Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Marina Ahmad, Peter Dean and Kieran Terry. Councillor Russell Mellor submitted apologies for attending late.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th October 2020 be confirmed.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions that are not specific to reports on the agenda must have been received in writing 10 working days before the date of the meeting – by 23^rd November 2020. 

Questions specifically on reports on the agenda should be received within two working days of the normal publication date of the agenda.  Please ensure that questions specifically on reports on the agenda are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on 1^st December 2020.

(a) Questions from members of the public for written reply.

(b) Questions from members of the Council for oral reply.

(c) Questions from members of the Council for written reply. 

Thirty-two questions had been received from members of the public for written reply. The questions, with the answers given, are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

Fifteen questions had been received from members of the Council for oral reply, plus one for urgent reply. The questions, with the replies given, are set out in Appendix B to these minutes.

Six questions had been received from members of the Council for written reply. The questions, with the answers given, are set out in Appendix C to these minutes.

(1)  Property Disposals

A statement from Councillor Graham Arthur, Portfolio Holder for Resources, Commissioning and Contract Management, had been requested by Councillors Ian Dunn and Angela Wilkins on the status of the £30m property disposal programme approved by the Leader in September 2020, and when it would be provided to Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee for Scrutiny.

Councillor Arthur emphasised that the decision had been made with the support of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee. Work had begun to identify properties for disposal and there would be quarterly reports to the Executive. Any disposals of individual properties would need to be agreed by the Executive following scrutiny by the relevant PDS Committee. In response to a question from Councillor Simon Jeal, Councillor Arthur confirmed that ward councillors would be consulted before potential disposals were considered by PDS Committees.

(2)  Covid-19

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Colin Smith, made a statement on the Covid-19 situation. He emphasised the vital importance of all Councillors carrying out their community champion role to encourage residents to stick rigidly to the rules. Bromley had consistently seen below average levels of infection compared to the rest of London, but, like the rest of outer south London, daily infection rates were now rising again. With the winter-flu period approaching it was crucial that Councillors kept transmitting the message of sticking to the rules.

In response to a question from Councillor Colin Hitchins, the Leader confirmed that communications support was available to support the Council’s message on Covid-19 and individual Councillors seeking communications advice. However, he was concerned that, with everyone so tired of the situation, the number of people prepared to ignore the rules was growing and both the general messages and the personal touch of individual communication were needed.

The Leader also confirmed that, following discussions with Conservative members of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee, he had decided that the scheduled meeting of the Executive on 13^th January 2021 would take place online. Councillor Simon Fawthrop added that he also hoped to see oral replies to public questions re-instated. Councillor Angela Wilkins, while welcoming the re-introduction of oral replies to public questions, queried whether it was appropriate for the chairman of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee to be making such a statement. The Leader responded that he too welcomed the re-instatement of oral replies.

Report CSD20124

An amendment to add the following changes was moved by Councillor Simon Jeal and seconded by Councillor Vanessa Allen -

(1) That looked after young people within the borough, up to the age of twenty five, shall be exempt from 100% of Council tax for their first two years of independent living.

(2) That in view of the economic downturn and lob losses as a result of the COVID pandemic and the hardship this has caused to many Bromley residents, the existence of the hardship fund shall be proactively communicated to all those in receipt of council tax support, housing benefit and universal credit.

The proposed amendment was LOST.

A motion to approve the Council Tax Support/Reduction Scheme 2021/22 was moved by Councillor Graham Arthur, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED.

Report CSD20125

A motion to approve a capital estimate of £1,764k for the three housing schemes, and to approve revised financing of the schemes as set out in the report, including an internal loan from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account of £7,453k, was moved by Councillor Peter Morgan, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED.

Report CSD20126

A motion to note the report and approve changes to the 2020/21 prudential indicators, as set out in Annex B1 to the report, was moved by Councillor Graham Arthur, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED.

Report CSD20127

A motion to approve the updated Financial Regulations and Financial Regulations for Schools was moved by Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, seconded by Councillor Stephen Wells, and CARRIED.

Report CSD20128

A motion to receive and note the Local Pension Board Annual Report 2020 was moved by Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, seconded by Councillor Stephen Wells and CARRIED.

(1) Free School Meals

The following motion was moved by Councillor Kevin Brooks and seconded by Councillor Simon Jeal -

“Bromley Council congratulates Marcus Rashford on his successful campaign to ensure children eligible for free school meals are provided for over the holidays. We give thanks to local residents, groups and businesses for their amazing efforts to prevent children going hungry over the October half term and welcome the Government’s U-turn to commit to providing funding to prevent children going hungry over Christmas.

We fully accept the Council’s responsibility in leading on efforts to ensure child food poverty is eliminated across our borough, and to achieve this ask that the Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Families establishes a taskforce, for the Council to work with local charities, food banks and other voluntary organisations to develop and deliver a strategy to tackle the longer term causes of child food poverty and ensure no child in our borough goes hungry.”

The following Members voted in favour of the motion -

Councillors Vanessa Allen, Kathy Bance, Kevin Brooks, Ian Dunn, Simon Jeal, Josh King and Angela Wilkins. (7)

The following Members voted against the motion -

Councillors Gareth Allatt, Graham Arthur, Yvonne Bear, Julian Benington, Nicholas Bennett, Kim Botting, Mike Botting, Katy Boughey, Mark Brock, David Cartwright, Mary Cooke, Aisha Cuthbert, Nicky Dykes, Judi Ellis, Robert Evans, Simon Fawthrop, Peter Fortune, Kira Gabbert, Will Harmer, Christine Harris, Colin Hitchins, Samaris Huntington-Thresher, William Huntington-Thresher, David Jefferys, Charles Joel, Kate Lymer, Christopher Marlow, Robert Mcilveen, Russell Mellor, Alexa Michael, Peter Morgan, Keith Onslow, Tony Owen, Angela Page, Chris Pierce, Neil Reddin, Will Rowlands, Michael Rutherford, Richard Scoates, Suraj Sharma, Colin Smith, Diane Smith, Gary Stevens, Melanie Stevens, Harry Stranger, Michael Tickner, Pauline Tunnicliffe, Michael Turner and Stephen Wells. (49)

The Mayor, Councillor Hannah Gray, abstained.

The motion was LOST.

(2) Covid-19 Arrangements

The following motion was moved by Councillor Angela Wilkins and seconded by Councillor Ian Dunn -

“This Council’s Urgency Committee put arrangements in place in response to COVID19 in March, and subsequently agreed that these arrangements would be reviewed in June.

This review did not happen.

The Council therefore calls for an immediate meeting of its Urgency Committee (to take place before Christmas) in order to conduct this review and to consider priority matters such as the facilitation of members of the public asking oral questions & supplementary questions at all Council or committee meetings.”

 The motion was LOST.

The Mayor thanked Members who had attended Remembrance Day Ceremonies on behalf of the Borough.

The Mayor invited Members to attend the online Magic Evening on 17^th December and reminded Members about the prize draw to win a Spitfire flight – no Member had yet succeeded in selling ten tickets and claiming a free ticket. She also thanked Councillor David Jefferys for his donation.

The Mayor reminded Members about her column in “Orpington Life” magazine, the Mayor’s Newsletter, the BR6 magazine and her podcasts.

Sadly, there was no Carol Concert this year, but the Mayor was grateful that she would be attending the Kris Kringle Service at St John the Evangelist Church in Bromley.