Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council on 18 May 2016 (Appendix A Pages 5-9)

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2016 were agreed by the Members present and were then signed by the Mayor.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2016 were agreed by the Members present and were then signed by the Mayor.

To receive any declarations of interest

Councillor Matthews declared an interest in item 5 ‘Petition’. He said he was a member of the Berkhamsted Parking Forum which is working with Dacorum Borough Council to develop the Berkhamsted Multi Storey Car Park. Councillor Matthews said he was a member of the Development Control Committee and would not be speaking or voting when the application goes to committee.

Councillor Matthews declared an interest in item 5 ‘Petition’. He said he was a member of the Berkhamsted Parking Forum which is working with Dacorum Borough Council to develop the Berkhamsted Multi Storey Car Park. Councillor Matthews said he was a member of the Development Control Committee and would not be speaking or voting when the application goes to committee.

To consider questions (if any) by members of the public of which the appropriate notice has been given to the Solicitor to the Council.

None.

None.

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 Mrs Griffiths    Housing

Councillor Harden             Residents & Corporate Services

Councillor G Sutton         Planning and Regeneration 

  Councillor Marshall         Environment, Sustainability and Regulatory Services

Councillor Elliot                 Finance & Resources

By the Mayor:

There were no announcements from the Mayor

By the Chief Executive:

There were no announcements from the Chief Executive

By the Group Leaders:

Councillor Williams gave apologies on behalf of Councillors S Adshead, Ashbourn, Barnes, Bateman, Birnie, Elliot, Ritchie, W Wyatt-Lowe.

By the 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:

None.

4.3  By the Group Leaders: 

Councillor Williams gave apologies on behalf of Councillors S Adshead, Ashbourn, Barnes, Bateman, Birnie, Elliot, and Ritchie.

4.4.      Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:

Councillor Williams, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Community Leadership

Councillor Williams spoke of his shock, anger and disappointment at The Gazette’s front page ‘Stuck in Swamp’ headline about the supposed failings of The Forum project from the Labour Party Spokesman. The police did not take the Forum space due to operational reasons as they wanted to keep their service together which would have required 600sqm of space when the Forum could only provide 200spm. The regeneration of the whole town is something to be proud of. The Town Centre, the Old Town, the Water Gardens, the Forum and the 100% occupation rate at the Maylands Business Centre are all huge achievements and praise should be given to the great project management skills and sheer hard word of the relevant council departments.

Councillor Williams was happy to take questions.

Councillor Guest asked if the Portfolio Holder agreed that it would be good for the people in Dacorum to have a new hospital on a new site along with the options of the refurbishment at Watford.

The Portfolio Holdergave it a warm welcome and thinks that it is good. It is a step in the right direction, Hemel’s services are inadequate and we need a more comprehensive provision at Hemel Hospital. We need to look at a realistic solution and will bear the services in mind at Hemel.

Councillor Tindall asked if it was true that the Hertfordshire Police were planning to join with Bedfordshire Police to create a new location on junction 10 of the M1.

The Portfolio Holderconfirmed that it was true. However, it was dependant on Bedfordshire relocating their custody suites and this option was not pursued.

Councillor Mrs Griffiths asked if the Portfolio Holder will be writing to the new Prime Minister welcoming her and looking forward to constructive relations with her and her government.

The Portfolio Holderconfirmed he will and will also express his passion for housing.

Councillor Tindall asked that in that letter could you include the possibility of getting rid of the Housing and Planning Bill that contains so many unnecessary clauses in planning.

The Portfolio Holdersaid the Housing and Planning Act was at the forefront of everyone’s minds. He said that Councillor Tindall joined him at the Local Government Association conference last week and the ‘pay to stay’ and sale of high value assets are to be confirmed.

Councillor G Adshead asked Councillor Williams when the EU flag would be removed from the Council Chamber.

Councillor Williams replied as soon as possible.

Councillor Mrs Griffiths, Portfolio Holder for Housing

Tenant and Leaseholders

Get Involved Strategy - July will see the completion of a new Get Involved Strategy which set out how we will work to encourage  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

              To acknowledge receipt and consider a petition containing 1000 signatures from Dacorum Residents (1415 signatures in total as at 5^th July 2016) regarding the proposed development of a Multi Storey Car Park in Berkhamsted. The petition gathered on ‘Change.org’, addressed to Andrew Williams, Leader of the Council is worded as follows:

              “Stop high-rise car park in historic Berkhamsted conservation area”

              https://www.change.org/p/andrew-williams-stop-high-rise-car-park-in-historic-berkhamsted-conservation-area

The receipt of a petition containing over 1000 signatures from Dacorum Residents regarding the proposed development of a Multi Storey Car Park in Berkhamsted was acknowledged.

Resolved:

The Council continue to proceed with the proposed development and refer  the matter to a future meeting of the Development Control Committee for consideration of the planning application.

Full details can be found in the minutes.

              To acknowledge receipt and consider a petition containing 1000 signatures from Dacorum Residents (1415 signatures in total as at 5^th July 2016) regarding the proposed development of a Multi Storey Car Park in Berkhamsted. The petition gathered on ‘Change.org’, addressed to Andrew Williams, Leader of the Council is worded as follows:

              “Stop high-rise car park in historic Berkhamsted conservation area”

              https://www.change.org/p/andrew-williams-stop-high-rise-car-park-in-historic-berkhamsted-conservation-area

              Wendy Conian

              Thank you for the opportunity for letting me speak, I started the petition and I hope to give a voice to the opposition which comes from across the spectrum and the town’s community. It is concerning that Dacorum believes an expensive multi storey car park in an historic market town is the only answer. There has been no consideration given to cheaper, less disruptive solutions. It is not good enough; Dacorum Borough Council is not just ignoring residents but their own Urban Transport Plan. There has been no wider public consultation as promised and with the deep cuts within local government, Dacorum Borough Council has spent £350,000 on consultancy fees and £3.5 million has been allocated to the development of the car park. Dacorum should be learning from other councils and their innovative travel plan in Maylands. I hope that members intervene and stop the plans and the process, set up an inquiry into the process and ensure there is wider consultation.

              John Higgins

I was a Berkhamsted Town Councillor until 2015 when I resigned over several issues, the car park being one of them. I was happy to support the Conservative manifesto promise of a new car park for Berkhamsted but I was assured there would be a phased programme of residential parking. I was informed that there were no further plans to revisit the issue in the next ten years. Efforts to discuss other options were dismissed by senior borough councillors. There has been no public consultation and the Berkhamsted borough councillors have favoured commercial interests over the opinions of residents. There are just four routes in the town centre which all end up in one central crossing. There has been a significant increase in traffic in the past years and a car park close to this junction will only add to congestion. I am urging the council to halt development and take control of the process until these issues have been addressed.

Jon Rollit

I am a resident of Berkhamsted and I want the council to consider other options. I use Lower Kings Road most mornings and the traffic backs up from the junction to the canal bridge. The area chosen for this car park is well used by pedestrians as a cut through and the development would have a detrimental effect and would make it a dark and dangerous place in a conservation area. The current car park is rarely full so do we really need another one? The money could be spent more wisely with informative signs pointing people to current parking and creating spaces across the town to distribute parking.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider questions (if any) by members of the Council of which the appropriate notice has been given to the Solicitor to the Council.

None.

None.

To consider any business referred from the previous meeting

None.

None.

To consider the following referrals from Cabinet:

Minute No.                 Date                            Title

8.1 CA/053/16             24 May 2016               Proposals for a development company

8.2 CA/054/16             24 May 2016               Constitution Update

8.3 CA/062/16             28 June 2016              Statement of Community Involvement

8.4 CA/064/16             28 June 2016              National Graduate Development Programme

8.5 CA/066/16             28 June 2016              Council Tax Support Scheme Review

Resolved

That the following be approved:

24 MAY 2016

8.1       CA/053/16       Proposals for a development company

Decision

That the following be approved:

1. A drawdown of 100K from the Invest to Save reserve, in order to fund the procurement of advice associated with the creation of a Development Company.

.

2          CA/054/16       CONSTITUTION UPDATE

Decision

That the following be approved:

1. The changes to the Constitution as set out in paragraphs 9, 10, 14, 16 and 21 of the Cabinet report.
2. The changes to the Financial Regulations as set out in paragraphs 22 and 26 of the Cabinet report.

28 JUNE 2016

8.3       CA/062/16       STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Decision

1.    That the responses to comments received on the draft Statement of Community Involvement (2016) be agreed; and

2.    That the new Statement of Community Involvement to guide future consultation on planning matters as annexed to the Cabinet report  be adopted.

8.4       CA/064/16       NATIONAL GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Decision

1.    That £72,800 be drawn down from the Management of Change reserve.

8.5       CA/066/16       COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT SCHEME 

Decision

1. Agree not to revise or replace the current Council Tax Support scheme for 2017/18.

Agree the proposed minor technical changes to the 2017/18 Council Tax Support Scheme as laid out in paragraphs 22 and 23 of the Cabinet report.

Resolved

That the following be approved:

24 MAY 2016

8.1       CA/053/16       Proposals for a development company

Decision

That the following be approved:

1. A drawdown of 100K from the Invest to Save reserve, in order to fund the procurement of advice associated with the creation of a Development Company.

.

2          CA/054/16       CONSTITUTION UPDATE

Decision

That the following be approved:

1. The changes to the Constitution as set out in paragraphs 9, 10, 14, 16 and 21 of the Cabinet report.
2. The changes to the Financial Regulations as set out in paragraphs 22 and 26 of the Cabinet report.

28 JUNE 2016

8.3       CA/062/16       STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Decision

1.    That the responses to comments received on the draft Statement of Community Involvement (2016) be agreed; and

2.    That the new Statement of Community Involvement to guide future consultation on planning matters as annexed to the Cabinet report  be adopted.

8.4       CA/064/16       NATIONAL GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Decision

1.    That £72,800 be drawn down from the Management of Change reserve.

8.5       CA/066/16       COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT SCHEME 

Decision

1. Agree not to revise or replace the current Council Tax Support scheme for 2017/18.

Agree the proposed minor technical changes to the 2017/18 Council Tax Support Scheme as laid out in paragraphs 22 and 23 of the Cabinet report.

None.

None

None

To consider any proposals for changes to committee membership

None

None

To consider the following changes to the Committee Dates:

1.    Finance and Resources OSC

To change the meeting date of 4^th October 2016 to 5^th October 2016.

2.    Strategic Planning and Regeneration OSC

To add an additional meeting for Wednesday 21^st September 2016 at 7.30pm.

3.    Standards

To change the meeting date of 15^th September 2016 to 22^nd September 2016.

4.    Housing OSC

To add the meeting date of 22^nd September 2016 and remove the meeting of 12^th April 2017.

Resolved:

Finance and Resources OSC

To change the meeting date of 4^th October 2016 to 5^th October 2016.

Strategic Planning and Regeneration OSC

To add an additional meeting for Wednesday 21^st September 2016 at 7.30pm.

Standards

To change the meeting date of 15^th September 2016 to 22^nd September 2016.

Housing OSC

To add the meeting date of 22^nd September 2016 and keep 12^th April 2017.

Resolved:

Finance and Resources OSC

To change the meeting date of 4^th October 2016 to 5^th October 2016.

Strategic Planning and Regeneration OSC

To add an additional meeting for Wednesday 21^st September 2016 at 7.30pm.

Standards

To change the meeting date of 15^th September 2016 to 22^nd September 2016.

Housing OSC

To add the meeting date of 22^nd September 2016 and keep 12^th April 2017.

Resolved:

That paragraph 4.3 of the Treasury Management Strategy is not applied to the United Kingdom.

Resolved:

That paragraph 4.3 of the Treasury Management Strategy is not applied to the United Kingdom.