Minutes for Council meeting, Jan 24 2012, 7.30PM official page

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 6 December 2011.

Formally to report the election of Councillor Julie Pickering and Councillor Lynne Finnerty as Councillors for Coombe Vale Ward, filling the vacancies that arose from the resignations of Robert John Tasker and the late James White.

To deal with Statements requested under Standing Order No. 6(9) from the Leader of the Council or Executive Members.  Each Statement is restricted to a maximum of four minutes and contributions will then be taken from up to five speakers one of which will be the Leader (or nominated representative) of the Party Group making the request.  The Member making the statement will then have an opportunity to respond to the debate.

Details of the Statements requested for this meeting will be circulated.

A Member of the Council or a member of the Public may present a petition to the Council on a matter in relation to which the Council has powers, duties or which affects the Royal Borough.

In addition, under the Petition Scheme agreed by the Council on 13 July 2010, petitions with more than 500 signatures will be debated by the full Council at the next meeting if possible.  (This does not apply to petitions over 500 signatures asking for a senior Council officer to give evidence at a public meeting – these will be dealt with by the Scrutiny Panel.)

In accordance with (Standing Order No 8(a)), one Motion will be debated per Council meeting which has been put forward by the Opposition.  Any other Motions submitted w In accordance with (Standing Order No 8(a)), one Motion will be debated per Council meeting which has been put forward by the Opposition.  Any other Motions submitted will be referred to the body indicated by the proposer and seconder.

Motion to be debated: ‘A Healthcare System Fit for the 21^st Century’.

Proposed by Councillor Eric Humphrey

Seconded by Councillor David Cunningham

‘This Council fully supports the reform of the National Health Service. The return of Public Health to the local authority and G.P. Commissioning are particularly welcome. The reforms must secure better outcomes for patients and better health for the whole community, coupled with greater efficiency and a reduction in bureaucracy.

We note that further developments will be required in relation to:

1.                  membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board

2.                  support mechanisms to defend local services if they are threatened by proposals emanating from the Health Service Review

3.                  relationship of the Health Overview Panel to the Health and Wellbeing Board.’

To receive replies to questions of which notice has been given under Standing Order No. 6 (1&2).

Questions may be addressed to the Mayor, Executive Members, the Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Opposition, Chairs of the Scrutiny Panel, Standing and Neighbourhood Committees and Members representing the Council on Outside Bodies.

The South London Waste Plan sets out the issues and objectives to be met in waste management for the next ten years. It is a joint Development Plan Document and covers the geographical area comprising the London Borough of Croydon, the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, the London Borough of Merton and the London Borough of Sutton. The Plan contains policies to guide the determination of planning applications for waste facilities and identifies existing waste sites to be safeguarded and areas where waste facility development may be suitable.

The Planning Inspector’s Report following the Examination-in-Public into the South London Waste Plan was received on 26 October 2011. The South London Waste Plan has been found to be sound, subject to changes proposed by the four boroughs through delegated authority, and legally compliant. Under the current legislation, the Inspector’s Report is binding and so, if Members are minded to adopt it, it will be necessary to incorporate all the changes to the submitted plan which have been endorsed by the Inspector. The papers with this item include the South London Waste Plan with the changes incorporated.

The Place and Sustainability Committee at its meeting on 29 November considered the South London Waste Plan and recommended that the Council adopts the Plan, incorporating the Inspector’s endorsements.

The Waste Plan not enclosed - it has been printed and distributed separately and is available to view on the website at www.kingston.gov.uk/committeeminutes in the agenda papers for this meeting.  Also available to view on the website are:

• the Inspector’s Report
• a version of the Plan with the changes tracked
• the Proposed Adoption Statement
• the Proposed Sustainability Report.

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

1.         adopt the South London Waste Plan, incorporating the Inspector’s endorsements.

2.            delegate authority to the Interim Head of Planning and Transport to make minor formatting corrections to the adopted document, if required, and to attend to the statutory requirements of adoption.

Reasons for the recommendations

To provide clear guidance on the number of waste facilities which are needed to be developed to meet the boroughs’ waste management targets. To ensure that waste facilities are developed in appropriate locations across the four boroughs to high standards of design. To ensure that the four boroughs do not incur an EU fine for not having a waste plan in place.

The Audit Committee at its meeting on 8 December received the annual report of the Counter Fraud and Corruption Unit (CFCU) and noted a change in line management responsibility for the CFCU from the Director of Finance to the Head of Corporate Governance.  Consequently, it is necessary to amend the delegated powers relating to aspects of the work of the CFCU.  Currently, the following powers are delegated to the Director of Finance:

i)                    to undertake investigation into cases of suspected fraudulent housing and council tax benefits and, in appropriate cases, such other national social security benefits as are prescribed; and to implement prosecutions or other sanctions, in consultation with the Head of Service responsible for all legal matters, in respect of such local and national benefits in accordance with the policy approved by the council.

ii)                  in appropriate cases, to authorise surveillance actions in accordance with the appropriate legislation.

iii)                to institute restraint and / or confiscation proceedings, in consultation with the Head of Service responsible for legal matters, in relation to any investigations and / or prosecutions brought in respect of suspected fraudulent claims for local benefits and / or such national benefits as may be prescribed.

The Audit Committee has RECOMMENDED the Council to transfer the delegated powers above to the Head of Corporate Governance and to authorise the Head of Corporate Governance to amend in the Constitution the Scheme of Delegations relating to the Authorisation for Prosecution accordingly.

Reason for the recommendation:

To update the Scheme of Delegation.

The Council is REQUESTED to approve the following changes to committee membership: 

1)     Arising from the resignations of Robert John Tasker and of the late James White:

i)                    Councillor Lynne Finnerty to be appointed to the following committees:

·        Member of Licensing Committee

·        Member of Teachers’ Appeals Committee

·        Member of Kingston Schools’ Forum

·        Member of School Admissions Forum

·        1st alternate to Councillor David Cunningham on Policy and Resources Committee

·        1st alternate to Councillor Adrian Holder on Place and Sustainability Committee

·        1st alternate to Councillor Kate Stinton on People’s Services Committee

·        1st alternate to Councillor David Fraser on the Staff Consultative Committee

·        2nd alternate to Councillor Dennis Doe on the Housing Consultative Committee

·        3rd alternate to Councillor Geoff Austin on Development Control Committee

ii)            Councillor Julie Pickering to be appointed to the following committees:

·        Member of Audit Committee

·        Member of Licensing Committee

·        Member of the Pension Fund Panel

·        1st alternate to Councillor David Fraser on Health Overview Panel

·        2^nd alternate to Councillor Frank Thompson on the Place and Sustainability Committee

·        2^nd alternate to Councillor David Fraser on the Staff Consultative Committee

·        3^rd alternate to Councillor Andrew Day on Policy and Resources Committee

iii)            Councillor David Edwards to be appointed as 1st alternate to Councillor Lynne             Finnerty on the Licensing Committee.

iv)            Councillor Andrea Craig to be appointed as 1^st alternate to Councillor Lynne             Finnerty on

·        the Kingston Schools’ Forum

·        the School Admissions Forum

·        the Teachers’ Appeals Committee

v)             Councillor Adrian Holder to be appointed as 2^nd alternate to Councillor Kate    Stinton on the People’s Services Committee

vi)            Councillor Kate Stinton to be appointed as 2^nd alternate to Councillor Eric             Humphrey on the Health Overview Panel.

2.         Other appointment:

Following the appointment in October of Councillor Malcolm Self as a member of the Kingston Schools Forum, Councillor John Ayles to be appointed as Councillor Self’s 1^st alternate on that Forum.

Background Papers  (Held by Democratic Support 020 8547 5021)

Relevant Committee Agendas.