Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Allen, Cartwright, Cooke, Dunn, Fookes, Fortune and Payne.

Apologies were received from Councillors Vanessa Allen, David Cartwright, Mary Cooke, Ian Dunn, Peter Fookes, Peter Fortune and Ian Payne. Apologies were also subsequently received from Councillor David Livett.

Minutes confirmed.

The minutes of the ordinary meeting on 14^th April 2014, the special meeting on 4^th June 2014 and the annual meeting on 4^th June 2014 were confirmed.

Declarations of interest were made by Cllrs Bennett (N), Ellis, Michael, Philpott, Smith (C & D) and Stevens (T).

Declarations of interest were made as follows –

·  Cllr Nicholas Bennett, in respect of questions relating to Bromley Mytime as he was a Council appointed Board Member;

·  Cllr Judi Ellis, as her son was head teacher at Biggin Hill Primary School;

·  Cllr Alexa Michael, in relation to the petition on library services, as she was a librarian by profession and a member of the Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Professionals

·  Councillor Tom Philpott in relation to written questions as his employer was involved in implementing the free schools policy;

·  Councillors Colin and Diane Smith as their daughter was a temporary worker in the Bromley Library Service;

·  Councillor Tim Stevens in respect of questions relating to Bromley Mytime as he was a Council appointed Board Member.

Two petitions received regarding (i) Library services and (ii) Orpington Foodbank. After debate, Council agreed no further action on both petitions.   

Report CSD14100

Two petitions  were received regarding (i) Library services and (ii) Orpington Foodbank.

(i) Library Services

A petition had been received from the Staff-side Secretary calling on the Council to stop cutting library services. Kathy Smith addressed the Council in support of the petition.

A motion to take no further action on the petition was moved by Councillor Peter Morgan and seconded by Councillor Alexa Michael. This motion was CARRIED.

(ii) Orpington Foodbank

A petition had been received from the Community Care Protection Group calling on the Council to let 111 Cotmandene Crescent to Orpington Foodbank at a peppercorn rent rather than the commercial rent, and to investigate the number of Bromley residents referred to foodbanks and the effect of hunger and malnutrition on their health and wellbeing. Paul Summers addressed the Council in support of the petition.

A motion to take no further action on the petition was moved by Councillor Robert Evans and seconded by Councillor Graham Arthur. The motion was CARRIED.

(A request for a recorded vote was made by Councillor Angela Wilkins but this was not supported by one third of the Members present as required. Councillors Kathy Bance, Kevin Brooks, Angela Wilkins and Richard Williams requested that their votes against the motion be recorded.)  

Questions must be received by 5pm on Tuesday 15^th July 2014.

Two questions for oral reply were heard. Six questions would receive written replies.

Two questions had been received for oral reply and six for written reply from members of the public. The questions and answers are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

Fourteen questions had been received; ten were dealt with and four would receive written answers as the questioners were not present.  

Fourteen questions had been received from Councillors; ten were dealt with at the meeting and four received written answers as the questioners were not present. The questions and answers are set out in Appendix B to these minutes.

Answers to eleven questions were tabled.

Eleven questions had been received for written reply. The questions and answers were circulated at the meeting and are attached as Appendix C to these minutes.

A statement was made by the Resources Portfolio Holder concerning special merit payments.

A statement was made by Councillor Graham Arthur, Portfolio Holder for Resources, about special merit payments to staff. He stated that Bromley was the only London Borough to come out of the national pay negotiations for its staff, and for the second year Bromley staff had received higher pay rises than under the national agreement and they had received this rise on time. Bromley was the only borough not affected by the current industrial action. He also announced that 142 staff had received one-off voucher payments for exceptional performance.

Agreed as recommended that the annual report be noted and the actual prudential indicators be approved.

Report CSD14104

A motion to note the Treasury Management Annual Report 2013/14 and approve the actual prudential indicators within the report was moved by Councillor Graham Arthur, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.

Agreed recommendations from the Executive.  

Report CSD14101

A motion to approve recommendations from the Executive arising from the Provisional Final Accounts 2013/14 to (i) release £2.1m NHS funding from the Central Contingency and agree that this is set aside in an earmarked reserve; (ii) transfer the balance of the Public Health funding from Central Contingency and agree that this is set aside in an earmarked reserve; and (iii) set up a Transformation Fund with a £4m contribution, was moved by Councillor Graham Arthur, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED. 

Agreed as recommended that additional funding be allocated to the Fund.  

Report CSD14102

A motion to agree the recommendation from the Executive to approve the allocation of additional funding of £13,729k from underspends in 2013/14 to the Economic Development Fund (Earmarked Reserve) was moved by Councillor Peter Morgan, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr, and CARRIED.  

Endorsed the Corporate Parenting Strategy as recommended.

Report CSD14111

A motion to endorse the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2014/16 was moved by Councillor Robert Evans, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.

Amendments received and approved as recommended.

Report CSD14105

A motion to receive from the Leader changes to Resources Portfolio executive delegation (4) and to approve recommended changes to Resources Portfolio non-executive delegations (8), (14) and (17) was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Russell Mellor and CARRIED.

Amended standing order 6 approved as recommended.

Report CSD14110

A motion to approve an amended standing order 6 relating to the recording of meetings and to authorise the Director of Corporate Services to make arrangements for the requirements regarding officer decisions to be implemented when they come into effect, pending further consideration by the Constitution Improvement Working Group, was moved by Councillor Nicholas Bennett and seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.

Agreed as recommended that Councillors have a right of appeal to a Members Appeal Panel.

Report CSD14113

A motion to agree the recommendations from General Purposes and Licensing Committee to note the Government’s decision to withdraw access to the Local Government Pension Scheme for Councillors and the proposed discretionary policies agreed by the Committee, and to approve that in the event that a Councillor is not satisfied with a decision of a Chief Officer’s Early Retirement Panel there will be a right of appeal to an Appeal Panel consisting of three Members who are not Members of the same Committee(s) as the Councillor, was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Russell Mellor and CARRIED.      

No motions received.

No motions had been received.

The Mayor thanked all Councillors who were attending his first Charity Dinner at Tamasha Indian Restaurant on 24^th July – this event was now sold out.

The Mayor announced the following charity events:

• A ten pin bowling match at the Pavilion Leisure Centre on Thursday 18^th September.

• An evening reception at City Hall on Monday 17^th November.

• The annual Quiz Evening in the Great Hall on Friday 13^th February 2015.

Invitations and further information would be sent out from the Mayor’s Office nearer the dates.

The Mayor thanked all Councillors who were attending his first Charity Dinner at Tamasha Indian Restaurant on 24^th July – this event was now sold out.

The Mayor announced the following charity events:

• A ten pin bowling match at the Pavilion Leisure Centre on Thursday 18^th September.

• An evening reception at City Hall on Monday 17^th November.

• The annual Quiz Evening in the Great Hall on Friday 13^th February 2015.

Invitations and further information would be sent out from the Mayor’s Office nearer the dates.

The meeting moved into private session.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the item of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The following summary

refers to matters

involving exempt information

Bromley Town Ward

Recommendations from the Executive were agreed.

Report CSD14103

A motion to approve a recommendation from the Executive concerning the purchase of a property for use as an educational establishment was moved by Councillor Stephen Wells, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.