Agenda and minutes

The Mayor received apologies for absence from Councillors Dan Coxhill and Margaret Howard.

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. 

To approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday 18 October 2022, copies of which have been previously circulated. 

A copy is available to view at

https://democracy.adur-worthing.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=158&MId=1730&Ver=4

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 18th October 2022 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Mayor.

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 Borough, except no questions may be asked in relation to

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 minutes; questions will be taken in the order of receipt.

The deadline for submission of questions is 8th December 2022 at 12 noon. Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk 

The Mayor advised that 3 questions had been received in advance of the meeting.

1.            Question submitted by Luke Houghton, a Worthing Resident

As Mr Houghton was not present, the Mayor requested that a written response be provided to his question.

2.            Question submitted by Ian Davey, a Worthing Resident

Question: Cycling infrastructure in Worthing is appalling. 

It has been some years now since, with public consultation, the Borough Council aimed to address this and agreed the Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

Could the leader of the council please outline what cycling infrastructure has been implemented since.

The Leader replied that the Council adopted the LCWIP a couple of years ago and there had been little progress made in relation to infrastructure changes during this time period.  There were improvements being made along the A24 in Findon but that wasn’t one of the priority routes in the plan.

The new administration came in with a priority in relation to sustainable travel which they had been pushing forward. Highways were the responsibility of West Sussex County Council (WSCC) so Worthing Borough Council had to work in partnership with WSCC.  

The Council was negotiating a new growth deal with WSCC, with sustainable transport at the heart of it. The deal sets out what the priority projects are across the Borough and considers the funding which WSCC could access nationally to support those projects.

The Council wanted to ensure that whenever infrastructure development was being considered, that cycling, walking and public transport were put forward as an emergency priority. 

At a recent meeting with WSCC, 2 north to south and 2 east to west priority routes were considered. Officers from WSCC had now undertaken feasibility studies for the north to south routes, which was the first stage towards obtaining cycle route funding. The next stage was going out to public consultation. 

WBC have been prioritising sustainable travel and put together a sustainable travel steering group. The intention was to merge the steering group with the established Active Travel Group which was made up of officers from WBC and WSCC. In the new year, Members would be actively speaking with stakeholders, including the Worthing Cycling Forum. 

3.            Question asked by Ian Davey, a Worthing Resident

Question: The Adur & Worthing sustainability framework talks of shifting to sustainable transport and improving air quality. Actions include implementing improvements identified in the LCWIP and introducing bike share with 50% e-bikes in 2023. To this end the Borough Council had been planning to join the new bike share scheme soon to start in Brighton & Hove. Could the council leader please outline the rationale behind the recent decision to abandon this plan in favour of continuing with the existing Donkey Bike scheme.

The Leader replied that due to the Council’s financial position, the Council needed to review a number of commitments that would have a significant impact on the budget - one of those commitments was bike share.

After a complete review of the scheme it  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/43/22-23

The Mayor provided a summary of the events that she had attended and supported since the last Full Council meeting and details of the upcoming Mayor’s charity events.

The Leader introduced Sianna Hearn, Member of the Adur and Worthing Youth Council, who gave a presentation and answered questions in relation to the makeup of the Youth Council and some of its recent initiatives.

The Deputy Leader updated Council on the Cost of Living Emergency Work, thanking Officers for their work in getting ‘warm spaces’ up and running and the Community Venues who had come forward and to offer support to those most in need this winter, helping to create a network of warm hubs which would make a big difference.

Councillors were also informed of the recent launch of a crowd fund to support food groups and the Deputy Leader thanked local businesses who had come forward at short notice to support this initiative.            

The Cabinet Member for Citizen Services announced that a Housing Conference would be held on the 23rd February 2023 in the Rooms Worthing.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration wished to thank all those who had taken part in the ‘your space’ design competition advising that the second phase was due to end on the 16th December.     

The Cabinet Member for Environment updated the Council on the National Bathing Water results announced by DEFRA and the most recent Council Poo Patrol which had been established to raise awareness of the problems with dog fouling in the Borough.

The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure reminded Members that a couple of culture organisations (Worthing Theatres and Museum and Audio Active) were offering holiday activities for young people who qualified for free school meals. 

There were no announcements from the Chief Executive. 

To consider any items the Mayor has agreed are urgent.

There were no urgent items raised under the urgency provisions.

To consider recommendations to the Council, details of which are set out in the attached items as 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D(i) & (ii).

Reports are available on the website as listed below:

Council had, before it, recommendations from the Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee, the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Audit and Governance Committee.

Extracts of these minutes had been circulated as items 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D(i) & (ii).

Item 7A                       Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee - 8 November 2022

Worthing Local Plan

The Mayor advised Council that consideration of agenda item 7A, the Worthing Local Plan, was to be deferred to an alternative date.

The Council had become aware of an inaccuracy in the supporting information to the Worthing Local Plan which required consideration.  The Mayor advised that this information was deemed exempt as it related to the business and financial affairs of the Council.

As the Local Plan was a very important document, the Council was pausing the process whilst this issue was considered further.

Item 7B           Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 24 November 2022

JOSC Work Programme review

The Chair of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Roser, proposed the recommendation from the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 24 November 2022.

During debate of the item, Members raised concerns about the size of the work programme and the number of Cabinet Member Interviews.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Dan Hermitage and unanimously supported.

Resolved,

That Worthing Borough Council noted the changes made to the JOSC Work Programme since it was agreed by both Councils in April 2022.

Item 7C           Joint Audit & Governance Committee - 29 November 2022

Members Allowances 2022/23

The Chair of the Joint Audit & Governance Committee, Cllr Mike Barrett, proposed that the recommendations from the Joint Audit & Governance Committee meeting held on 29 November 2022. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Dan Hermitage.

The motion was debated with consideration given to the budget, the current scheme of allowances and the amount of work undertaken by Councillors.

Councillor Thorpe wished to place on record that she would not be accepting the 5.82% rise to her basic allowance and that all councillors could choose to do the same. 

Following a vote (For 22, Against 1, Abstentions 12), the motion was supported.

Resolved,

That Worthing Borough Council approved that Members Allowances for 2022/23 be increased by 5.82% in line with the weighted average of the NJC pay bargaining agreement for 2022/23.

Item 7D(i)       Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee - 5 December 2022

2023/24 Budget Update

The Leader of the Council proposed the recommendations from the meeting held on 5 December 2022.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor John Turley and unanimously supported.

Resolved:

That Worthing Borough Council approved the use of capital receipts to support the delivery of the budget as set out in appendix 4.

Item 7D(ii)      Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee - 5 December 2022

Outcome of the public consultation in respect of the working age Council Tax Support Scheme for Worthing Borough Council in respect of 2023/24

The Leader of the Council, proposed the recommendations from the meeting held on 5 December 2022.

Following debate of  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/46/22-23

To receive a report  from the Leader as item 8. The report contains decisions taken by the Cabinet, Cabinet Members, the Joint Strategic Committee and the Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee since the last Council meeting. 

There will be up to 15 minutes for Cabinet Members to make any statements on the report. There will also be up to 15 minutes for Cabinet Members to respond to questions on the report. These questions will not be the same as any to be asked under Item 9. 

The Leader of the Council presented their report on decisions taken by the Cabinet since the last meeting of the Council, which were detailed in Item 8.

During consideration of the item, questions were raised in relation to the introduction of charging for car parks that were currently free to use; the size of the reserves held by the Council; the Corporate Debt Policy and the proposed increase to car park charges for off street car parking.    

Members question time will last up to 30 minutes, with questions being taken in the order of receipt and in rotation from each political group on the Council. The deadline for submission of questions is 8th December 2022 at 12 noon. Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Questions can be asked of the following:

a)    The Mayor

b)    A Member of the Cabinet

c)    The Chairman of any Committee

d)    The Council’s representative on any outside body

Questions cannot be asked in relation to the following:

a)    A specific planning or licensing application

b)    A specific staffing appointment, appeal or Standards determination

The Mayor announced that the Proper Officer had received 8 questions from Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12. She advised that one supplementary question could be asked which must arise out of the original question, or, the reply. 

Questions would be asked in rotation of the Groups represented in the Chamber and there were 30 minutes allowed for questions with 3 rotations of speakers possible.

The Mayor announced that the following Councillors had submitted questions:

Councillors Nowak, Thorpe, Cochran and Jenkins.

First rotation

Question 1 from Councillor Richard Nowak to the Leader

In Labour’s manifesto entitled “A Council for the Community” a commitment was made to “invest in Local Climate Bonds to raise money for local sustainable projects”.

Perversely, this was the one proposal considered by the Adur & Worthing Climate Assembly in 2020 which failed to achieve the necessary 75% support for it to become a final report recommendation.

Nevertheless it is one of this administration’s manifesto commitments and therefore my question is a simple one – 6 months downstream from taking charge of the Council why has there been no progress on this promise to Worthing residents?

The Leader asked the Cabinet Member for Resources to respond to the question.

The Cabinet Member replied that the Council had been very successful in levering in external funding to date for its decarbonisation programme and so there had been no need to go to the market for borrowing.

The Council had sourced an intermediary to administer any potential green bond, and intended to use these as a source of funding for large scale projects such as the development of a solar farm.

Once the Council had an approved series of unfunded projects, then the green bond would be used as a source of funding. However, given the Council’s constrained financial position, it would continue to seek external funding first as this represented the best value to the public purse.

Any bond was an alternative form of finance and so did not increase the amount available for investment in decarbonisation. It did however enable the community to support this important agenda.

The Council was particularly keen to explore models that encouraged local residents to donate all or part of their investment back, emphasising community wealth building outcomes, tapping into investors' increasing desire to invest “hyper locally”.

It was expected that options for a local scheme would be developed and assessed during the spring / early summer.

Question 2 from Councillor Hazel Thorpe to the Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing

Two local schools are under discussion of merging due to the predicted dwindling numbers of children coming through the system.

Whilst education is a major part of the County Council’s brief, they are still one of our partners and education impacts upon everything we do.

What is your view on the merging of two of our local schools, impacting upon other schools, with the high probability of loss of teaching and other jobs?

The Cabinet Member replied that West Sussex County  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/48/22-23

To consider a Motion on Notice, submitted by the Proper Officer on behalf of Councillor Kevin Jenkins, detailed as item 10.

Members had a motion before them proposed by Councillor Kevin Jenkins which was seconded by Councillor Russ Cochran.

A motion without notice, to go to a vote without debate, was proposed by Councillor Andy Whight, seconded by Councillor Samuel Theodoridi and supported. 

Following a vote, the substantive motion was supported unanimously.

Resolved:

That Worthing Borough Council requested that the proposed Schedule of Meetings for 2023/2024 onwards, to be approved at Full Council, took into account the new Budget Procedure Rules and provided that Council meetings were scheduled in such a way so as to avoid a gap in the Schedule between December and April.

To consider a Motion on Notice, submitted by the Proper Officer on behalf of Councillor Sally Smith, detailed as item 11.

Members had a motion before them proposed by Councillor Sally Smith and seconded by Councillor Samuel Theodoridi.

The motion was debated and following a vote, was supported unanimously.

Resolved:

That Worthing Borough Council reaffirmed its commitment to developing and maintaining healthy, sustainable housing for the residents of Worthing.