Agenda and minutes

There were none.

The Mayor was present.

The Mayor’s Chaplain offered prayer.

It was noted that many Councillors were appointed as members to school governing bodies in the borough and that where this applied there was no need to declare an interest.

RESOLVED that both the minutes of the Council meeting and the extraordinary meeting held on 4 November 2014 be approved as a correct record.

The Worshipful the Mayor made the following announcements:

With regret, the Worshipful the Mayor announced the death of Mrs Ivy Hughes, a former Mayoress of Barnet, who passed away on Sunday 9 November 2014.  Mrs Hughes was the Mayoress between 1971/72 and wife to Kenneth Williams Hughes who was Mayor from 1971/72.

The Worshipful the Mayor congratulated the St Michaels Catholic High School for winning the Jack Petchey Award.

The Worshipful the Mayor wished all those present a Happy Chanukah and a Happy Christmas.

There was none.

The questions, together with the answers provided and the text of any supplementary questions and answers, are set out in Appendix 1 to the minutes.

There were none.

There were none.

Councillor Daniel Thomas introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Councillor Kathy Levine moved her amendments. Debate ensued.

Upon the amendments in the name of Councillor Kathy Levine being put to the vote, at least ten members called for a formal division on the voting. Upon the vote being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

For: 31

Against: 31

Absent: 1

TOTAL: 63

The Mayor used his casting vote and voted against the amendment.  The amendment was declared lost.

Votes were taken on the recommendations set out in the report. 

For: 31

Against: 31

Abstain: 1

Absent: 0

TOTAL: 63

The Mayor used his casting vote and voted in favour of the recommendations.  The recommendations in the report were declared carried.

RESOLVED that:

1.         Council approve the freehold purchase of Lupa House, Borehamwood, and delegate the finalisation of terms to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Deputy Leader of the Council.

2.         Council approve either the purchase of the freehold or a lease agreement with an option to purchase for Abbots Depot, Oakleigh Road South, and delegate the finalisation of terms to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Deputy Leader of the Council.

Councillor Dean Cohen introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Debate ensured.

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations in the report were declared carried. Votes were declared as follows:

For: 32

Against: 31

Absent: 0

TOTAL: 63

RESOLVED that:

1.         Council approves the 5 year Commissioning Plan (Appendix A), subject to consultation.  The Commissioning Plan sets out the strategic priorities, commissioning intentions, outcome measures, revenue budgets and capital requirements for recommendation to the council’s Policy and Resources Committee on 2 December 2014.

2.         Council approves the indicative savings proposals set out in Appendix B for recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee on 2 December 2014, as the Committee’s £5.9m initial contribution to the overall £72m savings challenge facing the Council by 2019/20.

3.         Council agrees to public consultation on the Commissioning Plan commencing immediately following Policy and Resources Committee on 2 December 2014, before final Commissioning Plans are agreed by Policy and Resources on 17 February 2015.

4.         Council approves the capital investment proposals set out in paragraph 5.1 for recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee on 2 December 2014.

Councillor Richard Cornelius introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Debate ensued.

Votes were taken on the recommendations set out in the report. At least ten members called for a formal division on the voting. Upon the vote being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

For: 32

Against: 31

Absent: 0

TOTAL: 63

RESOLVED that:

1.         Council agree the high-level strategic priorities, as set out in section 1.2, which will frame a new Corporate Plan for 2015-2020, subject to consultation commencing on 17 December 2014 – after Full Council – and concluding on 11 February 2015.

2.         Council agree the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) up to 2020 as set out in Appendix B and the assumptions underpinning this in section 2.

3.         Council approve: the budget savings proposals for 2015/16 as “budget headlines” for consultation from 17 December 2014 until 11 February 2015;  the overall MTFS savings and pressures from 2016/17 to 2019/20 as set out in Appendix C; individual savings proposals for future years included in the MTFS will be consulted on where necessary – with full Equalities Impact Assessments conducted - in the relevant budget year before final decisions are taken by Committees and Full Council and savings are cast into future annual budgets.  (In the case of the Environment Committee to instruct the Chief Finance Officer to  include the views of Full Council on 16 December in the consultation document.)

4.         Council agree the five year Commissioning Plans in Appendix A which set out indicative plans to address both the high level strategic priorities outlined in section 1.2 and the forecast budget deficit of £73.5m by 2020 and agree the commencement an 8 week public consultation on the Commissioning Plans which will conclude on the 11th of February 2015. (In the case of the Environment Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.3

Councillor Joan Scannell introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Debate ensued.

Votes were taken on the recommendations set out in the report. At least ten members called for a formal division on the voting. Upon the vote being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

For: 32

Against: 31

Absent: 0

TOTAL: 63

RESOLVED that:

1.         Council note the decisions of the Policy and Resources Committee on 2 December 2014 and the impact of staffing numbers.

2.         Council adjust the Council’s workforce establishment in 2015/16 to reflect the proposals agreed by the Policy & Resources Committee and delegate to officers the necessary actions to implement these proposals (subject to functions and decisions reserved to Full Council or the General Functions Committee in respect of terms and conditions of employment). The proposed reduction is set out in Section 6 of this report.

3.         Council note the requirements for statutory consultation and collective bargaining where there are changes proposed to terms and conditions potential impacts on individual roles or groups of staff.

4.         Council to note the impact on performance, staff and equalities as set out in section 6, 7, 9 and 10 of the report (Appendix A).

Councillor John Hart introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Debate ensued.

Upon being put to the vote, the recommendations were approved.

RESOLVED:

1.         Council adopt the Licensing Policy to take effect from 1 January 2015.

2.         Council adopt the Street Trading Policy.

Councillor John Marshall introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Councillor Alison Moore moved her amendments. Debate ensued.

Upon the amendments in the name of Councillor Alison Moore being put to the vote, at least ten members called for a formal division on the voting. Upon the vote being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

For: 30

Against: 31

Absent: 2

TOTAL: 63

The amendments were declared lost.

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations in the report were declared carried. Votes were declared as follows:

For: 31

Against: 30

Absent: 2

TOTAL: 63

RESOLVED that:

1.    Council approve the recommendations contained in the report from the Constitution Ethics & Probity Committee at Annexe A, and the track change versions attached at Appendix A to Appendix G.

2.    Council authorise the Interim Legal and Governance Adviser to implement these revisions and publish a revised Constitution.

The Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Alison Moore, advised Council that the Labour Group would be withdrawing from the Group Leaders Panel.

Councillor Daniel Thomas introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Councillor Nagus Narenthira moved the following amendment:

“That the Council delay the decision until there is more detail to see the facts before voting.”

Debate ensued.

Upon the amendment in the name of Councillor Nagus Narenthira being put to the vote the amendments were declared lost:

Votes were declared as follows:

For: 31

Against: 31

Absent: 1

TOTAL: 63

The Mayor used his casting vote and voted against the amendment. 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations in the report were declared carried. Votes were declared as follows:

For: 31

Against: 31

Absent: 1

TOTAL: 63

The Mayor used his casting vote and voted in favour of the recommendations. 

RESOLVED that:

1.         Council resolve in principle the exercise of compulsory purchase powers (by the making of up to three separate compulsory purchase orders) to secure the delivery of Stage B of the Grahame Park Regeneration Scheme;

2.         Council note that further report(s) will be brought to the Committee at later stages to seek authority to secure the making, confirmation and implementation of up to three separate Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) for the acquisition of third party proprietary interests within Stage B;

3.         Council authorise the appropriate Chief Officer to negotiate and complete a Compulsory Purchase Order Indemnity Agreement to ensure that Choices for Grahame Park (CfGP) and Genesis Housing Association (GHA) indemnify the Council for the full financial costs incurred in preparing, making and implementing the CPO(s).

4.         Council authorise the commencement of all preparatory work required for the making of the CPO(s), including (but not limited to):

a)     appointing land referencers to review all relevant proprietary interests with a view to producing a draft schedule and plan for the CPO(s);

b)     the service of requests for information notices under section 16 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 on those who may be affected by the proposed CPO(s);

5.         Council authorise the appropriate Chief Officer(s) to:

a)     advertise the Council’s intention to appropriate to a planning purpose any open space lands required to deliver Stage B of the Scheme pursuant to Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972. In the event that representations are submitted in respect of the notice to appropriate open space these will be referred to the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee for consideration and determination; and

b)     appropriate to planning purposes the housing and highways land required to deliver Stage B prior to disposal of such lands;

6.         Council authorise the appropriate Chief Officer(s) to submit an application to the Secretary of State for his consent to the disposal and redevelopment of land within Stage B of the Grahame Park Regeneration Scheme (for the purposes of Ground 10A) pursuant to Part V of Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1985;

7.         Council delegate the service of Initial and Final Demolition Notices to suspend and/or terminate the exercise of the Right to Buy on properties due for demolition (as required  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.7

Councillor Daniel Thomas introduced the report and moved reception and adoption. Debate ensued.

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations in the report were declared carried. Votes were declared as follows:

For: 31

Against: 30

Absent: 2

TOTAL: 63

RESOLVED that:

1.         Council note the decision of the Department for Education to approve the Belle Vue Place Education Trust to be the sponsor for the new free school to be provided as part of the development at Pavilion Way.

2.         Council approve the replacement of the education sponsor, Marco Polo Academy Trust by the new education sponsor, Belle Vue Place Education Trust, in relation to the decision confirmed by the Cabinet Resources Committee on 16 December 2013 for the development of the Pavilion Way site.

3.         Council delegate any further decisions in relation to the education sponsorship of the school to the Director for Children’s Services.

The Interim Legal and Governance Advisor introduced the reports for Council’s agreement. Upon being put to the vote the recommendations in the report were carried.

RESOLVED that:

1.         The Chairman of the Pension Fund Committee be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Pensions CIV Sectoral Joint Committee and the Leader of the Council be appointed as their Deputy.

2.         Council note the changes to the Calendar of meetings as set in Appendix B.

3.         Council note the decisions of the Remuneration Committee as detailed in Appendix C of the report.

4.         Council approve the changes to the membership of the General Functions Committee and Pension Fund Committee as detailed in Appendix D in the Supplemental Report of the Head of Governance.

5.         Council approve the changes to outside bodies as detailed in Appendix D in the Supplemental Report of the Head of Governance.

Council noted that the School Governor Vacancies detailed in Appendix E of the Supplemental Report of the Head of Governance would be deferred for consideration at the 20 January 2015 meeting.

None.

There were none.

Councillor Caroline Stock moved the Motion in her name. Councillor Arjun Mittra moved his amendment. Debate ensued.

Upon being put to the vote, the amendment in the name of Councillor Mittra was declared lost. Votes were declared as follows:

For: 30

Against: 32

Absent: 1

TOTAL: 63

Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Councillor Stock was declared carried.

RESOLVED that:

Council is concerned that obesity is a rapidly growing problem nationally among children of primary school age, noting that 1 in 5 10-11 year olds are obese and 1 in 3 are overweight. Council further notes that obesity leads to a range of health problems including the premature development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attacks and heart failure, which together are the most prevalent causes of death and disability in the UK. The health costs of obesity and Type 2 diabetes currently stand at over £29 billion annually and are continuing to rise.

Council believes obesity in primary age children is preventable and that we must try to help curb its rise. Council notes that by the age of 7 most children have decided if they enjoy being active. The council can encourage this choice and work to help reverse the current trend of limited exercise.

Council also notes that the borough has some of the best areas of open space in all of London and believes they comprise a great resource and opportunity in getting people active.

Council therefore calls for the introduction of a Mayor’s Primary School Fitness

Award to encourage Barnet’s 92 primary schools to make the most of local open spaces in promoting outdoor exercise. Pupils would walk to their nearest park or open space, be introduced to what it has to offer – including play / suitable gym equipment, marked and measured routes and other features – and tasked with devising an exercise circuit of at least 500m for each year group to complete. It is also an opportunity to help children experience all the excitement and stimulation that our parks and open spaces have to offer. The best ideas and programmes would win the award.

The Worshipful the Mayor moved, under meeting procedure rule 14.2 that the time for transaction of business be extended to 10:30pm. This was at the Mayor’s sole discretion.

Having declared a pecuniary interest in this item, Councillor Ioannidis left the Council Chamber for consideration of this item.

Councillor Adam Langleben moved the Motion in his name. Debate ensued.

Upon the motion in the name of Councillor Adam Langleben being put to the vote, at least ten members called for a formal division on the voting. Upon the vote being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

For: 30

Against: 31

Absent: 2

TOTAL: 63

The motion was declared lost.

There were none.