Agenda and minutes

The Mayor had received apologies for absence from Councillors Mike Barrett, Rita Garner, Elizabeth Sparkes and Andy Whight.

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.

Councillor Noel Atkins declared interests as an elected Member of West Sussex County Council and as the Borough’s Armed Forces Champion. 

Councillor Caroline Baxter declared an interest as an elected Member of West Sussex County Council.

Councillor Richard Nowak declared an interest as a member of Shoreham District Ornithological Society.

To approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday 18 July 2023 and the Extraordinary Council Meeting held on Thursday 24 August 2023, copies of which have been previously circulated. 

Resolved that the minutes of the meetings held on 18th July and 24th August 2023 be approved as correct records and that they be signed by the Mayor.

To receive any questions from members of the public addressed to Members of the Cabinet 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 12th October 2023 at 12 noon. Questions to be submitted to democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

1.      Question submitted by Lionel Harman, a Worthing Resident, to the Leader 

You have stated that you want to remove every barrier to ensure maximum participation of residents in our democratic processes, and that you believe that 21st-century democracy must evolve and re-establish its mandate as a true reflection of how people feel and think about our society. To achieve this, you said you would make it possible to pass power and control over what happens within communities, to our communities.

However, you are ignoring a large part of the Community in Worthing.  According to the National Census 3.2%, or in numbers, just short of 4000 residents Serve or have served in our armed forces.

This must make them the largest minority group in the Borough. Unlike some other more vocal groups in the Town, we do not make too much of a fuss about political concerns. All we ask is that the Borough Councillors show the respect owed to anyone who was willing to put their own lives on the line in defence of our country, and respectfully remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Remembrance Day holds significant importance in our town, centred around the military, veterans, and those residents remembering their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The attire of veterans, serving soldiers, and cadets and other youth organisations on this day reflects their commitment, respect, and the traditions that have shaped our society.

Your decision to scrap the Councillor and Mayoral Robes did not take into consideration the views of the people, in fact they were not even consulted on this issue. Considering the outrage of the public, which by the way is continuing to grow, as demonstrated by, and published in the local press, towards your decision on this matter, will you listen to the people and reconsider your motion to scrap the robes and ensure those Councillors who wish to wear them at the Remembrance Service are allowed to do so both this year and in the future?

The Leader thanked Mr Harman for the question and all those who had attended the meeting in relation to this matter. 

There was no question that the Council did not understand and respect the importance of our veterans and those who gave service and thanked them for it. Councillors fully intended to be in attendance on remembrance Sunday, alongside veterans, remembering the sacrifices made by veterans and those they fought with. The decision regarding robes was in no way meant or intended to be disrespectful.

Stopping wearing the robes was about extending the Council into the Community. The Leader fully appreciated that those in attendance at the meeting were engaged, able to attend Council meetings to ask questions and understood how the Council operated. 

However, there were a lot of people in the community who didn’t have this experience and understanding, or the confidence to come into the Council Chamber. Those people felt excluded from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/34/23-24

The Mayor informed Council that he had attended a number of events since the July Council Meeting, the highlight being a meeting with the Mayor Les Sables d’Olonne, Worthing’s French Twin.  

From a cultural perspective, the Mayor had the fortune of attending a variety of events, ranging from Shrek the musical to a performance by the Worthing Symphony Orchestra.  

The Leader of the Council proposed the following changes to the membership of the Planning Committee following Councillor Andy Whight’s decision to step away temporarily in order to attend to personal matters:-

• That Councillor Odul Bozkurt be appointed as Chairman of the Planning Committee;

• That Councillor Helen Abrahams be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee;

• That Councillor Cathy Glynn-Davies will replace Councillor Andy Whight on the Planning Committee.

The proposed appointments were seconded by Councillor Noel Atkins and approved by Council. 

There were a number of announcements made by the Cabinet Members updating the Council of the following:-

• An upcoming CIL Neighbourhood Fund event;
• Ongoing work in relation to the Cost of Living Emergency;
• Montague Place;
• The Worthing Development Forum; 
• Summer Beach Surveys;
• Trees for Streets Initiative - 36 street trees had been sponsored under the trees for streets initiative; and
• Public Toilet Improvements; and 
• Recycling Awareness.  

The Head of Paid Service advised that in addition to the recommendation to Full Council from the Joint Audit & Governance Committee at agenda item 7B(i), a report concerning performance management would be taken to the Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee in the near future. 

The Leader of the Opposition advised Council of the following changes to Committee Memberships:-

• Councillor Dan Coxhill would replace Councillor Richard Nowak on the Licensing & Control Committee; and

• Councillor Richard Nowak would replace Councillor Dan Coxhill on the Planning Committee. 

To consider any items the Mayor has agreed are urgent.

The Mayor announced that there were no urgent items.

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

Reports are available on the website as listed below: 

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

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

Item 7A           Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee - 12 September 2023

Financial Performance 2022/23 - Capital and Projects Outturn

The Leader proposed the recommendations from the Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee meeting held on 12 September 2023. 

The proposal was seconded by Councillor John Turley and supported following a vote.

Resolved,

That Worthing Borough Council

a)    Noted the overall capital final outturn for 2022/23; 

b)    Agreed the net carry over of General Fund Capital underspends for Worthing Borough Council as detailed in paragraph 4.3.2; 

c)    Approved the financing of the Worthing Borough Council 2022/23 Capital Investment Programme, including the use of capital receipts as set out in paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2; and 

d)    Approved the carry forward of Council resources underspends to fund budget pressures as detailed in Appendix 1 and summarised in paragraph 5.4. 

Item 7B(i)       Joint Audit & Governance Committee - 26 September 2023 

Organisational design and capability building - progress update

The Chair of the Joint Governance Committee, Cllr Hermitage, proposed the recommendation from the meeting held on 26 September 2023. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Hazel Thorpe and noted by the Council.

Resolved,

That Worthing Borough Council, in compliance with the Councils’ Constitutions, noted the overall departmental structure of the Councils, the management structure and the deployment of Officers.

Item 7B(ii)      Joint Audit & Governance Committee - 26 September 2023

Conferment of Honorary Alderman

The Chair of the Joint Audit & Governance Committee, Cllr Dan Hermitage, proposed the recommendation from the Joint Audit & Governance Committee meeting held on 26 September 2023. 

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Noel Atkins and unanimously supported by the Council.

Resolved,

That Worthing Borough Council approved ‘That a special meeting of the Council be arranged under section 249(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 for the specific purpose of conferring the title of Honorary Alderman to Lionel Harman’.

* The meeting was adjourned at 8.05pm and reconvened at 8.10pm.

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 the Leader and 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.

Questions were received in relation to the 1st Quarter Capital Investment Programme and Projects Monitoring report; New Leisure Principles; the projected budget overspend and work associated with the declared ecological emergency.

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 the 12^th October 2023 at 12 noon.

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

Questions can be asked of the following:

a)     The Mayor

b)     A Member of the Executive

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 9 questions from Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12. He advised that one supplementary question could be asked which must arise out of the original question, or, the reply.  

It was noted that there were 30 minutes allowed for questions with 3 rotations of speakers possible. At the end of 30 minutes the Mayor explained that he would extend the time to conclude the current rotation of questions.

The Mayor advised that the following Councillors had submitted questions:

Councillors Atkins, Cochran, Jenkins, Nowak, Sparkes and Thorpe.

First rotation: 

Question 1 from Councillor Kevin Jenkins to the Cabinet Member for Housing & Citizen Services

On the 15th June you, as cabinet member, co-hosted a public meeting at the East Worthing Community Centre to discuss the Council’s joint plans with SDR Living for the use of the Windsor House Hotel as a large 44-bed HMO. That meeting didn’t go well and large numbers of members of the public couldn’t gain entry to see the plans or ask questions.

Along with colleagues you promised another meeting. Here we are 4 months later and no public meeting has been held. 

Can you tell us when this will happen?

The Cabinet Member replied that the initial meeting could have gone a lot better and that it was the Council’s intention to hold another public meeting in November.  

The Council was keen for any meeting to be constructive rather than divisive and would be inviting all participants, including the leader of the opposition, to play their role in hosting a space where everyone could be heard and respected.

Question 2 from Councillor Hazel Thorpe to the Cabinet Member for Housing & Citizen Services 

However commendable it may be, in these hard times the administration is spending a large amount of the Council’s budget on the homeless sector, whilst there are plenty of other sectors that are also suffering.

Firstly, what is the administration doing about supporting young families, many who have young children. These people are facing massive increases in the rent they must pay just to keep a roof over their heads. Secondly, what is the administration doing about young families with mortgages who have experienced a near 5 % hike in their interest rates and who could lose their homes. Finally, what is the administration doing about those trying to get on the housing ladder and at the other end of the scale, the pensioners who are on fixed and often low incomes?

The Cabinet Member replied that The Council’s homelessness services were discharging the council's statutory duties and the council was legally required to provide them.  

The Council did not have control or influence over market rents and Local Housing Allowance (LHA) levels were set by the government, along with the rents the Council could charge for temporary accommodation, which were set at 90% of 2011 LHA. It was not possible to charge more than that for temporary accommodation. This remained a key challenge  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/39/23-24

** The Mayor called for a vote (under Council Procedure Rule 10.1) to be taken at 9.28pm to determine whether the meeting should continue past 3 hours in duration. The next Member Question would have taken the meeting beyond 9.30pm. The Council agreed by majority not to extend the meeting.