Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 16 January 2020.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 16 January 2020 be approved as a correct record and signed.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Philpott and Turner.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any urgent business.

There was none.

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

There were none.

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

Seven questions on Notice were asked, and responses 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 from the meeting of the Executive held on 30 January 2020.

The Council received three Recommendations arising from the Executive meeting on 30 January 2020. Consideration of Minute 84 (Budget 2020/21 and Capital Programme 2020 to 2025) and Minute 85 (Council Tax Setting 2020/21) were dealt with in accordance with a procedure note that had been prepared and circulated to all Members (prior to the meeting) in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.8.4.

For Recommendation (i) of Minute 84 (Budget 2020/21 and Capital Programme 2020 to 2025) voting was recorded in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.21.3 as follows:

For: Councillors Absalom, Allcard, Archer, Ashford, Biggs, Blacker, Bramhall, Brunt, Buttironi, Foreman, Horwood, Hudson, Humphreys, Kelly, King, Kulka, Lewanski, Lynch, Michalowski, Moses, Parnall, Paul, Ross, Sachdeva, Schofield, Stevens and Walsh. (27)

Against: Councillors Adamson, Bray, Brown, Essex, Feeney, Fenton, Harper, Harrison, McKenna, Ritter and Whinney. (11)

Abstain: Councillors Harp and Sinden. (2)

On Minute 85 (Council Tax Setting 2020/21) the Mayor drew attention to the revised Annexe in support of the recommendations from the Executive. For Recommendations (1) to (7) of Minute 85 (Council Tax Setting 2020/21) voting was recorded in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.21.3 as follows:

For: Councillors Absalom, Adamson, Allcard, Archer, Ashford, Biggs, Blacker, Bramhall, Bray, Brown, Brunt, Buttironi, Essex, Feeney, Fenton, Foreman, Harp, Harper, Harrison, Horwood, Hudson, Humphreys, Kelly, King, Kulka, Lewanski, Lynch, McKenna, Michalowski, Moses, Parnall, Paul, Ritter, Ross, Sachdeva, Schofield, Sinden, Stevens, Walsh and Whinney. (40)

RESOLVED that the Recommendations of the Executive, from its meeting on 30 January 2020, be adopted as follows:

1)         Minute 84 (Budget 2020/21 and Capital Programme 2020 to 2025);

2)         Minute 85 (Council Tax Setting 2020/21); and

3)         Minute 87 (Calendar of Meetings 2020/2021).

To receive a report on the adoption of the Council’s Pay Policy Statement.

The Chief Executive presented the report on the adoption of a Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011. The report set out the relevant statutory powers, the issues for the Council to consider, and the associated legal and financial implications. The format and content of the statement was in line with the statement approved in previous years.

The recommendation set out in the report was moved by Councillor Brunt and seconded by Councillor Schofield, whereupon it was:

RESOLVED: that the Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 be approved.

To receive a report from the Governance Task Group.

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which set out administrative and consequential changes to the Officer Scheme of Delegation, as recommended by the Governance Task Group. The Chair of the Governance Task Group, Councillor Walsh, advised Members that further discussion was required on one of the 54 changes proposed (change 19, relating to Section 106 agreements), and revised the recommendations accordingly. The recommendations (as revised) in the report were moved by Councillor Walsh and seconded by Councillor Moses, whereupon it was:

RESOLVED: That

1)    Proposed change 19, referring to paragraph 2.26 of the existing Scheme be withdrawn for further discussion.

2)    Subject to 1), above, 53 changes to the Officer Scheme of Delegation, set out at Annex 1 be approved.

3)    The ‘Successor Clause’ be introduced at Part 3b, 14, of the Constitution to mitigate short-term changes to roles between reviews of the Scheme of Delegation.

Clerks note: Proposed change 19, referring to paragraph 2.26 of the existing Scheme of Delegation was discussed by the Governance Task Group on 11 March 2020, and the words ‘in consultation with the Executive Member’ would be added to the substantive wording.

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

There were none.

To receive any announcements by the Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Brunt, announced that:

·         The Mayor elect for 2020/21 would be Councillor Absalom.

·         The deputy Mayor elect for 2020/21 would be Councillor Kelly.

·         Councillor Michalowski would replace Councillor Parnall on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·         Councillor Absalom would replace Councillor Parnall on the Planning Committee.

In accordance with the delegation introduced by Council in November 2016, the changes in Committee memberships would be discharged by Officers.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor confirmed that tickets were on sale from the Mayor’s Office for the tour of Reigate Caves, followed by supper at the Town Hall, on 24 April 2020, at 7pm.