Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council

The Minutes from the 14th September 2022 we agreed

The Minutes from the 14th September 2022 we agreed

To receive any 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 (Legal & Democratic)

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 Williams                 Commercial Strategy and Delivery

Councillor Barrett                    Neighbourhood Services

Councillor Banks                     Communities

Councillor Anderson               Place

Councillor Elliot                       Corporate Services

Councillor Griffiths                 Housing Services      

.1         By the Mayor:

Messages of condolence were received for former Councillor Linda Morris.

A minutes silence was held for Cllr Linda Morris

4.2       By the Chief Executive:

James Doe made the following announcement on behalf of the Chief Executive

The results of the Kings Langley Neighbourhood Plan Referendum, held on the 17th of November 2022 are as follows:

In response to the question ‘Do you want Dacorum Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Kings Langley to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

842 votes were in favour

73 votes were against

The turnout was 20.14%

4.3       By the Group Leaders:

Cllr Williams gave apologies for Cllrs Bassadone, Durrant, Guest and Imarni

Cllr Tindall gave apologies for Cllrs Cllrs Freedman and Foster

The following Cllrs were not present at the meeting; Oguchi, Bhinder

4.4       Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:

Full details can be found in the full minutes

4.1     By the Mayor

Messages of condolence were received for former Councillor Linda Morris.

A minutes silence was held for Cllr Linda Morris

4.2     By the Chief Executive

The Chief Executive was not able to be present at this meeting so James Doe – Strategic Director made the following announcement.

The results of the Kings Langley Neighbourhood Plan Referendum, held on 17 November 2022 are as follows:

In response to the question, “Do you want Dacorum Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Kings Langley to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

842 votes were in favour

73 votes were against

The turnout was 20.14%

.

4.3       By Group Leaders

Cllr Williams gave apologies on behalf of Cllrs Bassadone, Durrant, Guest and Imarni

Cllr Tindall gave apologies on behalf of Cllrs Freedman and Foster

The following Cllrs were not present at the meeting; Oguchi, Bhinder

4.4       Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet

Councillor Williams, Leader of the Council

The Leader advised he had nothing to update under this particular section of the agenda, but happy to take questions.

Questions

There were no questions

Councillor Williams, Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Contracted Services

The Portfolio Holder presented his update as follows:

Work is continuing on the development of our commercial programme. Full Business cases are being developed by officers and this work is being supported by our Commercial Advisors CommercialGov.

Two Full Business cases are very close to completion and are likely to be presented to Scrutiny and Cabinet for consideration in the New Year.  The rest will be taken through the approvals process when they are finalised.

The wider commercial programme work is being developed and new proposals will be added to the programme for initial business case development as they are identified. This work will be ongoing and will become a business as usual part of the Council’s commercial approach.

The Commercial Board meetings continue to meet regularly and, at these meetings, officers oversee the development of the business cases along with the progression of the Garage Strategy, the EV Charging project, all procurement activity. The Board also closely monitors commercial income to the Council

There were no questions

Councillor Barrett, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services

The Portfolio Holder presented his update as follows:

Parks and Open Spaces

We have planted 69,800 bedding bulbs. We have laid 35m2 wildflower turf and planted 3,000 bee friendly bulbs in Nash Mills.  We have donated 1000 Bluebell bulbs and wild garlic bulbs for a community-planting project. 100m2 of wildflower seeds have been planted at Pond Road. We have given 2,000 bulbs of various varieties to the Oakwood Drive community group in Berkhamsted.

Swan Mead has been planted with wildflower Meadowscape We delivered 15m2 of wildflower turf plus 1,000 bee friendly bulbs to Flaunden Parish Council.651 Bee tubes have been returned to Masons Bees, which is double the amount returned last year.   

We have extended the Covid memorial wildflower area again using Meadowscape.

Work is continuing on the  ...  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 (Legal & Democratic)

The following people asked questions and the full details can be found in the full minutes

Cllr England to Cllr Barratt

Cllr England to Cllr Banks

Cllr England to Cllr Barratt

The Council's Recycling rates have not been reported since September 2021, so numbers are several months late.

In a Dacorum Press Release, published on September 18, 2018; it says that "Recycling continues to rise in Dacorum with a new verified rate for 2017-2018 of 52.5 per cent, which is up on last year’s 51.2 per cent."

If the trend had been maintained 'up by 1.3%' the figure now could be 57.7%. But it has flattened out at the same level now as 2018.

Both our neighbouring Councils, St Albans and Watford, have progressed dramatically, but it looks as if Dacorum has not matched their ambition.

On its current record, when can we expect the Council to reach 60% re-cycling, a target set in 2014?

Thank you Cllr England for your question.

I can advise you that Dacorum exceeded the average recycling rate as measured across all Hertfordshire authorities over the whole of the 4-year period from 17/18 through to 20/21. Indeed, in the whole of that period Dacorum was consistently the 4th best performing Authority in Hertfordshire as it was again in 21/22 period.

In the 21/22 period 7 out the 10 Hertfordshire authorities saw a reduction in their recycling Rates, including both Three Rivers and St Albans.

Notwithstanding our historic good performance, I can advise that work is in progress that will impact upon recycling rates across the Borough. We are seeking to achieve a minimum recycling rate of 60% by 2030, which is in line with National targets.

Cllr England addressed the PH with a supplementary question asking, when will the PH set a target to achieve the 65% rate, which is the current Herts Waste Partnership target?

Cllr Barrett responded that we are not in a position to give a date for 65%, but our aim is to achieve 60% and will then move on from there.

Cllr England noted that the PH has repeated that neighbouring authorities are not doing as well as we are.  Does he have an understanding of how Lib Deb Three Rivers is already achieving 60%.

Cllr Barrett advised there are a number of reasons why an area might achieve those figures. He agreed that Three Rivers have a high percentage, but would query, at what cost to other services.

Cllr England asked; “Can we take seriously any of the Conservative targets and can residents afford to wait until May 2023 for a change of Leadership in the area?

Cllr Barrett responded that yes, you can take seriously what the Conservative say.

A point of order was raised that, as in a recent Council meeting, the PH had not answered the question.

The Mayor responded that he did not believe the question was actually supplementary to the main question asked, but I was willing to accept it and similarly the PH’s attempt  to answer it.

Cllr England to Cllr Banks

Having regard to the Air Quality Action Plan 2019-2024 and the objectives set therein,

Further to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider any business referred from the previous meeting

None

Part 1

September 27th

CA/74/22                     Financial Performance Q1 2022-23

October 18th

CA/85/22                     MFTS Refresh

CA/86/22                     Annual Treasury Report

November 15th

CA/96/22                     Financial Monitoring Report

Part 2

November 15th

CA/102/22                   Housing Management Restructure

CA/74/22                     Financial Performance Q1 2022-23

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

October 18th

CA/85/22                     MFTS Refresh

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

CA/86/22                     Annual Treasury Report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

November 15th

CA/96/22                     Financial Monitoring Report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

November 15th Part 2

CA/101/22                   Housing Management Restructure

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

September 27^th

CA/74/22                     Financial Performance Q1 2022-23

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

October 18^th

CA/85/22                     MFTS Refresh

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

CA/86/22                     Annual Treasury Report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

November 15^th

CA/96/22                     Financial Monitoring Report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

November 15th Part 2

CA/101/22                   Housing Management Restructure

Cllr Griffiths seconded and The Council agreed this

None

None

To receive any changes to committee membership

None

Proposal that the Cabinet meeting of the 13th December be moved until 14th December

Cllr Williams proposed moving meeting of Cabinet on 13th December to 14th December. 

This was agreed unanimously by the council.

Cllr Williams proposed moving meeting of Cabinet on 13th December to 14th Dec Cllr Williams proposed moving meeting of Cabinet on 13th December to 14th December. 

This was agreed unanimously by the council.

Cllr Williams introduced the report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and the Council agreed to the receommendations.

Cllr Williams introduced the report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and the Council agreed to the recommendations.

Cllr Williams introduced the report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and the Council agreed to the receommendations

Cllr Williams introduced the report

Cllr Griffiths seconded and the Council agreed to the recommendations

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.

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