Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 31 October 2019.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 31 October 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Allcard, Horwood, Kelly and Whinney.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were none.

To consider any urgent business.

There was no urgent business. 

To consider any questions received from members of the public under Council Procedure Rule 2.14.

There were no public questions.

To consider any questions received from Members of the Council under Council Procedure Rule 2.15.

Five questions on Notice were asked, and responses were given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.15.

Note: For more information on responses to Council questions please see this page on the Council’s website:

https://reigate-banstead.moderngov.co.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13453

To receive and consider the recommendations of the Council’s Executive, Committees and Sub-Committees.

To receive and consider three recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 7 November 2019.

The Council received three recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 7 November 2019.

RESOLVED that:

(i)      A new Council Tax Policy, outlined in the Executive’s report, to apply a 100% discount to care leavers up to the age of 25 be adopted. (Executive Minute 61)

(ii)      The updated thresholds to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme, outlined in the Executive's report to reflect changes in allowances and premiums in line with Government benefits, be adopted. (Executive Minute 61)

(iii)      The Treasury Management Performance for the year to date (2019/20) and the updated prudential indicators be noted. (Executive Minute 62)

To receive and consider two recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 5 December 2019.

The Council received two recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 5 December 2019.

RESOLVED that:

(i)              ‘Reigate & Banstead 2025’, the Council’s Corporate Plan for the period 2020-2025 be adopted. (Executive Minute 70)

(ii)             The Council Tax Base for 2020/21 be approved (Executive Minute 76)

To receive any statement from the Leader of the Council, Members of the Executive, Chairmen of Committees or the Head of Paid Service.

The Leader of the Council: Councillor M. Brunt

The Leader of the Council complimented the Council’s elections team for having successfully delivered three elections during 2019. The former Electoral Services Manager, Sally Crawford, had retired and the Leader commended the contribution that Sally had made to the Council, and wished her well for the future. 

The Leader:

•         Praised the staff involved in tackling the flooding that occurred in Horley before Christmas, along with Councillor Biggs for his response.

•         Thanked the Reigate Fairtrade Action Group for providing samples for Members to try before the meeting, and felt that a similar event would be suitable for staff.

•         Felt that the agreement of the Housing Strategy, by the Executive, demonstrated a substantial change in emphasis for the Council, which was positive and proactive.

The Leader thanked Councillor Knight, and the Head of Corporate Policy, Catherine Rose, for their work in producing the Corporate Plan ‘Reigate and Banstead 2020 – 2025’, which had been shaped by the contributions of Councillors and feedback from residents. Adopting the five-year plan was a significant milestone for the Council. The Plan outlined that the Council would do more, at a time when many other Councils would have to do less.

Executive Member for Housing and Benefits: Councillor Knight

Councillor Knight spoke of his pride in the Council’s emergency accommodation facility on Massetts Road, Horley, which had opened in September 2018. The decision to provide the Council’s own emergency accommodation for homeless households was a response to the rising costs of private nightly paid accommodation, often located out of the Borough. Moreover, the Council’s decision was based on the need to support homeless families locally, and to keep children in their schools.

The Massetts Road facility:

•         Could accommodate up to 10 small families, with a typical occupancy rate of over 95%

•         Had been home to 55 households in need, since it opened in 2018

•         Was an indistinguishable part of the community

•         Provided for every family their own private kitchen facility, and was cleaned each weekday 

•         Had saved the Council around £15,600 per month in out-of-Borough nightly private accommodation support, instead providing the support directly by the Council and in the Borough.

Councillor Knight commended the previous Portfolio Holder, Councillor Renton for her vision to establish the project, and praised the Council’s Head of Housing, Richard Robinson and his team for their dedication in delivering the scheme.

The Council’s Accommodation Officer provided an intensive management and maintenance service for the property, along with the seven other temporary homes that the Council owned, and to households placed in nightly paid accommodation. Households had come to the Council’s accommodation at a difficult time in their lives and had reported being pleased by the standard of accommodation provided, which had been reflected in high levels of engagement with the Council and other agencies. The facility had enabled families, and some single people, to remain local and children could continue to attend their schools. It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

To consider a review of Polling Districts and Places.

The report was introduced by the Acting Chief Executive, Mari Roberts-Wood. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Brunt, moved the recommendation as set out. This was seconded by Councillor Schofield whereupon it was:

RESOLVED: that the premises and recommendations set out in Appendix 1 be designated the polling places for the polling districts stated with effect from 31 January 2020.

To receive any announcements by the Leader of the Council.

-       The Leader of the Council will announce the Mayor Elect for 2020/21.

There were no announcements.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

Mayor’s Volunteer Awards

The Mayor announced that nominations for this year’s awards would open on Monday 3 February and urged Councillors to start thinking about individuals in their wards who would be deserving of a Volunteer Award.  Nominations would close on 1 May and winners would be invited to attend the awards service at the Town Hall on 17 July. The Mayor invited Members to contact the Mayor’s office for more details.

Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor announced the following events, for Members’ diaries.

•         A Service of Remembrance for Holocaust Memorial Day, on Wednesday 29 January, 19:00, in the Old Council Chamber,

•         An anticipated screening of the forthcoming James Bond film, ‘No Time to Die’, at the Harlequin Theatre, 3 April 2020,

•         A Reigate Caves walk, would be held on 24 April 2020, at 19:00.

Lastly, the Mayor congratulated Councillor Essex on the birth of his child, and duly closed the meeting of Council.