Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of theCouncil Meeting held on 27January 2022.

The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 27 January 2022 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.

Apologies were received from Councillors Wheale and Wright.

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.

No declarations were made.

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, 18 February2022.

Questions had been received from Christine Strudwick, Angela McFarlane and 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 Rule14.

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 Monday, 21February 2022.

The text of any question under Council Procedure Rule 14.4 must besubmitted to the Chief Executive before 10.00am on Thursday, 24 February2022.

No questions had been received from Members.

The Chairman announced that he conducted the following visits: 

11 February 2022 - Mayor of Havant's Valentine's Dinner Dance 

24 February 2022 - Mayor of Fareham's Civic Afternoon

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Neighbour reflected upon the events in Ukraine and how it puts everything else into context. 

He announced that the UK shared prosperity fund had been announced by the government. It is a £2.6 billion fund allocated by a funding formula. We do not know how much the Council will receive but a local investment plan must be in place by the summer and more announcements will be made when information comes from the Government. Spending must improve pride in Place and improve life chances. 

Councillor Bailey announced: 

“Many of us know Liz Glen who after 6 years with the council is moving on tomorrow Liz has made a huge impact on the lives of some of our residents with the initiatives she has worked on, across many of the services we provide. I am particularly grateful for the work in the last 2 years, mobilising volunteers and services to make the Hart Response Hub work, supporting vulnerable residents through covid.

All Members had an email last week from the Housing Team updating on progress on implementing new housing IT. The new system will transform the experience that residents in need of social housing and those facing homelessness have when contacting us. 

In June and July Year 6 students will have access to “Think Safe” an active safety training programme in which children take part in mock ups of dangers they may face in everyday day life and learn through experience how to deal with them. Our “Stay Safe” offering to secondary schools covering exploitation, substance misuse, knife crime and domestic abuse is also well underway for delivery in May and has been signed up to by 4 out of the 5 secondary schools. 

And finally, I would like to make an announcement about our CCTV service 

Members will be aware that the council provides CCTV’s 365 days a year that prevent and deter crime, disorder, and anti-social behaviour. The cameras are supported by a state-of-the-art control centre providing coverage 24 hours a day seven days a week. The cameras act as both a deterrent as well as a tool to help the police proceed to successful prosecutions. Any suggestion that the cameras are not being effective is misleading It’s in that context that I want to refute any suggestion given to local residents that a large proportion of the cameras are not working is simply not true.” 

Councillor Bailey’s comments on Liz Glenn were echoed and supported. 

Members discussed the Housing IT system changes, and a written response would be provided on whether it would affect the impending bidding process. 

The CCTV provision and performance were discussed. Faults, data accuracy and the staffing hours of the CCTV Control Centre were raised and requests for the further sharing of performance data (including historical) were made. A visit for Members to the Control Centre was discussed and deemed possible. It was also suggested that a presentation could be given to Members in the future by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

The Joint Chief Executive reported that Members had all received notice of a recent urgent decision taken to continue to appoint Public Sector Auditor Appointments, to procure our external audit services on our behalf, and that this urgent decision would be reported in due course to Cabinet and Audit Committee.

She also announced that due to the relaxation of COVID rules, that the Hart District Council Offices Reception would return to normal opening hours.

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 without 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.

*Exempt minutes are available for Members via Modern.Gov 

Cabinet (draft) 3 Feb 2022 

No questions were asked. 

Extra Cabinet (draft) 8 Feb 2022 

No questions were asked. 

Planning 12 Jan 2022 

No questions were asked. 

Overview & Scrutiny 18 Jan 2022 

No questions were asked. 

Staffing 17 Jan 2022 

No questions were asked. 

Staffing (draft) 10 Feb 2022 

No questions were asked. 

To seek approval to the Council’s Pay Policy for 2022/23.

RECOMMENDATION 

1. That the Pay Policy 2022/2023 be approved. 

2. That Council approve an increase of staff salaries by 1.75% from 1^st April 2022. 

The Chair of the Staffing Committee introduced and moved the recommendation. 

DECISION  

       i.         That the Pay Policy 2022/2023 was approved. 

      ii.         That Council approved an increase of staff salaries by 1.75% from 1^st April 2022. 

To agree the increase in core grant to Hart Citizens Advice. 

RECOMMENDATION 

That subject to the conclusion of the lease arrangements with Hart Citizens Advice, as set out in appendix 1 (of the report to Cabinet), that their core grant is increased to £220K.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Services introduced and moved the recommendation.  

DECISION 

That subject to the conclusion of the lease arrangements with Hart Citizens Advice, as set out in appendix 1 (of the report to Cabinet), that their core grant is increased to £220K.

To present the draft Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2022/23 which incorporates the Annual Investment Strategy and Prudential and Treasury Indicators for approval. 

RECOMMENDATION  

That the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy and Capital Strategy be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Services introduced and moved the recommendation. 

DECISION 

That the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy and Capital Strategy was approved.

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

No feedback was provided.

To provide Council with a summary of Cabinet’s revenue and capital budget recommendations for 2022/23 to enable Council to calculate and approve the Council Tax requirement for 2022/23. 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.

RECOMMENDATION 

                                          i.That the Council Tax Base for 2022/23 be:  

(a)      for the whole Council area as 41,815.86 [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. 

                                         ii.The Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 (excluding Parish precepts) is £7,812,875.28   

                                        iii.That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act:  

a.             £45,450,983, 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.             £33,943,563, being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act. 

c.              £11,507,420, being the amount by which the aggregate at 2.3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 2.3(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.             £275.19, being the amount at 2.3(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.             £3,694,545, being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per Column 2 of Appendix 1A). 

f.               £186.84, being the amount at 2.3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 2.3(e) above by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish precept relates. 

g.             The amounts set out in column 6 of Appendix 1A for each part of the Council's area being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 2.3(f) above the amounts of the special items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned in Appendix 1A divided in each case by the amount at 1(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34 of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its  ...  view the full agenda text for item 74.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Services introduced and moved the recommendation. Changes were made to point xiv of the recommendation and an additional point xv prior to debate (and as outlined in the decision below). 

An amendment to include an extra recommendation was tabled as follows: 

“That all non-exempt households in Hart District Council Tax Bands A-D receive a one-off £10 rebate in the financial year 2022/23, which will not need to be repaid, and that this is funded by a reallocation of the £250K growth fund currently allocated to the Climate Change Emergency.” 

Members debated the amendment in respect to the current cost of living crisis, central government support, the costs of the rebate and the money in the budget allocated to the Climate Change Emergency. 

A recorded vote was held on the proposed amendment, which was rejected by Council, with the votes recorded as follows: 

For: Butcher, Coburn, Crampton, Crookes, Dorn, Farmer, Forster, Southern, Warlock. 

Against: Ambler, Axam, Bailey, Blewett, Butler, Clarke, Cockarill, Collins, Crisp, Davies, Delaney, Drage, Harward, Kinnell, Lamb, Neighbour, Oliver, Quarterman, Radley, Smith, Wildsmith.

Abstentions: Kennett. 

Further discussion and debate continued in the following areas: 

·       Leisure VAT tax relief. 

·       Other Hart Food Banks. 

·       Here 4 Hart and other community support initiatives. 

·       Current climate changes plans, spending and the use of consultants. 

After the debate, a recorded vote was taken on the recommendation as originally moved. 

For: Ambler, Axam, Bailey, Blewett, Butler, Clarke, Cockarill, Collins, Crisp, Davies, Delaney, Drage, Harward, Kennett, Kinnell, Lamb, Neighbour, Oliver, Quarterman, Radley, Smith, Wildsmith. 

Against: Crampton, Dorn, Farmer, Forster, Southern. 

Abstentions: Butcher, Coburn, Crookes, Worlock. 

DECISION 

      i.         That the Council Tax Base for 2022/23 be: 

a)    for the whole Council area as 41,815.86 [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.

     ii.         The Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 (excluding Parish precepts) is £7,812,875.28  

    iii.         That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act: 

a)    £45,450,983, 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)    £33,943,563, being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

c)    £11,507,420, being the amount by which the aggregate at 2.3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 2.3(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)    £275.19, being the amount at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

The following motion has been moved by Cllr Butcher. 

“To add transparency and understanding, and to provide clarity, this Council resolves to amend its Constitution so that all votes at Council, Committees, and sub-Committees shall be a recorded vote, with each member asked to indicate whether their vote is in favour of or against the motion or whether they abstain. The vote shall be taken without discussion. The way in which each member present voted is to be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.” 

The following motion was due to be moved by Cllr Butcher (this wording had been amended since the Council Summons was originally published):

“To add transparency and understanding, and to provide clarity, this Council resolves to amend its Constitution so that all votes at Full Council, the Council AGM, and Extraordinary Council Meetings shall be a recorded vote, with each member asked to indicate whether their vote is in favour of or against the motion or whether they abstain. The way in which each member present voted is to be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.” 

It was decided that as the motion would result in a change to the constitution, that it would be moved and debated at the next meeting of Council as required by the constitution.