Agenda and minutes

Apologies for non attendance were received from Councillors Carter and Murphy.

All Members are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, any disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest in any item(s) being considered at this meeting.

There were none.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meetings of the Board held on  26 September 2018 and the extraordinary meeting held on 15 October 2018 be signed as true and correct records.

(NOTE: The Board is required to receive a deputation(s) on a matter which is before the meeting of the Board provided that notice of the intended deputation and its object shall have been received by the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Monday 19 November 2018.  The total time for deputations in favour and against a proposal shall not exceed 10 minutes).

There were none.

(NOTE: The Board is required to allow a total of 15 minutes for questions from Members of the public on matters within the terms of reference of the Board provided that notice of such Question(s) shall have been submitted to the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Monday, 19^th November 2018).

There were none.

Members welcomed Valerie Kelly and Richard Mackey from Citizens Advice Gosport.

They advised the Board of their work over the previous year and of the forthcoming projects.

Members welcomed the work of Citizens Advice Gosport and thanked the volunteers for their valuable contribution to the Borough.

To advise the Board of the Council’s  statutory responsibilities for reviewing UK Parliamentary Polling Districts and Polling Places and to agree the recommendations as set out in this report.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Electoral Services advising the Board of the Council’s statutory responsibilities for reviewing UK Parliamentary Polling Districts and Polling Places and to agree the recommendations as set out in this report.

It was confirmed to the Board that the polling district boundaries could not be moved as part of the review and that only the boundaries of polling districts and the locations of polling places would be considered.

RESOLVED: That;

1.   The creation of an Electoral Task and Finish Group to carry out the formal review of Gosport’s UK Parliamentary Polling Districts and Polling Places be approved.

2.   The terms of reference for the Electoral Task and Finish Group as outlined within the report be agreed.

3.   The  timetable of the review as outline within the report be agreed.

4.   To Councillors Burgess, Hook, Chegwyn, Hylands and Mrs Cully be nominated to the Electoral Task and Finish Group.  

Report to follow.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Streetscene updating members on the outcome of the review of the Streetscene Service and seek members' approval for a new structure.

Members welcomed the proposal to have better enforcement provision within the Borough and welcomed the drive to better educate and increase recycling rates.

In answer to a Member’s question, the Board was advised that there was no longer a requirement for a groundsman at match days at Gosport Borough Football Club as it was now the responsibility of the Club.

The Board was advised that the increased income from parking penalties had been estimated based on the increase numbers of enforcement officers and that the zonal patrolling of the officers would ensure that more checks would be made.

The Board was advised that the Windsor report had led to a change in legislation that meant the Police were no longer able to employ a traffic warden for on street parking. The Board was advised that until on street parking was decriminalised by Hampshire County Council, the responsibility for enforcement of on street parking would lie with the police.

The Board was advised that Hampshire County Council was investigating the possibility of decriminalising on street parking in the County and although this would take some time, Gosport Borough Council would be in a good position to take on the enforcement at a service level agreement, if the zonal patrolling was approved.

The Board was advised that from 30^th November 2018 it would be the responsibility of the Police to manage and enforce on street parking and that and that it was important that this was the message given to the public. Powers were being introduced to allow PCSO’s to enforce parking matters.

Members recognised the important work undertaken by groups such as the Gosport Wombles which helped in keeping the Borough tidy. It was reiterated that incidences of vandalism and littering were caused by people who lacked Civic pride or a desire to look after where they lived. The Board was advised that extended working hours would help to support increased patrols of the areas being targeted by vandals.

Members welcomed the inclusion of an apprentice in the Countryside section, recognising the increased use of the Alver Valley.

The Board welcomed that education with regard to recycling and reduction of waste would be introduced and recognised the importance of education young people, as it was often the young people that provided the best education to their parents.

It was reiterated that the Borough Council would not have jurisdiction with regard to on street parking unless it was decriminalised by the County Council.

RESOLVED: That the Board

A) Note the outcome of the review as set out in the sections below.

B) Approve the amalgamation of the following posts:

·        5No. Enforcement Officers

·        2No. Contract Inspectors (1No. Parks and Landscaping and 1No. Waste and Cleansing).

The overall net result is the deletion of the two Contract Inspector posts to be relocated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.