Agenda and minutes

The Chairman to seek Council agreement to suspend Standing Order, 9.3 (Show of Hands for Voting), 22.1 (Standing to Speak) and 22.2 (Chairman Standing).

It was unanimously agreed to suspend Standing Orders 9.3 (Show of Hands for Voting, 22.1 (Standing to Speak) and 22.2 (Chairman Standing).

To confirm the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 28 January 2020.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 28 January 2021 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.

No apologies for absence had been received.

To declare disposable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.

Councillor Crampton asked for it to be noted that she is now working as a clinical supervisor overseeing vaccinations at the Harlington Centre.

To receive any questions from members of the public submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12.

Note:  The text of any question under Council Procedure Rule 12 must be given to the Chief Executive (email committeeservices@hart.gov.uk) no later than Noon on Friday, 19 February 2021.

Questions had been received from Mr Simon Brown, Mr Tristram Cary and Mr David Turver, details of which are set out in Appendix A attached to these Minutes.

To receive any questions from Members submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 14.

Note: The text of any question under the Council Procedure Rule 14.3 must be given to the Chief Executive (email committeeservices@hart.gov.uk) not later than 5.00pm on 22 February 2021.

The text of any question under Council Procedure Rule 14.4 must be submitted to the Chief Executive before 10.00am on 25 February 2021.

No questions received.

No announcements.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, Councillor Radley announced:

Contacts received by the Community Safety Team are steadily increasing (39 received in November 2020 – 66 in January 2021) - which means the message that support with Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) issues and vulnerability concerns is getting out to Hart residents.

A flyer has been designed to go out to all households with the Council Tax Bills advising correct reporting of ASB to Police as well sharing contacts for the team and detailing other crisis support numbers.

This will utilise the back of the existing Landlord promotion leaflet, so it is not a further paper resource.

Efforts are being concentrated on building connections with Neighbourhood Watch networks across the district as key partners in sharing of information and provision of reporting and intelligence – webinars are being offered to encourage engagement and hopefully drum up interest in these very valuable community resources.

A Hart Community Newsletter will be produced by the end of March to share with members and key partners - initially introducing the team and their scope of work and then monthly to spotlight ongoing issues, celebrate successes and share useful contacts, information and opportunities.

The Cabinet Member for Community, Councillor Bailey, reported

I am pleased to confirm that yesterday we started our lateral flow testing at the Council Offices, and it is currently fully staffed by teams pulled from different areas of the Council. I’m very grateful for the huge effort that has been taken to make this happen.  The plan is over next couple of weeks the facility will be more staffed by volunteers that are currently being vetted and we hope they will be in place by mid-March.

Hart Response Hub – with the increase in the shielded patient lists over recent weeks we haven’t seen a significant increase in referrals through the Hub for support however a second tranche of additions to the shielded list is going to take place this week and as it is for many over 70 this may lead to additional support requests in the coming days.  I can confirm that the Hub is well staffed and additional back up in place if necessary.

Community pantry for the District is being developed and continuing to progress well and I would like to put on record my thanks to St Edwards the developers who have donated a container due to arrive at Yateley Industries in the next week or so. This will be used to store the food and other donations and I will sending an email to all members in the coming weeks with details on how they can point residents to the Community Pantry who may want to take benefit to it.

The budget to be considered tonight is maintaining ongoing support for Homelessness an area we do extremely well as a Council.   You will be aware the Government announced the eviction ban that has been in place for tenants during the Covid crisis has been extended for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

There was no report from the Joint Chief Executives.

The Minutes of the following Committees, which met on the dates shown, are submitted.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.1, Members are allowed to put questions at Council with Notice in respect of any matters in the Minutes to the Leader of the Council or any Chairman of the relevant meeting at the time those Minutes are received by Council.

The Minutes of the following Committees, which met on the dates shown, were received by Council.

To provide Council with a summary of Cabinet’s revenue and capital budget recommendations for 2021/22 to enable Council to calculate and approve the Council Tax requirement for 2021/22.  The report also includes the statutory statement of the Head of Corporate Services (Section 151 Officer) to Council on the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of reserves. 

Council considered the summary of Cabinet’s revenue and capital budget recommendations for 2021/2022, enabling Council to calculate and approve the Council Tax requirement for 2021/22.  The report also included the Head of Corporate Services’ (Section 151) statutory statement to Council on the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of reserves. 

Councillor Radley provided a budget speech summarising the key elements of the budget and highlighting that the budget was balanced due to a contribution of £381K from reserves. Cllr Radley proposed the recommendation, seconded by Councillor Neighbour.

Members considered whether to deal with the recommendations on block or individually and were advised that the Budget is should be debated as a single package.

Members debated:

•           The difficulty budgeting for Local Government especially in the current climate of unusual circumstances brought on by the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

•           The loss of recycling revenues from Hampshire County Council and the effect on the budget of losing that revenue.

•           5Cs Contract and the effect on the budget this may have made.

•           Re-instating the Overview and Scrutiny Service Boards for guidance and input to give Councillors greater insight in the budgeting process.

After the debate, a Recorded Vote was taken:

FOR the recommendation:  Councillors Ambler, Axam, Bailey, Blewett, Butler, Clarke, Cockarill, Crisp, Davies, Delaney, Drage, Harward, Kinnell, Lamb, Makepeace-Browne, Neighbour, Oliver, Quarterman, Radley, Smith, Wildsmith.

AGAINST the recommendation:  Councillors Crampton, Crookes, Dorn, Farmer, Forster, Southern, Tomlinson, Wheale, Worlock, Wright.

ABSTENTIONS:  Councillor Kennett.

The Recommendation was agreed.

DECISION

1.         That the Council Tax Base for 2021/22 be noted

(a)       for the whole Council area as 41,055.21 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")]; and

(b)       for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as in the attached Appendix 1A.

2.         The Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2021/22 (excluding Parish precepts) is £7,465,479.68  

3.         That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2021/22 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act:

(a)       £46,854,119  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

(b)       £35,924,871  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)        £10,929,248  being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Act).

(d)       £266.21 being the amount at 3(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts).

(e)       £3,463,769    being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

To receive any updates from Members who are representatives of the Council on an Outside Body.

No feedback from Members.

Appendix A

COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE 12

QUESTIONS BY THE PUBLIC

Mr Simon Brown asked:

In regard to recreational access to the military lands next to Fleet and across a wider area being under threat:

1          What assistance and support can Hart Council offer to our recreational users?

2          Will the Council formally support Ash Parish Council in this matter and lobby for the access to be retained unless the specific area is actively being utilised for training?

Councillor Radley responded:

Mr Brown, thank you for your questions. I am Hart’s representative on the Thames Basin Heaths Joint Strategic Partnership Board, hence why I am assigned to answer your question. I am very familiar with the situation having been a keen and regular user of these lands for the past 30 years. Whether it is walking or cycling on my mountain bike I know the area well.

Like you and so many others I do find it frustrating when I find the fenced in area closed, when it is obvious that the land is not being used for training. Although that does indeed happen in my experience, I have also found the lands to be open more often in the past year especially at weekends and on bank holidays. So, I would like to recognise that the Army do make efforts in this regard, especially during the Covid lockdowns. In fact the Army lands along Bourley Road were open once again this weekend and being enjoyed by very many people.

It is not my job to speak on behalf of the army and I have no intention to do so. In response to your asking what support Hart gives to recreational users I will point out the range of SANGS (Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space) which we have set up at numerous locations around the district. These mini country parks are funded by developers for the explicit intention of drawing would be walkers away from the Special Protection Areas. Hart manage and maintain sites at Edenbrook Country Park and Bramshot Park. A privately funded SANG is located very close to the Bourley & Long Valley SPA on Ewshot Marsh. Hart would encourage walkers to explore and discover these facilities.

Hart have also recently opened a highly praised BMX track off Pale Lane north of Fleet. Which when we are not in lockdown attracts visitors from a very wide area.

I personally have engaged directly with the Army and was party to the negotiations to have access gates put in and to have them opened when the training lands are not in use. While I agree that they could be opened more often, I still believe the current regime is better than the total lockout which we would have faced without community intervention.

Thank you for bringing the initiative of Ash Parish Council to my attention, I have read the statement made by Cllr Nigel Manning, Chairman of Ash Parish Council and note that they are primarily concerned with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.