Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Nicky Dykes, Samaris Huntington-Thresher and Keith Onslow. Apologies for lateness were received from Councillors Peter Dean, Peter Fookes and Michael Rutherford.

Councillor Peter Morgan declared an interest as his daughter was a Director of Kier Group plc.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8^th December 2014 were confirmed.

Report CSD15020

Two petitions had been received asking the Council to (i) keep the Bromley Museum at the Priory in Orpington with its collection intact and (ii) not sell the Priory building. Both petitions were above the threshold that allowed the lead petitioner to address the Council, but in view of the recent decision by the Executive both petitioners had decided to defer their right to speak.

A third petition that met the threshold for consideration at Council had been received opposing the closure of the public toilets in Beckenham High Street. Ruth Fabricant addressed the meeting in support of the petition.    

A motion to take no further action on the petition was moved by Councillor Colin Smith and seconded by Councillor William Huntington-Thresher and CARRIED.

Questions must be received by 5pm on Tuesday 17^th February 2015.

Seven questions for written reply had been received from members of the public. These are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

Twelve questions had been received from members of the Council.  These are set out in Appendix B to these minutes.

Twenty three questions for written reply had been received. These are set out in Appendix C to these minutes.

(A) Leader of the Council

A statement was made by Councillor Stephen Carr on the future of Bromley Youth Music Trust (BYMT). He started by saying that the Council acknowledged that BYMT had a musical track record perhaps second to none across the UK, but in the light of the financial challenges faced by the Council over the last few years and significantly to come in the future, it had to consider all non-statutory spending. BYMT had fully acknowledged the position the Council found itself in, and during recent discussions which culminated today a joint way forward had been found.  Bromley Council had agreed to make £153,000 of funding available to BYMT in the civic year 2015/16, as well as maintaining support through the provision of premises which contained twelve classrooms and a large hall at their headquarters in Southborough Lane until at least 2017. The Leader knew that BYMT was highly valued in the borough and the Council wanted to continue to support the work of the Trust, but in the current challenging financial climate it no longer seemed appropriate to do so through the Council’s revenue budget. The Council would, however, continue to work with BYMT to help identify and secure income from other sources such as the Arts Council, schools and potential commercial sponsors. The Leader was confident that this joint solution would help BYMT remain a jewel in the crown well into the future.  

(B) Portfolio Holder for Environment

Councillor Colin Smith made brief statement on the recent Transport for London (TfL) consultation on the potential extension of the Bakerloo line to Hayes. He referred to an exchange of correspondence with TfL, copies of which had been circulated. He welcomed investment in public transport improvements in south-east London and north-west Kent and explained that   the council was broadly supportive of the extension of the Bakerloo line to Lewisham, but not an extension to Hayes which would see the existing national rail lines subsumed by the Bakerloo Line extension and the ultimate loss of direct connectivity to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. However, should it be possible to bring the Bakerloo Line to Bromley town centre via New Beckenham without the loss of any of the existing rail services then the Council could be prepared to support this in principle.  

Councillor Nicholas Bennett asked the Portfolio Holder whether he was aware that the West Wickham ward councillors had carried out a survey of all residents in West Wickham, with a result of four to one against the proposal, not just because of the loss of connections but also replacing full size trains with smaller tube trains. He also asked for clarification on the “New Cross option” mentioned in the correspondence with TfL. Councillor Smith agreed that he was aware that colleagues in other wards had carried out similar surveys with similar results. Residents had bought their houses specifically for the links to central London and they did not want a less reliable and more overcrowded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

(A) 2015/16 Council Tax

The Director of Finance circulated supplementary information and amended recommendations. There were no changes to the final Mayoral precept accepted by the London Assembly on 23rd February 2015. 

On 18^th February 2015 the Environment Portfolio Holder had considered a report entitled “Revision to Kerbside Paper Collection Service”.  Minutes of the meeting were circulated. Council was requested to approve an allocation of £558k from overall underspends in the Council’s 2014/15 Central Contingency sum for the purchase of three split bodied vehicles as detailed in recommendation 2.4 below.

“The above changes required the following amendments to be made to the recommendations of the Executive:

Amended Recommendation (2.1)

(g)  sets a 1.99% increase in Bromley’s council tax for 2015/16, compared with 2014/15, and a 1.34% reduction in the GLA precept;

(h)  notes the final position on the GLA precept, as accepted by the London   Assembly on 23rd February 2015;

Amended Recommendation (2.2)

Council Tax 2015/16 – Statutory Calculations and Resolutions (as amended by the Localism Act 2011).

Subject to 2.1 (a) to (j) above, if the formal Council Tax Resolution as detailed below is approved, the total Band D Council Tax will be as follows:

Amended Recommendation (2.3)

(iv)  to note that the Greater London Authority (GLA) has issued a precept to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below.

Additional Recommendation (2.4)

(i)  Council approve an allocation of £558k from overall underspends in the Council’s 2014/15 Central Contingency Sum for the purchase of three split-bodied vehicles.”

In addition, the following amendments were moved by Councillor Stephen Carr, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED. 

“The following changes be made to the recommended budget for 2015/16:

Recommendation 2.1:

(b)  approve the draft revenue budgets for 2015/16 with the following   amendments:

(i)  agree that a sum of £77k be set aside from 2014/15 underspends as an earmarked reserve to contribute towards the funding of Bromley Youth Music Trust  in 2015/16 to enable the savings in the 2015/16 and future years budgets to be realised.

Recommendation 2.3:

iii)  that the following amounts be calculated for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the Act):

(a)  £560,423k being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.

(b)  £431,522k being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.”

A motion to receive and adopt the recommendations as amended was moved by Councillor Steven Carr and seconded by Cllr Colin Smith.

The following amendment was moved by Councillor Angela Wilkins and seconded by Councillor Ian Dunn, and a spreadsheet summarising  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

Report CSD15029

A motion to set aside a sum of £4.5m as an earmarked reserve known as the “Health and Social Care Integrated Commissioning Fund” as recommended by the Executive was moved by Councillor Robert Evans, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.

Report CSD15027

A motion to add the refurbishment of Beacon House to the Capital Programme as recommended by the Executive was moved by Councillor Stephen Wells, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.

Report CSD15021

A motion to adopt the Treasury Management Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2015/16 including the prudential indicators and Minimum Revenue Provision policy statement was moved by Councillor Graham Arthur, seconded by Councillor Stephen Carr and CARRIED.

Report CSD15025

A motion to approve a flat rate pay increase of 1.2% for all staff (excluding teachers) as recommended by General Purposes and Licensing Committee was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Russell Mellor and CARRIED.

Report CSD15026

A motion to approve the 2015/16 Pay Policy Statement and establish a Chief Executive’s Appraisal and Pay Committee as recommended by General Purposes and Licensing Committee was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Russell Mellor and CARRIED.

Report CSD15022

A motion to approve the Members’ Allowances Scheme and Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral Allowances 2015/16 with allowances remaining at the current level, as recommended by General Purposes and Licensing Committee but deleting paragraph 8 and re-numbering the remainder of the scheme accordingly, was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Russell Mellor and CARRIED.

Report CSD15023

A motion to amend recommendation (v) (b) in the report so that Council employees should have the right to elect their representatives on the Pension Board was moved by Councillor Ian Dunn and seconded by Councillor Angela Wilkins. The amendment was LOST.

A motion to approve the recommendation from General Purposes and Licensing Committee to establish a Local Pension Board and agree its composition and terms of reference was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Simon Fawthrop and CARRIED.

A motion to approve the following changes to committee memberships was moved by Councillor Tony Owen, seconded by Councillor Russell Mellor and CARRIED.

·   Councillor Douglas Auld to replace Councillor Will Harmer on Executive and Resources PDS Committee.

·   Councillor Kathy Bance to replace Councillor Peter Fookes on General Purposes and Licensing Committee.

·   Councillor Ian Dunn to replace Councillor Peter Fookes on Executive and Resources PDS Committee.

·   Councillor Kevin Brooks to replace Councillor Peter Fookes on Care Services PDS Committee

The following motion on the Petts Wood Area Of Special Character (ASRC) was moved by Councillor Simon Fawthrop and seconded by Councillor Douglas Auld. The motion had been slightly amended in the first line by Councillor Fawthrop to refer the matter to the Executive.

“This Council recommends to the Executive that the existing statement in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) in relation to the Petts Wood Area Of Special Character (ASRC) should be supplemented with the following updated statement which should also form the basis of any descriptions within the Local Development Framework (LDF) including any future reports to Development Control Committee.  This supplement should take place with immediate effect, subject to any statutory or technical considerations, which should be expedited.

I.3 Petts Wood Supplement to the Descriptions in the UDP:

The original plans for Petts Wood date from the late 1920s and early 1930s. While Houses were built over a number of years, in a number of similar though varied styles, the road layout and plot sizes were established in an overall pattern. Today the layout remains largely intact. Within the overall area the Conservation Areas of the Chenies and Chislehurst Road already stand out.

The plots were originally designed on the garden suburb principle by developer Basil Scruby, with large plot sizes spaciously placed. The characteristics of the Petts Wood ASRC include an open feel, predicated by low boundaries and visible front gardens, set back from the road; there is also spaciousness between the houses which is of a superior standard. This allows many of the trees and greenery which prevails throughout the area to be seen from the street scene giving the area its open and semi- rural feel in line with the garden suburb principle.  This open and suburban aspect of the area underlines the special characteristic of the area.  Development which erodes this special character will be resisted.

The separation between building and the rhythm and pattern of the houses adds to the special character. In many cases there is a much wider separation between houses than in other parts of the Borough which demands a higher degree of separation between buildings to maintain the special character, the openness and feel of the area.  Where there are pairs of houses that complement the rhythm of the street scene there is also a prevailing symmetry between the houses. This symmetry can also be seen between neighbouring pairs.  The plots are set out in such a way that the spacious character is one of a clear detached and semi-detached nature.

The front building and rear building lines are also of importance in defining the area. The buildings are of a 1930s design, for example some built by the distinguished designer Noel Rees, which adds to the character of the area.  Whilst there have been some changes post war this design aspect of the area remains intact and future development should respect this characteristic.  The front roof lines are also of a nature which enhances the characteristic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the Boxing Dinner on Friday 23^rd January and the BYMT Concert at Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts on Thursday 12^th February.  Both events were extremely successful and raised significant sums of money for the Mayor’s charities. The Quiz evening on 20^th February had also been an enormous success, and the Mayor thanked Councillor Ian Payne for hosting the event.

The Mayor advised Members of the following events -

·  A charity preview of Alan Ayckbourn’s “A Chorus of Disapproval” at Bromley Little Theatre on Thursday 12^th March. 

·  The House of Commons Dinner with Tour on Friday 13^th March.