Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Beaken and Councillor de Burle. Councillor Illingworth and Councillor Orson were present as substitutes, respectively.

To confirm the minutes of the previous ad hoc meeting held on the 27^th June 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27^th June 2018 were confirmed and authorised to be signed by the chair.

Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.

Councillor Orson declared a personal interest as a result  of being a County Councillor.

Councillor Blase noted a disclosable pecuniary interest in item 10 and confirmed he would leave the room at the start of the item.

Councillor Simpson declared a pecuniary interest during item 6.

Councillor Freer-Jones declared a non-pecuniary interest during item 8.

The Director of Growth and Regeneration to submit a report to provide information on the retained Right to Buy receipts the Council currently holds and outline options for their use.

The Director of Growth and Regeneration submitted a report to provide information on the retained Right to Buy receipts and outline the options for use.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the officers.

The recommendation, as per the report with an amendment to paragraph 2.2 to include the Ward Member and Chair to be consulted, was moved.

The Chair sought a proposer and seconder.

All Members were in favour.

RESOLVED that

(1)  the Place Committee approve the purchase of new affordable rented housing as per section 3.12 to this report, Option 3;

(2)  the Director for Growth and Regeneration (in consultation with the Chair of the Place Committee, the Ward Member and the section 151 Officer) be authorised to purchase dwellings that are considered to be suitable for use as affordable housing, agree purchase prices and parameters and make any decisions required to effectively acquire the properties;

(3)  the Director for Legal and Democratic Services is authorised to negotiate and complete such documents as she deems necessary or desirable to conclude the transactions negotiated by the Director for Growth and Regeneration;

(4)  the section 151 Officer is authorised to use the Right to Buy receipts where necessary to fund the acquisition of the properties purchased under 2.1.

The Director of Corporate Services and the Director of Growth and Regeneration to submit a report to provide information on actual expenditure and income incurred on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), compared to the latest approved budget for the period 1 April 2018 to 30 June 2018.

The Director for Corporate Services submitted a report to provide information on the actual expenditure and income incurred on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), compared to the latest approved budget for the period 1 April 2018 to 30 June 2018. 

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the officers.

The recommendation, as per the report was moved.

The Chair sought a seconder. 

All Members were in favour.

RESOLVED that the financial position on the HRA to 30 June 2018 and the year end forecast be noted.

The Director of Corporate Services and the Director of Growth and Regeneration to submit a report to provide information on the various fees and charges that are made by this committee to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and to recommend changes to these charges from 1 April 2019, other than Council dwelling rents which will be subject to a separate report to be presented to this committee in January 2019.

The Director for Corporate Services submitted a report to provide information on the review of fees and charges for 2019/20.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the officers.

The recommendation, was amended to include ‘2.)’ below, by Councillor Higgins.

Councillor Botterill seconded the amended motion.

During the debate a Member declared a non-pecuniary interest on this item and refrained from voting.

Nine Members voted in favour, one abstained due to a non-pecuniary interest.

RESOLVED that

(1)  It is recommended that the financial position on the HRA to 30 June 2018 and the yearend forecast be noted;

(2)  the Chairman to work with officers to establish the basis on which garages are let to non and look into commercial pricing structures for non council tenants.

The Director of Corporate Services to submit a report to provide information on the various fees and charges that are made by the committee and to recommend changes to these charges to operate from 1^st April 2019.

The Director for Corporate Services submitted a report to provide information on the various fees and charges for 2019/20.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the officers

The recommendation as per the report was moved

The Chair sought a seconder.

All Members were in favour.

RESOLVED that

(1)  the Committee determines the level of charges for 2019-20 for each of the services set out in the attached table to operate from 1^st April 2019;

(2)  the Committee determines the level of charges for the activities described at 3.12.3 for implementation with effect from 1^st October 2018 (commensurate with the introduction of the new Regulations), as highlighted in Appendix A.

The Director of Corporate Services to submit a report to update the Committee on the progress of schemes within the HRA Capital Programme to 31 July 2018.

The Director for Corporate Services submitted a report to update the Committee on the progress of the schemes within the HRA Capital Programme to 31 July 2018.

The recommendation, as per the report, was moved  by Councillor Higgins.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Glancy.

All Members were in favour.

RESOLVED that

(1)  the Committee determines the level of charges for 2019-20 for each of the services set out in the attached table to operate from 1^st April 2019;

(2)  the Committee determines the level of charges for the activities described at 3.12.3 for implementation with effect from 1^st October 2018 (commensurate with the introduction of the new Regulations), as highlighted in Appendix A.

The Director of Growth and Regeneration to submit a report to update members on the current charging policy for providing and delivering wheeled bins and to seek member approval to introduce a Waste Receptacle Charging Policy which would impose charges to customers for replacement, additional and new wheeled bins.

The Director for Growth and Regeneration submitted a report to provide information on introducing charges for Wheeled Bins within the Borough.  The Director clarified that indirect costs had not been included in the figures provided to Members in the report and the figures in the appendix were indicative.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the officers.

An amendment to the recommendation was proposed by Councillor Higgins.

The amended recommendation was seconded by Councillor Glancy.

RESOLVED that the

(1)  Authority is to charge from 1^st October 2018 for replacement wheeled bins and those with capacity outside of the standard provision at £37 per bin with a 50% concession for those on income related benefits. Revenue to be retained within the service;

(2)  Authority is to establish a wheeled bin charging policy from the details provided at section 3.8;

(3)  Authority for the Director of Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to develop and implement a charging policy and instigate the relevant action in relation to non-payment of these charges.

The Director of Growth and Regeneration to submit a report to consider an application by the owners of 19 West Avenue to purchase an area of land in front of their property to gain access to their garage.

Prior to the report being presented, Councillor Blase left the room.

The Director for Growth and Regeneration submitted a report to consider the disposal of land owned by the Council.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of officers and felt that the committee owed it not only to the members on the committee but also to the member involved to make the right decision to help avoid criticism and to ensure that any decision was beyond reproach.

A proposal was made to defer the decision on this item for a further valuation based on the land being residential and not low grade agricultural land by Councillor Higgins.

This recommendation was seconded by Councillor Botterill.

All nine Members present voted in favour.

RESOLVED that the Committee defer the decision on this item for a further valuation to be undertaken based on residential land and not low grade agricultural land.

To consider any other items that the Chair considers urgent.

There was no urgent business.