Agenda and minutes

Venue: QE2 Room, Shoreham Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea

Contact: Chris Cadman-Dando
Democratic Services Officer
01903 221364  Email  chris.cadman-dando@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

C/12/21-22

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Cllr Kevin Boram, Lee Cowen and Rob Wilinson

C/13/21-22

Declarations of interest

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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made

C/14/21-22

Questions from the public

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 20 July at 12 noon.

 

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

Minutes:

There were no questions from the public

C/15/21-22

Confirmation of Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Council on 20 May 2021, copies of which have been previously circulated.

Minutes:

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2021 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

C/16/21-22

Announcements by the Chairman, Leader of the Council, Executive Members and / or Head of Paid Service

Minutes:

The Chairman made the following announcements:

 

I am very pleased to say that in the 2 months since becoming Chairman I have been able to represent the Council on a number of occasions both in person and in virtual meetings.

 

In June I attended;

 

- The SERFCA armed forces briefing.  SERFCA represents the reserve and cadet forces in Sussex and the briefing was a real global update on current deployments and Unit strength in the British Military.  For someone with a keen interest in the military it really was a fascinating insight into our priorities and military capabilities.

- I was joined, on my wife's Birthday, by my wife and Children on the North Green in Southwick to read the Sussex Charter.

- I was finally invited to Alex Baileys virtual leaving bash.  The date was supposed to be the date regulations for Covid ended - sadly we know how that went!  What was supposed to have been a formal event at the end of Worthing Pier was sadly changed to my lounge in full Chains, shorts and flip flops - no one could see my shorts and flip flops!

 

In July;

 

- I was joined by the indomitable Bob Smytherman who very graciously agreed to head over in his favourite attire as the Worthing Town Cryer and help me open the Shoreham Farmers market.  It is very rare that I am the quieter of two people and Bob certainly helped liven up the market.  We walked the market and businesses of Shoreham chatting to stall holders and businesses about how they are finding trade in these times.  It was quite surprising and heartening to find a number of stall holders who have completely pivoted in their career path leaving jobs that they may not have returned to to set up their own businesses.

 

It is fair to say that several commented on the challenges they are facing and I will continue to do all I can to highlight and support the businesses or Adur.

 

- I also met with the team at Esteem - my chosen Charity to see the work they do and how I can help them raise vital funds this coming year.  They caught me at a good moment as I have agreed to do a 10km run in September and there is, whisper it, a skydive next year.  I will be helping them with some work shops specifically related to local politics. A big thank you to Emma who welcomed me and I will be sharing my JustGiving page and would appreciate members helping me get the message out on Social media.  I would also like to thank those members who have already contributed thus far!

 

- Finally I welcomed the High Sheriff of West Sussex Neil Hart and his wife Ros to Shoreham last week.  After a walk through St Mary De Haura Church Grounds and popping inside for a chat we walked across the footbridge and onto Shoreham Beach.  We returned and,  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/16/21-22

C/17/21-22

Items raised under urgency provisions

To consider any items the Chairman has agreed are urgent

Minutes:

There were no urgent items

C/18/21-22

Recommendations from the Executive and Committees to Council pdf icon PDF 32 KB

To consider recommendations to the Council, details of which are set out in the attached items as 7A-7F.  Full reports are available on the website as listed below: extracts 7C to 7F were not available at the time of publication and will be circulated separately.

 

 

Executive/Committee

Date

Item

7A

Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee

10.06.21

Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2020/21

 

7B

Joint Senior Staff Committee

07.07.21

Benchmark salary review and proposed recruitment process for the post of Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service

 

7C

Joint Strategic Committee

13.07.21

Financial Performance 2020/21 - Revenue outturn

 

7D

Joint Strategic Committee

13.07.21

Developing a revenue budget for 2022/23 at the time of a pandemic

 

7E

Joint Strategic Committee

13.07.21

Financial Performance 2020/21 - Capital and Projects Outturn

 

7F

Joint Strategic Committee

13.07.21

Investing in our Future – Capital Strategy 2022/25

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

a)                     Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2020/21

 

The Chairman of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented the recommendation from the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 10 June 2021.

 

The recommendation was proposed and seconded and on a vote it was unanimously supported.

 

Resolved,

 

That Adur District Council approved the JOSC Work Programme for 2020/21

 

b)         Benchmark salary review and proposed recruitment process for the post of Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service

           

The Chairman of the Joint Senior Staff Committee presented and proposed the recommendation from the Joint Senior Staff Committee meeting held on 7 July 2021. The matter was debated and on a vote it was

 

            Resolved,

 

That Adur District Council approved that an increase be applied to the salary of the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, being a range from £134,000 rising to £155,000 and considered the timing of the proposal

 

 

 

c)                     Financial Performance 2020/21 - Revenue outturn

 

The Leader presented and proposed the recommendation from the Joint Strategic Committee meeting held on 13 July 2021. The matter was seconded, debated and on a vote it was

 

            Resolved,

 

That Adur District Council

 

(a)          NOTED the overall final outturn for 2020/21;

 

(b)          APPROVED the net appropriations to General Fund Reserves in

the year as detailed in section 6 of the report totalling: Adur

District Council £5,326,227, Worthing Borough Council £8,700,773;

 

(c)          AGREED the net carry over of revenue budget to 2021/22 funded from reserves as detailed in appendix 6: Adur District Council £189,000 Worthing Borough Council £242,000.

 

 

d)         Developing a revenue budget for 2022/23 at the time of a pandemic

 

The Leader presented and proposed the recommendation from the Joint Strategic Committee meeting held on 13 July 2021. The matter was seconded and on a vote it was

 

Resolved: That Adur District Council approved the Budget Strategy for 2021/22 outlined in Section 9 of the report

 

e)           Financial Performance 2020/21 - Capital and Projects Outturn

 

The Leader presented and proposed the recommendation from the Joint Strategic Committee meeting held on 13 July 2021. The matter was seconded debated and on a vote it was

 

Resolved,

 

That Adur District Council

 

(a)          Noted the overall capital final outturn for 2020/21

 

(b)          Agreed the net carry over of General Fund Capital underspends for Adur

District Council as detailed in paragraphs 5.3.

 

(c)          Approved the financing of the Adur District Council 2020/21 Capital

Investment Programme, including the use of capital receipts as set out in

paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2.

 

(d)          Approved the carry forward of Council resources underspends to fund

budget pressures as detailed in paragraph 4.2.2. and summarised in

paragraph 5.6.

 

 

f)          Investing for our future - Capital Strategy 2022/25

 

The Leader presented and proposed the recommendation from the Joint Strategic Committee meeting held on 13 July 2021. The matter was seconded and debated. On a vote it was

 

Resolved,

 

That Adur District Council approved the Capital Strategy for 2022/25

 

 

 

 

C/19/21-22

Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 99 KB

To consider a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, copy attached as item 8

Minutes:

Before the Council was a report by the Director for Digital and Resources. The report  sought approval of the Pay Policy Statement 2019/20, which was a statutory requirement under Section 38 (1) of the Localism Act 2011.

 

Council had before it the Pay Policy Statement on pages 7 - 17. It was a statutory statement the Council was required to make and publish each year.

 

The Council debated the recommendation and on a vote it was

 

Resolved: That Adur District Council noted the Pay Policy Statement 2020/21 set out in Appendix 1

 

C/20/21-22

Councillor attendance and the six month rule pdf icon PDF 243 KB

To consider a report by the Director from Communities, copy attached as item 9

Minutes:

Before the Council was a report by the Director for Communities on pages 19 - 22. The report sought approval for a six month absence for Councillor David Simmons. The recommendations within the report were proposed seconded and on a vote it was

 

 

Resolved: That Adur District Council approved Councillor Simmon’s absence from Council meetings for a 6 month period from 18 August 2021 to 18 February 2022.

 

           

C/21/21-22

Report of the Leader on decisions taken by the Executive pdf icon PDF 82 KB

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’    

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

Executive Members made announcements concerning Albion Street and Open Space standards and were questioned regarding the development of Albion Street, the appointment of members to outside bodies

C/22/21-22

Members question time under Council Procedure Rule 12

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 20 July 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

Minutes:

Question from Councillor Sluman for Councillor Boggis, Executive Member for Regeneration

 

With the exit of IKEA and the agreed 4th arm development going ahead, what will this council be doing to encourage a sustainable and green led company take on this land,  in order to off-set all the damage done to our local environment and pressure on infrastructure, whilst adding value to the local community

 

The Executive member replied that the approval of the 4th arm by this Council’s Planning Committee was positive news and was very much part of the planning permission that included IKEA.  IKEA’s departure from the site was unwelcome news but the Executive Member was very pleased to confirm that the infrastructure improvements that would help unlock investment and jobs would still be delivered. 

 

The original report to the Council’s Planning Committee highlighted the importance of new jobs to accompany the new homes that were already being built.  The Council was now highlighting the opportunity the site presented to inward investors and the Council recognised that the ‘green-tech’ sector was an area of real potential for growth. 

 

 

 

Question from Councillor Arnold for Councillor Evans, Executive Member for the Environment

 

With the news that Southern Water have allowed 6,971 separate discharges across the six years equating to 7,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools, what action is this council taking with Southern Water to protect our communities public health and protect the success of the exciting Sussex Bay kelp work

 

The Executive Member replied that the Council had been working with Southern Water on the Bathing Water Enhancement Programme designed to raise bathing water quality to an 'excellent' standard. This had involved officers from Public Health & Regulation and Building Control alongside West Sussex County Council Highways working in partnership with Southern Water to identify misconnections (properties that were discharging foul water into the surface water drainage system) and ensure they were rectified by connecting them to the foul water sewer system. This reduced the amount of polluted water entering the sea. The programme identified and rectified a number of misconnected properties and had also provided extra sewer maintenance and cleansing. The Council would continue to work in partnership with Southern Water to reduce and where identified rectify misconnections. The Council had also increased its dog fouling patrols on the beach to reduce dog waste entering the sea.

 

Question from Councillor Stainforth for Councillor Albury, Executive Member for Customer Services

 

The JOSC working group submitted an interim report of concerns on Housing Repairs around Oct 2020, as far as we know no response has been made. Many of our Adur Homes residents, particularly in estates in Cokeham, Southlands and Eastbrook are living in near squalid conditions. When will Adur Homes tenants have the Capital Works Programme publicly available, so they know how long they have to wait? Can we make a commitment that as a landlord, Adur Homes will ensure that everyone will have a decent home?

 

The Executive Member advised that the Council was committed to ensuring that  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/22/21-22

C/23/21-22

Motion on Notice pdf icon PDF 82 KB

To consider a report by the Director for Communities, copy attached as item 12

Minutes:

Before the Council was a Motion received from Councillor Gabe Crisp. The Motion was seconded and debated and upon a vote it was unanimously agreed that:

 

Resolved: Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt in the UK and around the world. Global temperatures have increased by 1.2°C from pre-industrial levels and the natural world has reached crisis point, with 28% of plants and animals currently threatened with extinction.

 

Unless we drastically change course, the world is set to exceed the Paris Agreement’s safe 1.5°C limit. Pledges like the Paris Agreement and updated emissions targets are not legally binding. The gap between pledges and policies leaves the world on course for catastrophic warming of near 3%. As the 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made clear, every half a degree makes a world of difference: severe climate impacts with 1.5°C of warming, such as extreme weather patterns causing flooding and heat waves, get significantly worse with 2°C. According to the IPCC, limiting heating to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and local communities.

 

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and more than one in seven of our plants and animals face extinction and more than 40% are in decline. We have lost 95% of our hedgehogs. The UK needs a legally-enforceable nature target so that by 2030 nature is visibly and measurably on the path of recovery, in line with the Global Goal for Nature and the Leaders' Pledge for Nature.

 

Council notes that:

 

I. Many local authorities are playing an important role in the UK taking action to achieve net zero carbon emissions, and to protect and revitalise local wildlife and natural habitats.

 

II. Parliament in May 2019 declared an Environment and Climate Emergency and this Council declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 after receiving a petition signed by more than 1000 local residents.

 

III. Adur Council’s Climate Emergency relates only to the 1% of Carbon emissions which result from council buildings and the actions of council staff and officers.

 

IV. 99% of Carbon emissions in Adur are not under the direct control of ADC but ADC has a key role in leading the way by example, trialing new technologies and publicising it’s work to raise awareness of what is possible locally.

 

V. There is a Bill before Parliament—the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (published as the “Climate and Ecology Bill”), which, if it became law, would require the government to develop a strategy to address the emergency that would ensure:

 

A. the ecological emergency is tackled shoulder to shoulder with the climate crisis in a joined-up approach;

 

B. the Paris Agreement is enshrined into law to ensure that UK does its real fair     share to limit global temperature rise to the most stringent end of the Paris          agreement -1.5°C.

 

C. the Leaders Pledge for Nature is enshrined into law  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/23/21-22

C/24/21-22

Motion on Notice 2 pdf icon PDF 58 KB

To consider a report by the Director for Communities, copy attached as item 13

Minutes:

Before the Council was a Motion received from Councillor Debs Stainforth and seconded by Councillor Sharon Sluman.

 

The Council debated the motion and a minor amendment was agreed unanimously

 

Resolved: ‘This Council recognises that violence against women and girls can include, or be linked to, domestic abuse. This is often a hidden crime unreported to the police and although both men and women are affected, incidence and severity are much greater for women.

 

Domestic and family violence can affect well-being and developmental growth of children and teenagers both in the short and long term The Coronavirus pandemic has further caused what one worker described as ‘an epidemic beneath a pandemic ’The charity Refuge reports that in the year between February 2020 and March 2021 72% of calls to their helpline were from women who said they were experiencing violence and abuse, and nearly a fifth said their abuser had threatened to kill them.

 

Tragically, statistics show that more female homicide victims are killed by a partner or ex-partner than by strangers.

 

It is imperative we learn from and act on the weaknesses in our systems and structures the pandemic has so starkly exposed. The Council has a well-developed network of support via the Wellbeing team, which includes Early help and Wellbeing, the Housing needs team plus links with Worth, West Sussex specialist services and the Women’s accommodation support officer. This Council continue and further develop its work with these partners. All parts of society should play their part in tackling domestic violence'