Meeting documents

Council
Thursday, 13th December, 2012 7.30 pm

Date:
Thursday, 13th December, 2012
Time:
7.30 pm
Place:
New Council Chamber, Town Hall, Reigate
 

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillor R.C. Newstead (Mayor); Councillors S.S. Banwait, Mrs. N.J. Bramhall, S.T. Bramhall, Mrs. J.S. Bray, V.W. Broad, Mrs. L.J. Brunt, M.A. Brunt, G.P. Crome, A.J. De Save, J.E. Durrant, J.M. Ellacott, J.C.S. Essex, S.N. Farrer, Ms. S. Finch, K. Foreman, Dr. L.R. Hack, Mrs. G. Harper-Adamson, R. Harper, N. Harris, N.D. Harrison, A.C.J. Horwood, E. Humphreys, A.J. Kay, F. Kelly, G.J. Knight, S.A. Kulka, A.M. Lynch, R.S. Mantle, M.J. Miller, G.L. Norman, D.J. Pay, Mrs. C.E. Poulter, D.T. Powell, Mrs. R. Renton, T. Schofield, M.J. Selby, Ms. P. Shillinglaw, Mrs. J.M.A. Spiers, B.A. Stead, J.M. Stephenson, Ms. B.J. Thomson, B. Truscott, M.A. Vivona, S.T. Walsh and C.T.H. Whinney.
Min NoDescriptionResolution
Part I
51 MINUTES
 RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 11th October 2012 be approved as a correct record and signed.
52 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
 Councillors Mrs. R. Mill, S. Parnall, Mrs. D.A. Ross-Tomlin and Mrs. R.S. Turner.
53 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
 None.
54 URGENT BUSINESS
 None.
55 PUBLIC QUESTIONS
 One public question was asked and a response given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13 and the Order paper circulated at the meeting.

Details were as follows:

Question by:
Mr. B. Horne

Answered by:
Leader of the Council Councillor Mrs. J.M.A. Spiers
Subject
Recycling and Refuse Service
56 QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS
 Three questions were asked and responses given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 and the Order paper circulated at the meeting.

Details were as follows:

Question by (Cllr):
C.T.H. Whinney

Answered by (Cllr):
Mrs. J.M. Spiers Leader of the Council

Subject:
The Priory - Maintenance

Question by (Cllr):
B. Truscott

Answered by (Cllr):
J.M. Ellacott
Subject:
Minimum Wage

Question by (Cllr):
J.C.S. Essex

Answered by (Cllr):
A.J. Kay Executive Member for recycling and Street Services

Subject:
New Recycling Service
57 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE
 (a) Executive: 8th November 2012

RESOLVED that the Recommendations of the Executive under Minute 46 (Provisional Budget 2013/14 and Capital Programme 2012/13 to 2016/17) and Minute 47 (Half Yearly Treasury Management Performance Report 2012/13) be adopted.

(b) Executive: 6th December 2012

In relation to Minute 60 (Localisation of Council Tax Support) Councillor J.C.S. Essex moved and Councillor S.A. Kulka seconded the following amendment:

In Recommendation (i) delete all words after "the" and substitute "default scheme be adopted so that the same level of support continues to be paid; and".

The amendment upon being put to the meeting was declared lost, with four Members voting in favour and a clear majority against.

Under Minute 65 (Core Strategy: Further Amendments) an amendment in the name of Councillor Ms. S. Finch was withdrawn. In this connection, the Executive Member for Planning and Development (Councillor M.J. Miller) made a statement confirming that the public consultation on the Core Strategy: Further Amendments and submission of the amended Core Strategy to the Planning Inspector were two separate events that would take place consecutively. Specifically, Recommendation (i) from the Executive would not be actioned until after the close of the public consultation when the document and all representations received would be passed to the Planning Inspector.

RESOLVED that the Recommendations of the Executive under:

• Minute 60 (Localisation of Council Tax Support)

• Minute 61 (Technical Changes to Council Tax - New Discounts for Empty Properties; and

• Minute 65 (Core Strategy: Further Amendments)

be adopted.
58 STATEMENTS
 None.
59 SEALING OF DOCUMENTS
 RESOLVED to:

(i) authorise the sealing of any Orders, Deeds or Documents necessary to give effect to any matter contained in the Minutes of the meetings held between 11th October 2012 and 29th November 2012 (2012/13 Volume 4) and any previous Minutes; and

(ii) ratify the sealing of documents referred to in entries 190/12 to 216/12 in the Seal Register.
60 THE COUNCIL TAX BASE 2013/14
Minute for Minute Number 60
RESOLVED that in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the Council Tax Base for 2013/14 for each of the Council's areas shall be as follows:

Reigate and Banstead as a whole:
56,697

Horley Town Council area:
8,362

Salfords and Sidlow Parish area:
1,367
61 MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES 2013/14
Minute for Minute Number 61
RESOLVED that:

(i) the Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) be adopted subject to all increases to Allowances being limited to 2%;

(ii) the Chief Executive be authorised to make any necessary changes to the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2013/14 (approved under (i) above) arising from any amendment or non-adoption of the IRP's recommendations on Allowances;

(iii) the financial implications arising from the adoption of the Panel's recommendations be noted and built into the Council's 2013/14 Budget Proposal and future years projections; and

(iv) the IRP be thanked for its report.
62 LEADER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
 The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs. J.M.A. Spiers) thanked the Chief Executive (Mr. John Jory) and all staff for their work and achievements throughout the year.
63 MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
 The Mayor reported that the Mayoress would be holding a ladies luncheon on Friday 8th February 2013 at Kingswood Golf Club in aid of Surrey Care Trust. The guest speaker would be the Surrey Police Chief Constable Lynne Owens.

The Mayor's second Civic Reception would be held on Friday 15th February 2012 and in due course invitations to this event would be sent out. On Thursday 21st March there would be a Mayor's concert at the Harlequin Theatre featuring the Band of the Coldstream Guards. Tickets were priced just £12 and all proceeds would go to Combat Stress. The following day on Friday 22nd March there would be a Charity Firewalk at Old Reigatians Rugby Club with proceeds going to Surrey Care Trust. Further details and tickets for these events were available from the Mayor's office. The Mayor looked forward to the support of Members.

Finally, the Mayor wished all present a very happy Christmas and enjoyable New Year and invited them for Christmas refreshments in the Old Council Chamber.
The meeting closed at 8.23 p.m.

Minute

Min NoMinute
60Council received a report on the Council Tax base for 2013/14. The Council Tax base was the measure of the relative taxable capacity of each of the three different tax-raising areas of the Borough (the Borough as a whole, the Parish Council area and the Town Council area). It had to be determined before 31st January each year and reported to the Department for Communities and Local Government. The report set out relevant statutory powers, background, information on the Council Tax base calculation, the impact of the technical reform of Council Tax, and the collection rate.
The report also set out options, legal, financial and equalities implications, risk management considerations, the position on consultation and policy framework factors.

The report was introduced by the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance (Councillor V.W. Broad) who moved the Recommendation set out. This was seconded by Councillor G.J. Knight whereupon it was
61The Chief Executive introduced a report on a review of Members' Allowances by the Council's Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).

The report by the Chief Executive included background information, set out relevant statutory powers, had appended to it the thirteenth report of the IRP (with a Members' Allowances Scheme for 2013/14) and detailed a summary of the IRP's recommendations together with financial implications.

In relation to the report, Councillor J.M. Ellacott moved and Councillor M.A. Vivona seconded the following amendment:

In Recommendation 1 after the word "adopted" add "subject to all increases to Allowances being limited to 2%".

Upon being put to the meeting, the amendment was declared carried with a clear majority voting in favour.

Arising from comments by the Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs. J.M.A. Spiers) that the increase in Allowances would not exceed the 2013 pay award to staff a second amendment in the name Councillor J.C.S. Essex was withdrawn.

The substantive Motion, Recommendation 1 (as now amended), together with Recommendations 2 to 4 were then put to the meeting whereupon it was