Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Beckley, Nicholas Bennett JP, Ellis, Samaris Huntington-Thresher, Ince, Jackson, Lynch, Norrie, Scoates and Wells.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Beckley, Nicholas Bennett JP, Ellis, Samaris Huntington-Thresher, Ince, Jackson, Lynch, Norrie, Scoates and Wells.

Confirmed.

The Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 28^th February and 21^st March 2011 were confirmed.

Councillor Lymer declared an interest as her mother worked for Bromley PCT.

Councillor Lymer declared an interest as her mother worked for Bromley PCT.

There were no Petitions to report to this Council Meeting.

There were none.

There were no questions received from members of the public.

7 oral questions had been received and were responded to.

These are attached at Appendices A and B.  

There were no Statements made at the meeting.

There were no Statements made at the meeting.

The Chairman of the Standards Committee, Dr Simon Davey, attended to introduce the report.  The recommendation was agreed.

The Chairman of the Standards Committee, Dr Simon Davey, was in attendance to introduce the report and respond to questions from members.

A Motion to approve the report was proposed, seconded and adopted.

The recommendation was agreed.

A Motion to approve the Code was proposed, seconded and adopted.

The Annual Policy Development and Scrutiny Report 20010/11 was received.

A Motion to approve this Annual Report was proposed, seconded and adopted.

The recommendations were agreed.

A Motion to approve the recommendation proposing some minor amendments to the Constitution was proposed, seconded and adopted.

2 Motions had been received:

1)    EU Contributions – the Motion was CARRIED.

2)  NHS – the Motion was referred to the next meeting of the Adults & Community Services PDS Committee for consideration.

Notice of two Motions had been received as follows:

i)  EU Contributions

The following Motion was proposed by Councillor Colin Smith and seconded by Councillor Mrs Anne Manning:-

“This Council believes that there was no justification for the recent 2.9% rise in this country’s contribution to the still un-audited and wasteful European Union budget, particularly at a time when the Coalition Government is quite rightly trying to narrow the huge financial deficit it inherited from its predecessors.

The EU provides little obvious benefit to the residents of this Borough, and this Council firmly believes that at a time when valued local services are facing acute challenges to meet the new financial realities demanded by the 26% cuts facing Local Government, the EU should be playing its part and reducing spending, rather than increasing it.

Accordingly this Council calls on the Coalition Government to inform the EU of its intention to make significant reductions to our future contributions, commencing next year.

This Council alsonotes with utter dismay reports that UK taxpayers may be asked to provide additionalbillions of pounds to bailout overspending Governments within the Euro-Zone andurges the Coalition Government to stand firm in rejecting any such requests”

(Councillor Simon Fawthrop asked for his views to be recorded that he for his part felt the country would be better off out of the European Union.  He expressed the comment that what was needed was a system that worked rather than the current bureaucratic arrangements that forced things on people as opposed to being lead by the people. In this regard he considered that Bromley Council was a good example of listening to the people in the way it did business across the Borough.)

On being put to the vote this motion was CARRIED.

ii)  NHS

The following Motion was proposed by Councillor Peter Fookes and seconded by Councillor Kathy Bance:-

“This Council calls on the Coalition Government to abandon it's proposed reforms to the NHS and to ensure that under the next proposals that in the interests of patients, costs and accountability that local councils have a major role in the future of health care delivery.”

A Motion was moved by Councillor Arthur and seconded by Councillor Carr that the above Motion on the NHS should more appropriately be referred to the next meeting of the Adult and Community Services PDS Committee for consideration in the light of the latest developments.

Councillors Fookes and Bance indicated acceptance of the proposal by Councillor Arthur.

On being put to the vote this Motion was CARRIED. 

The Mayor reported on his enjoyable visit to Niewied. 

On 1^st May 2011 there would be charity Cycle race at Jubilee Park to which all were welcome.

The Mayor would also hold an event at El Patio’s at the end of his term of office.

The Mayor reported on his enjoyable visit to Bromley’s twin town of Neuwied. 

He also announced that on 1^st May 2011 there would be a charity Cycle race at Jubilee Park to which all were welcome.

The Mayor would also be holding an event at El Patio at the end of his term of office and details would be circulated in due course.