Agenda and minutes

The Chairman drew attention to the list of notices published on the agenda.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Miss A M Beale, R P F Dewick, I E Dobson, M W Helm, Miss M R Lewis and D M Sismey.

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, other Pecuniary Interests or Non-Pecuniary Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraphs 6 - 8 inclusive of the Code of Conduct for Members.

(Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interests as soon as they become aware should the need arise throughout the meeting).

Councillor Mrs P A Channer, M F L Durham and  R Pratt declared an interest as a Member of Essex County Council in any items of business pertinent to that Council.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 8 February 2018 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED

(i)              that the Minutes of the Council held on 8 February 2018 be received.

Minute 801 – Declarations of Interest

Councillor H M Bass proposed that the following paragraph be added to the end of Minute 801 – Declarations of Interest.  This was duly agreed.

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to and read out the paragraph contained on the agenda relating to Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.  In response to a question from the Chairman, Councillor S J Savage raised a point of order and clarified that he would not be making any declaration of interest.

Minute 809 - Revised 2017 / 18 and Original 2018 / 19 Budget Estimates and Council Tax 2018 / 19,

Minute 810 – Council Tax 2018 / 19

Minute 811 – Medium Term Financial Strategy 2018 / 19 to 2021 / 22:

Councillor Mrs B F Acevedo highlighted that the recorded votes detailed in the following above Minute numbers should include reference to herself and not Councillor Miss A M Beale.

These amendments were duly agreed.

In response to a question from a Member regarding why responses (in verbatim) to the Leaders’ speech were not attached to the Minutes, the Chairman advised that this was a matter to be brought up for future debate.

RESOLVED

(ii)            that subject to the above amendments, the Minutes of the Council held on 8 February 2018 be adopted.

To receive questions from members of the public, of which prior notification in writing has been received (no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the day of the meeting).

There were none.

The Chairman advised that he had attended a number of events (detailed below), and thanked the Vice-Chairman for also attending some events on his behalf. 

To consider the Minutes of the under mentioned Committees (copy enclosed).

* Please note that where Minutes contain recommendations to the Council the Minute references for these recommendations are listed below for Members’ information.

a)        MINUTES OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 14 FEBRUARY 2018

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14 February 2018 be adopted.

(b)       MINUTE OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE – 6 MARCH 2018

RESOLVED

Minute 868 – Pay Policy Statement (Annual Review)

RESOLVED

(i)              That the Pay Policy Statement attached at Appendix 1 to the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee be adopted for the financial year 2018 /19.

Minute 869 – Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategy

RESOLVED

(ii)           that the draft Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategy together with the embedded Prudential Indicators for 2018 / 19, as set out in Appendices 2, 3 and 4 to the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee, be approved

Minute 870 – Financial Services Policy – Mileage and Expenses

RESOLVED

(iii)         that subject to the above amendment outlined in the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee, the Mileage and Expenses Policy attached at Appendix 5 to those Minutes, be approved and adopted

Minute 871 – Information and Data Security Policies

RESOLVED

(iv)          that the following information and data security policies (attached as Appendix 6 to the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee) be agreed and adopted.

·                 Conditions of Acceptable Use V7.1 2018

·                 Corporate Information Security Policy V2.1 2018

·                 Using Email and Digital Communications V1.0 2018

Minute 871 – Data Protection Policy 2018

RESOLVED

(v)            that subject to the amendment detailed in the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee, the Data Protection Policy, attached at Appendix 7 to those Minutes, be approved.

Minute 873 – Information Security Data Breach Incident Reporting Management Policy

RESOLVED

(vi)           that subject to the amendment detailed in the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee, the Information Security Incident Reporting and Data Breach Management Policy, attached at Appendix 8 to those Minutes, be approved.

RESOLVED

(vii)         that subject to the above decisions, the Minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee held on 14 February 2018 be adopted.

(c)       MINUTE OF PLANNING AND LICENSING COMMITTEE – 8 MARCH 2018

Minute 882 – Essex Coastal Recreational Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) Update

In response to a comment regarding the funding priorities, Councillor Mrs P A Channer, Chairman of the Planning and Licensing Committee, provided a brief update on discussions at the meeting and advised that an update report would be brought to the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning and Licensing Committee held on 8 March 2018 be adopted.

To note that since the last meeting of the Council, up until Wednesday 14 March 2018 (Council agenda dispatch) the following Committees have met, and to receive any questions in accordance with Council and Committee Procedure Rule 6 (2).

Minutes published:

Minutes NOT finalised for publication:

The Council noted the list of Committees that had met before and since the last meeting of the Council, up until Wednesday 14 March 2018 for which Minutes had been published.

There were none.

To consider the report of the Director of Planning and Regulatory Services (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Planning and Regulatory Services providing an update on the implementation of the Garden Suburbs as set out in Policy S2 of the Local Development Plan (LDP) approved in July 2017.  It was noted that the Garden Suburb Master Plan documents were available as background papers to the report.

Delivery of Policy S2 sites was a priority to ensure that the Council achieved the supply of affordable homes and met its Five Year Housing Land Supply.  The report provided an update on progress and highlighted issues being addressed for the South Maldon and North Heybridge Garden Suburbs Master Plans which were presented for adoption as a Supplementary Planning Document.

The Leader of the Council drew Members’ attention to an addendum to the report, circulated at the meeting, which highlighted concerns raised regarding the adoption of the North Heybridge Garden Suburb (NHGS) Master Plan as a Supplementary Planning Document.  The addendum suggested the deletion of recommendation (ii) to the report and the Leader explained that deferring approval of the NHGS Master Plan would not impact on the South Maldon Garden Suburb Master Plan which was still recommended for approval by the Council.  The Leader proposed that the recommendations as set out on the addendum be agreed.  This was duly seconded and agreed.

Following agreement of the recommendations there was some discussion during which additional information was provided by the Leader of the Council and Officers, including clarification regarding the new Section 106 agreement relating to the South Maldon Garden Suburb Master Plan.

RESOLVED

(i)              That the progress on the delivery of the Garden Suburbs be noted and that reports are made back to the Council as appropriate;

(ii)            That the South Maldon Garden Suburb Master Plan be Adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.

To consider the following revision to the 2018 / 19 Schedule of Meetings:

·                 Change of Date:
Extraordinary meeting of the Council (planning) incorrectly scheduled for Tuesday 5 June 2018 to be changed to Thursday 5 July 2018.

RESOLVED that the extraordinary meeting of the Council (planning) scheduled for 5 June 2017 be changed to 5 July 2018.

Councillor B S Beale asked the Leader of the Council if he agreed that the problem of clearing the South Eastern Area Planning Committee enforcement backlog had grown to an untenable position.  He advised that the Committee were concerned and required assurance that the situation would be sorted as soon as possible and if further assistance to Officers was required this should also be addressed.  In response, the Leader of the Council agreed with Councillor Beale and advised that these concerns also related to the North Western and Central Area Planning Committees.  He informed Members that Officers had been asked to present a business case to provide extra resource and a further report in respect of enforcement was being drafted regarding the South Eastern area which would be shared with Councillor Boyce and the Chairman / Vice-Chairman of that Committee.