. Approve a 1.29% increase on Band D in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2020/21. Moreover:

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

b)    No Money, as set out in this report is appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council tax for 2020/21.

c)    Agree that the Council Tax base for the year 2020/21 is 40,085.00 band D equivalent dwellings calculated in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council tax base) Regulations 1992, as amended, made under Section 35(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

7. Agree that the following sums be now calculated by the Council for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992:

8. Agree that the following amounts be calculated for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011: 

Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (F) above by the number which in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the sum which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band ‘D’, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different band.

9. Agree to note that for the year 2020/21 Surrey County Council and Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to Spelthorne Borough Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

Precepts issued to the Council

10. Agree that, having calculated the aggregate in each case above, the Council in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011, hereby sets the amounts as the amounts of Council tax for the year 2020/21.

The Council has determined that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is excessive and that the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Finance Act 1992.

At the conclusion of this item, the Deputy Mayor adjourned the meeting and the remaining items of business would be deferred until the next ordinary meeting of the Council on 30 April 2020.

Council considered the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on the Members Allowance Scheme for 2020/21.

Resolved to approve the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2020-2021, as set out below and in the Approved Duties list attached to these minutes:

¹ On an assumption of a 2.5% staff pay award

² Based on the existing Cabinet and excluding the Leader, Deputy Leader and Strategic Planning Portfolio

Council considered the recommendation of the Cabinet on the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2020/21.

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

Resolved to approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2020/21.

To receive a report and consider the Housing Strategy for the borough.

Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet to approve the Housing Strategy for 2020/2025.

The Housing Strategy sets out how the Council will ensure that local residents have an affordable range of housing options to meet their needs.  The strategy sets out the key areas of focus, and is based upon the findings of an independent review of the Council’s performance in affordable housing delivery.

Resolved to approve the Housing Strategy 2020/2025.

Cabinet considered the recommendation of Cabinet on the Capital Programme for the period 2020/21 to 2023/24 in the light of the available resources and the corporate priorities.

The potential cost of the schemes proposed in the 2020/21 programme totalled £65,636,700. All bids on the Capital Programme were critically assessed and reviewed by Management Team and Cabinet to reflect the level of capital resources now available to finance future capital expenditure.

Resolved to:

1.    Approve the Capital Programme for 2020/21 to 2023/24

2.    Approve the Prudential Indicators for 2020/21 to 2023/24.

Council considered the recommendation of the Cabinet on the Pay Award 2020/21. 

The proposed pay award of 2.5% to all staff, including those on protected salaries, personal salaries and apprentices had been subject to consultation and negotiation with Unison and was made to help attract and retain staff.

Resolved to approve the 2020/21 pay award of 2.5% to all staff.

Council considered a recommendation from Cabinet to approve the pay policy statement for 2020/21. Pay Policy statements must be agreed by full Council and published by 31 March each year to apply to pay decisions during the next financial year.

Resolved to approve the Pay Policy Statement 2020/21.

Council considered the recommendation of the Cabinet on a Capital Strategy for the period 2020 to 2025.

The 2020 Strategy is a refreshed and revised version of the first Capital Strategy adopted in 2019, taking account of activity in the last year, and reflecting the Council’s greater emphasis on the performance of the investment portfolio, refined and improved governance arrangements and the need to embed sustainability.

Resolved to approve the Capital Strategy for 2020-2025.

Description:

Installation of a steel jetty with hardwood decking to provide a passenger boat landing stage together with the installation of piles.

Additional Information:

There was none.

Public Speaking:

There was none.

Debate:

During the debate the following key issues were raised:

·         Will be a good facility for the borough

·         Will open up the use of the River Thames

·         Concern over the design

·         The design is constrained by the finance available

·         Hydro power should be incorporated into the scheme

Decision:

The application was approved subject to conditions as per the officer report.

Councillor N. Gething left the meeting before this item was considered.

Description:

Erection of a single storey side and rear extension.

Additional Information:

The Planning Development Manager advised the Committee of an amendment to the ward (page 103 of the agenda) which was Sunbury Common and not Ashford Town.

Public Speaking:

There was none.

Debate:

During the debate the following key issues were raised:

·         The scheme has been reduced to avoid an adverse impact on the neighbouring property.

Decision:

The application was approved subject to conditions as per the officer report.

Councillor R.W. Sider BEM left the meeting room for the consideration of this item.

Description:

Relaxation of Condition 3 of Planning Permission 19/00478/HOU And Listed Building Consent 19/01709/LBC to raise the front boundary wall by 0.8m.

Additional Information:

The Planning Development Manager advised the Committee of some amendments to Paragraph 3.2, page 89 of the Report:

·         The approved orangery would have protruded approximately 1.5 metres higher than the boundary wall instead of 1.4 metres.

·         The approved height of the orangery is 3.6 metres instead of 3.5 metres.

·         The height of the boundary wall will be increased by 0.9 metres instead of 0.8 metres. The description of the proposal should be amended to reflect this.

Public Speaking:

In accordance with the Council’s procedure for speaking at meetings, Paul Harper spoke against the proposed development raising the following key points:

·         Loss of decorative cornice which was included in the approved scheme.

·         Amendments seek to save costs

·         Causes harm to heritage asset

·         There is no need for the changes to take place

·         Out of keeping with the locality

·         Contrary to NPPF

In accordance with the Council’s procedure for speaking at meetings, Daryll Westen spoke for the proposed development raising the following key points:

·         Only part of the wall will be increased in height

·         A “swan neck” feature is proposed to soften the impact where the change in the height of the wall occurs

·         Integrity of structure is maintained

·         Happy to agree to a condition to keep historic texture of the vertical header

·         There has been extensive dialogue with council planning officers

Debate:

During the debate the following key issues were raised:

·         Concern over the proposed increase in the height of the wall

·         Adverse impact on the view of the listed building

·         A condition should be imposed requiring the existing vertical header detailing of the wall capping to be retained and incorporated into the raising of the boundary wall.

·         Complies with NPPF

Decision:

Both applications, 19/01710/RVC and 19/01709/LBC were approved subject to conditions as per the officer report and the following additional condition:

“The existing vertical header detailing of the wall capping shall be retained and incorporated into the raising of the boundary wall hereby approved.

Reason: In the interest of the character and appearance of the listed historic boundary wall in accordance with policies SP6, EN1, EN5 and EN6 of the Spelthorne Borough Core Strategy and Policies Development plan Document 2009 and the National Planning Policy Framework 2019.”

Description:

Change of use to provide a water sports leisure facility with associated inflatables and floating jetty, toilets, changing rooms, first aid building, car parking and other associated facilities.

Additional Information:

The Planning Development Manager advised the Committee of the following:

An amended site location plan showing a reduced application site area had been circulated to all committee members.

A late letter of objection was received from Spelthorne Natural History Society raising a number of issues, many of which are covered in the planning committee report.  The additional issue relates to green belt concerns.

Additional condition

A floating safety barrier marking the extent of the application site on the lake shall be maintained at all times between 1st April and 31st August annually and between 1st September and 31st March this barrier shall be removed from the lake.

Reason:-.To accord with the terms of the planning application and to safeguard the Ecology and Biodiversity of the Site of Nature Conservation Importance and its environs as required by Policy SP6 of the Spelthorne Core Strategy and Policies DPD (2009).

Public Speaking:

In accordance with the Council’s procedure for speaking at meetings, Emma Pattinson spoke for the proposed development raising the following key points:

• Will be a benefit to the natural environment
• Will help to improve leisure activity and to increase health and fitness
• The use supports many schools
• Improvements to the River Ash have already taken place
• Less than 10% of the lake’s bank will be used
• Bridges have been added to prevent damage to the bank

Debate:

During the debate the following key points were made:

• Queries over water supply, foul waste disposal
• Queries over possible use of the site for motorised sports
• Concerns over safety of the children in water
• Impact on the green belt
• Concern over ecological impact
• Traffic and pollution
• An informative asking the applicant to give consideration to providing a disabled W.C. on site.
• Concerns over contamination of water in lake
• Activity will act as guardian for wildlife on site

Decision:

The application was approved subject to conditions as per the officer report and the following additional condition and informative:

Additional condition

A floating safety barrier marking the extent of the application site on the lake shall be maintained at all times between 1st April and 31st August annually and between 1st September and 31st March this barrier shall be removed from the lake.

Reason:-.To accord with the terms of the planning application and to safeguard the Ecology and Biodiversity of the Site of Nature Conservation Importance and its environs as required by Policy SP6 of the Spelthorne Core Strategy and Policies DPD (2009).

Additional informative

The applicant is advised to consider the provision of disabled toilet facilities within the site.

NB: Such provision would require planning permission.