Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2021 were agreed by the members present and then signed by the Mayor.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2021 were agreed by the members present and then signed by the Mayor.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider questions (if any) by members of the public of which the appropriate notice has been given to the Assistant Director (Corporate and Contracted Services).

There was no public participation.

There was no public participation.

To receive announcements and business brought forward by the Mayor, Leader, and Members of the Cabinet or the Chief Executive.

4.1       By the Mayor:

4.2       By the Chief Executive:

4.3       By the Group Leaders:  Any apologies for absence

4.4       Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:

Councillor Williams                       Leader of the Council

Councillor Banks                           Community and Regulatory Services

Councillor Anderson                     Planning and Infrastructure

Councillor Elliot                             Finance and Resources

Councillor Griffiths                        Housing

Councillor Williams                       Corporate and Contracted Services

Councillor Barrett                          Environmental Services

4.1       By the Mayor:

None.

4.2       By the Chief Executive:

The Chief Executive announced that there will be three by-elections taking place on Thursday the 3^rd of February 2022, for the following wards:

Borough Council - Boxmoor Ward

Borough Council - Berkhamsted West Ward

Berkhamsted Town Council - West Ward

4.3       By the Group Leaders:

Councillor Williams gave apologies on behalf of Councillors Bhinder, Oguchi, Peter, and Independent member Councillor Maddern.

Councillor Tindall gave apologies on behalf of Councillors Barry-Mears, England, Hobson, Hollinghurst, Link, McDowell, Pringle, Stevens, Townsend and Wilkie.

4.4       Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:

(Full details are in the minutes under Announcements of the Leader and Cabinet).

4.1       By the Mayor:

None.

4.2       By the Chief Executive:

The Chief Executive announced that there will be three by-elections taking place on Thursday the 3^rd of February 2022, for the following wards:

Borough Council - Boxmoor Ward

Borough Council - Berkhamsted West Ward

Berkhamsted Town Council - West Ward

4.3       By the Group Leaders:

Councillor Williams gave apologies on behalf of Councillors Bhinder, Oguchi, Peter, and Independent member Councillor Maddern.

Councillor Tindall gave apologies on behalf of Councillors Barry-Mears, England, Hobson, Hollinghurst, Link, McDowell, Pringle, Stevens, Townsend and Wilkie.

4.4       Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:

The Leader had no announcements but welcomed questions.

Questions

Councillor Symington made reference to the previous meeting of the Council where a motion was agreed that the Leader would write to the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), the Home Secretary, the Prime Minister and the Chief Constable in relation to violence against women and girls. She thanked the Leader for the letters he wrote and circulated and noted there had been one response from the Home Secretary’s office. She asked if there had been any further replies to his letter.

The Leader advised he had only received the one response at present, although he said it was unclear whether that reply was from the Home Secretary or the Prime Minister, or whether the one response was to cover both areas. 

Councillor Symington asked if the Leader would consider writing another letter asking for a response, given the recent cases against officers in Hertfordshire that would fall under crimes against women and girls.

The Leader confirmed he was happy to write another letter. He added that the PCC and Chief Constable had made some recent announcements on the subject. Action.

Councillor Adeleke referred to the relaxation of Covid rules. He asked what plans we had in place for staff returning to work at The Forum and how can we guarantee their safety.

The Leader replied he couldn’t give a detailed answer to that question given that the announcement had only happened this afternoon. He felt we had to accept the virus would be around for some time in various forms and acknowledge that working practices had changed. There are more opportunities for remote working and it was unlikely that staff would return to work at The Forum as they did pre-pandemic for some time. He advised the Council would continue to take precautionary measures and have less people in the office to keep everyone safe.

Councillor Banks, Portfolio Holder for Community and Regulatory Services

Cllr Banks presented a report on Community and Regulatory services:

REGULATORY SERVICES

Covid-19

The Environmental Health Teams are now focusing its attentions on supporting self-isolation, workplace outbreaks and working with Community Partnerships Teams to support the vaccination programme. It goes without saying, noting the Prime Ministers announcements today, I hope, that we will all continue to play our part to drive down infection rates in order to protect each other, safe guard the NHS and avoid further infections  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider questions (if any) by members of the Council of which the appropriate notice has been given to the Assistant Director (Corporate and Contracted Services).

None.

None.

To consider any business referred from the previous meeting.

None.

None.

To consider the following referrals from Cabinet:

7.1       CA/076/21       19 October 2021         River Gade Restoration and Improvements to Gadebridge Park

7.2       CA/088/21       23 November 2021     Treasury Management Outturn and Performance Indicators 2020/21

7.3       CA/089/21       23 November 2021     Budget Monitoring Quarter 2 2021/22

7.4       CA/090/21       23 November 2021     Berkhamsted Leisure Centre

Resolved:

That the following be approved:

19 October 2021

7.1       CA/076/21       River Gade Restoration and Improvements to Gadebridge Park

Decision

To approve, subject to Council, a contribution of up to a maximum of £130,000 for Environmental Amenity works as part of the project.

23 November 2021

7.2       CA/088/21       Treasury Management Outturn and Performance Indicators 2020/21

Decision

That Cabinet recommends to Council acceptance of the report on Treasury Management performance in 2020/21 and the Prudential Indicators for 2020/21.

23 November 2021

7.3       CA/089/21       Budget Monitoring Quarter 2 2021/22

Decision

1.   Recommends to Council to draw down an additional £700k from the Economic Recovery Reserve to support Covid- related pressures on General Fund budgets.

2.   Recommends to Council the approval of a supplementary revenue budget of £200k in the Waste Services employee’s budget, funded from the Savings Efficiencies Reserve.

3. Recommends to Council approval of the revised capital programme to move £13.81m slippage identified at Quarter 2 into financial year 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix C.

4. Recommends to Council the following supplementary capital budgets:

o   £0.135m for Town Centre Access Improvements project, funded from a capital contribution.

o   £0.9m for Aragon Close Move-On Accommodation, 50% funded from the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing (DLUHC) Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme.

o   £0.3m to support development of Move-On Accommodation by Hightown Housing Association at Alexandra Road.

23 November 2021

7.4       CA/090/21       Berkhamsted Leisure Centre

Decision

1. That Cabinet notes the forecast project costs (detailed in Part II Cabinet Appendix) and recommends Council approves a maximum drawdown of £550,000 from the Dacorum Development Reserve to proceed with the next project stage (RIBA Stage 3 – Spatial Coordination).

2. That Cabinet notes the approvals strategy set out in Section 2 and recommends that Council approves a maximum drawdown of £425k from the Dacorum Development Reserve to proceed with RIBA Stage 4 (Technical Design).

Resolved:

That the following be approved:

19 October 2021

7.1       CA/076/21       River Gade Restoration and Improvements to Gadebridge Park

Decision

To approve, subject to Council, a contribution of up to a maximum of £130,000 for Environmental Amenity works as part of the project.

23 November 2021

7.2       CA/088/21       Treasury Management Outturn and Performance Indicators 2020/21

Decision

That Cabinet recommends to Council acceptance of the report on Treasury Management performance in 2020/21 and the Prudential Indicators for 2020/21.

23 November 2021

7.3       CA/089/21       Budget Monitoring Quarter 2 2021/22

Decision

1.   Recommends to Council to draw down an additional £700k from the Economic Recovery Reserve to support Covid- related pressures on General Fund budgets.

2.   Recommends to Council the approval of a supplementary revenue budget of £200k in the Waste Services employee’s budget, funded from the Savings Efficiencies Reserve.

3. Recommends to Council approval of the revised capital programme to move £13.81m slippage identified at Quarter 2 into financial year 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix C.

4. Recommends to Council the following supplementary capital budgets:

o   £0.135m for Town Centre Access Improvements project, funded from a capital contribution.

o   £0.9m for Aragon Close Move-On Accommodation, 50% funded from the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing (DLUHC) Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme.

o   £0.3m to support development of Move-On Accommodation by Hightown Housing Association at Alexandra Road.

23 November 2021

7.4       CA/090/21       Berkhamsted Leisure Centre

Decision

1. That Cabinet notes the forecast project costs (detailed in Part II Cabinet Appendix) and recommends Council approves a maximum drawdown of £550,000 from the Dacorum Development Reserve to proceed with the next project stage (RIBA Stage 3 – Spatial Coordination).

2. That Cabinet notes the approvals strategy set out in Section 2 and recommends that Council approves a maximum drawdown of £425k from the Dacorum Development Reserve to proceed with RIBA Stage 4 (Technical Design).

None.

None.

None.

To consider any proposals for changes to committee membership.

There were no changes to committee membership.

There were no changes to committee membership.

To consider any proposals for changes to committee dates.

There were no changes to committee dates.

There were no changes to committee dates.

To consider passing a resolution in the following terms:

That, under s.100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 12A Part 1 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 the public be excluded during the items in Part 2 of the Agenda for this meeting, because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that, if members of the public were present during those items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information relating to the financial and business affairs of the Council and third party companies/organisations (item 12).

Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, Part 1, paragraph 3.

Resolved:

That, under s.100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 12A Part 1 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 the public be excluded during the items in Part 2 of the Agenda for this meeting, because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that, if members of the public were present during those items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information relating to the financial and business affairs of the Council and third party companies/organisations (item 12).

Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, Part 1, paragraph 3.

Resolved:

That, under s.100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 12A Part 1 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 the public be excluded during the items in Part 2 of the Agenda for this meeting, because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that, if members of the public were present during those items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information relating to the financial and business affairs of the Council and third party companies/organisations (item 12).

Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, Part 1, paragraph 3.

To consider the following Part 2 referrals from Cabinet:

12.1     CA/103/21       14 December 2021     Building Control

Details can be found in the Part 2 Decision Sheet.

Details can be found in the Part 2 Minutes.