Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Beresford and Mear

Members and officers must declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to any business on the agenda. Declarations should also be made at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting.

If in doubt contact the Legal or Democratic Services representative for this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made

To receive any questions from members of the public addressed to Members of the Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11. There is up to 5 minutes for each question, one supplementary question may be asked arising from the original question.

Questions must relate to any matter the Council has power or which affects the District except no questions may be asked on

a)    A specific planning or licensing application

b)    A specific staffing appointment or appeal or Standards determination

Public question time will last up to 30 minute; questions will be taken in order of receipt. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 26 October at 12 noon.

Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

There were no questions

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Council on 16 July 2020, copies of which have been previously circulated.

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2020 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman made the following announcement:

Firstly, I would like to thank Councillor Stephen Chipp for standing in for me at the July Council meeting while I was in Worthing Hospital.

On the same subject, I would like to thank the NHS and Worthing Hospital for saving my life. Their care was, as it says outside the Hospital "outstanding".

For the four months since the start of lockdown I have been standing outside Worthing Hospital every evening distributing thousands of meals to staff. A huge assortment of meals have been generously donated by "The Hut", the staff restaurant at Focus Group of Shoreham, Plus a selection of very tasty curries was donated by Shaan restaurant in Worthing and Curry Mahal from Hove. These meals were given to those who had just worked a twelve hour day shift or were the supper for those working on the night shift.

In August I took part in the The Big Summer Sleepout for the homeless charity, Turning Tides. People generously sponsored me to sleep in my back garden, raising £535 - the largest amount raised. Thank you to all those who donated, including many Adur Councillors.

On Saturday 22nd August it was the fifth anniversary of the Shoreham Airshow where eleven local men were killed when a Hawker Hunter jet crashed onto the A27 near Shoreham Airport in 2015. I attended a short ceremony and laid flowers at the memorial on behalf of of the Council.

In September, on the Sunday before the "rule of six" was announced, I ran a lovely reunion BBQ for twenty five RAF veterans in their eighties. They generously donated £100 to my Chairman's charity "Supeta" the youth training vessel based in Shoreham.

On Saturday 10th October I represented the Council at a "Wordfest" event at the Shoreham Centre. The Council had donated funds to publish a book containing school children's poems about their experiences during lockdown. A copy of this book is going to be placed on record in the British Museum.

On Tuesday 27th October I attended a fabulous award ceremony for South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association.

The Leader announced that Councillor Brian Coomber would replace Councillor Kevin Boram on the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee and that Councillor Kevin Boram be appointed to the Executive Member for Wellbeing. Councillor David Simmons was appointed as Executive Member without portfolio.

The Leader proposed that Councillor Joss Loader be the representative on the West Sussex Health and Adult Social Care Committee which was seconded and approved by a vote.

To consider any items the Chairman has agreed are urgent

There were no urgent items

To consider recommendations to the Council, details of which are set out in the attached items as 7a to 7d.  Full reports are available on the website as listed below:

a) Worthing Borough Council Petition scheme

The Chairman of the Joint Governance Committee introduced the recommendation to the Council. The Council debated the matter and and a vote it was,

Resolved: that both Adur District Council approve an amendment to its Petition Schemes to include the following - Following the debate by Councillors, the Petition Organiser will be given a further opportunity to address the Council and shall have a maximum of 3 minutes to make a closing statement.

b) Joint Governance Committee Appointments: Parish Councillors

The Chairman of the Joint Governance Committee introduced the item to the Council and proposed the motion

On a vote the recommendations were approved

            Resolved:

i) that the Lancing Parish Council of the appointment of Cllr Ann Bridges as a Co-Opted Member of the Joint Governance Committee for 20/21 be approved;

ii) that the Sompting Parish Council of the appointment of Cllr Caroline Baxter as a Co-opted Member of the Joint Governance Committee for 20/21 be approved

c) Recruitment and appointment of Independent Persons

The Chairman of the Joint Governance Committee introduced the Report to the Council and moved the recommendation which was seconded

Members debated the recommendation and it was remarked by a member that they did not agree with the appointment process but had no issue with the individual being appointed

Resolved: that Adur District Council confirm the appointment of Mr Simon Norris-Jones as an Independent Person for a further term of 4 years.

d) Purchase of New Salts Farm, Lancing

The Leader introduced the recommendation to the Council. The Council debated the matter and and upon a vote it was,

            Resolved:

 i. that Adur District Council purchase of land at New Salts Farm, Lancing;

ii. that Adur District Council the approval of a total budget envelope of £925,000 comprising a purchase price of £875,000 and up to £50,000 in fees to cover the cost of acquisition including surveys, fees and stamp duty, to be funded from borrowing;

e) Maximising space for homes in Adur

The Leader introduced the recommendation to the council and moved the recommendation which was seconded.

Members debated the motion as put and on a vote the recommendations were approved

Resolved: that Adur District Council approve the proposed capital expenditure of £15.935m from the development budget to deliver the projects funded by grant of £2.24m and prudential borrowing of £13.695m;

To receive a report from the Leader. The report contains executive decisions since the last Council meeting.

There is up to 15 minutes for Executive Members to make any statements on the report.

There is up to 15 minutes for Executive Members to respond to questions on the report; these questions will not be the same as any asked under ‘Members Questions under Council Procedure Rule 12’    

Before the Committee was a report by the Director of Communities, a copy of which had been circulated to all members, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as item 8

The report before members set out the decisions made by the Executive since the last meeting of Council.

A Member asked about consultation on the waste and recycling service and was told that the matter before the Joint Strategic Committee related to a report from the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee which the Joint Strategic Committee would be looking at in greater detail in the future

A Member asked about funding for sustainability projects from Coast to Capital and was given details of what was planned

Members question time will last up to 30 minutes, questions will be taken in order of receipt, in rotation from each political group on the Council. The deadline for submission of questions is Tuesday 27 October at 12 noon. Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Questions received can be asked of the following:

a)    The Chairman

b)    A Member of the Executive

c)    The Chairman of any Committee

d)    The Councils representative on any outside body

Questions cannot be asked on the following

a)    A specific planning or licensing application

b)    A specific staffing appointment, appeal or Standards determination

There were no questions

To consider a report by the Director for Communities, copy attached as item 10

Before the Council was a Motion received from Councillor Lee Cowen and seconded by Councillor David Balfe which is as follows

This Council notes that:

·       1. The Government has published the ‘Planning for the Future’ White Paper and an associated document “Changes to the current planning system” that brings forward some more immediate changes to the planning system.

·       2. These proposals substantially alters the planning system in Adur.

·       3. The Royal Institute for British Architects has called the proposals “shameful” and added they “will do almost nothing to guarantee delivery of affordable, well designed and sustainable homes”. RIBA has also said that the proposals could lead to the next generation of slum housing.

·       4. The changes are opposed by the all-party Local Government Association.

·       5. The issue of land banking is not addressed in the White Paper, even though research by the Local Government Association has demonstrated that there are existing planning permissions for more than one million dwellings across the UK that have not yet been started.

·       6. For all its imperfections, the traditional planning system administered by local authorities allows for significant local democratic input into future development and gives local people a say in planning proposals that affect them.

This Council resolves that:

·       7. It objects to the further centralisation of the planning process, which would undermine the work of this council and severely weaken the Local Plan.

·       8. It objects to the “standard method for establishing housing requirement figures”, which has been described by some Councils as a “mutant algorithm”. The changes would increase Adur’s 20-year housing target from 248 per year to an unsustainable 326.

·       9. It objects to the zoning of land, which would allow certain developments to happen without the need for a formal planning application. This change would risk unregulated sprawl and unsustainable developments.

·       10. It objects that affordable housing would no longer be sought on sites (not deemed designated rural areas) of up to 40 or 50 new properties. The changes would seriously diminish the amount of social rent and affordable housing built in Adur and do nothing to tackle the issues associated with second homes and empty properties.

·       11. It objects to the extension of “permission in principle” to larger housing developments, which would further undermine local democracy and the transparency of the local planning system.

·       12. It registers its enormous concerns regarding proposals to extend Permitted Development rights particularly through the watering down of ‘change of use’ and how this will affect our ability to support the high street.

·       13. It registers its concerns that the UK Government is failing to address the issue of land banking.

·       14. Adur District Council writes to Tim Loughton MP, urging him to oppose the Government's proposals and to seek their withdrawal and that any future planning system requires primary legislation.

The motion was proposed and seconded and it was 

Resolved: that the motion be noted by Council and referred without debate to theJoint Strategic Committee