Agenda and minutes

Apologies for non attendance were received from Honorary Freeman O’Neill and Honorary Alderman Kimber.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th Decmber be signed as a true and correct copy.

The Mayor updated the Council on the success of the open doors project advising that there were 4 Churches opening their doors and over 300 volunteers and that there had been many successes and additional plans for the project were moving forward.

(NOTE: Standing Order No 3.4 requires that notice of a Deputation should be received by the Borough Solicitor NOT LATER THAN 12 O’CLOCK NOON ON MONDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2020 and likewise Standing Order No 3.6 requires that notice of a Public Question should be received by the Borough Solicitor NOT LATER THAN 12 O’CLOCK NOON ON MONDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2020).

Deputation in pursuant of Standing Order 3.4 – Climate Change.

It was reported that in accordance with Standing Order 3.4  notices of Deputation had been received by the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer from Grace Cane and Peter Hurworth.

Grace Cane advised the Council that she had been on strike from school and been and had been called brave and been told that people were proud of her but that there was a pressure on younger generations to make a difference and change the future but that her generation had inherited a very fragile world with damaged coral and disappearing rainforests and that there was a great pressure to fix the problems created by previous generation, including damage to coral reefs, rain forests, bushfires and flooding. The recent forest fires in Australia had killed one billion animals and that the planet needed protecting for the future of children and grandchildren.

She advised that the planet needed protecting and that she did not consider herself brave as often described, but scared of the future for the planet.

She advised that the youth of today were prepared to stand up and fight for what they believed in but were often seen as irrelevant by those that were in power and that this was unacceptable.

She concluded by advising the Council that listening was not enough and that the Council needed to declare the Climate Change Emergency as real and understand and act on it.

Peter Hurworth was invited to address the Council.

He advised that he represented Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth and that the Carbon budget for Gosport for 2050 would be used within the next 8 years at its current rate. Failing to reduce the carbon used by 13% would increase the Earth’s temperature by 2 Degrees and would continue to damage the planet.

The Council were advised that Council’s were not striving to achieve to be climate neutral, they needed to be making more effort in investing renewable energy and trees. In addition, improvements in recycling rates were needed as was improvements in cycle routes and provision for better public transport.

Improvements should be made to the use of renewable power particularly as Gosport was well placed to generate power this way.

He felt that Gosport needed to improve their aspirations with regard to the amount of trees it wished to plant.

(NOTE: Members are reminded that Standing Order No 3.3 requires that Notice of Question pursuant to that Standing Order must be received by the Borough Solicitor NOT LATER THAN 12 O’CLOCK NOON ON TUESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2020).

The Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer received notice of 7 Public Questions under Standing Order 3.3.

That were answered by Councillor Burgess as Chairman of the Community Board.

Question 1

We would like to know why houses are going to be built on a greenfield site  beside the shops in Tukes Avenue, when there are 4 potential other brown field sites within the ward. This is an area where children play, it has 5 mature trees on it as well as shrubs,  and  a previous planning application to extend the service road was rejected because it was a green field site?

Question 2

A previous application was put forward and rejected because the field is a green site so what has changed?

Question 3: The field opposite Tukes Avenue is a green field, there are 5 mature trees currently on the field. Are you proposing to cut these trees down? If so surely considering the current climate of trees and the importance they hold it would be more appropriate to keep these trees and to keep the green space. Green space which is proven to have a positive effect on mental health. 

Question 4: Where do you propose the residents of Tukes Avenue park their cars? At the current moment there is hardly any space to park and parking is mainly on road. Often we have had to struggle with parking especially on Sundays with the local car boot sale which adds to the demand of parking spaces.

Question 5: Why the field opposite Tukes Avenue? Why this area specifically? Its a green field, its near a bend of the road. The layout you are proposing would mean that the surrounding area of the 20 flats will mean that the flats will be like an island sandwiched in between roads. Are there no other fields that are brown field sites that you could build on instead? 

Question 6: This is concerning children's welfare and wellbeing the field opposite Tukes Avenue has been great for children to play on and is not too far away from their school. Where would children be expected to play if they live in Tukes Avenue? 

Question 7: Currently myself and other residents have been enjoying the surge of nature that the field brings to our community. We get birds nesting in the trees opposite as well as hedgehogs hibernating nearby. It would be a loss to our wildlife if this green field was to be built on. Would you consider the loss of wildlife before deciding on building plans? and again why green space when it is going to affect and impact on so many? 

It was reported that Councillor Pepper had given notice of the following Motion in accordance with Standing Order 3.2, as included within the agenda.

Climate Change Motion 2020

It was reported that Councillor Pepper gave notice of a motion

Proposer Martin Pepper

Seconder Murray Johnston

Council notes:

that the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world;

that the ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C’, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October 2018, (a) describes the enormous harm that a 2°C average rise in global temperatures is likely to cause compared with a 1.5°C rise, and (b) confirms that limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society and the private sector;

that all governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to act, and local governments that recognise this should not wait for their national governments to change their policies;

that strong policies to cut emissions also have associated health, wellbeing and economic benefits;

and that, recognising this, Gosport Borough Council has already established a Climate Change Working Group to develop a strategy to tackle climate change;

Council therefore resolves to:

1. Declare that ‘Climate Change is real’ and requires urgent action;

2. Prioritise the work of the Climate Change Working Group;

3. Incorporate the CCWG Strategy in its approaches to planning decisions;

4. Ensure that political and chief officer/section head leadership teams embed this work in all areas and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities;

5. Take steps to proactively include young people in the process, ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future;

6. Develop a Citizens’ Assembly in order to involve the wider population in this process. This group would help develop their own role, consider the latest climate science and expert advice on solutions and to consider systematically the climate change impact of each area of the Council’s activities;

7. Establish a Climate Change Partnership group, involving Councillors, residents, young citizens, relevant experts, businesses, Citizens Assembly representatives and other relevant parties. It will also recommend ways to maximise local benefits of these actions in other sectors such as employment, health, transport and the local economy;

8. Report on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry that our pensions plan and other investments have, and review the Council’s investment strategy to give due consideration to climate change impacts in the investment portfolio;

9. Work with, influence and inspire partners across the borough, county and region to help deliver this goal;

10. Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask our MP to do likewise.

Under standing order 4.6.1 the motion was referred to the Community Board

BOARD                                                          DATE

     Community Board                                          22 January 2020

     Policy and Organisation Board                      5 February 2020

BUSINESS PLAN FINANCIAL MODEL UPDATE AND COUNCIL DWELLING RENTS 2020/2021

That the Council approve:

§   The revised HRA Business Plan Financial Model extract (Appendix A) and associated 2019/20 Revised Budget and 2020/21 Budget (Appendix B) is agreed.

§   That Council Dwelling rents increase  by CPI(1.7%@sept 2019) plus 1% .This is the first year of the five year policy  programme as detailed in the new national rent policy introduced in February  2019.

§   The rent for older style garages is increased in line with inflation, as agreed in the Garage Renewal strategy and rent for non GBC tenants who have garages is increased by £1 per week.

Policy and Organisation Board Part  I

CAPITAL STRATEGY REPORT 2020/21

Resolved:

That Council approve:

The Capital Strategy for 2020/21

INVESTMENT STRATEGY REPORT 2020/21

Resolved:

Full Council approve the Investment Strategy as detailed in this report

TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND MRP POLICY

Resolved:

Council approves:

• Minimum Revenue Provision Policy, as identified in 2.1
  
  
• The Treasury Management Strategy, as identified in 2.2

To consider the report of the Borough Treasurer.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Treasurer detailing the Council’s budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2020/21

It is recommended that the following be approved:

2.1         A Revised General Fund Budget for 2019/20 of £10,603,120 as set out in Appendix A;

2.2         A General Fund Budget for 2020/21 of £10,282,110 as set out in Appendix A and broken down in C;

2.3         Any variation arising from the final Local Government Finance Settlement be accommodated by a transfer to / from the Revenue Financing Reserve;

2.4         That the level of Council Tax be increased by £5 per annum for a Band D property for 2020/21;

2.5         It be noted that the Borough Treasurer Officer has determined that the Council Tax Base for the financial year 2020/21 will be 27,039.1 [item T in the formula in Section 31 B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)];

2.6         That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the financial year 2020/21 in accordance with Section 31 and Sections 34 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(e)       Valuation Bands (Gosport Borough Council)

Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at 2.6 (d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in Valuation Band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings in different valuation bands.

2.7         That it be noted that for the financial year 2020/21 Hampshire County Council is proposing the following amounts for the precept to be issued to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer.

Consideration was given to the report and addendum of the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer requesting the extension of the Borough of Gosport Public Spaces Protection Dog Control Order 2017 (“PSPDCO”)

COUNCIL RSEOLVED:

To consider the report of the Head of Benefits, Procurement and Insurance

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Benefits, Procurement and Insurance informing Members of the proposal not to change the Local Council Tax Support scheme (LCTS) for Gosport for the forthcoming 2020-2021 financial year.

COUNCIL RESOLVED:

That Council approve the Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) for Gosport at Appendix 1 of this report for working age customers and notes the statutory scheme for Pension Age customers. Statutory changes to the Pension Age scheme are administered by Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and this year only contain minor changes, these are yet to be released by MHCLG and will be forwarded to Members as part of the updated scheme when received.

In accordance with Standing Order No 2.4 the Borough Solicitor has written to Group Leaders and Members of the Council inviting them to submit Member nominations for the selection of Mayor-Elect and Deputy Mayor-Elect for the next Municipal Year. One nomination has been received by the Borough Solicitor, Councillor Z Huggins for Mayor-Elect and one nomination has been received by the Borough Solicitor, Councillor M Hook  for Deputy-Mayor Elect for the 2020/2021 Municipal Year.

The Council was informed that in accordance with Standing Order 2.4 the Borough Solicitor and Deputy Chief Executive had written to Group Leaders and Members of the Council to invite Member nominations for the selection of Mayor-Elect and Deputy Mayor-Elect for the next Municipal Year.

It was reported that two nominations had been received Councillors Z Huggins and Earle for Mayor-Elect and two nomination Councillors Hook and Hutchison for Deputy Mayor-Elect for the 2020-21 Municipal Year.

A vote was duly taken and Councillor Huggins and Councillor Hook duly elected.