Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the agenda.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 16 May 2022.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 16 May 2022 were agreed as a true record and the Mayor was authorised to sign them.

To receive such communications or deal with such business as the Mayor may decide to lay before the Council.

The Mayor made a number of announcements relating to noteworthy events which he had attended over the past 2 months.

This report sets out the questions submitted which have been accepted under FCR 12, Part 4 Rules of Procedure, of the Constitution.

Three questions had been addressed to Committee Chairmen to which written answers had been provided and published.

Councillor Eber Kington had notified the Mayor in advance of the meeting that he had nominated Councillor Peter O’Donovan as his substitute in respect of question 2.

One supplementary question was asked. The Supplementary question was asked to the Chair of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee by Councillor Peter O’Donovan in relation to question 2 and an answer was given by the Committee Chair.

To receive statements from the Chairs of the Council’s Policy Committees, briefing Members on current events and issues relating to the relevant Committee’s area of work

Council received a written statement from the Chair of Licensing and Planning Policy Committee.

5 questions were asked relating to the statement and responded to by the Committee Chair.

This report presents the Annual Report of the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee 2021-2022 in accordance with the requirements of Article 6 of the Council’s Constitution.

Council received a report presenting the Annual Report of the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee 2021-2022 in accordance with the requirements of Article 6 of the Council’s Constitution.

Councillor Steve Bridger MOVED the recommendation in the report.

Upon being put the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.

Accordingly, it was resolved to:

(1)      Receive the Annual Report of the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee 2021-2022.

To consider a waiver of the six month rule for attendance at Council and Committee meetings under the Local Government Act 1972 for Councillor Jan Mason, having regard to the circumstances of her absence from meetings.

Council received a report requesting it to consider a waiver of the six month rule for attendance at Council and Committee meetings under the Local Government Act 1972 for Councillor Jan Mason, having regard to the circumstances of her absence from meetings.

Councillor Hannah Dalton MOVED and Councillor Neil Dallen SECONDED the recommendation in the report.

Upon being put the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.

Accordingly, it was resolved to:

(1)      Agree that, having regard to the circumstances of the absence of Councillor Jan Mason from Council meetings, the requirements of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 in relation to attendance at meetings be waived for Councillor Mason until the meeting of the Council on 6 December 2022.

Council is requested to approve the appointments to Committee membership.

Council received a report requesting approval to appointments to Committee membership.

Councillor Hannah Dalton MOVED and Councillor Neil Dallen SECONDED the recommendation in the report.

Upon being put the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.

Accordingly, it was resolved to:

(1)      Approve the appointment of Councillor Alan Williamson to the membership of the Strategy and Resources Committee and Councillor Monica Coleman to the membership of the Planning Committee in accordance with the wishes of the relevant political group.

This report requests the Council to appoint the Interim Chief Executive as its Electoral Registration Officer for a six month period.

Council received a report requesting it to appoint the Interim Chief Executive as its Electoral Registration Officer for a six month period.

Councillor Neil Dallen MOVED and Councillor Hannah Dalton SECONDED the recommendation in the report.

Upon being put the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.

Accordingly, it was resolved:

(1)      That Jackie King, interim Chief Executive, be appointed with effect from July 2022 as the Council’s Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for a six month period.

This is a report from the Constitution Working Group to keep members informed of progress with the rewriting and updating of the Constitution.

Council received a report informing it of the work of the Constitution Working Group.

Councillor Liz Frost MOVED and Councillor Hannah Dalton SECONDED the recommendation in the report.

Upon being put the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.

Accordingly, it was resolved that:

(1)      Council noted the progress made by the Constitution Working Group (CWG).

This report sets out notices of motions ruled in order.

Council received one Motion submitted under FCR 14 of Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution.

Motion 1: “Proposed ULEZ Expansion Consultation by TFL”

The Council resolved by a majority vote to consider this Motion at the meeting. In pursuance of the Council’s Rules of Procedure, Councillor Phil Neale MOVED and Councillor Nigel Collin SECONDED the following Motion:

“I call upon this Council to respond to TFL’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone consultation with the impact of this zone to neighbouring non-London boroughs.

I would like to clarify that the ULEZ charge will only relate to non-exempt vehicles which will be any diesel vehicles with below Euro 6 engines generally vehicles registered with DVLA after Sept 2015 and petrol vehicles with below Euro 3 engines generally vehicles registered with DVLA after September 2005.  All vehicle owners can go on the TFL website and put their vehicle registration in the vehicle checker for confirmation. This will still leave a significant number of our residents who will be affected by the ULEZ proposals.

The ULEZ which was introduced in 2019 covering the same area as the congestion charge zone which was central London.  It was extended in October 2021 to include the area within North and South Circular roads. The scheme charges all non-exempt vehicle £12.50 per day to travel into the ULEZ.

We support the move to reduce the high level of air pollution caused by congestion and high emission from vehicles which the ULEZ scheme aims to achieve.

However, in this time of economic pressure the scheme needs to consider the economic, social and mental health needs of all communities affected by the scheme not just the London Boroughs.

Small businesses, leisure facilities, dentists, beauty salons, restaurants, pubs,  local shops, families and friends will be affected by this ULEZ just when we are starting to recover from the last two years of economic meltdown.

The proposal is to expand the ULEZ to all London boroughs which will include Kingston-upon-Thames which includes Chessington to the north and east and Sutton to the north and northeast.  This means that 8 out of our 13 wards will be impacted directly as they border the ULEZ. The remaining wards will also be impacted by rat running and increased parking demand by non-exempt vehicle owners attempting to avoid the increased ULEZ area.

This consultation ends at midnight on Friday 29th July, and I request that the following points are submitted in a borough response for consideration by TFL.

(1)          Provide exempt routes to all significant roads that provide access to important routes such as A3, M25, A240 and facilities such as the existing St Helier, the new hospital to be sited in Sutton, SW Region stations and other transport hubs that at present are outside the ULEZ but require EEBC residents to pass through the proposed ULEZ.

(2)          Owners of non-exempt vehicles in EEBC to be included in any scrappage scheme that the Mayor of London is requesting from central government for London borough residents.

(3)          That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.