Agenda and minutes
PDF 63 KBVenue: Bromley Civic Centre
Contact: Graham Walton 020 8461 7743
| No. | Item |
|---|---|
|
Apologies for absence Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors Kathy Bance , Eric Bosshard, David Cartwright, Peter Morgan, Keith Onslow, Ian Payne, Catherine Rideout and Charles Rideout.
Best wishes were conveyed to Councillor Peter Morgan for a quick recovery following his recent operation.
|
|
|
Declarations of Interest Minutes: A number of declarations were made in advance of the meeting related to item 6 (Biggin Hill Airport Proposal to vary the Airport’s Operating Hours), details of which were tabled as follows:
Councillor Mary Cooke:Council Deputy Representative on Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee;
Councillor Judi Ellis:Complementary ticket to the 2014 Air Fair (but paid for it herself);
Councillor Peter Fortune:Complementary ticket to the 2014 Air Fair;
Councillor Hannah Gray:Running a business to business exhibition at Biggin Hill Airport on 16th September 2015 along with two fellow directors of Bank (Bromley and Kent) on Business;
Councillor Kate Lymer: Four Complementary tickets to the 2014 Air Fair;
Councillor Alexa Michael:Council Representative on Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee;
Councillor Ian Payne:Council Deputy Representative on Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee and Complementary tickets to the 2014 Air Fair;
Councillor Melanie Stevens:Council Representative on Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee and Complementary ticket to the 2014 Air Fair;
Councillor Tim Stevens:Council Deputy Representative on Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee and Complementary ticket to the 2014 Air Fair;
Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe:Two Complementary tickets to the 2014 Air Fair;
Councillor Richard Scoates: Council Representative on Biggin Hill Airport Consultative Committee.
Councillor Nicholas Bennett also declared a personal interest at the meeting as a Member of the Board of Bromley College of Further and Higher Education which hoped at some stage to open a College at Biggin Hill.
|
|
|
Questions from Members of the Public where notice has been given. Questions must be received by 5pm on Thursday 19th March 2015.
Additional documents: Minutes: A number of questions from Members of the Public had been received for oral and written reply. Details of the questions and replies – including replies to supplementary questions - are at Appendices A and B. Details of the questions were also tabled, including written replies to questions where a non-oral reply was expected.
The questions for oral reply were taken in order and answered by the Leader of the Council. Given the importance of the matter before Members, it was agreed that time for the questions would be extended beyond the 15 minutes provided in the Council’s Constitution for ordinary meetings of the Council.
The Mayor explained that a questioner would have opportunity to ask a supplementary question but that that such a question should not take the form of general comment or a statement.
|
|
|
Oral questions from Members of the Council where notice has been given. Additional documents: Minutes: Four questions had been received from Members for oral reply. Details of the Questions and Replies are at Appendix C.
As the questions were unrelated to the main business of the meeting, the Mayor, in using his discretion to order agenda items, advised that the questions would be taken at the end of the meeting following debate on the evening’s substantive item.
|
|
|
Written questions from Members of the Council Minutes: Four questions had been received from Members for written reply. Details of the Questions and Replies are at Appendix D.
Again, as the questions were unrelated to the main business of the meeting, the Mayor used his discretion to take the questions at the end of the meeting.
|
|
|
Biggin Hill Airport Proposal to vary the Operating Hours Additional documents:
Minutes: Report DRR15/035
The Special Council meeting had been called to consider a proposal from Biggin Hill Airport Limited (BHAL) to vary the operating hours at the airport. Lawyers acting on behalf of BHAL wrote to the Council on 5th November 2014 proposing that the airport’s operating hours be varied pursuant to the terms of the Lease.
The Mayor explained that for legal reasons the Council’s Executive would be making the final decision on the matter. The Executive would meet immediately following the Special Council meeting. Report DRR15/035 sought a decision on whether the proposals should be supported or rejected. Executive Members at the Council meeting would be able to hear views expressed and any recommendations made; Council would therefore inform the Executive in its decision making.
The Mayor indicated that Members of the Executive had been advised that they may take part in the debate but it would be advisable for them to refrain from voting during the Council meeting.
The Mayor asked the Leader of the Council and Chairman of the Executive, Councillor Stephen Carr, if he wished to speak before opening up debate.
Councillor Carr explained that the Council meeting had been called to allow Executive Members to listen to the views of Council Members. The outcome from Council was not binding and Councillor Carr acknowledged that the topic was particularly emotive. From the outset he emphasised his total respect for the views of Members and for the views of those who had responded to the Council’s public consultation. It was nevertheless important for the authority as a public body to respond to BHAL’s application reasonably and in a timely manner and to fulfil its duty to all borough residents.
Councillor Carr took the opportunity to comment on matters included in a number of frequently asked questions received in previous weeks.
The public had been consulted recognising the Council’s commitment to residents to do so. Councillor Carr also contrasted BHAL’s current application with two previous BHAL applications in advance of the 2012 Olympics. The first, in November 2010, requesting fare paying passengers, was rejected. The second in 2011, to vary operating hours over the period of the Olympics, came with no commitment to an ongoing Noise Management Package or other mitigation. With the current application was the capability, at the airport’s expense, to be able to monitor flight path noise and potential infringements of the lease. There was also now every possibility of the VOR beacon being relocated to provide further mitigation and benefit to local residents.
Councillor Carr also highlighted that Members of the majority group on the Council had been given a free vote on the issue.
Following comments from Councillor Carr the matter was opened up for debate. Councillor Nicholas Bennett moved the following Motion which was seconded by Councillor Peter Fortune:
“That subject to agreement from the airport to all concessions, conditions, and obligations which can reasonably be required in consideration for agreeing a variation to the operating criteria in the third schedule to ... view the full minutes text for item 83. |
|
|
Additional documents: |