Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Will Connolly, Simon Fawthrop, Adam Grant, Jonathan Laidlaw, Ryan Thomson and Thomas Turrell.

Cllr Simon Jeal declared a non-pecuniary interest in minute 37 (Petition) as a trustee of XbyX, and stated that he would not speak or vote on the matter.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th October 2023 be confirmed.

Report CSD23145

The following petition had been received by the Council –

“We, the undersigned, object to the proposed demolition of Lewis House and the displacement or closure of the service it provides.”

The lead petitioner, Mr Garnet Frost, attended the meeting and addressed the meeting in support of his petition.

A motion to take no further action on the petition was moved by Councillor Colin Smith, seconded by Cllr Kate Lymer and CARRIED.

(Councillor Simon Jeal abstained – recorded at his request).

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. 

Questions specifically seeking clarification of details in a report on the agenda must 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 5^th December 2023.

(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. 

Two 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.

Four 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.

Ten 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.

Five 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.

A statement had been requested by Cllrs Julie Ireland and Sam Webber from Cllr Nicholas Bennett, the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Highways and Road Safety on the effect of the forced use of the RingGo parking app, and what evidence he would take into account when he reviewed the scheme.

The Portfolio Holder stated that he would not be making a statement as there would be a report to the PDS Committee in January. Questioned by Cllr Alison Stammers about fall in parking income since the introduction of the app, the Portfolio Holder repeated that she would have to wait for the report.

Cllr Chloe-Jane Ross asked whether, in view of the reported destruction of ULEZ cameras, he was concerned about RingGo being targeted? Cllr Bennett responded that he condemned the criminal damage to ULEZ cameras and hoped that the perpetrators would be caught.

Cllr Webber added that he hoped that the Council would take into account people’s personal circumstances and the outages suffered by the app.

Report CSD23151

A motion to approve the following amendments to the Capital Programme -

(i)  increase of £3,000k for surveys and potential remedial works in relation to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC);

(ii)  increase of £1,893k in relation to depots; and

(iii)  increase of £700k in relation to increased costs on the social care case management system;

was moved by Councillor Christopher Marlow, seconded by Cllr Yvonne Bear and CARRIED.

Report CSD23152

A motion to note the treasury management performance for the second quarter of 2023/24 and approve the prudential indicators set out in Appendix 4 to the report was moved by Cllr Christopher Marlow, seconded by Cllr Colin Smith and CARRIED.

Report CSD23144

A motion to approve the new layout and updated contents of the Constitution, as at Appendix 1 to the report, was moved by Cllr Nicholas Bennett, seconded by Cllr Pauline Tunnicliffe, and CARRIED.

Report CSD23148

A motion to approve the updated terms of reference of Development Control Committee and Plans Sub-Committees was moved by Cllr Nicholas Bennett, seconded by Cllr Alexa Michael and CARRIED.

Report CSD23149

A motion proposing that Cllr Josh Coldspring-White be appointed to the vacant committee seats was moved by Cllr Pauline Tunnicliffe, seconded by Cllr Colin Hitchins and CARRIED.

(Note: The vacant seats were on Environment & Community Services PDS Committee, Public Protection and Enforcement PDS Committee, Renewal, Recreation & Housing PDS Committee, Development Control Committee, General Purposes and Licensing Committee, Pensions Committee and Standards Committee.)

Report CSD23143

A motion to receive and note the SACRE Annual Report for 2022/23 was moved by Cllr David Jefferys, seconded by Cllr Jonathan Andrews and CARRIED.

(A)  Care Experienced People

The following motion was moved by Cllr Ruth McGregor and seconded by Councillor Rebecca Wiffen:

“Council notes that:

• Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives;
• Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account;
• Care experienced people often face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships employment and in the criminal justice system;
• The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation of people with protected characteristics;
• The Independent Review into Children’s Social Care published its report in May 2022 and recommends that the government should make care experience a protected characteristic

 
Council resolves:

·  That this council will treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic so that future services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be assessed through Equality Impact Assessments to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who formally share a Protected Characteristic;

·  To formally call upon all other bodies including government to treat care experience as a Protected Characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation;

·  For the Council to continue to proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.”

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

(B)  Prostate Cancer

The following motion was moved by Cllr Chris Price and seconded by Cllr Sophie Dunbar:

“This Council notes; 

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. 

1 in 8 men will be diagnosed, rising to 1 in 4 for Black men.

As many as 69% of those treated with surgery may experience urinary incontinence as a result. 

1 in 25 men aged over 40 will experience some form of urinary leakage every year. 

1 in 20 men aged 60 or over will experience bowel incontinence in the UK. 

Men who need to dispose of their sanitary waste (including incontinence pads, pouches, stoma, catheter, colostomy, ileostomy waste by-products) often have no direct access to a sanitary bin in male toilets. 

Bromley Council resolves: 

To ask the executive member for Environment to investigate providing at least one sanitary bin in all Council operated and contracted male public toilets.   

To encourage other providers of public and workplace toilets in the borough to make male sanitary bins available in their facilities. 

That the Leader should write to our 4 local MP’s to encourage for Government to update any necessary regulations to ensure that ‘suitable means for the disposal of sanitary dressings’ is provided in all toilets, in alignment with the Prostate Cancer ‘Boys need Bins’ campaign.” 

The following members voted in favour of the motion:

Councillors Jeremy Adams, Jessica Arnold, Kathy Bance, Graeme Casey, Sophie Dunbar, Robert Evans, Alisa Igoe, Julie Ireland, Mike Jack, Simon Jeal, Charles Joel, Kevin Kennedy-Brooks, Josh King, Ruth McGregor, Tony McPartlan, Chris Price, Chloe-Jane Ross, Shaun Slator, Mark  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

The Mayor thanked Members who attended the Ball at The Warren and the dinner at Tamasha, and reminded Members about the following events –

·  The Carol Service and Nine Lessons on Sunday 17^th December 2023 at All Saints Church in Orpington;

·  Sunday Lunch at The Warren on 21^st January 2024 – all funds to the Rotary Club of Bromley for supporting Ukraine;

·  Commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day on Wednesday 31^st January at the Civic Centre;

·  A wine tasting conducted by Cllr David Cartwright on Saturday 16^th March 2024 in the Old Palace;

·  Dinner at the East India Club on Thursday 11^th April 2024.