Agenda and minutes

Venue: Upper Guildhall, High Street, Andover, Hampshire SP10 1NT

Contact: Emma Horbury - 01264 368001  Email: ehorbury@testvalley.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

300.

Prayers

Minutes:

Prayers were led by Reverend Wharton.

301.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Bundy, Coole, Cross, Gidley and Hamilton.

302.

Public Participation

Minutes:

No members of the public registered to speak.

303.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillors Cooper and Burnage wished it to be noted that they were members of Romsey Extra Parish Council and Romsey Town Council for item 10 – Community Governance Review, Romsey Town.

 

Councillor Parker wished it to be noted that he was the Chairman of Romsey Extra Parish Council and a member of Romsey Town Council for item 10 – Community Governance Review, Romsey Town.

 

Councillors Baverstock, Daas and Gwynne wished it to be noted that they were members of Romsey Town Council for item 10 – Community Governance Review, Romsey Town.

304.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 1 September 2021

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record, subject to an amendment to minute item 180 to correct the date set out in the recommendation from 11 October 2021 to 11 April 2022, and an amendment to minute item 186 to correct the title of Caroline Nokes from MO to MP.

305.

Mayor's Announcements

Minutes:

The Worshipful The Mayor was pleased to let Councillors know that he had attended a series of tree planting events across parishes to commemorate those who lost their lives during the pandemic. The Mayor encouraged Councillors to speak with those parishes who had not taken up the offer of a tree to do so.

 

The Mayor reminded Councillors that he would be in attendance at Romsey Memorial Park for Armistice Day commemorations from 10.45 on Thursday 11 November and that the Deputy Mayor would be in attendance at St Mary’s Andover.

 

The Mayor would be hosting the civic party for Remembrance Sunday commemorations on 14 November. The Deputy Mayor would be attending the commemorations in Romsey and Immediate Past Mayor, Councillor Hatley, would be representing the mayoralty in Stockbridge.

 

The Mayor advised that he would be hosting a visit to Beech Hurst by Deputy Lieutenant Mans on Wednesday 24 November so he could meet local volunteers and TVBC staff who helped the community during the pandemic.

 

The Mayor’s invited Councillors to attend his Christmastime Drinks with Staff in Beech Hurst on Monday 13 December from 4pm.

 

306.

To receive and adopt Committee reports pdf icon PDF 124 KB

To receive and, where necessary, adopt reports of Committees.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Minutes of Meetings:

 

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the following Committees and Cabinet meetings be received:

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 25 August 2021

 

Northern Area Planning Committee – 26 August 2021

 

Southern Area Planning Committee – 31 August 2021

 

Southern Area Planning Committee – 21 September 2021

 

Licensing Committee – 23 September 2021

 

General Purposes Committee – 29 September 2021

 

Cabinet – 29 September 2021

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 6 October 2021

 

Northern Area Planning Committee – 7 October 2021

 

Southern Area Planning Committee – 12 October 2021

 

Cabinet – 19 October 2021

 

Licensing Committee – 21 October 2021

 

Cabinet – 27 October 2021

 

Southern Area Planning Committee – 2 November 2021

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 3 November 2021

 

To adopt recommendations from the following:

 

Cabinet – 27 October 2021

 

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2022/23 – 2024/25

 

Resolved:

 

1.  That the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2022/23 to 2024/25 be approved.

 

2.  That the Medium Term Financial Forecast, as shown in Annex 3 to the report, be noted.

 

Gambling Act 2005 – Statement of Licensing Principles

 

Resolved:

 

1.  That the revised Statement of Licensing Principles attached as annexed to the report be recommended for approval.

 

2.  That the Statement as annexed to the report, be effective for a three-year period commencing 31 January 2022 subject to it being kept under review and Council making any changes at such times as it considers appropriate.

307.

Questions under Rule 11.1

Minutes:

Referring to Minute number 259 from Cabinet held on 19 October 2021, Councillor Parker asked the Leader; when Project Integra was planning to publish its detailed plan and expectations of waste collection authorities with regards to imminent changes in legislation and the collection of household waste? Councillor Parker also asked; what Project Integra’s plan for the collection of food waste was?

 

The Leader replied that Test Valley Borough Council was not in charge of Project Integra but was a member of the partnership. The Leader was pleased to report the at the Council, along with New Forest District Council were the first authorities to sign up to the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy and encouraged other authorities in Hampshire to do so in order to give Hampshire County Council the confidence to take forward plans for the change sin waste collection.

 

The Leader advised that further government direction was needed along with guidance around new burdens funding for the collection of food waste before plans could be finalised.

308.

Questions under Rule 11.2

Minutes:

Question 1

 

Councillor Ecclestone asked the Recycling, Environmental Services and Car Parking portfolio holder the following question:

 

As the largest landlord for logistics businesses in the borough, can the Portfolio holder advise us what concrete and specific measures the borough is taking to create a more amenable environment for truckdrivers in proximity to the logistics hubs in the borough? Can the portfolio holder advise us where the nearest amenity facility for truckdrivers to Andover is?

 

Councillor Adams-King replied that both short and long haul lorry drivers had a challenging job to fulfil. The Council had not been made aware that there were issues with amenities from drivers in the borough.

 

There were many logistics companies which were based in Andover who provided their own facilities for their drivers. In addition there were services on the A303 at both Weyhill and Longparish as well as Rownhams in the south of the borough  which provided some facilities. Whilst these may not be ideal they did provide a solution to some of the challenges that lorry drivers faced.

 

Question 2

 

Councillor Ecclestone asked the Community, Leisure and Tourism portfolio holder the following question:

 

Can the portfolio holder provide statistics upon membership of the Andover Leisure Centre as at October 31st 2019, 2020 and now 2021?

 

In response, Councillor Drew confirmed the total paid memberships of the Andover Leisure Centre as of October 2019 was 3083, as of October 2020 was 2646, and as of September 2021 was 3029. It was noted that the Council did not yet have the confirmed figure for October 2021.

 

Councillor Drew clarified that this didn’t highlight the growth in membership that continued from Andover Leisure Centre opening from April 2019, to October 2019 and right up to Feb 2020 when membership numbers had increased further still to 4484 (at which level it was forecast to remain). Therefore although membership numbers in Sept 2021 were just below the number at October 2019, they remained approximately 1400 behind forecast. The Council would continue to monitor recovery on a monthly basis.

 

Question 3

 

Councillor Ecclestone asked the Finance and Resources portfolio holder the following question:

 

In light of the wave of grievances and code of conduct complaints in the borough can the portfolio holder please advise the amount budgeted (and actually spent), in Council financial year 2020, 2021 and 2022 for the provision of barristers and outside investigators for this activity. Can the portfolio advise councillors as to how much has been charged back to parish and town councils for the grievances originating therefrom?

 

Councillor Flood replied thatthere was no budgeted sum for external spend on Code of Conduct investigations. These sums were met from contingencies or existing legal service budgets. In 2020 the actual spend was £1,000 + vat and for 2021 the actual spend to date was£2,167+ vat.

 

Councillor Flood confirmed that no facility existed to charge back such expenditure to parish/town councils in relation to complaints against their members. The Localism Act 2011 required Test  ...  view the full minutes text for item 308.

309.

Community Governance Review - Romsey Town pdf icon PDF 217 KB

To consider a Community Governance Review covering Romsey and Romsey Extra Parishes.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report of the Democracy and Governance Portfolio Holder which followed the Council decision on 1 September 2021 to agree to undertake a Community Governance Review (CGR) of the boundaries of Romsey Town, following a request from Romsey Town Council.

 

The next stage of the CGR process was to approve Terms of Reference for the Review which set out details of the background, the process to be followed, consultation arrangements, and timetable. It was proposed that a Member Panel be appointed to review any representations that were received, and assist in the preparation of reports to Council on draft and final recommendations.

 

Councillor Jeffrey proposed an alteration to the motion to include details of the composition of the proposed Member Panel. The meeting’s consent was signalled without discussion.

 

Resolved:

 

1.  That the Terms of Reference for a Community Governance Review covering Romsey and Romsey Extra parishes, as set out in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

 

2.  That a Member Panel of seven Members, comprising  four Conservative, two Liberal Democrats and one Andover Independents, be established to consider representations received as part of the Community Governance Review, with membership to be nominated by Group Leaders.

310.

Appointments to Committees and Outside Bodies pdf icon PDF 133 KB

To consider appointments to Committees and Outside Bodies.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Democracy and Governance portfolio holder which sought approval for the appointment of Member representatives to a number of the Council’s Outside Bodies.

 

Following the Leader’s decision on 27 October 2021 which amended Cabinet Member portfolios and portfolio responsibilities, a number of changes to Councillors who represent the Council on outside bodies were required along with a change to the membership of development management committees in order to reflect the new portfolios.

 

Resolved:

 

1.  That Councillor Tasker be appointed as the Council representative to the Andover Crisis and Support Centre.

 

2.  That Councillor Adams-King be appointed as the Council representative to the Project Integra Management Board, and that Councillor P North be appointed as Deputy.

 

3.  That Councillor Maltby be appointed as the Council representative and Councillor Swain be appointed as the deputy representative to the Partnership for South Hampshire Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

4.  That the Planning Portfolio Holder be permitted to sit on Development Management Committees.

311.

Urgent Item - Notice of Motion - Rule 12 pdf icon PDF 158 KB

To consider a motion proposed by Councillor Parker.

Minutes:

Council considered the following motion moved by Councillor Parker and seconded by Councillor Burnage:

 

Given that there have been no reported cases of voter fraud within Test Valley in the last 10 years either at polling stations or with postal votes, the government’s proposal in the Elections Bill 2021 - 2022 to introduce mandatory voter photo ID at polling stations is seeking to address a problem that does not exist.

 

The Council resolves to write to Kemi Baddenoch MP (Minister for Levelling Up Communities) and our two Members of Parliament to express our views that the proposal in the Elections Bill 2021 – 2022 to introduce mandatory voter photo ID at polling stations:

 

a)  Is seeking to address a problem that does not exist

b)  Risks disenfranchising or discouraging a proportion of the electorate from voting

c)  Will place an additional burden on our electoral administrators and polling station personnel

 

and to request that this proposal is dropped.

 

Upon being put to the vote the motion was lost.

312.

Notice of Motion - Rule 12 DOTX 29 KB

To consider a motion proposed by Councillor Budzynski.

Minutes:

Council considered the following motion moved by Councillor Budzynski and seconded by Councillor Matthews.

 

Whilst the council encourages and indeed promotes the use of bicycles around our Borough, including our urban areas. There has, unfortunately been a number of "near misses" with pedestrians within Andover town centre. The hazard to town centre patrons is clear - and a number of elderly residents have raised concerns regarding this dangerous and inconsiderate practice involving a small minority of cyclists.

 

This Council, therefore, commits to:

 

1.  Use the forthcoming public realm strategy work to proactively address this issue, making it easier to cycle into Andover town, whilst improving safety for pedestrians.

2.  Investigate any changes that are required to signage and markings to highlight that riding bicycles in these areas is a criminal act and can lead to a fixed penalty fine.

3.  Write to the BID Rangers and Hampshire Constabulary urging them to exercise their respective powers to deal with any incidents of anti-social cycling.

 

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.