Meeting documents

• (Attachment: 1)Minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 9th October 2014 be approved as a correct record and signed.

Councillors G. Crome, F. Kelly, M. Miller, Mrs C. Poulter and P. Shillinglaw.

None.

None.

None.

Two questions were asked and responses given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.15 and the Order paper circulated at the meeting. Details were as follows:

Subject: Surrey CC - strategic planning powers.

Question by: Councillor N.D. Harrison.

Answered by: Executive Member for Planning and Development, Councillor T. Schofield.

Subject: Homelessness.

Question by: Councillor G. Norman.

Executive Member for Housing and Welfare, Councillor Mrs R. Renton.

• (Attachment: 2)Agenda item: 7

RESOLVED that the Recommendations of the:

(i) Executive under Minute 48 (Local Council Tax Support Scheme) be adopted;

(ii) Executive under Minute 50 (Half Yearly Treasury Management Performance Report for 2014/15) be adopted;

(iii) Executive under Minute 60 (5 Year Plan (Corporate Plan) 2015-20) be adopted; and

(iv) Executive under Minute 61 (Construction of Retail and Residential Premises and Community Facilities on the Merstham Estate) be adopted.
 

None.

Councillor Ms S. Finch moved and Councillor J. Essex seconded the following motion:

“That this Council resolves:

(a) that a letter be sent to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government requesting that local authorities be given the power to introduce a levy of up to 8.5% of the rateable value on supermarkets or large retail outlets in their area with a rateable annual value not less that £500,000 and

(b) for the revenue to be retained by local authorities in order to be used to help improve their local communities.
In accordance with Council procedure rules the Motion upon being moved and seconded was referred without discussion to the Executive for consideration.
 

RESOLVED that:

(i) authority be given for the sealing of any Orders, Deeds or Documents necessary to give effect to any matter contained in the Minutes of the meetings held between 29th September 2014 and 4th December 2014 (2014/15 Volume 4) and any previous Minutes; and

(ii) the sealing of documents referred to in entries 79/14 to 108/14 in the Seal Register be ratified.
 

• (Attachment: 3)Agenda item: 11

Council received a report on the outcome of a statutory review of polling districts and polling places undertaken under the Electoral Administration Act 2006.

The report set out relevant statutory powers, the review process, accessibility issues, consultation undertaken and a summary of proposed changes to two designated polling places.

Annexed to the report was a proposed schedule of polling places, based upon the outcomes of the review.

The report was presented by the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer and the recommendations as set out were then moved by Councillor V. Broad and seconded by Councillor M. Vivona.

RESOLVED that:

(i) the premises set out in Annex 1 be designated the polling places for the polling districts stated with effect from 1 January 2015; and 

(ii) taking into consideration any responses to the current consultation on using Reigate Park Church, the Electoral Registration Officer be delegated authority to designate a polling place for the SPW1 polling district of South Park and Woodhatch Ward.

 

• (Attachment: 4)Agenda item: 12

Council received a report on the Council Tax base for 2015/16.

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, 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 Executive Member for Finance (Councillor G. Knight) who moved the Recommendation set out. This was seconded by Councillor K. Foreman whereupon it was

RESOLVED that in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992, the Council Tax Base for 2015/16 for each of the Council’s areas shall be as follows:

Reigate & Banstead as a whole: 57,629.8
Horley Town Council area: 8,745.8
Salfords & Sidlow Parish area: 1,363.6
 

• (Attachment: 5)Agenda item: 13

The Chief Executive introduced a report on a review of Members’ Allowances by the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).

The report set out the relevant statutory powers and background. Appended to the report to Council was the IRPs fifteenth report on Members’ Allowances including its recommendations together with the financial implications.

In relation to the report Councillor M.A. Vivona moved and Councillor V.W. Broad seconded their proposals on the Panel’s recommendations which were adopted by Council without debate and it was therefore

RESOLVED that:

(i) recommendations (i) to (v), (vii)(a), (b), (c) (i, ii and iv) (d) and (e) and (viii) to (xi) of the Independent Remuneration Panel be adopted;

(ii) the base level of the Mayoral Allowance be increased from £10,100 to £12,100 for introduction in the 2015/16 Municipal Year (recommendation (vii) (c) iii of the Panel’s report);

(iii) no further work be undertaken at this time in relation to the Special Responsibility Allowances provided for Executive Members or the Deputy Mayor (recommendation (xii) of the Panel’s report).

(iv) the Chief Executive be authorised to make any necessary changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2015/16 (approved under (i) above);

(v) the financial implications arising from the adoption of the Panel’s recommendations be noted and built into the Council’s 2015/16 Budget Proposal and future years projections; and

(vi) the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked for its report.
 

The Leader (Councillor V.W. Broad) reported on the following:

• That work on the refurbishment of the New Council Chamber would begin shortly and that this would allow for the webcasting of meetings to be introduced early in the New Year.

• The Leader offered seasonal greetings and his best wishes for Members and Officers wishing them all a very happy New Year.
 

The Mayor reported on the following:

• That the Holocaust Memorial Day Service would take place at the Town Hall on Thursday 22 January 2015 at 6pm. All members were invited to attend.

• That the Mayoress would be hosting a Ladies Luncheon at Kingswood Golf Club on Monday 16 February, invitations to which would be going out in the New Year. The special guest and speaker at the event would be Jane Hill, BBC newsreader, and all funds raised would be going to the Mayor’s charities, Parkinson’s UK and St. Catherine’s Hospice.

• That the coffee morning held in November had raised £1,072 for Parkinson’s UK. The Mayor thanked everyone who had supported the event for their generosity.

• That the Dicken’s recital evening had raised £2,398 for the Mayor’s Trust Fund. This was excellent news and particularly timely as this was a time of year when families supported by the Trust were most in need of support. The Mayor offered particular thanks to Councillor and Mrs Whinney for all their efforts in organising the event and helping to make it so successful.

• The Mayor concluded by offering his best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone present.