Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
Minutes
To approve the minutes of the meeting of the
Executive held on 1 February 2018 as published.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
RESOLVED
That
the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 1 February 2018
be approved and signed as a true and correct record.
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2. |
Declarations of Interest
To receive declarations
of disclosable pecuniary and other interest from Members in respect
of any item to be considered at the meeting.
In accordance with the
Members’ Code of Conduct, the Leader of the Council,
Councillor D J Bittleston, Councillor Mrs B A Hunwicks and
Councillor C S Kemp have declared a non-pecuniary interest in
Agenda Items 8, 11, 12 and 15 arising from their positions as
Directors of the Thameswey Group of Companies.
In accordance with
Officer Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, the
Deputy Chief Executive, Douglas Spinks, Strategic Director, Sue
Barham and Head of Democratic and Legal Services, Peter Bryant,
have declared an interest in Agenda Items 8, 11, 12 and 15 arising
from their positions as Directors of the Thameswey Group of
Companies.
In accordance with
Officer Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, has
declared an interest in Agenda Items 5, 8, 11 and 15 arising from
his position as a Director of Victoria Square Woking Limited.
In accordance with
Officer Procedure Rules, the Deputy Chief Executive, Douglas
Spinks, and Head of Democratic and Legal Services, Peter Bryant,
have declared an interest in Agenda Items 8, 11, 15 and 17 arising
from their positions as Directors of Woking Necropolis and
Mausoleum Limited, Brookwood Park Limited and Brookwood Cemetery
Limited.
In accordance with
Officer Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, and the
Deputy Chief Executive, Douglas Spinks, have declared an interest
in Agenda Items 8,11 and 15 arising from their positions as
Directors of Export House Limited.
In accordance
with Officer Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, and
the Head of Democratic and Legal Services, Peter Bryant, have
declared an interest in Agenda Items 8, 11 and 15 arising from
their positions
as Directors of Dukes Court Owner T S
a r l.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
In accordance with the
Members’ Code of Conduct, the Leader of the Council,
Councillor D J Bittleston, Councillor Mrs B A Hunwicks and
Councillor C S Kemp declared a non-pecuniary interest in minute
item 7 – Medium Term Financial Strategy, minute item 10
– General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), minute item 11
– Housing Allocations Policy 2018 and minute item 14 –
Performance and Financial Monitoring Information arising from their
positions as Directors of the Thameswey Group of
Companies. The interests were such that
speaking and voting were permissible.
In accordance with Officer
Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, Deputy Chief
Executive, Douglas Spinks, Strategic Director, Sue Barham and Head
of Democratic and Legal Services, Peter Bryant, declared an
interest in minute item 7 – Medium Term Financial Strategy,
minute item 10 – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),
minute item 11 – Housing Allocations Policy 2018 and minute
item 14 – Performance and Financial Monitoring Information
arising from their positions as Directors of the Thameswey Group of
Companies. The interest was such that
speaking was permissible.
In accordance with Officer
Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan declared an
interest in minute item 3 – Questions, minute item 4 –
Notices of Motion, minute item 7 – Medium Term Financial
Strategy, minute item 10 – General Data Protection Regulation
(GDPR) and minute item 14 – Performance and Financial
Monitoring Information arising from his position as a Director of
Victoria Square Woking Limited. The
interest was such that speaking was permissible.
In accordance with Officer
Procedure Rules, the Deputy Chief Executive, Douglas Spinks, and
Head of Democratic and Legal Services, Peter Bryant, declared an
interest in minute item 7 – Medium Term Financial Strategy,
minute item 10 – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),
minute item 14 – Performance and Financial Monitoring
Information and minute item 16 – Brookwood Cemetery arising
from their positions as Directors of Woking Necropolis and
Mausoleum Limited, Brookwood Park Limited and Brookwood Cemetery
Limited. The interests were such that
speaking was permissible.
In accordance with Officer
Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, and the Deputy
Chief Executive, Douglas Spinks, declared an interest in minute
item 7 – Medium Term Financial Strategy, minute item 10
– General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and minute item
14 – Performance and Financial Monitoring Information arising
from their positions as Directors of Export House
Limited. The interests were such that
speaking was permissible.
In accordance with Officer
Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, and the Head of
Democratic and Legal Services, Peter Bryant, declared an interest
in minute item 7 – Medium Term Financial Strategy, minute
item 10 – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and
minute item 14 – Performance and Financial Monitoring
Information arising from their positions as Directors of Dukes
Court Owner T S a r l. The interests
were such that speaking was permissible.
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3. |
Questions
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The
Chairman reported that a question had been submitted by Councillor
K M Davis under Section 3 of the Executive Procedure Rules
regarding Victoria Square Woking Limited. A copy of the question together with the reply was
before the Executive and a copy is appended to the minutes at
Appendix 1. The Chairman confirmed the
reply. The Chairman asked all
Councillors present if they would like to ask any further questions
regarding Victoria Square Woking Limited as there had been a number
of emails and recent press comment. The
Chairman addressed the concerns of Cllr Barker regarding the
current difficulties shopkeepers were having. Following a question regarding risk, the Chief
Executive reported that the contractual arrangements around
Victoria Square had been further strengthened in order to protect
the Council if Bank of Ireland were to change its position and
become aggressive towards Moyallen. The Chairman
commented that it was unfortunate that no Labour or Independent
Councillors had bothered to come to the meeting.
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4. |
Notice of Motion - Cllr I Johnson - Changing Places campaign PDF 94 KB
Reporting Person – Corporate Management
Group
Additional documents:
Minutes:
At its meeting on 8 February 2018, the Council
referred the following Notice of Motion to the
Executive.
Councillor I Johnson
“The Council
a)
notes the national campaign ‘Changing Places’ which
encourages the provision of public toilets which are accessible for
people with such profound disabilities that they need additional
facilities not met by the standard accessible toilets;
and
b)
agrees to incorporate into the Victoria Square development the
provision of a toilet which conforms to the standards requested by
the Changing Places campaign.”
The Executive noted that the Council had already
recognised the Changing Places campaign and that the specification
for the Victoria Square development already incorporated a Changing
Places toilet in its public toilets as part of the New Court area
which was central to all the shopping areas in Wolsey Place,
Peacocks and the new Victoria Square.
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Recommended to Council
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That the Council notes the action sought by the
Motion has already been taken.
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5. |
Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) PDF 213 KB
Reporting Person – Douglas Spinks
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Following the meeting of the
Executive on 23 March 2017, Councillor A C L Bowes, Portfolio
Holder for Planning Policy, introduced the report which outlined
the responses to the public consultation on the Parking Standards
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), and recommended to Council
that the SPD be adopted for the purposes of managing development
across the Borough. It was noted that
the report had been considered by the Local Development Framework
(LDF) Working Group at its meeting on 6 March 2018. Following a question regarding older
person’s flats, attention was drawn to page 21 of Appendix 2
to the report which set out the recommended parking standards for
Use Classes C2 and C3 which included residential institutions and
sheltered housing.
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Recommended to Council
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That
(i) the various representations to the
Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document consultation
together with the Officers’ response and recommendations, as
set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be noted;
(ii) subject to the proposed modifications, the
Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document in Appendix 2 to
the report be adopted for the purposes of managing development
across the Borough;
(iii)
the requirements of the Parking Standards Supplementary Planning
Document should apply to all relevant planning decisions on and
after the date of adoption, in this case 5 April 2018;
and
(iv)
authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive, in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to approve any
changes to reflect new information before the SPD is
adopted.
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Reason: To make sure that the Council has an up to
date Parking Standards that complies with national and local
planning policy.
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6. |
Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Guidance Note PDF 145 KB
Reporting Person – Douglas Spinks
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Following the meeting of the
Executive on 23 March 2017, Councillor A C L Bowes, Portfolio
Holder for Planning Policy, introduced the report which outlined
the responses to the public consultation on the Self-build and
Custom Housebuilding Guidance Note, and recommended to Council that
it be approved as Guidance Note for individuals and organisations
who wished to acquire serviced plots for self-build or custom
housebuilding. It was noted that the
report had been considered by the Local Development Framework (LDF)
Working Group at its meeting on 6 March 2018. Following a question regarding the possible future
release of Council land for self-build purposes, the Leader of the
Council commented that the preference would be for social and
affordable housing to be built on the Council’s valuable
land.
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Recommended to Council
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That
(i) the draft Self-build and Custom
Housebuilding Guidance Note, as set out in Appendix 1 to the
report, be adopted as Guidance Note to provide useful advice for
individuals and organisations who wish to acquire serviced plots
for self-build and custom housebuilding; and
(ii) authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief
Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning,
to approve any amendments to the draft Guidance Note to reflect new
information before it is approved, and thereafter to make sure that
the Guidance Note is regularly reviewed to bring it up to
date.
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Reason: To enable the Council to comply with the
Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act (2015) and the Self-build
and Custom Housebuilding (Register) Regulations 2016.
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7. |
Medium Term Financial Strategy PDF 427 KB
Reporting Person – Leigh Clarke
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillor A Azad, Portfolio Holder for
Corporate Financial Planning and Policy, introduced the interim
report which provided an update on the outlook following Council
approval of the 2018/19 budget in February 2018. The Executive was advised that there remained
funding uncertainties post 2019/20, including the Revenue Support
Grant (RSG), Fair Funding Review (FFR), and extension of the
Business Rate retention pilot. It was
noted that the Council was responding to Government consultations
regarding funding. Councillor Azad
reported that the Council required ongoing savings or income of
£3.5m by March 2022 and that it was proposed that the Council
continued the strategy of seeking strategic commercial
opportunities and supporting growth in the Borough. It was further reported that there was a risk of
reduction in Surrey County Council (SCC) support of some
£950k.
Discussion ensued on the Council’s
Investment Programme projects and Officers advised that caution was
needed on projects which would have a net cost. The Executive was advised that there remained a
budget for strategic investment opportunities of some £15m
within the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). It was noted that Officers would review the
investment strategy over the summer and bring a paper back to the
Executive with proposals to generate the £3.5m required by
March 2022. The Chief Finance Officer
highlighted that the exact level of savings or income required
would be uncertain until a steer was given from Government on
funding post 2019/20.
The Leader of the Council highlighted that the
Victoria Arch funding bid had moved to the next stage and was
SCC’s preferred option. It was
anticipated that the result of the bid would be known in six months
time.
The Executive noted the positive
investments made by the Council since 2010 to improve the retail
and employment vitality of the Town Centre. Attention was drawn to the purchase of Wolsey
Place Shopping Centre and the regeneration of Jubilee Square which
had both achieved an increase in footfall in the Town
Centre.
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Recommended to Council
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That the Medium Term Financial
Strategy report be approved and the Executive authorised to prepare
an Investment Strategy for consideration as part of the Budget
process for 2019/20 which would generate sufficient income to avoid
reduction in services for local people.
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Reason: The decision is sought to set
the framework for Officers to develop detailed proposals for
consideration, in due course, by the Council to ensure the medium
term financial stability of the Council in the context of its
objective to support growth and to maintain services for local
people.
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8. |
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 PDF 143 KB
Reporting Person – Douglas Spinks
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive received a report
which sought approval of the Executive to recommend to Council the
introduction of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) scheme for businesses
selling motor vehicles from the public highway offences.
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Recommended to Council
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That
(i) the Council issue fixed penalty
notices for offences under Part 2 of Section 3 of the Clean
Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005;
(ii) the level of fixed penalty notices shall be
set at £100 per penalty notice where it is considered that a
person has committed an offence under Part 2 of Section 3 of the
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005;
(iii)
authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place), in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environmental and Well
Being Services, to vary all environmental fixed penalty notice
charges in accordance with the legislation; and
(iv)
authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place) to
authorise any persons to issue fixed penalty notices for an offence
under Part 2 of Section 3 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and
Environment Act 2005.
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Reason: The introduction of a fixed penalty notice scheme
for businesses selling motor vehicles from the public highway
offences is considered a necessary and proportionate response to
the current environmental issues facing the Council.
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9. |
Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) Policy for Littering from Vehicle Offences PDF 153 KB
Reporting Person – Douglas Spinks
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive received a report which sought
approval of the Executive to recommend to Council the introduction
of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) scheme for littering from vehicle
offences.
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Recommended to Council
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That
(i) the Council issue fixed penalty
notices for the offence of littering from vehicles under section
88A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 from 6 April
2018;
(ii) the level of fixed penalty notices shall be
set at £100 per fixed penalty notice, such penalty to be
reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days as provided for under
section 6 of the Littering From Vehicles Outside London (Keepers:
Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018;
(iii)
authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place) to
authorise any persons to issue fixed penalty notices from 6 April
2018 for littering from vehicles under section 88A of the
Environmental Protection Act 1990; and
(iv)
from 6 April 2018 the level of fixed penalty notices shall be set
at £100 per penalty notice where it is considered that a
person has committed an offence under section 88 of the
Environmental Protection Act 1990.
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Reason: The introduction of a fixed penalty notice scheme
for littering from vehicles offences is considered a necessary and
proportionate response to the current environmental issues facing
the Council.
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10. |
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) PDF 163 KB
Reporting Person – Peter Bryant
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive received a report which set out
the progress made by the Council on compliance with the EU’s
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the work still to be
carried out before the GDPR came into force in May
2018. The proposed training for Members
was welcomed. Members thanked Officers
for their hard work to enable the Council’s compliance with
the GDPR.
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Recommended to Council
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That
(i) the progress made on compliance with
the General Data Protection Regulation, as well as the need for
further work, be noted;
(ii) the draft new Data Protection Policy be
adopted; and
(iii)
Peter Bryant (Head of Democratic and Legal Services/Monitoring
Officer) be appointed Data Protection Officer.
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Reason: Consideration of these matters will enable
the Council to comply with the EU’s General Data Protection
Regulation when it comes into force in May 2018.
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11. |
Housing Allocations Policy 2018 PDF 124 KB
Reporting Person – Sue Barham
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillor C S Kemp, Portfolio Holder for
Housing, introduced the report which sought approval of the
Executive to recommend to Council the adoption of a fully revised
Housing Allocations Policy. The
Executive was informed that the updated Policy reflected best
practice and was in-line with neighbouring authorities. Councillor Kemp further added that the revised
Policy recognised and referenced throughout the Homelessness
Reduction Act 2017, due to come into force from 3 April
2018. The Executive noted that the
revised Policy had been robustly discussed at the Housing Task
Group at its meeting on 22 February 2018. Following a question regarding the lowering of the
age range for supported housing, Councillor Kemp advised that it
was necessary to look at supported housing for all age groups and
types of people and that Officers would monitor the situation going
forward. Officers were thanked for
their hard work on the revised Housing Allocations
Policy.
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Recommended to Council
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That
(i) the Housing Allocations Policy, as set
out in Appendix 3 to the report, be adopted; and
(ii) the Strategic Director, in consultation with
the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be delegated authority to make
minor amendments to the Policy as part of an annual
review.
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Reason: The Council has a legal duty to have an
Allocations Policy which states how priority will be awarded to
applicants on the Housing Register and how the Choice Based
Lettings Scheme (Hometrak)
operates. It is good practice to review
the Housing Allocations Policy from time to time to ensure it
reflects local housing priorities and changes in legislation. The
revised Policy reflects this and will become subject to annual
review.
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12. |
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 - Annual Monitoring Report PDF 71 KB
Reporting Person – Peter Bryant
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Resolved
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That the Council’s non-use of
the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
(“RIPA”) during the 2017 calendar year be
noted.
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Reason: To comply with the Council’s RIPA
policy and Home Office Codes of Practice.
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13. |
Write off of Irrecoverable Debt PDF 68 KB
Reporting Person – Leigh Clarke
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive received a report which sought
authority for the debts over £10,000 listed in the report to
be written off. Following a query
regarding 22 Brookfield, Horsell,
listed under Sundry Debtors in Appendix 1 of the report, the Chief
Finance Officer explained that it related to a commercial property
and undertook to provide Councillor A-M Barker with further details
outside of the meeting.
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Resolved
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That the debts listed in Appendix 1
to the report be written off.
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Reason: To write off debts over
£10,000.
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14. |
Performance and Financial Monitoring Information
Please bring to the meeting your copy of the
Performance and Financial Monitoring Information (Green Book)
January 2018.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive considered the Performance and
Financial Monitoring Information (Green Book), January
2018. Regarding Tante Marie, the Chief Executive reported that the
Council was seeking to secure its long-term investment through the
re-gearing of the lease. The Executive
was advised that letting agents were in discussion with new
prospective tenants of the former Tante
Marie restaurant.
Members discussed missed food waste collections
and performance against target.
Councillor Mrs B A Hunwicks, Portfolio Holder for Waste and
Recycling, acknowledged that there had been some issues with
collections however improvements had been made and Joint Waste
Solutions had been outstanding in ensuring missed bins were
collected. It was highlighted that
Woking Borough Council had performed better than its fellow
contract partners; Surrey Heath and Elmbridge. The Portfolio Holder thanked Waste Officers for
their hard work.
Regarding families in temporary accommodation,
it was noted that the February 2018 Green Book and future editions
would indicate the number of families in non-secure accommodation
in Sheerwater.
Discussion ensued on Thameswey Housing’s
rent model and the Executive was advised that Thameswey had varied
its rent levels where required by the market. It was agreed that Councillor Barker would send a
specific resident rent query to Ray Morgan and Sue Barham for
investigation.
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Resolved
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That the Performance and Financial
Monitoring Information, January 2018, be received.
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Reason: To manage the performance of the
Council.
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15. |
Exclusion of the Press and Public
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Resolved
That
the press and public be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of items 16 and 17 in view of the nature of the
proceedings that, if members of the press and public were present
during these items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt
information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, to
the Local Government Act 1972.
Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the
financial or business affairs of any particular person (including
the authority holding that information).
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16. |
Brookwood Cemetery
Reporting Person – Ray Morgan
Minutes:
Resolved
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That the resolve set out in the
confidential minute be agreed.
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Reason: To support the Council’s MTFS and its
long term objectives for Brookwood Cemetery.
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17. |
Land Management - Westfield Avenue
Reporting Person – Ray Morgan
Minutes:
Recommended to Council
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That the recommendation to Council
set out in the confidential minute be agreed.
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RESOLVED
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That the resolve, as amended by the
Executive, set out in the confidential minute be agreed.
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Reason: To enable the Council to pursue its
corporate objectives in respect of Woking Football Club.
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