Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Epsom Town Hall, https://www.youtube.com/@epsomandewellBC/playlists. View directions

Contact: Fiona Cotter, tel: 01372 732124  email:  fcotter@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

38.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

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

39.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 102 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 13 December 2016.


Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13 December 2016 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Mayor.

40.

Mayoral Communications/Business

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

Minutes:

The press being in attendance, the Mayor reminded councillors that the meeting might be recorded and that the press might be taking photographs but that they had been asked to be mindful not to disrupt proceedings.

The Mayor also reminded members that they would shortly be receiving an email from the Democratic Services Manager regarding any Related Party Transactions they were required to declare for audit purposes in relation to the closing of the Council’s final accounts.

 

41.

Questions from Councillors pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To answer any written questions from Councillors

 

Note:  The deadline for questions is 5pm on Wednesday 8 February 2017 (17.00 hours on the third clear working day before the meeting).

Minutes:

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

42.

Appointment of Interim Chief Executive and Associated Matters pdf icon PDF 87 KB

This report requests that the Council appointments an interim Chief Executive, the Electoral Registration Officer, Returning Officer (and other associated roles).

 

Minutes:

(Note: Kathryn Beldon left the Chamber during consideration of this item).

Council received a report from the Head of HR and Organisational Development regarding the appointment of an interim Chief Executive and associated matters.

Councillor Eber Kington PROPOSED and Councillor Clive Woodbridge SECONDED the recommendations in the report.  Upon being put, the recommendations were CARRIED (Unanimously).

Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that:

(1)          Kathryn Beldon be appointed as Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer (and other associated roles) with immediate effect.

(2)          Kathryn Beldon be appointed as the interim Chief Executive to take effect from the last date of the current Chief Executive’s contract of employment until such point as a new permanent Chief Executive’s appointment takes effect following the recruitment process due to take place in February 2017 (should  this be necessary).

(3)          The Head of HR & Organisational Development be authorised to issue an interim contract of employment to Kathryn Beldon for the role of Chief Executive in line with the Council’s terms and conditions of employment for the role of Chief Executive. 

(4)          The Council notes that the interim Chief Executive will automatically serve as Clerk to Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators and Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee.

(5)          Lee Duffy be appointed as Acting Director of Finance & Resources until such a point as when a new permanent Chief Executive is appointed.

(6)          The Head of HR & Organisational Development be authorised to issue an acting contract of employment to Lee Duffy for the role of Director of Finance & Resources in line with the Councils terms and conditions of employment for the role of Director of Finance & Resources

 

43.

Budget and Council Tax 2017/18 - Amended following Surrey County Council decision on Precept pdf icon PDF 210 KB

This is a revised version of Item 06 (Budget and Council Tax 2017/18) taking into account Surrey County Council’s decision on its Council Tax Precept.  Amendments were also necessitated amendments to Appendix 13 (also attached).  Revisions have been highlighted in yellow throughout the report and the relevant Appendix.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Note: Kathryn Beldon returned to the Chamber for the remainder of the meeting)

The Council gave consideration to its 2017/18 budget, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans and Council Tax amounts for each band of dwelling which took account of recommendations of the Community & Wellbeing, Environment and Strategy and Resources Committees (appertaining to fees and charges, the revenue budget and capital programme).

An amended report had been issued on 9 February 2017, following, on 7 February 2017, the decision of Surrey County Council regarding its precept.  The amended report was based on a recommended increase of £4.95 per annum (for Band D properties) in Council Tax reflecting the final settlement which had allowed District Councils to increase council tax by up to £5 or 2% whichever provided the higher increase in income.

In moving the recommendations of the Director of Finance and Resources, the Chairman of the Strategy and Resources Committee, Councillor Eber Kington, made a statement to the Council on the budget for 2016/17 to which Councillors Alexander Clarke and Vince Romanguolo responded.

Upon being put, the MOTION was CARRIED, there being 26 members in favour and 6 against as follows:

 

For the Motion (26)

Against the Motion (6)

Not voting (0)

Michael Arthur

Kate Chinn

 

Tony Axelrod

Alex Clarke

 

Richard Baker

Rob Geleit

 

Rekha Bansil

Omer Kokou-Tchri

 

John Beckett

Tina Mountain

 

Steve Bridger

Vince Romagnuolo

 

The Mayor

 

 

Graham Dudley

 

 

Robert Foote

 

 

Chris Frost

 

 

The Deputy Mayor

Eber Kington

 

 

Jan Mason

 

 

Barry Nash

 

 

Peter O’Donovan

 

 

Martin Olney

 

 

David Reeve

 

 

Humphrey Reynolds

 

 

Guy Robbins

 

 

Clive Smitheram

 

 

Jean Steer

 

 

Mike Teasdale

 

 

Peter Webb

 

 

David Wood

 

 

Clive Woodbridge

 

 

Tella Wormington

 

 

Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that:

(1)          it be noted that, under delegated powers, the Director of Finance and Resources calculated the amount of the Council Tax Base as 32,324.01 (Band ‘D’ equivalent properties) for the year 2017/18 calculated in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”);

(2)          the following estimates recommended by the policy committees be approved:-

a)            The revised revenue estimates for the year 2016/17 and the revenue estimates for 2017/18;

b)           The capital programme for 2017/18 and the provisional programme for 2018 to 2020, as summarised in the capital strategy statement;

(3)          the fees and charges recommended by the policy committees be approved for 2017/18.

(4)          the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2017/18 is £6,045,236;

(5)          the budget risk assessment at Appendix 6 be received and the conclusion of the Director of Finance and Resources that these budget proposals are robust and sustainable as concluded in this report be noted;

(6)          the Director of Finance & Resources’ Statement on the Reserves as attached at Appendix 8 be received.

(7)          the Prudential Indicators and Authorised Limits for 2017/18 as set out in Appendix 11 be approved including:-

a)            Affordability Prudential Indicators

b)           The actual and estimated Capital Financing Requirement

c)            The estimated levels of borrowing and investment

d)           The authorised and operational limits for external debt

e)            The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

44.

Increasing the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund pdf icon PDF 135 KB

This report outlines and recommends an increase to the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund (“the Fund”) of a further £60m to be funded from Prudential Borrowing.

 

At its 21 November 2016 meeting, Council agreed the creation of a Commercial Property Acquisition Fund with a fund limit of £20m financed from Prudential Borrowing.  Following the successful completion of two recent commercial property acquisitions, the Fund is almost exhausted and leaves no capacity to assess, consider and negotiate future opportunities from 2017/18.   

 

An increase to the Fund will enable the Council to acquire additional commercial property investments located within the Borough with a view to generating revenue income streams. These will assist in supporting the delivery of future Council services and strengthen its long term financial stability.

 

The acquisitions will form part of a balanced property portfolio which also takes into consideration the social and economic wellbeing within the Borough.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report from the Chief Executive regarding increasing the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund.

Councillor Eber Kington PROPOSED and Councillor Clive Woodbridge SECONDED the recommendations in the report.  Upon being put, the recommendations were CARRIED, there being 27 members for and 3 members against.

Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that:

(1)          an increase to the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund of a further £60m to be funded by Prudential Borrowing be approved;

(2)          a supplementary capital expenditure estimate of £60m for the financial year 2017/18 for (1) above for economic and social wellbeing purposes and to generate on-going revenue streams be approved;

(3)          the revision of the Council’s Prudential Indicators to reflect the additional £60m of Prudential Borrowing limits be approved;

(4)          a mid-year appraisal update report be made to Strategy & Resources Committee on the strategy, portfolio performance and status of acquisitions made from the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund;

(5)          a new regular update report be made to the Financial Policy Panel on the financial status of the commercial property investment portfolio and rental income profile.

45.

Statement of Community Involvement in Planning Policy and Development Management pdf icon PDF 95 KB

The Council is invited to approve and adopt a revised Statement of Community Involvement as part of maintaining an update to date suite of planning documents in relation to the operation of the planning function, in accordance with the recommendations of the Licensing & Policy Committee

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report from the Head of Place Development regarding the adoption of a Statement of Community Involvement in planning policy and development management.

Councillor Graham Dudley PROPOSED and Councillor David Wood SECONDED the recommendation in the report.  Upon being put, the recommendation was CARRIED (Unanimously).

Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that:

the revised Statement of Community Involvement be approved and adopted.

 

46.

Motions to Council

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 1 February 2017 (17.00 hours on the eighth clear working day before the meeting)

Minutes:

No notice of any motions had been received by the deadline of 5.00pm on 1 February 2017 (17.00 hours on the eighth clear working day before the meeting)

 

47.

Vote of Thanks

Minutes:

The Mayor led a vote of thanks to the Chief Executive, Frances Rutter, who was leaving the Council to take up her appointment as the Chief Executive of NESCOT at the beginning of April.  The Mayor stated that her excellent stewardship of the Council would be sadly missed and wished her well. These sentiments were echoed by Councillors Vince Romagnuolo, Tina Mountain and Clive Woodbridge on behalf of their respective political groups.