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Agenda and minutes
Venue: Town Hall, Queen's Square, Priory Meadow, Hastings, TN34 1QR
Contact: Michael Courts on 01424 451764 email mcourts@hastings.gov.uk
Items No. Item To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 4 June 2014
Minutes:
RESOLVED – that the minutes of the annual council meeting held on 4 June 2014 be signed by the Mayor as a correct record of the proceedings.
Declarations of interest
Minutes:
The following Councillors declared their interests in the minutes indicated: -
Councillor
Committee
Minute
Interest
Forward, Hodges and Westley
Cabinet, 9 June 2014
3 – White Rock Baths
Prejudicial – Members of Charity Committee
Cartwright and Street
Cabinet, 7 July 2014
15 – Overview & Scrutiny Review of Changes to the Welfare System: Management Response
Personal – regarding discussion on the Credit Union
Announcements from the Mayor and Leader
Minutes:
There were no announcements from the Mayor or Leader at the meeting.
Questions from Councillors Under Rule 12
(a) members of the public under Rule 11
(b) councillors under Rule 12
Minutes:
No written questions had been received.
Questions to the Leader, Deputy Leader or other Lead Members were asked and answered in accordance with Rule 12.1 as follows: -
Questioner and
Councillor
Subject
Reply Given By Councillor
Charlesworth
Active Hastings a visitor to the town recently had difficulty finding out information about the Active Hastings program of events; could the Lead Member explain how the programme is promoted?
Councillor Poole said that she was surprised the visitor had been unable to find information about the programme, as Active Hastings events were publicised around the town. Councillor Poole requested that Councillor Charlesworth provide her with further details so that she could investigate the matter.
Poole
Lock
Council Tax billing will the policy on information items included with council tax bills be reviewed? East Sussex County Council (ESCC) recently offered to include details of its consultation on street lighting provision with council tax bills, but this was declined.
Councillor Birch replied that a significant amount of information about local services was already included with the council tax bill mail out. He was not aware that ESCC had requested details of the street lighting consultation be included with the bill.
Birch
Sabetian
Events to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War would the Lead Member provide an update on plans to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War?
Councillor Poole explained that a wide programme of events were planned to mark the anniversary. Hastings Remembers, an exhibition of local stories from the First World War, was due to open at Hastings Museum on 25 July 2014. A pop up exhibition would also be held at the Old Town Hall Museum. We will also participate in ‘Lights Out’ on the seafront on 4 August 2014. The senior’s forum were also planning further events for later in the year, to mark the centenary.
Poole
Davies
Notable local residents a symphony is due to be performed at the Royal Albert Hall, as a tribute to Alan Turing, who lived locally. 2014 also marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of the Ragged Trousers Philanthropists. Are there any plans to celebrate the achievements of these local residents?
Councillor Chowney replied that a film about the life of Alan Turing was due to be released shortly. The council would be publishing a special centenary edition of the Ragged Trousers Philanthropists, which would be available to buy from the Tourist Information Centre and other local shops shortly.
Chowney
Atkins
Grass verges is it possible to increase the frequency of grass cuttings to verges?
Councillor Birch responded that ESCC was the agency responsible for highways matters, including the maintenance of grass verges. Hastings Borough Council had previously undertaken additional cuts to the verges; however, it had been necessary to stop these to achieve budget savings. It would not be possible to reinstate the additional cuts to grass verges, without having to find savings from other council services.
Birch
Batsford
Local bus services ... view the full minutes text for item 4.
Annual Audit Report 2013-14 to Council
(Report of the Chief Auditor)
Minutes:
The report of the Chief Auditor, from the Audit Committee, on the annual review of the effectiveness of internal audit was submitted. Under regulation 6 of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (England) 2011, local authorities are required to publish a statement on internal control each year, with the authorities’ financial statements. The findings of the annual review of the council’s internal control had been considered by the Audit Committee. The report set out the review of internal control and assurance gathering process.
Under rule 13.3 the report was approved, without being called for discussion.
RESOLVED– that the Audit Committee report 2013/14 to council is accepted.
The reason for this decision was:
Regulation 6 of the Accounts and Audit regulations (England) 2011 requires relevant bodies to conduct an annual review of the effectiveness of its system of internal audit and for a committee of the body to consider the findings.
Reports of Committees PDF 42 KB
(a) To resolve that the public be excluded from the meeting during
the discussion of any items considered while the public were
excluded by the relevant committee because it is likely that if
members of the public were present there would be disclosure
to them of “exempt” information as defined in the respective
paragraphs of Schedule 12A to the local Government Act 1972
referred to in the minutes of the relevant committee.
(b) To receive and consider the recommendations and any
decisions of the following committees: -
Minute
No.
Subject
Cabinet
Member/Chair
Speaker
CABINET – 9 June 2014
3
White Rock Baths
Chowney
4
Hastings Walking and Cycling Strategy
Chowney
5
Banking Services Contract
Birch
6
Cabinet appointments to Committees, Working Groups and Partnerships etc
Cartwright
Minute
No.
Subject
Cabinet
Member/Chair
Speaker
CABINET – 7 JULY 2014
10
Empty Homes Compulsory Purchase Programme
Forward
11
Corporate Plan Part III
Chowney
12
Local Development Scheme
Chowney
13
Hastings Local Plan – Submission of the Development Management Plan
Chowney
14
Hastings Local Plan – Statement of Community Involvement Update
Chowney
15
Overview & Scrutiny Review of Changes to the Welfare System: Management Response
Forward
16 (C)
Annual Treasury Management Report 2013-14
Birch
17
Minor Works Contracts
Poole
18
Office Accommodation
Birch
21 (E)
Empty Homes Compulsory Purchase Programme
Forward
Notes:
(1) The Mayor will call over the minutes and members will rise and indicate those items, which they wish to have discussed.
(2) No discussion shall take place at this stage upon any “Part II Minute” covered by the resolution at 7(a) above. Any such discussion shall be deferred until item 9 on this agenda.
(C) = Matter for Council Decision
(E) = Part II item.
Additional documents:
- Appendix A - Cabinet Appointments 2014-15 , item 6. PDF 18 KB
- Appendix B - Cabinet Appointments 2014-15 , item 6. PDF 6 KB
- Cabinet - 7 July 2014 , item 6. PDF 71 KB
Minutes:
The Mayor having called over the minutes set out in the agenda, the under mentioned minutes were reserved for discussion.
RESOLVED – Under rule 13.3 that the reports and minutes of committees set out in the agenda be received. Minute number 16 of Cabinet on 7 July 2014, which was a matter for Council decision, was approved without being called for discussion. Only those items which had been reserved were discussed, as follows: -
Meeting
Minute
Councillor
Cabinet, 9 June 2014
3 – White Rock Baths
Batsford
Cabinet, 9 June 2014
4 - Hastings Walking and Cycling Strategy
Sabetian
Cabinet, 7 July 2014
10 – Empty Homes Compulsory Purchase Programme
Clark
Cabinet, 7 July 2014
15 – Overview & Scrutiny Review of Changes to the Welfare System: Management Response
Davies
Councillors Forward, Hodges and Westley, having declared a prejudicial interest in minute number 3 of Cabinet on 9 June 2014, left the chamber while this matter was discussed.
No motions for reference to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee or reference back to Cabinet were approved in respect of the items reserved for discussion and they were, therefore, received.
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