Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber & Blue Room, Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF. View directions

Contact: Jane Fulton 

Items
No. Item

552.

Welcome

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Councillors, representatives of the public, press and officers to the meeting. She extended a special welcome to the Council’s Honorary Aldermen present. 

553.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

            Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Batley and from Honorary Alderman, Mrs Goad, MBE.

 

554.

Report from the Returning Officer of those Persons Elected as District Councillors for Arun District Council on 6 May 2021 pdf icon PDF 89 KB

            The Returning Officer will report to the Council on the result of the District Council By-Elections held on 6 May 2021.

 

            This report will be circulated separately to the agenda.

 

Minutes:

            The Council received and noted the report of the Returning Officer following the two District By-Elections held on 6 May 2021, which had been circulated separately to the agenda.

 

555.

Declarations of interest

Members and Officers are invited to make any declarations of pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interests that they may have in relation to items on this agenda, and are reminded that they should re-declare their interest before consideration of the item or as soon as the interest becomes apparent.

 

Members and Officers should make their declaration by stating:

 

a)  the item they have the interest in

b)  whether it is a pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interest

c)  the nature of the interest

d) if it is a pecuniary or prejudicial interest, whether they will be exercising their right to speak under Question Time

Minutes:

            There were no Declarations of Interest made.

 

The Declaration of Interest Sheet set out below confirms those Members who had made a declaration of their personal interest as a Member of a Town or Parish Councillor or a West Sussex County Councillor, as confirmed in their Register of Interest as these declarations could apply to any of the issues to be discussed at the meeting. 

 

Name

Town or Parish Council or West Sussex County Council [WSCC]

Councillor Tracy Baker

Littlehampton

Councillor Kenton Batley

Bognor Regis

Councillor Jamie Bennett

Rustington

Councillor Paul Bicknell

Angmering

Councillor Billy Blanchard-Cooper

Littlehampton

Councillor Jim Brooks

Bognor Regis

Councillor Ian Buckland

Littlehampton and WSCC

Councillor David Chace

Littlehampton

Councillor Mike Clayden

Rustington

Councillor Andy Cooper

Rustington

Councillor Alison Cooper

Rustington

Councillor Sandra Daniells

Bognor Regis

Councillor David Edwards

WSCC

Councillor Roger Elkins

Ferring and WSCC

Councillor Paul English

Felpham

Councillor Steve Goodheart

Bognor Regis

Councillor Pauline Gregory

Rustington

Councillor June Hamilton

Pagham

Councillor Shirley Haywood

Middleton-on-Sea

Councillor David Huntley

Pagham

Councillor Henry Jones

Bognor Regis

Councillor Martin Lury

Bersted

Councillor Claire Needs

Bognor Regis

Councillor Mike Northeast

Littlehampton

Councillor Francis Oppler

WSCC

Councillor Jacky Pendleton

Middleton-on-Sea and WSCC

Councillor Vicky Rhodes

Littlehampton

Councillor Emily Seex

Littlehampton

Councillor Martin Smith

Aldwick

Councillor Samantha Staniforth

Bognor Regis

Councillor Matt Stanley

Bognor Regis

Councillor Isabel Thurston

Barnham & Eastergate

Councillor James Walsh

Littlehampton and WSCC

Councillor Jeanette Warr

Bognor Regis

Councillor Amanda Worne

Yapton

Councillor Gillian Yeates

Bersted

 

 

 

556.

Public Question Time

To receive questions from the public (for a period of up to 15 minutes)

Minutes:

The Chairman confirmed that no questions had been submitted for this meeting.

 

557.

Questions from Members with Pecuniary/Prejudicial Interests

To receive questions from Members with pecuniary/prejudicial interests (for a period of up to 15 minutes)

Minutes:

            No questions were asked.

558.

Petitions

To consider any petitions received from the public.

Minutes:

            There were no petitions presented to this meeting.

 

559.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 271 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Meetings of the Council held on 17 and 24 March 2021, which are attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

            The Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 17 and 24 March 2021 were approved by the Council as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman when normal office functions started again, subject to a very minor amendment being made to the minutes from 17 March 2021 at Minute 472 [Declarations of Interest] where it was pointed out by Councillor Dixon that the final declaration needed to be amended in the final sentence to remove Coster and to replace with his name [Dixon].

 

560.

Chair's Announcements

To receive such announcements as the Chairman may desire to lay before the Council.

Minutes:

            The Chair provided some detail behind her forthcoming Civic Service to be held on 14 May 2021 and her and the Vice-Chair’s 24 hour marathon to be held in Hotham Park, Bognor Regis on 16 May 2021.

 

561.

Urgent Matters - Appointment the the Post of Interim Group Head of Corporate Support and Section 151 Officer

To deal with business not otherwise specified in the Council summons which, in the opinion of the Chairman of the Council (in consultation with the Chief Executive), is business of such urgency as to require immediate attention by the Council.

Minutes:

            Having confirmed that there were no items for this meeting, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Walsh requested to speak.

 

            Councillor Walsh made a brief statement. He confirmed that he recognised the reality that the results of the two District By-Elections held on 6 May 2021 for the Brookfield and Pevensey Wards meant for the Council which had been heightened by Councillor Staniforth leaving the Liberal Democrat Group and joining the Conservatives. This meant that the Conservatives were now the largest Group on the Council and would no doubt be wishing to put into place a new administration by next Wednesday, the date of the Annual Council Meeting. To ensure an orderly transfer as possible at that meeting on 19 May 2021, Councillor Walsh confirmed that having consulted with the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Conservative Group, he would now cancel the meeting of Cabinet scheduled for 17 May 2021 and could confirm that no Member of the Cabinet, between now and the Annual Council Meeting, would make any Individual Cabinet Member Decisions.

 

            Councillor Walsh confirmed that he hoped that this announcement would allow the Council to deal efficiently with the business for tonight’s meeting and at the Annual Meeting of the Council in the spirit of true co-operation.

 

            In view of this announcement and the cancellation of Cabinet on 17 May 2021, the Chief Executive confirmed that there was an urgent item that now needed to be considered. This was to approve the interim appointment to the post of Group Head of Corporate Support (Section 151 Officer).

 

            The Chief Executive summarised the report confirming that the Group Head of Corporate Support, Alan Peach, had been in post since 1 April 2017 but had firstly joined the Council in October 1982. After such long service, Alan had decided to retire and would be leaving Arun on 30 June 2021.  Due to owed annual leave, Alan’s last working day at Arun would be 21 May 2021.

 

            The Council’s Financial Services Manager, Carolin Martlew, had been taking part in developmental activities as part of a succession planning programme which had included undertaking many duties of the Section 151 Officer, she was currently Deputy Section 151 Officer.

 

            The Chief Executive confirmed that the Council proposed to appoint Carolin o an interim basis for a period of between 12 to 18 months to allow her to undertake the role in its entirety and allowing her to be able to fairly compete with external applicants and to allow the Council time to organise a comprehensive recruitment and selection process for this role.

 

            Within the Council’s Constitution, at Part 6, Procedure Rules, Section 7 [Officer Employment] Section 2.0 [Recruitment and Appointment] Paragraph 2.6 if stated that any object to such an appointment needed to be made by the Leader of the Council on behalf of the Cabinet to the Chief Executive within 5 working days.  The Chief Executive confirmed that no objection had been received to the proposals.

 

            The Council was therefore being asked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 561.

562.

Motions

To consider any Motions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure 14.

Minutes:

            The Chairman confirmed that no Motions had been submitted for this meeting.

 

563.

Transition to Committee Style of Governance pdf icon PDF 125 KB

This is a follow up status report on the progress of transition to the Committee style Constitution and associated matters. It explains that the revision and re-writing  of the Constitution is complete and that the new constitutional document is ready for publication and that at the request of Full Council, this report is brought back after Members have been offered a briefing on the new Constitution.

As a hard copy of the Constitution has been supplied to those Members who had requested it, if you wish to view the Constitution you can do so by clicking on this link - The 2021 Constitution.

A copy of the report is attached.

 

 

Minutes:

The Chairman invited the Interim Monitoring Officer to present this item.

 

            Councillor Roberts confirmed that he wished to propose a Motion without Notice which was:

 

Part A - that under Part 5, Section 1, Paragraph 15 (m) of the Constitution, that Council Procedure Rules 14.1 and 17.2 be suspended to allow consideration and voting in respect of the vote of no confidence set out in Part B of this Motion. 

 

            Part B - that this Council has no confidence in the current administration and calls for their immediate resignation.  

 

            Part C - that this Council henceforth appoints Councillor Shaun Gunner as Leader of the Council to form a new Administration. 

 

Councillor Dendle then seconded this Motion without Notice. 

 

            The Chair invited the Interim Monitoring Officer to provide advice and to give an opinion.  He confirmed that the first part of the Motion was in order but that Part B was not clear as there was no such thing as a vote of no confidence in the Constitution or clarity as to what the current administration meant. The only Motion that could validly been moved was a Motion to remove the Leader and to remove the Deputy Leader with immediate effect. A call could not be made for their immediate resignation as they could choose not to resign.

 

            Councillor Roberts then suggested an amendment to Part B to read “I call for the immediate resignation of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council”. This amended wording was challenged by the Interim Monitoring Officer who confirmed that he would be happy for the Motion to be debated, as amended, and that if the Motion was passed it had to be confirmed that it would have no effect whatsoever as it currently stood.

 

            The amendment was then shared to the meeting – as set out below with the further amendment to Part B shown in bold and with deletions shown using strikethrough::

 

Part A - that under Part 5, Section 1, Paragraph 15 (m) of the Constitution, that Council Procedure Rules 14.1 and 17.2 be suspended to allow consideration and voting in respect of the vote of no confidence set out in Part B of this Motion. 

 

Part B - that this Council resolves to remove the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council with immediate effect has no confidence in the current administration and calls for their immediate resignation.  

 

Part C - that this Council henceforth appoints Councillor Shaun Gunner as Leader of the Council to form a new Administration. 

 

            Councillor Roberts confirmed this amendment and asked to make a further amendment to Part A to read as follows:

 

Part A - that under Part 5, Section 1, Paragraph 15 (m) of the Constitution, that Council Procedure Rules 14.1 and 17.2 be suspended to allow consideration and voting in respect of the vote of the resolution set out in Part B of this motion no confidence set out in Part B of this Motion. 

 

            This further amendment was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 563.

564.

Development Control Committee - 3 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 216 KB

The Chair, Councillor Bennett, will present the Minutes from the meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 3 March 2021.  There are no recommendations.

 

Minutes:

            The Chair, Councillor Bennett, presented the Minutes from the meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 3 March 2021.

 

565.

Littlehampton Regeneration Sub-Committee - 11 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 138 KB

The Chair, Councillor Seex, will present the Minutes from the meeting of the Littlehampton Regeneration Sub-Committee held on 11 March 2021.  There are recommendations at:

 

o   Minute 23 – [Seafront Regeneration Report] – to view the Officer’s report, please click on this link – Report

 

Minutes:

            The Chair, Councillor Seex, presented the minutes from the meeting of the Littlehampton Regeneration Sub-Committee held on 11 March 2021.

 

            Councillor Seex referred Members to a recommendation at Minute 21 [Seafront Regeneration Report] which she duly proposed.  The recommendation was then seconded by Cllr Walsh.

 

            The Council

 

                        RESOLVED – That

 

(1)          The development of projects be supported, including possible bides for funding to the Levelling-Up Fund, for new green and beach links, improvements to the Promenade and secondly the creation of a vision for the redevelopment of the Harbour Park and Windmill area, exploring options for the provision of cinema/theatre in the Town;

 

(2)           The engagement with any leaseholders be supported; and

 

(3)           A progress report be submitted to the Economic Committee.

 

566.

Housing & Customer Services Working Group - 16 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 117 KB

The Chair, Councillor Bennet, will present the Minutes from the Housing & Customer Services Working Group held on 16 March 2021.  There are no recommendations.

 

 

Minutes:

            The Chair, Councillor Bennett, presented the minutes from the Housing & Customer Services Working Group held on 16 March 2021.

 

            As this had been the last meeting of this Working Group ahead of the move to the new Committee structure on 19 May 2021, Councillor Bennett confirmed that he wished to thank his Vice-Chair, Councillor Pendleton, and his Committee Manager, Carley Lavender and all other Officers for their hard work over the last couple of years.

 

567.

Cabinet - 22 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 168 KB

The Chair, Councillor Walsh, will present the Minutes from the meeting of Cabinet held on 22 March 2021.  There are a range of recommendations at:

 

o   Minute 495 – [Options to Progress Webcast Improvement Project] – to view the Officer’s report, please click on this link – Report

 

o   Minute 497 – [Anti-Graffiti Systems Ltd – Trading as AGS One – Admissions Agreement to Local Government Pension Scheme] – to view the Officer’s report, please click on this link – Report

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

            The Chairman, Councillor Dr Walsh, presented the Minutes from the meeting of Cabinet held on 19 October 2020.

 

            Councillor Walsh alerted Councillors to recommendations at Minute 495 [Options to Progress Webcast Improvement Project] and confirmed that in view of the amendment made by Cabinet to the recommendations that as a supplementary estimate in the sum of £40k was being requested, that this equated to a Band D equivalent of Council Tax of £0.64p. Councillor Walsh then formally proposed the recommendations which were then seconded by Councillor Stanley.

 

            In debating this item, many Councillors confirmed that they could still not support these proposals and could not justify the Council spending this money. They felt that this project required further review with the current proposals not representing value for money.

 

       Following debate, the Council

 

            RESOLVED – That

 

(1)          Approval is not given to fund those items listed in Table A of the report amounting to £40,000 for the one-off project cost for the webcasting hardware installation;

 

(2)          The proposed action to purchase the hardware required to facilitate hybrid meetings is not noted; and

 

(3)          Approval is not given to the additional on-going revenue costs for annual maintenance and broadband subscription of £21k per annum to be included in the Budget for 2021/22.

 

       Councillor Walsh then referred Members to the next recommendation at Minute 497 [Anti-Graffiti Systems Ltd – Trading as AGS One – Admissions Agreement to Local Government Pension Scheme].  In duly proposing this item, Councillor Walsh explained that this was a technical necessity with the Council being required to act as guarantor in respect of any and all pension liabilities which might arise through the term of the Pest Control Contract. Councillor Oppler then proposed the recommendation.

 

       The Council

 

            RESOLVED

 

That the Council acts as a guarantor in respect of any and all pension liabilities which may arise through the term of the Pest Control Contract and delegated authority be given to Legal Services to enter into the Admission Agreement and Guarantee.

 

(Prior to the vote being undertaken on this item, Councillor Walsh declared a Personal Interest as he was a Trustee of the West Sussex Pension Scheme in his capacity as a West Sussex County Councillor).

 

568.

Overview Select Committee - 23 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 168 KB

Minutes:

       Prior to the commencement of this item, Councillor English confirmed that he wished to have noted his thanks to Councillor Northeast for being an excellent Chairman to this Committee.  Other Councillors supported these sentiments. 

 

       The Chair, Councillor Northeast, then presented the minutes from the Overview Select Committee held on 23 March 2021.

 

569.

Environment & Leisure Working Group - 25 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 139 KB

The Chair, Councillor Warr, will present the Minutes from the meeting of the Environment & Leisure Working Group held on 25 March 2021.  There are no recommendations.

Minutes:

       The Chair, Councillor Warr, presented the minutes from the Environment & Leisure Working Group held on 25 March 2021.

 

       Various statements were then made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13,2 by Councillor Brooks and Goodheart in relation to Minute 32 [Place St Maur] and by Councillor Gunner in relation to Minute 30 [Southern Water].

 

570.

Development Control Committee - 31 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Minutes:

       The Chair, Councillor Bennett, presented the minutes from the Development Control Committee held on 31 March 2021.

 

571.

Development Control Committee - 28 April 2021 pdf icon PDF 121 KB

The Chair, Councillor Bennett, will present the Minutes from the Development Control Committee held on 28 April 2021. 

 

            These minutes will be circulated separately, and any recommendations will be reported to the meeting.

 

Minutes:

       The Chair, Councillor Bennett, presented the minutes from the Development Control Committee held on 28 April 2021, which had been circulated separately to the agenda as a supplement on 10 May 2021.

 

 

572.

Questions from Members

To consider general questions from Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13.3.

Minutes:

       The Chair confirmed that no questions had been submitted by Members in line with the Council’s Constitution.

 

573.

Committee Memberships

Any changes to Committee Memberships that need noting by the Council will be reported at the meeting.

Minutes:

       The Council noted the following changes in Committee Memberships:

 

       The membership to the Levelling-Up Fund Working Party was confirmed as:

 

       Councillors Walsh [Chair]

       Edwards [Vice-Chair]

       Andy Cooper

       Coster

       Gunner

       Stanley

       Tilbrook

       Thurston and Seex [non-voting Members]

 

574.

Representation on Outside Bodies

The Council is asked to approve any changes to its representation on Outside Bodies.

Minutes:

                 The Leader of the Council confirmed and proposed the following changes in representation to Outside Bodies which were then seconded by Councillor Oppler.

 

                 The Council

 

                        RESOLVED

 

That the following Outside bodies be removed from the Council’s approved list:

 

(1)  Voluntary Action Arun & Chichester [Cllr Yeates]

(2)  Age UK – West Sussex [Cllr Yeates]

(3)  Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London Adjudication Joint Committee [Cllr Staniforth and Sub – Cllr Buckland]

(4)  East Arun Health Services Advisory Committee [Leader of the Council and representatives Cllrs Bennett and Northeast]

(5)  Bathing Water Quality Steering Group [Cllrs Stanley and Brooks]

(6)  Integrated Prevention and Earliest Help (IPEH) Board [Cllrs Yeates and Goodheart]

(7)  Western Sussex Hospitals – Member of Council of Governors [Cllr Yeates]