Agenda and minutes

Prayers were led by Father Paul

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 16 November 2017 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED:   The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 16 November 2017 with approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

Councillor Joyce declared an interest in the Standards recommendations and informed members he would not be able to vote on the matter.  The Monitoring Officer informed Councillor Joyce that he did not have a declarable interest.

To receive Mayor’s communications and announcements.

None

To receive any items of business which in the opinion of the Mayor are urgent. 

None

To receive petitions and public questions in accordance with Standing Order 9.

The Mayor invited Mrs Jo Rust to ask her public question under Standing Order 9 :

“Exactly how much has the council allocated to support those who are without their own home, specifically those who need to use the homeless shelter at the Purfleet Trust”

Councillor A Lawrence gave the following response:

“The Council has worked with housing provider Genesis to provide emergency direct access beds (6 beds) in one location that have been in use since November, and an emergency shelter provision over the winter at another location in the town – to provide for up to 10 people. This has not been in continuous use, but has operated during very cold spells of weather. There have been some limited costs associated with this provision – most of the costs have been recovered via housing Benefit.

As a follow up question Mrs Rust invited Members to spend the night on the streets as homelessness have to experience it.

Councillor Lawrence drew attention to a delegated decision that had been issued to assist with homelessness measures.

In accordance with Standing Order 11.1 to receive reports from Cabinet Members in the following order and under Standing Order 11.2 (a) Members of the Council may ask questions of the Cabinet Member on their reports and Portfolio areas:

(Councillors are reminded that this is a question and answer session not a debate.)

Councillor Beales presented his report and responded to questions on an earlier report.  

Councillor Blunt was unable to attend, Members were invited to send any questions via email.

Councillor Devereux presented his report.  He responded to questions on the collection of supermarket trolleys and undertook to look into the current situation regarding collection of abandoned trolleys.  He also undertook to discuss with officers the interagency responses to flooding.

In response to a question on the refusal of China to accept recycling Councillor Devereux explained that the Council would continue to comply with the legislation and continue to receive guidance from the Norfolk Waste Partnership.  He also confirmed there was a process for complaints re non collection of bins. 

Following the successful prosecution of a fly tipper, it was requested that areas on the Fairstead be targeted to which Councillor Devereux undertook to discuss with officers, but requested that the whereabouts of the problem sites be sent to him.

Councillor Lawrence presented his report.  He undertook to ascertain when the Council became aware of the breach in licensing conditions for Terrington St Clement Pavilion. He undertook to find out.

In response to a question on the spend on the additional money provided for housing, Councillor Lawrence drew attention to the delegated decision he had published in December with additional measures for the issue.  He also responded to a question on the new Homelessness and Rough Sleeper strategy and confirmed that it would come through the Council’s channels for member involvement.

Councillor Mrs Mellish presented her report.  In response to a question she confirmed that there would be facilities to assist older customers in the CIC to get on line for Council services.

Councillor Hodson presented his report.  In response to a question he confirmed that he considered the rough sleepers and buskers etc in the town centre did not affect the footfall.

Councillor Mrs Nockolds presented her report. In response to a question on Stories of Lynn, Councillor Mrs Nockolds confirmed that the summer had been successful.  She gave a breakdown of the recent staff appointments made for the Town Hall and Stories of Lynn.

Councillor Long presented his report.  In response to a question Councillor Long gave an update on discussions with the Doctors at Fairstead Surgery to potentially provide a new facility.  He confirmed that if the Council could help, it would.

Following a question on second homes money, Councillor Long explained that the original scheme had been agreed for a 10 year period and been in place for 13 years.  The amounts coming to the Borough which were largely used to pay for County based schemes for raising attainment and Ask Lily were diminishing.  The Borough would now be putting in bids for funding to the County Council.

Councillor Long confirmed that the Borough Council would not be affected by the collapse of Carillion.  He also encouraged Members to get involved in the Love West Norfolk campaign and act as ambassadors for the area.  

In response to a question on meeting with the Internal Drainage Boards, Councillor Long explained that he had visited and set out the Council’s situation and funding arrangements for the IDB precepts.  He also confirmed that the Borough’s Members allowances had been linked to staff pay increase levels, and declined to change their position on the web site.

In response to a question on the introduction of a bullying and harassment policy Councillor Long explained that the Council’s raft of policies was always being reviewed.  He also explained that Operation Metis was a desktop exercise carried out for emergency planning/business continuity purposes.  

In accordance with Standing Order 11.2 (b), Members of the Council may ask any questions of the Chairman of any Council Body (except the Cabinet).

Councillor Joyce asked the Mayor if he could apologise to Councillor Kunes for mistaking  the Pavilion at Terrington St Clement with the Village Hall.

(Members are reminded this is a debate, not a question and answer session)

To consider the following recommendations to Council:

To consider the cabinet recommendations as follows:

CAB90: Planning Scheme of Delegation 

CAB92: Charging for Housing Act 2004 Enforcement

CAB93: Council Tax Support Scheme 2018/19 : Final Scheme

Exempt Item

CAB96: Stalled Sites

Councillor Long proposed the recommendations from the 28 November 2017 Cabinet Meeting.

Members debated recommendation CAB90: Planning Scheme of Delegation which was seconded by Councillor Nockolds with some members expressing the views of some of the parish councils that had contacted them.  In summing up Councillor Long explained that the proposal did not affect the statutory rights for consultation for Parishes and that controversial items would still feature on the Planning Committee agenda. He considered the proposal would make better use of the Planning Committee and Officers time.  On being put to the vote the recommendation was agreed.

Councillor Lawrence seconded recommendation CAB92: Charging for Housing Act 2004 Enforcement.  This item was agreed.

Councillor Lawrence seconded recommendation CAB93: Council Tax Support Scheme 2018/19 : Final Scheme. This item was agreed.

Councillor Beales seconded CAB96: Stalled Sites.  The item was agreed.

RESOLVED:           That the recommendations from 28 November 2017 Cabinet meeting be approved.

To consider the recommendations attached:

CAB106: Equalities Policy

CAB107: Non Domestic Rates – Discretionary Revaluation Relief 2017/18

CAB108: Scrutiny Review

Councillor Long proposed the following recommendations from the Cabinet Meeting on 9 January 2018.  These were.

The recommendation CAB105: Equalities Policy was seconded by Councillor Mrs Nockolds.  This was agreed.

Recommendation CAB106: Non Domestic Rates – Discretionary Revaluation Relief 2017/18 was seconded by Councillor Hodson and agreed.

Recommendation CAB107: Scrutiny Review was seconded by Councillor Devereux.  Councillor Long thanked the Scrutiny Review Task Group which had carried out the review and explained that the recommendations put forward by Cabinet were the result of the majority views of the Panels being taken into account.  On being put to the vote the recommendations were agreed.

RESOLVED:   That the recommendations from Cabinet on 9 January 2018 be agreed.

Councillor Ayres, Chairman of the Standards Committee proposed the recommendations from the Panel meeting on 28 November 2017.  These were seconded by Councillor C Manning.

The Monitoring officer advised Members of the exempt nature of the complaint and that the detail other than that published was not to be discussed in open session.  Councillor Collop questioned the make up of the Panel.  Members began to debate across the chamber, so Councillor Long moved that as the Standards Panel had carried out a professional job which should not be re-heard in the Chamber, the Question be put under Standing Order 15.18.  This was seconded by Councillor Hodson and was agreed.

RESOLVED:   That:

•           Cllr Rochford be censured for his behaviour.

•           Cllr Rochford be removed from any committee membership and removed from appointment to any outside body.

To consider an appointment as per the attached report.

Council was invited to nominate representatives to serve on the Conservancy Board.

RESOLVED:   That Councillors P Kunes be nominated to 2021 and Councillor T Wing-Pentelow  be nominated to 2020 as Borough Council representatives to serve on the King’s Lynn Conservancy Board.