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Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3UY. Please enter the building through the Contact Centre entrance via the seafront.
Contact: Democratic Services on 01424 451484 email: democraticservices@hastings.gov.uk
Items No. Item Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
Apologies for absence received from Councillors Cooke, Fernando and Roberts.
To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting PDF 67 KB
Minutes:
RESOLVED that the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on 13th December 2023 be signed by the Mayor as a correct record of the proceedings.
Declarations of Interest
Minutes:
None received.
Announcements from the Mayor and Leader
Minutes:
The Mayor announced that she had recently visited the local Fire Service to present a Mayor’s Award in recognition of their response to the flooding in the town centre.
The Leader of the Council announced the membership of Cabinet and allocation of portfolios as below:
· Cllr Hilton, Regeneration, Culture, Tourism, Climate Change and Local Plan
· Cllr Haffenden, Community Safety, Environment, Health and Equalities
· Cllr Willis, Housing
· Cllr Barnett, Finance
· Cllr Roark, Chair of the Charity Committee
There will also be four advisory committees of Cabinet with deputy chairs who will engage with the public on the local plan, culture, tourism and climate change.
The Leader also updated the Council on a recent meeting with Southern Water, attended by the previous Leader and Deputy Leader. There was agreement from Southern Water that a full modelling of the sewage system in Hastings through the park and town will be undertaken to inform long-term flood prevention.
Questions (if any) from: PDF 80 KB
a) Members of the public under Rule 11
b) Councillors under Rule 12
Minutes:
48a Members of the public under Rule 11
A written question was received from Sarah Dadson and a written reply supplied by Councillor Hilton.
A written question was received from Ronald Hayward and a written reply supplied by Councillor Haffenden.
A written question was received from Christopher Hurrell and a written reply supplied by Councillor Barnett.
A written question was received from Natalie Gaimster and a written reply supplied by Councillor Haffenden.
48b Councillors under Rule 12
Questioner
Question
Reply given by
Councillor Patmore
Cornwallis Street Hotel – Will you ensure there is a public discussion of this report at the upcoming Cabinet meeting?
Councillor Hilton replied that there would be a public discussion on this report at Cabinet.
Councillor Hilton
Councillor Bishop
Cabinet advisory committees – Are you concerned that these new cabinet committees will only be ornamental and how will they add value to the Council?
Councillor Hilton replied that she had hoped for a cross-party unity adminstration but that wasn’t possible as the Conservative and Labour groups felt unable to take part. The cabinet committees are a solution to get cross-party input to decision making.
Councillor Hilton
Councillor Carr
Cabinet advisory committees – We were previously told there was no capacity for new projects, where has the capacity come from for these committees, and can we please have the councillor ideas form back?
Councillor Hilton replied that working in a Council in no overall control requires more work from officers, as there has to be consensus for decisions. This is about finding new ways of working to seek consensus on decisions and share information. Councillor Hilton said she felt the ideas form didn’t work very well and there needs to be a better way of feeding ideas into decision making.
Councillor Hilton
Councillor Beaney
Porters Grove - Bellway Homes are currently developing the Porters Grove site at Darwell Close. As part of the planning application the previous Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) was to be removed and relocated within the site to provide a much needed play area for the new homes. I believe you met with representatives from Bellway Homes in November. Can you assure residents of West St Leonards that you did not have any conversations about relocating the MUGA in Hollington?
Councillor Barnett replied that he was aware that Bellway had undertaken their own study as to how best to meet the planning conditions. They had identified several sites across the Borough for the MUGA, including in Hollington, which is why he met with them at their invitation as the ward Councillor to view the site.
Councillor Barnett
Councillor Webb
Hastings Housing Company – I’ve been reassured in the past that proposals for Hastings Housing Company would be with us in January. Could you please tell us of any proposals and any progress in repaying what the Hastings Housing Company owes the Council?
Councillor Willis replied that it is a complex matter, and a report is close to completion.
Councillor Willis
Councillor Collins
Review of political balance, committee allocations and membership of committees PDF 129 KB
Additional documents:
- Political balance and committee appointments report January 2024 (updated) , item 49. PDF 129 KB
- Appendix A - Appointments to council committees Jan 2024 (FINAL) , item 49. PDF 77 KB
Minutes:
Councillor Hilton proposed approval of the recommendations in the report, seconded by Councillor Barnett. Councillor Hilton announced that for continuity until Annual Council there would be consistency of representation on committees.
The Mayor called a vote to determine the appointment of the chair of the Audit Committee, having received two nominations for the position. Councillor Foster received 18 votes, and Councillor Rogers received 11 votes.
Councillor Bishop proposed Councillor Rogers be appointed vice-chair of the Audit Committee, which was agreed without further nominations being received.
RESOLVED (unanimously):
1. Following a review of the political balance on the Council, that the seats on the committees of the Council be allocated to political groups, and Councillors be appointed to those committees, in accordance with the nominations of the political groups, as shown in appendix A
2. The Council appoints Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the committees as shown in appendix A
Reasons:
1. The Council has a duty to review political balance on an annual basis and when there is a change in membership of political groups.
2. The Council has a duty, so far as reasonably practicable, to allocate committee seats to the political groups in line with the principles set out in Section 15(5) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
(The Mayor declared the meeting closed at 6.39pm)
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