To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors AM Atkinson, AN Bridges, BA Durkin, NP Nenadich, R Preece and TL Widdows.

Agenda item 7: Review of the Implementation of the Licensing Policy and Special Cumulative Impact Policy.

Councillors H Bramer, MAF Hubbard, JG Jarvis, JLV Kenyon, RL Mayo and P Rone declared disclosable pecuniary interests as holders of licenses with the authority.  All these Councillors left the meeting for the duration of this item.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2015.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Council noted the Chairman’s announcements as printed in the agenda papers.

The Chairman added the following:

·         He congratulated Councillor Robertson’s daughter on her award as coach of the year at the Herefordshire Sports Awards for her work on women’s cricket.

·         He reported on the forthcoming meeting of the Herefordshire Rural and Business Communities Crime Prevention Forum which would provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions about local policing.

·         Councillor Seldon, as Mayor of Bromyard, was to undertake a tandem skydive in aid of charity.

A copy of the public questions and written answers, together with the supplementary question asked at the meeting and its answer, is attached to the Minutes at Appendix 1.

To approve the council tax amounts for each category of dwelling in Herefordshire for 2015/16 including precepts from West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority and parishes.

Council was asked to approve the council tax amounts for each category of dwelling in Herefordshire for 2015/16, including precepts from West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority and parishes.

The Leader of the Council presented the report and moved the recommendations which were seconded.

A named vote was held.  All Members present voted for the recommendations as follows:   For (50) Councillor PA Andrews, CNH Attwood, JG Bartlett, CM Bartrum, PL Bettington, AJM Blackshaw, WLS Bowen, H Bramer,  ACR Chappell, EMK Chave, PGH Cutter, PJ Edwards, DW Greenow, KS Guthrie, J Hardwick, EPJ Harvey,  JW Hope, MBE, MAF Hubbard, JA Hyde TM James, JG Jarvis,  AW Johnson, Brig P Jones CBE, JLV Kenyon, JF Knipe, JG Lester, MD Lloyd-Hayes, RI Matthews,  RL Mayo, PJ McCaull, SM Michael, JW Millar, PM Morgan, C Nicholls, FM Norman, J Norris, CA North, RJ Phillips, GJ Powell, AJW Powers, PD Price, SJ Robertson, P Rone,  A Seldon, P Sinclair-Knipe,  J Stone; GR Swinford, DC Taylor, GA Vaughan-Powell and DB Wilcox.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

That      (a)     the net budget requirement for 2015/16, excluding parishes, be approved as £141,773,000;

              (b)     the council tax requirement for the council’s own purposes for 2015/16 (excluding parishes) be approved as £83,963,000;

              (c)     the precepting authority details incorporated in appendices 1 to 5 to the report, relating to parishes, West Mercia Police and Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority be approved in accordance with sections 30(2), 34(3), 36(1) and section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended);

              (d)     it be noted that the tax base used for setting the budget requirement for 2015/16:

1)         for the whole council area is calculated as 65,848 band D equivalent properties;

2)         is allocated to band D equivalent dwellings per precept area as shown in appendix 1 to the report; and

              (e)     the following amounts be approved for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Regulation 6 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) :

(i)         £335,050,945 being the estimated aggregate expenditure of the council in accordance with section 31A (2) of the act, including all precepts issued to it by parish councils;

(ii)        £248,028,469 being the estimated aggregate income of the council for the items set out in section 31A (3) of the act (including revenue support grant);

(iii)       £87,022,476 being the amount by which the aggregate at (b)(i) above exceeds the aggregate at (b)(ii) calculated by the council in accordance with section 31A(4) of the act, as its council tax requirement for the year (including parish precepts);

(iv)       £1,321.56 being the amount at b(iii) above divided by the amount of the council tax base calculated by the council, in accordance with section 31B of the act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year (including parish precepts);

(v)        £3,059,321 being the aggregate amount of all special items (parish precepts) referred to in section 34(1) of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

To approve the Licensing Act Policy and Special Cumulative Impact Policy.

(Councillors H Bramer, MAF Hubbard, JG Jarvis, JLV Kenyon, RL Mayo and P Rone declared interests and left the meeting for the duration of this item.)

Council was asked to approve the Licensing Act Policy and Special Cumulative Impact Policy.

Councillor A Seldon, Chairman of the Regulatory Committee, presented the report.

RESOLVED: That the Licensing Act Policy and Special Cumulative Impact Policy as appended to the report be approved.

To approve the Gambling Act Policy Statement of Principles.

Council was asked to approve the Gambling Act Policy Statement of Principles.

Councillor A Seldon, Chairman of the Regulatory Committee, presented the report.

RESOLVED:  That the Gambling Act Policy Statement of Principles as appended to the report be approved.

To approve the adoption and date for adoption of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended and to approve a Licensing of Sex Establishments Policy.

Council was asked to approve the adoption and date for adoption of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended and approve the Licensing of Sex Establishments Policy.

Councillor A Seldon, Chairman of the Regulatory Committee, presented the report.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)     Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended by Section 27 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 be adopted on the 42nd day after the agreement by Council; and

              (b)     the Licensing of Sex Establishments Policy as appended to the report be approved.

To receive a report from the Leader on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council in December and for the period of the administration.

The Leader presented his report on the activities of Cabinet since the meeting of Council in December 2014 and for the period of the administration.

He added the following comments:

·         The overall borrowing figure was £170m to date.  Some 88% of this sum was financing invest to save projects including road maintenance, sports facilities operated by HALO Leisure, and the Rotherwas industrial estate.   The borrowing was to the benefit of all residents and cost effective.  Interest rates were low and at fixed rates.  If interest rates were to rise the borrowing strategy would be reviewed.

·         In relation to the Hereford football club talks with the Phoenix Group were progressing and they had indicated they would have the necessary funds available to proceed.  He wished the Club every success.

·         Discussions were taking place about expansion of the Courtyard Centre for the Arts and he would keep Members informed.

·         In conclusion he thanked all Members for their contribution to the Council’s work.  He considered that there had been many achievements whilst acknowledging that many things remained to be done.  In particular he noted that a funding gap of £50m had been bridged at a time of rising costs and reduced income, with the Adult Social Care budget also expected to be within budget at the end of the financial year. The general reserve had also been replenished and Council tax increases kept at less than 2%, whilst maintaining essential services.  He also noted the successful relocation of the council’s head office, the fact that the Core Strategy was almost completed, and the improvement in Children’s Safeguarding.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·         A number of comments were made in relation to the finance section of the report.

Clarification was sought on how the Council had failed on two grounds in a contractual dispute because papers had not been served correctly.  The Leader undertook to provide a briefing note to all Members.

It was questioned why no provision had been made in the Council’s budget set  in February 2015 to meet the potential cost of an award against the Council in its dispute with a former contractor and whether the absence of such provision made the budget invalid.  The Chief Financial Officer replied that the budget approved by Council in February had been based on the position as it was understood.  There had been no expectation of additional revenue or capital expenditure beyond that set out in the report.  As S151 officer he had a statutory responsibility to certify the robustness of the estimates and risks contained within the budget and he had done so.  The budget did not set out in detail every potential risk but quantified overall risk.  In the instance referred to, the potential cost of losing the dispute with the contractor had been high but the risk of losing it had been low.

Concern was expressed about the state of repair of road signage within the County.  It was suggested that removal of damaged signs was preferable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

To note the following annual reports:

A)        Audit and Governance Committee

B)        General Overview and Scrutiny Committee

C)        Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee

D)        Health and Wellbeing Board

E)        Planning Committee

F)         Regulatory Committee

Council was invited to note the annual reports from Committees.

The Chairman of each Committee thanked Members of their Committees and all those who had supported the Committees in their work.

The following additional observations were made:

·         It was suggested that it would be helpful if briefing notes produced for Members of Committees were made available to all Councillors.

·         Reassurance was sought that the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review of Children’s Safeguarding would not be overlooked.

·         It was requested that consideration be given to involving Members of the Planning Committee in consideration and development of planning policy in a more proactive way.

RESOLVED:  That the annual reports from Committees be noted.

A copy of the Member questions and written answers, together with the supplementary question asked at the meeting and its answer, is attached to the Minutes at Appendix 2.