Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive from members, declarations of interest in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting, in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

Cllr Paul Follows declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to Item 6 (Community Infrastructure Levy Bidding Cycle 2020-21) as his partner is a teacher at Rodborough School.

The Leader to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

The deadline for submission of questions is 5pm on Tuesday 30 March 2021.

There were none.

98.1     The Leader and Portfolio Holders gave brief updates on current issues not reported elsewhere on the agenda:

·         Despite extensive lobbying from local councils, the Local Government Association, County Council Network, District Council Network, and others, the government had declined to extend the regulations allowing council and committee meetings to be held remotely. These regulations would expire on 7 May 2021. Whilst Waverley would be able to accommodate committee meetings in the Council Chamber with appropriate social distancing, it would not be possible to accommodate meetings of the Full Council in the same, Covid-safe way. For this reason, a number of items of business had been brought forward and would be presented to Council at the meeting on 20 April, and the start of the meeting had also been brought forward to 6pm. The Annual meeting of Council had also been brought forward, to 27 April 2021.

·         The Brightwells Yard development in Farnham remained on track to open in September, with the cinema opening in December. Crest Nicholson had begun selling apartments off-plan, and would be opening a show home shortly.

·         The public consultation on the proposed Public Space Protection Order had now closed, and final proposals would be presented to Full Council later in the month.

·         It had been a busy Easter weekend at Frensham Pond, but visitor management arrangements had worked well to enable an enjoyable experience for all.

·         Arrangements were ongoing to launch Godalming Park Run at Broadwater Park, in June.

Background Papers

Unless specified under an individual item, there are no background papers (as defined by Section 100D(5) of the Local Government Act 1972) relating to the reports in Part I of these minutes.

The purpose of this report is to propose a number of governance changes that are considered to be in the best interests of the Council in order to fulfil the Corporate Strategy 2020-2025, adopted in October 2020.  The proposed governance changes seek to respond to and achieve the Council’s vision as set out within that strategy, in particular the need to promote:

·         ‘Open, democratic and participative governance’; and

·         ‘An effective strategic planning and development management which supports the planning and infrastructure needs of local communities’.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive:

1.    RECOMMENDS TO FULL COUNCIL that

·         the temporary WESTERN and EASTERN planning committee arrangements first incorporated into the Constitution on 22 July 2020 by Full Council and extended on 20 October 2020 by Full Council be made permanent (until such time as Full Council resolves to make any further changes to them) with the current Terms of Reference; and

·         the Head of Policy and Governance be authorised to make the corresponding revisions to the Constitution with the Chairman of the Standards Committee. 

2.    RECOMMENDS TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of moving to a governance structure whereby Waverley Borough Council no longer operates four overview and scrutiny committees but instead operates two overview and scrutiny committees, ‘corporate’ and ‘community’, and a new Housing Landlord Services Board whilst retaining the existing constitutional ability to establish informal OS working groups (as set out in section 4.2); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change, including terms of reference for the new committees.

3.    RECOMMENDS TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of moving to a governance structure whereby Waverley Borough Council expands the remit of the existing Standards Committee to become a ‘Standards and General Purposes Committee’ which, as well as dealing with the Standards and Constitutional issues it currently does, would also take responsibility for a range of other functions and pick up issues that arise over the course of time that do not obviously sit elsewhere (as set out in section 4.3); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change.

4.  RECOMMENDS TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of reintroducing the capacity for Executive Working Groups to be constituted in order to shape and drive policy development  across a range of portfolio areas (as set out in section 4.4); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change.

5.  RECOMMENDS TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         Asks the Standards Committee to carry out a general and comprehensive review of the Constitution to ensure it remains fit for purpose and to bring forward to Full Council any proposed constitutional amendments arising from its review (as set out in section 4.5).

RESOLVED to

1.    RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that

·         the temporary WESTERN and EASTERN planning committee arrangements first incorporated into the Constitution on 22 July 2020 by Full Council and extended on 20 October 2020 by Full Council be made permanent (until such time as Full Council resolves to make any further changes to them) with the current Terms of Reference; and

·         the Head of Policy and Governance be authorised to make the corresponding revisions to the Constitution with the Chairman of the Standards Committee. 

2.    RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of moving to a governance structure whereby Waverley Borough Council no longer operates four overview and scrutiny committees but instead operates two overview and scrutiny committees, ‘corporate’ and ‘community’, and a new Housing Landlord Services Board whilst retaining the existing constitutional ability to establish informal OS working groups (as set out in section 4.2); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change, including terms of reference for the new committees.

3.    RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of moving to a governance structure whereby Waverley Borough Council expands the remit of the existing Standards Committee to become a ‘Standards and General Purposes Committee’ which, as well as dealing with the Standards and Constitutional issues it currently does, would also take responsibility for a range of other functions and pick up issues that arise over the course of time that do not obviously sit elsewhere (as set out in section 4.3); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change.

4.  RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of reintroducing the capacity for Executive Working Groups to be constituted in order to shape and drive policy development  across a range of portfolio areas (as set out in section 4.4); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change.

5.  RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         Asks the Standards Committee to carry out a general and comprehensive review of the Constitution to ensure it remains fit for purpose and to bring forward to Full Council any proposed constitutional amendments arising from its review (as set out in section 4.5).

[This matter is recommended to Council for decision and is not subject to the call-in procedure.]

99.1    The Leader introduced the proposed changes to the council’s governance arrangements, which were recommended to Council for consideration.

99.2    Cllr Hyman spoke in support of the proposal to continue the current arrangements for the planning committees, but was concerned at the lack of detail in the proposals for the remit of the Standards Committee, and the review of the Constitution. Cllr Gray felt more information was needed on the benefits and dis-benefits of the temporary planning committees before deciding to make them permanent. He also would have liked to have the input of the Overview & Scrutiny Coordinating Board on the proposals for reducing the number of scrutiny committees; and more understanding of the outcomes of the Governance Review Working Group.

99.3    Cllr Follows outlined the work done by the Governance Review Working Group before its work was interrupted by the pandemic, and reflected on the efficiency and effectiveness of the scrutiny arrangements: they were not aligned with the current corporate strategy or service areas, and placed a significant workload on councillors and officers in attending multiple meetings per cycle.

99.4    The Executive RESOLVED to

1.    RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that

·         the temporary WESTERN and EASTERN planning committee arrangements first incorporated into the Constitution on 22 July 2020 by Full Council and extended on 20 October 2020 by Full Council be made permanent (until such time as Full Council resolves to make any further changes to them) with the current Terms of Reference; and

·         the Head of Policy and Governance be authorised to make the corresponding revisions to the Constitution with the Chairman of the Standards Committee. 

2.    RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of moving to a governance structure whereby Waverley Borough Council no longer operates four overview and scrutiny committees but instead operates two overview and scrutiny committees, ‘corporate’ and ‘community’, and a new Housing Landlord Services Board whilst retaining the existing constitutional ability to establish informal OS working groups (as set out in section 4.2); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change, including terms of reference for the new committees.

3.    RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of moving to a governance structure whereby Waverley Borough Council expands the remit of the existing Standards Committee to become a ‘Standards and General Purposes Committee’ which, as well as dealing with the Standards and Constitutional issues it currently does, would also take responsibility for a range of other functions and pick up issues that arise over the course of time that do not obviously sit elsewhere (as set out in section 4.3); and

·         asks the Standards Committee to develop and recommend to Full Council for adoption the necessary proposed constitutional amendments to achieve this change.

4.  RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that it

·         agrees to the principle of reintroducing the capacity for Executive Working Groups to be constituted in order to  ...  view the full minutes text for item EXE 99/20

The background papers relating to the following items are as set out in the reports included in the original agenda papers.

As per the approved CIL governance arrangements, the Executive is delegated to approve bids for allocation of Strategic CIL Funding, on the recommendation of the CIL Advisory Board, subject to an upper limit of £2.5m per individual award, above which approval reverts to Full Council.

This report seeks to gain approval from the Executive for the allocation of Strategic CIL funding to the projects recommended for funding by the CIL Advisory Board.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive agree the recommendations of the CIL Advisory Board and approve the allocation of Strategic CIL funding to the projects as set out in this report subject to the completion of the final relevant checks and the signing of funding agreements, the detail of which is delegated to the Strategic Director in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Enforcement Services.

RESOLVED to approve the allocation of Strategic CIL funding to the projects set out in the report, subject to the completion of the final relevant checks and the signing of funding agreements, the detail of which is delegated to the Strategic Director in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Enforcement Services.

Reason: In order to ensure robust and effective expenditure in line with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) and in accordance with the Council’s approved CIL governance arrangements which include detailed eligibility and assessment criteria.

[VALUE FOR MONEY OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE]

100.1  Cllr Nick Palmer, Portfolio Holder for Operational and Enforcement Services, introduced the report setting out the recommendations of the CIL Advisory Board in relation to bids received for funding from CIL receipts. All bids had been assessed by officers to ensure that they met the requirements for CIL, and agreed council criteria for bids. The cross-party CIL Advisory Board had then been carefully evaluated in order to reach the recommendations to the Executive.

100.2  As this was Waverley’s first CIL bidding cycle, the CIL Advisory Board would be meeting to review the process, and to set the timetable for the next bidding cycle.

100.3  Cllr Cockburn spoke as a Farnham Bourne ward councillor to express her disappointment that the bid for funding for the Bourne Pavilion had not been successful, and noted that she felt that the bid had not made clear that the intention had not been to request the full cost of replacing the pavilion, but only sufficient to renew the planning permission and address the disabled access.

100.    The Executive RESOLVED to approve the allocation of Strategic CIL funding to the projects set out in the report, subject to the completion of the final relevant checks and the signing of funding agreements, the detail of which is delegated to the Strategic Director in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Enforcement Services.

To seek approval to grant a lease to Electricity Network Company Limited for siting of a further electricity sub-station with associated cabling and easements to the Brightwells site.

Recommendation

That the Executive authorises the grant of a new lease to Electricity Network Company Ltd and easements for the electricity sub-stations and cabling, on the terms proposed in (Exempt) Annexe 1.

RESOLVED to grant a new lease to Electricity Network Company Ltd and easements for the electricity sub-stations and cabling, on the terms proposed in the (Exempt) Annexe 1.

Reason: In order to progress the regeneration project at Brightwells Yard.

[VALUE FOR MONEY OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE]

101.1   Cllr Andy MacLeod, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Brightwells, presented the proposal to grant a lease for an additional electricity sub-station at the Brightwells Yard development. This had become necessary following the decision to move away from gas boilers in the residential development. .

101.2   The Executive RESOLVED to grant a new lease to Electricity Network Company Ltd and easements for the electricity sub-stations and cabling, on the terms proposed in the (Exempt) Annexe 1.