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 Ordinary Meeting and the Special Meeting (Annexe 1) of the Council held on 19 July 2016 and the Extraordinary Meeting (Annexe 2) of the Council held on 21 November 2016.

The Minutes of the Ordinary and Special Meetings of the Council held on 19 July 2016, and, subject to amendments notified to members prior to and at the meeting, the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 21 November 2016, were agreed as a true record and signed by the Mayor.

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

The Mayor reminded members that at the weekend he would be leading Christmas Carols in the Ashley Centre.  The Mayor gave details of a charity event to be held in Ewell Village on Boxing Day, with the Ewell St Mary’s Morris Men.

The Mayor also noted that at this time last year, the Council offered its thanks to, and support for, all the members of the armed forces who will not be home with their families this Christmas, and acknowledged that whilst it is hard at any time of the year, at Christmas it is especially so.  The Mayor offered the Council’s thanks in similar terms again this year and also recognised the work of other public services, emergency services, charities and others at this time.

To answer written questions from Councillors

Note:  The deadline for questions is 5pm on Friday 5 February 2016(17.00 hours on the third clear working day before the meeting).

Seven questions had been addressed to Committee Chairmen, and written answers had been provided and published.

This report highlights an issue in relation to the Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule, seeks Council’s retrospective endorsement of the Charging Schedule attached at Annexe 1, agrees repayment of an overpayment of Community Infrastructure Levy, and notes the proposed review.

Council received a report from the Head of Place Development regarding the Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule.

Councillor Eber Kington moved, and Councillor Neil Dallen seconded the recommendations in the report.  Upon being put the recommendations were CARRIED.

RESOLVED

That Council:

(1)          endorsed the Charging Schedule set out in Annexe 1 to the Report, which had been issued and published by the Council

(2)          agreed that £79,660.62 be repaid forthwith to Edificio Headley Limited in respect of the CIL charged in connection with planning permission reference 14/00606/FUL

(3)          Noted the proposed review of the Charging Schedule, and requested the Licensing & Planning Policy Committee to initiate the review at the earliest opportunity.

This report sets out the proposals for appointing the external auditor to the Council for the 2018/19 accounts and beyond, as the current arrangements only cover up to and including the 2017/18 audits. The auditors are currently working under a contract originally let by the Audit Commission and the contract was novated to Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) following the closure of the Audit Commission.

If the Council is to take advantage of the national scheme for appointing auditors to be operated by PSAA for the subsequent years, Full Council agreement is required. 

Council received a report from the Director of Finance & Resources which set out proposals for appointing the external auditor to the Council for the 2018/19 accounts and beyond.

RESOLVED

That the Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited’s (PSAA) invitation, to ‘opt in’ to the sector led option for the appointment of external auditors for five financial years commencing 1 April 2018, be accepted. 

This report sets out a proposed Calendar of Meetings for 2017/18.

Council received a report from the Head of Legal & Democratic Services regarding the proposed Calendar of Council and Committee meetings.

Councillor Eber Kington moved, and Councillor Neil Dallen seconded the recommendation in the report, subject to the following changes:

·                     The briefing evening proposed for 19 April 2018 was to be deleted, as it would clash with the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny meeting the same evening, and to be replaced with a date “To be advised”

·                     The briefing evening proposed for 29 March 2018 was to be deleted, as it was scheduled for Maundy Thursday, and be replaced with a date “To be advised”.

·                     Tuesday and Wednesday were to be deleted from the “day” column for Licensing & Planning Policy Committee.

·                     Wednesday was to be deleted from the “day” column for the Planning Committee.

·                     Local Committee dates would be added to the published version.

Upon being put the recommendation was CARRIED.

RESOLVED

that the Calendar of Meetings for 2017/2018 be approved.

In pursuance of the Council’s Rules of Procedure, to consider any Motions submitted by the due deadline

Note: The deadline for Notice of Motions was 5.00pm on Wednesday 30 November 2016 (17.00 hours on the eighth clear working day before the meeting)

Pursuant to FCR 79, Councillor Eber Kington MOVED and Councillor Jan Mason SECONDED, the following Motion:

“This Council agrees, as part of the Public Realm Improvements, to the construction of a permanent dais with attached utilities, in the Market Square to be used for civic events, performance art and other community uses.”

Following consideration of advice given by the Chief Executive, and representations from the mover of the motion, the Council RESOLVED to debate the motion.

Upon the motion being put, it was LOST, there being 8 Members in favour and the majority against, with 1 abstention, and with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor not voting.

A Panel is required to be appointed to undertake various tasks relating to the recruitment of a new Chief Executive.  The Panel would ordinarily be appointed by Strategy & Resources Committee, but it is considered that it should instead by appointed by full Council, to avoid undue delay to the process and consequent impact on the Council.

In the opinion of the Mayor, by reason of the following special circumstances, an item be considered regarding the appointment of a Panel to oversee the recruitment of a new Chief Executive, be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chief Executive has given notice of her intention to resign as Head of Paid Service of the Council. The Chief Executive is required under her contract of employment to give 3 months’ notice, and her last day of service is expected to be 2 April 2017.

A Panel is required to be appointed to undertake various tasks relating to the recruitment of a new Chief Executive.  The Panel would ordinarily be appointed by Strategy & Resources Committee.  In view of the need to ensure that the recruitment exercise can start early in the new-year, it is necessary that the Panel be appointed at the earliest opportunity.

Council received a report from the Chief Executive regarding the appointment of the necessary Panel.

Councillor Eber Kington moved, and Councillor Neil Dallen seconded the recommendations in the report.  Upon being put the recommendations were CARRIED.

RESOLVED

(1)          That the costs associated with the recruitment of a new Chief Executive be met from the Corporate Projects Reserve, capped at £20,000 without further authority.

(2)          That a Panel be appointed for the purposes of recruiting a new Chief Executive, to undertake the roles set out in the Council’s Officer Employment Procedure Rules and comprising:

·                     Councillor Eber Kington (Chairman of Strategy & Resources Committee)

·                     Councillor Alex Clarke

·                     Councillor Hannah Dalton

·                     Councillor Chris Frost

·                     Councillor Clive Woodbridge

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.

The Council 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 paragraphs 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.

Note: Members of the Council were reminded of the need for confidentiality in respect of those items not considered in public

This Minute from the Extraordinary meeting of the Council held on 21 November 2016 (Annexe 1) has not been published because the meeting was closed to the press and public on the grounds that the nature of the business to be transacted/nature of the proceedings dealt with information which related to the financial or business affairs of the Council and a third party.

The detailed Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council on 21 November 2016 (considered exempt from publication) were agreed as a true record and signed by the Mayor.