Agenda and minutes

Venue: Bromley Civic Centre

Contact: Graham Walton  020 8461 7743

Items
No. Item

325.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Judi Ellis, Peter Fortune, Hannah Gray and Colin Hitchins.

326.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

327.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 28 February 2022 pdf icon PDF 648 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Ryan Thomson noted that he had not yet received the details about pollution monitoring devices he had requested at the last meeting (Appendix A, question 2).  

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28th February 2022 be confirmed.

328.

Questions pdf icon PDF 621 KB

 

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 28th March 2022. 

 

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 Tuesday 5th April.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

329.

To consider any statements that may be made by the Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holders or Chairmen of Committees.

Minutes:

The following statements were made –

 

(1) Child Q

 

At the request of Councillors Angela Wilkins and Kathy Bance, the Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Families, Cllr Kate Lymer, made a statement on the Child Q case. Councillor Lymer had been shocked to hear about the treatment of this child. The report published by the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board, chaired by Jim Gamble, contained significant learning for all agencies. Councillor Lymer confirmed that she had met with Jim Gamble as Chairman of Bromley’s Safeguarding Children Board, the Leader, the Chief Executive, the Director of Children’s Services and senior local Police to discuss the report and obtain details of local responses. Following the meeting, she was reassured that the Police and all other local agencies were taking the issue very seriously. The report had been shared across all services and measures put in place to share the learning and actively engage with staff. The Safeguarding Children Board had already set up sessions for frontline staff and would be discussing the issue at the next partnership meeting. Jim Gamble had also offered to put on a session for Members. Councillor Lymer was also reassured that action was being taken by the local Police, in particular to ensure that officers knew how to work with school safeguarding leads, and also that the Metropolitan Police had begun a review and were engaging with the local community in Hackney.

 

In response to questions, Cllr Lymer confirmed that all academies would be contacted about this case, and that the Police were looking to rebuild  trust in local communities. She confirmed that the Police had stated that no such searches had been conducted in schools in Bromley. She agreed to raise the issue of potential racism being a factor in this case. 

 

(2) Leader’s Review of 2021/22

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Colin Smith made a statement reviewing progress against his objectives for the year. The highest priority had been the protection of vulnerable people and this was reflected in a national award for discharge from hospitals and the work on the loneliness agenda. There had also been national awards for the management of the Council’s finances and the Pension Scheme (for which the Leader thanked Councillor Keith Onslow and the members of the Pensions Committee). The Council had continued to support the local economy and channel government grant to local businesses - Bromley had come through the pandemic well and interest in town centre was beginning to pick up.  More homes and better homes had been an objective for the year and a number of scheme were now nearly complete – there were two national awards for housing schemes. The Council’s expansion of street tree planting was now taking place, improving wellbeing and the environment. The Council had been determined to work towards being carbon neutral by 2029, but good progress had been made enabling the target to be changed to 2027. In summary, it had been a difficult year for residents,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 329.

330.

Budget Monitoring 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 191 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report CSD 22048

 

The following amendment was moved by Councillor Simon Jeal and seconded by Councillor Ian Dunn -

 

Amend recommendation 2.(1) as follows:

 

(1) Agree a sum of £1.405m is set aside in a Contribution to Collection Fund Surplus Earmarked Reserve as detailed in paragraph 3.2.4. subject to recommendation 2.(4).

 

Add recommendation 2.(4) -

 

Amend the working-age council tax support scheme, for 2022/23 year only, to allow an increase in the maximum support provided by the Council from 75% to 100% for Band A to D properties, and instruct that the proportionate amounts owed by eligible residents be written off. The net cost of approximately £3.2m to be funded from the central contingency sum underspend.

 

On being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

A motion to (1) agree a sum of £4.605m is set aside in a Contribution to Collection Fund Surplus earmarked reserve, as detailed in paragraph 3.2.4 of the report, (2) agree a sum of £2.900m is set aside in a Capital Fund earmarked reserve funded from the 2021/22 Central Contingency as detailed in paragraph 3.2.5 of the report and (3) agree a sum of £1.242m is set aside in the Housing Investment Fund earmarked reserve, funded from the 2021/22 Central Contingency as detailed in paragraph 3.2.6 of the report, was moved by Councillor Michael Rutherford, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED.

331.

Basic Need Programme Update pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report CSD22047

 

A motion to agree the Basic Need Programme as set out in appendix 3 to the report was moved by Councillor Kate Lymer, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED.

332.

To consider Motions of which notice has been given. pdf icon PDF 242 KB

Minutes:

(A) Ukraine

 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Kira Gabbert and seconded by Councillor Christopher Marlow -

 

“This Council is saddened and appalled by the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has caused horrific devastation, the loss of many innocent lives and an escalating humanitarian crisis with millions of Ukrainians forced to leave their homes.

 

As a way of expressing support for the people of Ukraine, Bromley residents with ties to Ukraine and those residents who have volunteered their time, money and homes to help the victims of war, this Council:
 
- Wholeheartedly condemns the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine and stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and their families and friends, including those local to Bromley.
 
- Recognises the need for wrap-around support for
Ukrainianrefugees in Bromley, mobilising our services such as children’s services, education, public health and mental health services.
 
- Will work with and support the efforts of our residents and voluntary sector to provide help and support to
Ukrainian refugees in Bromley.”

 

The motion was CARRIED.

 

(B) Net Zero Emissions Target

 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Simon Jeal and seconded by Councillor Angela Wilkins -  

“While the Council welcomes the news that its current target of net zero carbon emissions may be met by 2027, we recognise further action is required to decarbonise as quickly as possible.

Given that the existing target equates to just 1% of emissions in the Borough, this Council now commits to a target of net zero emissions for all other Council activities (Scope 3) by 2030.”

(The motion was altered by Councillor Jeal with the agreement of the meeting to replace 2035 with 2030 in the final line.)

 

It was proposed by Councillor Colin Smith, and seconded by Councillor William Huntington-Thresher, that the motion be referred for consideration to the Environment and Community Services PDS Committee - this was CARRIED.

333.

The Mayor's announcements and communications.

Minutes:

The Mayor thanked all members for their support during his year in office, and particularly thanked all those members who were standing down for their service to the borough.

 

The Mayor touched on some of the achievements of his year in office. He had striven to improve the perception and standing of Bromley, and raised the level of formal dress associated with the Mayoralty. He had also developed a manual to guide future Mayors. He hoped that a Mayor’s cricket match would be held in August, and he was working to set up a Bridge Club. He concluded by informing members about his recent visit to Neuwied, and thanking Members again for their support.    

Appendices pdf icon PDF 678 KB

Additional documents: