Agenda and decisions

(i)         To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

(ii)        In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Strategic Director - Corporate Resources, Kevin Foster declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director. The companies are listed in the attached schedule. The interests are such that Mr Foster may advise on those items.

(iii)      In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Head of Transformation, Digital and Customer Services, Adam Walther, declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director. The companies are listed in the attached schedule. The interests are such that Mr Walther may advise on those items.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 20 November 2024, as published.

To consider any business which the Chairman rules may be dealt with under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

To receive questions from Members of the Public of which due notice has been given.

No questions have been received from Members of the Council.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the Council will continue to work with the GP practice to address their concerns about the building and ensure that it is meeting its responsibilities as landlord and the terms of the lease.

         (ii)   the Portfolio Holder for the Sheerwater Regeneration writes to the North West Surrey Health Alliance and stakeholders regarding the value of health services in Sheerwater and will report back to ward members on the outcome.’

In accordance with Standing Orders, the Council to receive any announcements from the Leader of the Council (or their nominated spokesperson), Committee Chairmen and/or the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    subject to the receipt of advice satisfactory to the Section 151 Officer and Members from King’s Counsel with respect to the Council’s Chief Financial Officer’s Statement of Responsibilities for the Statement of Accounts and the position of Members in relation to this, Full Council approves and submits the accounts to the External Auditors, BDO, in line with the statutory backstop requirements noting that this is done in the knowledge that they are based on the accounting policies and practices of the time and the information that was available at that time, additionally noting that this recommendation is made on the basis that

(a)         the Council’s Section 151 Officer’s via his explanatory statement to Full Council on 26 September 2024, has confirmed that the accounts are based on the best information available and the policies and conventions in place for the year that the specific accounts refer to; and

(b)         Officers have confirmed that there are no further matters relevant to the above accounts as of the date of this meeting  [4 December 2024] that should be brought to the Committee’s attention.”

         (ii)   the accounts for the financial year 2022/23 are approved and submitted to the Council’s external auditors, BDO, in line with the statutory backstop requirements, noting that this is done in the knowledge that they are based on the accounting policies and practices of the time and the information that was available at that time, additionally noting that:

(a)     the Council’s Section 151 Officer, via his explanatory statement to Full Council on 26 September 2024, has confirmed that the accounts are based on the best information available and the policies and conventions in place for the year that the specific accounts refer to; and

(b)     Officers have confirmed that there are no further matters relevant to the above accounts as of the date of the Full Council meeting on 12 December that should be brought to the attention of members; and

(iii)  it be noted that the Audit and Governance Committee (in respect of the final accounts for years 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22) and the Council’s Section 151 Officer (in respect of the final accounts for the year 2022/23) have themselves noted the support of the Commissioners in the approach taken.

RESOLVED

That the appointment of Adesuwa Omoregie as the Council’s Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Monitoring Officer and Data Protection Officer be noted.

No notices of motion have been received from Members of the Council.

To receive and consider recommendations from the Executive.

The Council had before it a report on the recommendations from the Executive, setting out the extracts from the minutes of the meetings of the Executive held on 14 November and 5 December 2024.  In accordance with the Constitution, the recommendations were deemed to have been moved and seconded.

RESOLVED

That the new Woking for All Strategy, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be adopted.

RESOLVED

That the Calendar of Meetings 2025/26 be approved as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the 30-Year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan at Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

         (ii)   the Draft Rent Policy included as Appendix 2 to the report be agreed for consultation; and

         (iii)  the recommendation from the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Committee to the Executive as set out below be noted and supported:

            In their regular reviews of the HRA Long Term Business Plan, the Executive should pay particular attention to interest rates and review the Plan based on that information.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    it be noted that the Council will be requesting Exceptional Financial Support for 2025/26 and this request will incorporate the interest and minimum revenue provision costs in relation to the loans made to companies and the debt standstill and debt sweep contained within the report;

         (ii)   a 2025/26 financial year investment debt repayment standstill on the Council’s investment loans to the ThamesWey group of companies and Victoria Square Woking Limited be approved (subject to the conditions and caveats set out in the report and subject to confirmation of Exception Financial Support from central government) for the financial year 2025/26 as set out in recommendation (i);

         (iii)  a debt sweep for the period up to the end of December 2024 be approved and authority be delegated to the Strategic Director for Finance, the Strategic Director - Corporate Resources, the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, following the application of the principles, assessments and assurances provided by the actions outlined within the report to determine the value of the sweep; and

         (iv)  the findings in the Part II report set out under Agenda Item 19 of the Executive agenda titled Investment Debt Repayment and Standstill 2024-25 and 2025-26 be noted.

The Mayor will move, and the Deputy Mayor will second:-

"That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 15 in view of the nature of the proceedings that, if members of the press and public were present during this item, 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).

PART II – PRESS AND PUBLIC EXCLUDED