Agenda and minutes

The meeting will commence with a short service of prayers.

The meeting opened with prayers led by the Mayor’s Chaplain, Father John Cooke of St Margaret Mary Church in Park Gate.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor N R Gregory.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 13 February 2014 (to be tabled at the meeting).

RESOLVED that the Mayor be authorised to sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13 February 2014.

The Mayor reported on the preparations by the Chief Executive Officer, Peter Grimwood, as he continues his training towards running the London Marathon in April on behalf of the Rainbow Centre. The Mayor gave her thanks to those who had already sponsored Peter, and encouraged all to donate via the http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PeterGrimwood  website which keeps a track of all donations. The Mayor stated that the total money raised so far was standing at £1,561 and it would be marvellous to see this climb towards the £2,000 mark.

The Mayor announced that the next tea party would be on Thursday 6 March with a talk on “Fareham in Bloom” by Matt Wakefield.

The Mayor was pleased to report that the next charity event would be the fully subscribed Fashion Show by Rhian of Warsash on Monday 31 March at the Concorde Club in Eastleigh. The Mayor passed on her gratitude to Sandy Jones, the owner of Rhian, for her support.

The Mayor’s Charity Ball will be held at Ferneham Hall on Friday 4 April and tickets can be purchased from the Mayor’s PA in the Civic Offices.

The Mayor was delighted to announce that the John Miller Orchestra would be playing at Ferneham Hall on Sunday 27 April from 7:30pm in aid of the Mayor of Fareham’s charities. John is the nephew of Glenn Miller and the big band will perform the Glenn Miller classics. Tickets are available from the Ferneham Hall box office.

There were no announcements given by the Executive Leader at this meeting.

Successful Food Hygiene Prosecution

The Executive Member for Public Protection reported that Fareham Borough Council had successfully prosecuted the owner of Kams Palace for five offences under the Food Hygiene Regulations and two offences under Health and Safety legislation.

The Executive Member for Public Protection confirmed that the prosecution at Fareham Magistrates Court followed a routine food hygiene inspection last year.  Officers visited Kams Palace and found poor standards of cleanliness in the kitchen and storage areas. There were many food safety hazards including poor stock control, food stored in dirty containers, dirty equipment and evidence of mice. No evidence of food hygiene training for the employees was available. A build-up of ice was found on the floor of a walk-in freezer. A steamer oven was not draining properly and staff were manually emptying large trays of overflow water. These defects posed a serious risk of injury to the restaurant’s employees.

The Executive Member for Public Protection reported that Kams Palace Ltd pleaded guilty and were fined £11,000 and ordered to pay full costs to the Council. He stated that the case highlights the important work carried out by the Council’s Environmental Health team in ensuring food businesses are complying with the law and maintaining the required standards of hygiene and safety.

The Executive Member for Public Protection also highlighted the work undertaken by the Southampton and Fareham Legal Services Partnership in this successful prosecution.

To receive any declarations of interest from members in accordance with Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct and disclosures of advice or directions received from Group Leaders of Political Groups, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

Councillor R H Price, JP declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest for item 16 – Finance Strategy, Capital Programme, Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2014/15 as he leases an allotment in Portchester. He confirmed that he would leave the chamber and not take part in any debate on allotments.

Councillor J M Englefield declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest for item 16 – Finance Strategy, Capital Programme, Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2014/15 as he leases an allotment in Portchester. He confirmed that he would leave the chamber and not take part in any debate on allotments.

To receive any petitions presented by a member of the Council.

Note: any petition so presented will be dealt with in accordance with the Council’s petition scheme.

A petition of approximately 835 signatures was presented by Councillor Mrs C L A Hockley entitled “Save The Parking – This is to save the 20 minute parking bay in South Street (Outside the Shop)”.

A petition of approximately 456 signatures was presented by Councillor L Keeble entitled “I am signing this petition to show my objection to housing development on land between Longfield Avenue, Rowans Way and Stubbington”.

The Mayor advised that both petitions would be dealt with in accordance with Fareham Borough Council’s petition scheme.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been given.

There were no deputations given at this meeting.

To receive, consider and answer questions on reports and recommendations of the Executive and to receive the schedule of individual Executive member decisions.

The schedule of decisions made by individual Executive Members was presented to the Council.

RESOLVED that the schedule of decisions made by individual Executive Members be received.

To receive, consider and answer questions on reports and recommendations of the meeting of the Scrutiny Board held on 23 January 2014.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Board meeting held on 23 January 2014 be received.

To receive the minutes of the following Committees and to consider and answer questions on any reports and recommendations made.

The minutes of the following Committee meetings were presented to Council:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 12 December 2013 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 18 December 2013 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 8 January 2014 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 29 January 2014 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Planning and Environment Policy Development and Review Panel held on 7 January 2014 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Streetscene Policy Development and Review Panel held on 9 January 2014 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Leisure and Community Policy Development and Review Panel held on 15 January 2014 be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Health and Housing Policy Development and Review Panel held on 16 January 2014 be received.

To answer questions pursuant to Standing Order 17.2 for this meeting.

There were no questions under Standing Order 17.2 submitted for this meeting.

Members will be informed, prior to the meeting, of any motion duly notified in accordance with Standing Order 15 but received after print and dispatch of the agenda.

There were no motions under Standing Order 15 moved at this meeting.

A report by the Monitoring Officer.

During the debate on the item, Councillor T G Knight proposed an amendment to the recommendations contained within the report for the Council to write to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to record the Council’s displeasure at being micro-managed.

Having been duly seconded and following a debate on the amendment, the amendment was declared CARRIED unanimously.

On the proposal being put to the meeting, it was declared CARRIED unanimously.

RESOLVED that the Council:

(a)       delegates authority to the Monitoring Officer to revise the Council’s Constitution – Standing Orders with respect to Meetings to record the way members vote on budget decision matters, subject to the confirmation of and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders)(England)(Amendment) Order 2014; and

(b)       agrees that the Executive Leader write to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to record the Council’s displeasure at being micro-managed.

To consider suspending the provisions of Standing Order 19.4 to allow the Executive Leader of the Council to speak on the matters referred to in items (2) and (3) below for longer than five minutes and the spokesman for the Opposition Group to speak for not more than ten minutes.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, it was RESOLVED that the provisions of Standing Order 19.4 be suspended to allow the Executive Leader of the Council to speak on the matters referred to in items 16(2) and (3) for longer than five minutes and the Spokesman for the opposition group to speak for not more than ten minutes.

The minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 10 February 2014, presented to Council at its meeting on 13 February 2014 at item 9(2), contained recommendations on the revenue budget and the level of council tax for 2014/15.  If members accept the Executive’s recommendations, formal approval will be sought of the following matters:-

(a)       the capital programme and financing of £34,601,000;

(b)       an overall revised revenue budget for 2013/14 of £9,823,300;

(c)       a revenue budget for 2014/15 of £9,510,600; and

(d)       a council tax for Fareham Borough Council for 2014/15 of £140.22 per band D property, which represents no increase when compared to the current year.

(Note: A copy of the report to the Executive report is included in this agenda pack)

The Council considered the Executive’s recommendations concerning the Finance Strategy, Capital Programme, Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2014/15, referred to in the Minutes of the Executive meeting dated 10 February 2014.

(i)        RESOLVED that the recommendation of the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2014, contained in minute 12(3): Housing Revenue Account Spending Plans, including the Capital Programme for 2014/15 be accepted and, accordingly that the Council approves:

(a)       individual rent increases in line with the rent restructuring model for Council dwellings with effect from 7 April 2014;

(b)       that rents for Council garages be increased by 5% with effect from 7 April 2014;

(c)       that discretionary fees and charges be increased to provide a minimum increase of 5%, where possible, with effect from 7 April 2014;

(d)       the revised budget for 2013/14;

(e)       the base budget for 2014/15;

(f)        the capital programme and financing for 2013/14 to 2017/18; and

(g)       that annual budgets and assumptions are set with the aim of ensuring sufficient surpluses are held to repay debt on the date of maturity of each loan.

(ii)       RESOLVED that the recommendation of the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2014, contained in minute 12(5): Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators 2014/15 be accepted and, accordingly that the Council approves the Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators for 2014/15.

Having made the necessary calculations in relation to its own budget, the Council must proceed to set the council tax for 2014/15 taking account of the amounts in precepts issued to the Council by Hampshire County Council, the Police & Crime Commissioner and Hampshire Fire Authority.  Those precepts will not be issued until 20 February and will therefore be reported at the meeting.

(Note: a schedule will be circulated at the meeting showing the formal calculations the Council must make, incorporating any figures recommended by the Executive.  Members will also be advised of the wording of the formal resolution they must adopt to set the Council Tax for 2014/15, taking account of the requisite calculations and the precepts of Hampshire County Council, the Police & Crime Commissioner and Hampshire Fire Authority.)

It was proposed by Councillor S D T Woodward and seconded by Councillor T Cartwright that the Council accepts the recommendations of the Executive and approves:-

(i)       the capital programme and financing of £34,601,000;

(ii)      an overall revised revenue budget for 2013/14 of £9,823,300;

(iii)     a revenue budget for 2014/15 of £9,516,100; and

(iv)     a council tax for Fareham Borough Council for 2014/15 of £140.22 per band D property, which represents no increase when compared to the current year.

The Council considered additional information tabled at the meeting: a schedule showing the formal calculations for setting the council tax and a graphical breakdown of council tax rates.

In presenting the proposal, the Executive Leader reviewed the Council’s performance over the past year and drew attention to the challenging background of more local control, more local decisions and more community engagement with higher expectations to be met with fewer resources.

The Executive Leader reminded members of a number of notable achievements of the last 12 months before looking at the challenges of the coming year. He confirmed that a multi-million pound investment had been secured for the infrastructure on the Daedalus site and that the new CEMAST (Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Advanced Skills Training) facility was due to open in autumn 2014. He also reported that the Welborne Plan had been agreed by Council and would be submitted for the Planning Inspector’s examination in summer 2014.

The Executive Leader highlighted a number of projects such as the redevelopment of Collingwood House, the creation of a joint venture housing company to support the delivery of new homes, the launch of the Fareham Town Centre website, the placement of textile banks throughout the borough and the introduction of the Vanguard method to assist in improving the customer experience had all been successfully initiated. He also highlighted the Council’s approach to income generation and its commitment to spend £8 million via the Commercial Property Investment Acquisition Strategy. This allows the purchase of commercial properties that will achieve a greater rate of return for the Council than through the money markets.

The Executive Leader commented that all of the new initiatives and successes had been achieved whilst the council tax had remained unchanged since 2009. He observed that this was even more remarkable when in 2009, the Council’s core funding from Government was over £6 million and since that time, whilst Council Tax has remained the same the funding has dropped to £3.2 million.  During those 6 years, the Council has delivered efficiencies of over £3.5million but the standards of service have remained very high and front line services have not been cut to achieve this.

The Executive Leader set the expectation that funding from Government would fall by £1/2 million next year and that further reductions are expected as the economy struggles to come to life and this would impact on Fareham to the tune of £600,000 in 2015/16. He cited the new Council Tax Support Scheme which would challenge more of Fareham’s residents to have to pay a proportion of their council tax, many for the first time.

The Executive Leader concluded by saying that the proposed budget delivered all services at a cost equivalent to a level seen a decade ago, whilst bringing real financial benefit to every single taxpayer in the Borough and would continue to by one of the lowest Council Tax rates in the country.

Councillor P W Whittle, JP, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, replied to the motion and stated that whilst he supported the budget proposals in principle, he moved an amendment which was seconded by Councillor R H Price, JP to add further recommendations that:

“This Council earmarks £213,000 for the unallocated surplus for the year ahead for the purpose of sea and flood defences around the borough” and

“This Council undertakes to pay staff at least the equivalent to the level of the national living wage with the costs of £14,401 to be identified from relevant revenue budgets”.

On the amendment being put to the meeting following debate it was declared LOST, there being 6 votes in favour (Councillors G Fazackarley, J S Forrest, D J Norris, R H Price, JP, Mrs K K Trott and P W Whittle, JP) and 22 votes against (Councillors B Bayford, Miss S M Bell, J V Bryant, Mrs P M Bryant, T Cartwright, P J Davies, Mrs M Ellerton, K D Evans, M J Ford, Miss T Harper, Mrs C L A Hockley, T J Howard, L Keeble, T G Knight, A Mandry, Mrs K Mandry, Mrs S Pankhurst, D L Steadman, D C S Swanbrow, N J Walker, D M Whittingham, and S D T Woodward), with 2 members abstaining from voting

(The Mayor and Councillor J M Englefield).

Councillor K D Evans left the meeting at 7:20pm.

On the substantive motion being put to the meeting following further debate, it was declared CARRIED unanimously.

(Councillors B Bayford, Miss S M Bell, J V Bryant, Mrs P M Bryant, T Cartwright, P J Davies, Mrs M Ellerton, G Fazackarley, M J Ford, J S Forrest, Miss T Harper, Mrs C L A Hockley, T J Howard, L Keeble, T G Knight, A Mandry, Mrs K Mandry, D J Norris, Mrs S Pankhurst, R H Price, JP,  D L Steadman, D C S Swanbrow, Mrs K K Trott N J Walker, D M Whittingham, P W Whittle, JP and S D T Woodward voting in favour).

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Executive be accepted and accordingly the Council approved:

(i)       the capital programme and financing of £34,601,000;

(ii)      an overall revised revenue budget for 2013/14 of £9,823,300;

(iii)     a revenue budget for 2014/15 of £9,516,100; and

(iv)     a council tax for Fareham Borough Council for 2014/15 of £140.22 per band D property, which represents no increase when compared to the current year.

To make any changes in appointments to the seats on committees in accordance with the wishes of political groups.  Such appointments will take effect from 24/02/14.

There were no changes to appointments to committees made at this meeting.

(1)       Fareham North-West Community Association Management Committee

This group meets four times a year and supports the local community by maintaining the centre, maximising its occupancy and making it accessible for local residents. The Council appoints a voting representative.

(2)       Fareham College CEMAST Curriculum Development Group

Fareham Borough Council has been approached by Fareham College to appoint a member to the CEMAST Curriculum Development Stakeholder Group.

This group meets quarterly and is comprised of employers and stakeholders to discuss curriculum, marketing, course design, bespoke employer requirements and continuing and strengthening links between the Fareham College Group’s CEMAST project and local employers.

(1)       In considering the appointment to the Fareham North-West Community Association Management Committee, it was proposed by Councillor S D T Woodward and seconded by Councillor T Cartwright that Councillor D M Whittingham be appointed as the representative.

RESOLVED that Councillor D M Whittingham be appointed as the representative to the Fareham North-West Community Association Management Committee for the remainder of the 2013/14 municipal year.

(2)       In considering the appointment to the Fareham College CEMAST Curriculum Development Group, it was proposed by Councillor Mrs K K Trott and seconded by Councillor R H Price, JP that Councillor P W Whittle, JP be appointed as the representative. On the proposal being put to the meeting it was declared LOST, 6 members voting in favour, 20 members voting against and 2 members abstaining from voting.

It was proposed by Councillor S D T Woodward and seconded by Councillor L Keeble that Councillor T Cartwright be appointed as the representative.

RESOLVED that Councillor T Cartwright be appointed as the representative to the Fareham College CEMAST Curriculum Development Group.

Further to the Executive Leader’s decision taken on 28 January 2014 in which he changed the portfolio for Strategic Planning and Environment to that of Planning and Development, Council is asked to agree the change of name for the corresponding panel to become the Planning and Development Policy Development and Review Panel.

Upon being put to the meeting, the motion to agree to the change of name of the panel to become the Planning and Development Policy Development and Review Panel was declared CARRIED, 26 members voting in favour, 1 member voting against and one member abstaining from voting.

RESOLVED that the panel be re-named the Planning and Development Policy Development and Review Panel.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public and representatives of the Press from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the matters to be dealt with involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED that the public and representatives of the press be excluded from the remainder of the meeting in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as the Council considers that it is not in the public interest to consider the matters in public on the grounds that they will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

A report by the Chief Executive Officer.

The Council received a report by the Chief Executive Officer inviting members to consider details of a new management structure for the Council, as part of the process to identify £800,000 in efficiency savings.

The Council considered additional information tabled at the meeting: a letter of consultation response from Fareham UNISON branch.

Upon being proposed by Councillor S D T Woodward and seconded by Councillor T Cartwright, the proposals were declared CARRIED, with 25 members voting in favour, and 3 members abstaining from voting.

RESOLVED that the Council approves:

(a)      the deletion of the current post of Director of Regulatory and Democratic Services with immediate effect, subject to the appropriate notice period being met;

(b)      that the designation of the Director of Streetscene be amended to Director of Environmental Services and the designation of the Director of Planning and Environment be amended to Director of Planning and Development;

(c)       the appointment of Mr Paul Doran, Director of Environmental Services (subject to the approval of recommendation (b) or if not, Director of Streetscene), to the role of the Council’s Monitoring Officer;

(d)      that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to amend the scheme of delegation to transfer functions currently under the responsibility of the Director of Regulatory and Democratic Services to other Directors; and

(e)      that this report and the minute of the decision be no longer treated as exempt information and be open for public inspection, with the exception of the Confidential Appendices A and B which will remain exempt from publication.