Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Epsom Town Hall, https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6097201420245747470

Contact: Democratic Services, email:  democraticservices@epsom-ewell.gov.uk  tel: 01372 732000

Items
No. Item

20.

Question Time

To take any questions from members of the Public.

Minutes:

No questions were asked by members of the public.

21.

Order of items on the agenda

Decision:

The Chair informed the Committee that items 6 (IT Strategy Review) and 8 (Horton Cemetery) of the agenda pack had been withdrawn from the agenda and would not be considered at the meeting. The Chair also informed the Committee that an additional urgent item in relation to the extension of the Interim Monitoring Officer appointment had been added to the agenda and would be considered as item 8 of the meeting.

Minutes:

The Chair informed the Committee that items 6 (IT Strategy Review) and 8 (Horton Cemetery) of the agenda pack had been withdrawn from the agenda and would not be considered at the meeting. The Chair also informed the Committee that an additional urgent item in relation to the extension of the Interim Monitoring Officer appointment had been added to the agenda and would be considered as item 8 of the meeting, as a decision regarding the renewal of the Monitoring Officer’s contract was required.

22.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

Decision:

The following declarations were made in relation to Items of business to be discussed at the meeting:

Horton Chapel

Councillor David Gulland, Other Interest: In the interests of openness and transparency, Councillor David Gulland declared that he had been the Treasurer and a Trustee of the Horton Chapel Arts & Heritage Society, but had resigned these positions and did not consider that he had a pecuniary or prejudicial interest with regard to this item.

 

Minutes:

The following declarations were made in relation to Items of business to be discussed at the meeting:

Horton Chapel

Councillor David Gulland, Other Interest: In the interests of openness and transparency, Councillor David Gulland declared that he had been the Treasurer and a Trustee of the Horton Chapel Arts & Heritage Society, but had resigned these positions and did not consider that he had a pecuniary or prejudicial interest with regard to this item.

 

23.

IT Strategy Review pdf icon PDF 463 KB

This report provides details of the IT strategic plan and its accompanying programme of digital transformation, to improve end user experience for Residents/Members/Officers, simplify the infrastructure/applications and increase digital skills of all users. The strategy will provide Members/Officers with improved ways of working, that increases collaboration and reduces the requirement for physical servers located at Council premises. This report outlines the funding required to enable Committee to decide on whether it wishes to follow the strategic direction and progress the priority recommendations made in the strategy review.

Additional documents:

Decision:

This item was withdrawn from the agenda and was not considered at the meeting.

Minutes:

This item was withdrawn from the agenda and was not considered at the meeting.

24.

Horton Cemetery pdf icon PDF 421 KB

This report considers a formal request from a local charity for the Council to exercise its compulsory purchase powers to acquire Horton Cemetery.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This item was withdrawn from the agenda and was not considered at the meeting.

25.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 340 KB

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meetings of the Committee held on 29 March 2022, 4 July 2022 and 26 July 2022 (attached) and Restricted Minutes of the meetings of the Committee on 29 March 2022 and 26 July 2022 (attached) and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 29 March 2022, 4 July 2022 and 26 July 2022 and Restricted Minutes of the meetings of the Committee on 29 March 2022 and 26 July 2022 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

26.

Community & Wellbeing Centre Boiler Replacement Capital Project pdf icon PDF 230 KB

This report requests authorisation to increase the budget for the Community & Wellbeing Centre boilers replacement project.

Decision:

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)        Authorise additional funding of £55,000 from the Capital Receipts Reserve to deliver replacement boilers and controls at the Community & Wellbeing Centre.

(2)        Authorise the purchase of the equipment required now to carry out the works.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report requesting authorisation to increase the budget for the Community & Wellbeing Centre boilers replacement project.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Alternative heating sources. The Committee noted that officers had investigated the possibility of providing a ground-source heat pump or air-source heat pump for the premises, but that these had been found to not be viable for the building due to its insulation.

b)            Savings provided by new boilers and controls. The Committee noted that the proposed new boilers and controls were estimated to provide a 25% saving in the electricity running costs. This reduction would be relative to the energy costs at the time.

c)            Arrangements during works. Following a question from a member, officers informed the Committee that the works would be undertaken in such a manner as to not disrupt the normal operation of the Centre.

d)            Securing project at current costs. The Committee noted that it was proposed that the works to replace the boilers would be undertaken in the summer of 2023 and considered that Officers should be approved to confirm arrangements with suppliers to avoid inflationary costs.

e)            Amendment to recommendation. Councillor Hannah Dalton proposed and Councillor Liz Frost seconded an amendment to include an additional recommendation as follows:

“That the Committee authorise the purchase of the equipment required now to carry out the works.”

Upon being put the amendment was carried unanimously.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Authorise additional funding of £55,000 from the Capital Receipts Reserve to deliver replacement boilers and controls at the Community & Wellbeing Centre.

(2)      Authorise the purchase of the equipment required now to carry out the works.

27.

Business Improvement District (BID) Business Plan and Ballot pdf icon PDF 244 KB

The Epsom Business Improvement District (BID) was established in 2017 and has had its initial 5-year term. For the BID to continue its mandate must be renewed and it is envisaged that the formal ballot required will take place this autumn.

The BID Steering Group have produced a Business Plan that defines the proposed scope and purpose of the BID. This document will inform the choice that businesses will have to make when determining whether or not they support the BID.

As a business within the BID boundary, the Borough Council will need to determine whether or not to support the BID as it will be eligible to vote in the ballot.  This report recommends that the Council votes “Yes” in the ballot.

The Borough Council also has another specific role as the Billing Authority and as-such it can veto BID proposals. This report recommends that the Council does not exercise this veto.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)        Consider the BID Business Plan as defining the scope on purpose of the BID.

(2)        Agree to support the proposed bid and authorise the Chief Executive to vote “yes” in the forthcoming ballot on behalf of the Council.

(3)        Determine (commensurate with (2) above), in its capacity as Billing Authority, not to use its right of veto under Section 51(2) of the Local Government Act 2003.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report presenting the Epsom Business Improvement District (BID) Business Plan and recommending that the Council votes “Yes” in the forthcoming renewal and alteration ballot for the BID’s continuation. The report also recommended that the Council does not exercise its veto of the BID proposals.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Council’s veto. The Committee noted that the Council could only exercise its veto of the BID proposal under certain grounds set out in the Regulations. These related to the cost of the proposals in relation to the benefit that they would provide.

b)            Administration costs of BID. The Committee was informed that a levy collection cost of £20,000 per annum had been agreed with the BID Directors, but that the BID Business Plan incorrectly stated the figure as £17,000 per annum. This error would be highlighted to the BID Manager for correction.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Consider the BID Business Plan as defining the scope and purpose of the BID.

(2)      Agree to support the proposed bid and authorise the Chief Executive to vote “yes” in the forthcoming ballot on behalf of the Council.

(3)      Determine (commensurate with (2) above), in its capacity as Billing Authority, not to use its right of veto under Section 51(2) of the Local Government Act 2003.

28.

Appointment of Members and Chairman of the Shareholder Sub-Committee pdf icon PDF 221 KB

To agree the appointment of Members and a Chair to the Shareholder Sub Committee for the 2022-23 Municipal Year.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)        Appoint Members and a Chair for the Shareholder Sub Committee as required by its Terms of Reference, and set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report, namely:

·                 Councillor Neil Dallen (Chair)

·                 Councillor Hannah Dalton

·                 Councillor Graham Jones

·                 Councillor Colin Keane

·                 Councillor Kate Chinn

Minutes:

The Committee received a report requesting it to agree the appointment of Members and a Chair to the Shareholder Sub Committee for the 2022-23 Municipal Year.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Arrangements for meetings. A committee member raised a concern about the arrangements for meetings of the Shareholder Sub-Committee. The Committee noted that the Council had agreed the dates of meetings of the Shareholder Sub-Committee within the Municipal Calendar at its Annual Meeting in May 2022. The Chair noted the committee member’s concerns and agreed to discuss them with the member following the meeting.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Appoint Members and a Chair for the Shareholder Sub Committee as required by its Terms of Reference, and set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report, namely:

·                     Councillor Neil Dallen (Chair)

·                     Councillor Hannah Dalton

·                     Councillor Graham Jones

·                     Councillor Colin Keane

·                     Councillor Kate Chinn

29.

Extension of Interim Monitoring Officer Appointment pdf icon PDF 223 KB

This report seeks the extension of the Interim Monitoring Officer arrangement.

Decision:

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)        Approve the extension of the Interim Monitoring Officer for a period of up to 6 months from 1 October 2022 or until the appointment of a permanent Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, whichever is sooner.

Note: in the opinion of the Interim Chief Excutive and in accordance with the Paragraph 16 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution the decision on this item is considered to be urgent and is not subject to call-in.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report seeking approval to the extension of the Interim Monitoring Officer arrangement.

The following matter was considered:

a)            Extension of appointment. The Interim Chief Executive informed the Committee that the 12-month contract for the appointment of the Council’s Interim Monitoring Officer was due to expire on the day of the meeting. The Committee was requested to approve an extension for a period of up to 6 months or until a permanent Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, whichever was sooner. The Committee was informed that officers had trialled a shared legal service over the past year, but it had become apparent that the Council needed to appoint its own Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve the extension of the Interim Monitoring Officer for a period of up to 6 months from 1 October 2022 or until the appointment of a permanent Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, whichever is sooner.

30.

Exclusion of Press and Public pdf icon PDF 5 KB

The Committee is asked to consider whether it wishes to pass a resolution to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Decision:

The Committee resolved to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Minutes:

The Committee resolved to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

31.

Horton Chapel

This report has not been published because the meeting is likely to be closed to the press and public in view of the nature of the business to be transacted/nature of the proceedings.  The report deals with information relating to the financial or business affairs of the Committee and third parties and the public interest in maintaining the exemption currently outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Decision:

The decision on this item is recorded in a separate (not for publication) restricted Decision Notice.

Minutes:

The decision on this item is recorded in a separate (not for publication) restricted Minute.