Agenda and minutes
PDF 467 KBVenue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN
Contact: Angela Guest 020 8541 9075
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman to report apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Mr Townsend, Mrs Young, Mrs Coleman, Mr Brett-Warburton and Mr Page.
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To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 7 February 2017.
(Note: the Minutes, including the appendices, will be laid on the table half an hour before the start of the meeting).
Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 7 February 2017 were submitted, confirmed and signed. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter (i) Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or (ii) Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting NOTES: · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest · As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner) · Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman announced that if any Members were school governors they could take part in the debate on schools but were asked to sign a form to declare that personal interest before leaving the Chamber.
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CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman to report. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman made the following announcements:
Finally she paid tribute to the many Members who were not standing in the forthcoming election and had served on the Council for many years. She wished them all success for the future.
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The Leader to make a statement.
There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader made a detailed statement. A copy of the statement is attached as Appendix A.
Members raised the following topics:
· Whether there would be a referendum next year if the Government didn’t come through with the Business Rate pilot. · Clarification on what had happened in between the Cabinet decision for a 15% rise in Council Tax and one week later when the Council agreed a 5% rise.
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MEMBERS' QUESTION TIME
1. The Leader of the Council or the appropriate Member of the Cabinet or the Chairman of a Committee to answer any questions on any matter relating to the powers and duties of the County Council, or which affects the county.
(Note: Notice of questions in respect of the above item on the agenda must be given in writing, preferably by e-mail, to Angela Guest in Democratic Services by 12 noon on Wednesday 15 March 2017).
2. Cabinet Member Briefings on their portfolios
These will be circulated by email to all Members prior to the County Council meeting, together with the Members’ questions and responses.
There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions.
Additional documents: Minutes: Notice of 21 questions had been received. The questions and replies are attached as Appendix B.
A number of supplementary questions were asked and a summary of the main points is set out below:
(Q2) Mrs Barton asked if the Council should be taking a £30m risk, to which the Leader responded that a full response would be available at Cabinet next week if Mrs Barton cared to attend.
(Q3) Mr Beckett asked if the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Flooding agreed that the fear of crime was still prevalent even if not a crime. The Cabinet Member responded that the police, safer neighbourhood teams and borough councils were working closely on fear of crime and where the fear was real it would be reacted to appropriately.
(Q5) Mr Sydney did not feel that his question had been answered and asked if his successor could be given a proper response. The Cabinet Member for Localities and Community Wellbeing responded that he felt a full answer had been given and referred Mr Sydney to the Cabinet Member briefing.
(Q6) Mrs Watson asked if the Leader agreed that Members should have a copy of the CIPFA report before making a decision on the budget, to which he reiterated that the report was to be issued later today.
(Q7) Mrs White asked why Surrey lagged behind other authorities in the amount of additional funding it was to receive. The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Wellbeing and Independence responded that the calculation was decided by the Minister and was linked to Council Tax.
(Q9) Mr Cooksey asked where the money would be found for extending the Alt contract by six months and would full consultation take place with residents of Mole Valley? Mr Hall asked if the Cabinet Member would agree that the contract would be welcomed and in the summer all would have better chance of coming up with clear proposals. Mrs Saliagopoulos asked about a rumour of the closure of the Jarvis Centre in Guildford and asked for her comment on the users of the Blanche Herriott unit being spread across other areas when that closes. The Cabinet Member responded that much consultation had taken place during the commissioning of the contract and agreed with Mr Hall’s comment. She had no knowledge of the position of the Jarvis Centre but would find out.
(Q10) Mr Orrick asked if the Leader would make a statement against hate crime and agree that all employees were wanted regardless of where they came from. The Leader agreed.
(Q12) Mr Essex asked if the local repair budget was to remain the same and asked why there were differences to resurfacing budgets between the boroughs. The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Flooding explained that the amount of deterioration was key to the amount of money spent and that the local committees were to be involved in the decision on the repair budget.
(Q13) Mr Essex asked why Members were not shown the CIPFA report earlier. ... view the full minutes text for item 16/17 |
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STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS
Any Member may make a statement at the meeting on a local issue of current or future concern.
(Note: Notice of statements must be given in writing, preferably by e-mail, to Angela Guest in Democratic Services by 12 noon on Monday 20 March 2017).
Additional documents: Minutes: A statement was made by Mr Alan Young in relation to the Surrey Young Musician of the Year Award. |
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ORIGINAL MOTIONS
Additional documents: Minutes: URGENT MOTION
Under Standing Order 11.8 the Chairman had accepted an urgent motion which the Council agreed to debate.
Under Standing Order 12.1, Mrs Hazel Watson moved the motion which was:
‘That this Council has no confidence in the Leader of the Council.’
Mrs Watson made the following points:
· That the credibility of the Council had been undermined by the recent media leaks which was a distraction for the Council. · That the Leader had not provided a well thought out budget. · That senior Members were puppets for supporting the Leader. · Opposition councillors had voted against the budget as full information was not available to make an informed decision. · That the Leader was working for partisan Conservative benefits and not for residents and should resign.
The motion was formally seconded by Mr Forster who made the following points:
· Lobbying for a better deal for Surrey should have been applauded but the way in which it was done has brought the Council into disrepute. · Other council leaders were also saying that the Leader should stand down from the LGA and the chairmanship of the LGA Conservative Group. · There was a need for a fresh start with a new Leader.
Fifteen Members spoke on the motion and made the following points:
Under Standing Order 23.1 Mrs Hammond moved ‘that the question be now put’. Under Standing Order 23.2 twenty Members stood in support for this procedural motion.
Under Standing Order 28.1 Mrs Watson requested a recorded vote, which was supported by seven of the required ten Members, and therefore was not carried.
The urgent motion was put to the vote, with 8 Members voting for and 47 voting against. There were 12 abstentions.
Therefore, the motion was lost.
Item 8a
Under Standing Order 12.3 the Council agreed to debate this motion. ... view the full minutes text for item 18/17 |
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SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL PROGRESS REPORT
To consider the report and matters which the Chief Executive draws to attention.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader presented the Surrey County Council Progress Report, the fifteenth of the Chief Executive’s reports to Members. He said that included in the report were some outstanding examples of Surrey County Council achievements where the Council had listened and delivered.
Members made the following comments:
· That wellbeing of residents was extremely important and impossible to provide without the officers. · Thanks was given to all staff for their hard work, loyalty and dedication. · There was a call for more engagement of Members with Children and Young Peoples service. · That the balance of the report should be more towards the budget challenges. · That lobbying had raised £41m extra funding over the last four years. · The report indicated positive change and transformation of services with partners.
RESOLVED:
(1) That the report of the Chief Executive be noted.
(2) That the staff of the Council be thanked for the progress made during the last six months.
(3) That the support for the direction of travel be confirmed.
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ELECTED MEMBER DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
This report seeks approval of a revised Elected Member Development Strategy, in accordance with County Council requirements.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman of the Member Development Steering Group introduced the report stating that the strategy and role profiles had been refreshed. She highlighted the new Members’ Portal which would soon be accessible via SharePoint and would not require an additional password to access it.
Members made the following comments: Some members spoke against this being imposed on them and others gave reasons why Members were not always able to attend development events.
RESOLVED:
That the Elected Member Development Strategy be approved.
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REPORT FROM PEOPLE PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE - OFFICER CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY
This report seeks approval for changes to the Officer Code of Conduct Policy which introduces the concept of ethics and strengthens references to the Council’s value statements which reflect the importance of the principles of public life.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader of the Council introduced the report which suggested changes to the Officer code of conduct.
RESOLVED:
That the Officer Code of Conduct be agreed.
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REPORT FROM SURREY PENSION FUND COMMITTEE - LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME ASSET POOLING
The recently published Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) asset pooling consultation has set out a vision for each administering authority of the LGPS to commit to a national pool. The Surrey Pension Fund was instrumental in setting up the Border to Coast Pensions Partnership (BCCP) and submitted a proposal to Government on 15 July 2016, proposing a countrywide pooling arrangement and consisting of 12 administering authorities. This report makes the case for Surrey County Council to officially endorse the Border to Coast pool and create a Joint Committee and Shareholder Board for the purpose of delegating authority for the running of the pool to the Joint Committee and the Shareholder Board, and setting out the administrative issues that need to be considered.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Business Services and Resident Experience introduced the report which set out the proposed case for Border to Coast Pension Pool including the Inter Authority Agreement, Articles of Association and Governance documents. She thanked the Surrey Pension Fund Committee Members and Officers for all their hard work on this. She thanked the Members of the Scrutiny Board who were looking at the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Policy.
Members made the following comments:
· Asset management would be the role of the pool and the actuary role would remain with the Council. Discussion had taken place regarding having a pension member as an observer on the committee and further detail had been requested. There was also some work taking place to look at how to work with other pension boards. · The Leader thanked the Cabinet Member for the work she had done for pensioners in relation to increasing the size of the pension fund enormously since she had chaired the Pension Committee. · Nothing of what is on the table will affect the benefits to any member of the pension plan. · Guidance was expected from the Scheme Advisory Board regarding non-voting member representation on the committee.
RESOLVED:
1. That the Border to Coast Pension Pool (BCPP) be approved as the County Council’s pooling option to provide compliance with the legislation that mandates pooling
2. That the acquisition by the Council, as Administering Authority of the Surrey Pension Fund, of one share in the Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Limited be approved and that the Chairman of the Pension Fund Committee (or Vice Chairman in their absence) be nominated to attend any meetings of the BCPP Shareholder Board on behalf of the Council.
3. That the creation of the BCPP Joint Committee be approved and that the Chairman of the Pension Fund Committee (or Vice Chairman in their absence) be nominated to attend on behalf of the Council.
4. That authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chairman of the Pension Fund Committee to update the Council’s Constitution to reflect the above approvals and to approve for execution by the Council the final versions of any documents necessary to put these decisions into effect.
5. That the revised Pension Fund Committee Terms of Reference functions as set out within the Constitution be approved with the following addition: “Receive minutes and consider recommendations from and ensure the effective performance of the Joint Committee of the Border to Coast Pensions Pool and any other relevant bodies”.
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AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION - SCHEME OF DELEGATION - PUBLIC CONSULTATION
This report requests that Council notes the updates to the Scheme of Delegation as agreed by the Leader. The Leader is responsible for maintaining a list in Part 3 of the Constitution setting out who will exercise executive functions. Any changes to this list are required to be reported to the next appropriate meeting of the County Council.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader introduced the report.
Members made the following comments:
· If consultation on service delivery changes is delegated to officers then that could cut out scrutiny. Will proposals go to scrutiny in other ways and will there be notification on the Council’s website when consultations are taking place? The Leader responded that there would always be those opportunities.
RESOLVED:
The amendments to the Scheme of Delegation as agreed by the Leader were noted.
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REPORT FROM THE WELLBEING AND HEALTH SCRUTINY BOARD
This briefing describes the changes to the environment in which the Wellbeing and Health Scrutiny Board (WHSB) has worked during the four year lifetime of this Council; and sets out the likely future priorities for its successor.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman of the Wellbeing and Health Scrutiny Board introduced the report, which was a legislative requirement, and set out the work of the Board over the last four years.
RESOLVED:
That the report be noted.
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REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS - REPORT OF THE CONSTITUTION REVIEW GROUP
This report seeks approval for amendments to Standing Orders. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman of the Constitution Review Group introduced the report which suggested changes to the Constitution in order to ensure that it is up-to-date, consistent and easy to follow. A paper was tabled suggesting further amendments to the annex of the submitted report and is attached as Appendix D.
Members made the following comments:
RESOLVED:
1. That the amendments to Standing Orders, as set out in the annex to the report, be approved for implementation from May 2017.
2. That the tabled paper on further amendments be brought to the Council Annual Meeting.
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Minutes of Cabinet Meetings
Minutes from the meetings held on 31 January 2017 and 28 February 2017. Any matters within the minutes of the Cabinet’s meetings may be the subject of questions and statements by Members upon notice being given to Angela Guest in Democratic Services by 12 noon on Monday 20 March 2017.
Additional documents: Minutes: No notification had been received by the deadline from Members wishing to raise a question or make a statement on any matters in the minutes. |