Archived decisions
At a Meeting of Hampshire County Council held at The Castle, Winchester on Thursday, 3 April, 2003 at 10.00 a.m.
Chairman :
p Councillor P.R.C. Hutcheson
Vice-Chairman:
p Councillor Mrs. M.D. Snaith
Councillors:
p Mrs S.E. Allbright
p D.G. Allen
p Mrs A.E. Bailey
p Mrs. E.S.M. Barron
p Mrs P.G. Banks
R. J. Baulk
p I.F.E. Beagley
p Carol Boulton
p F.J. Bright
p P.R. Brown
p J.V. Bryant
p Mrs. E.M. Byrom
p M.F. Cartwright
p K.G. Chapman
p P.J. Chegwyn
p J.E. Coles
p A.P. Collett
p B.D. Dash
p C.R.H. Davidovitz
p G.W. Davies-Dear
p Mrs. P.M. Devereux
p Mrs. P. Dickens
p A.G. Dowden
p Dr. R.J. Ellis
Capt. K.B. Estlin
p W.J. Filer
p Mrs. J.K. Frankum
p E.F. Gale, M.B.E.
p M.S. Geddes
D. Gillett
p Mrs S.M. Glasspool, D.L.
p J.K. Glen
p B.T. Gurden
p Mrs. D.R. Harrison
p S.A. Hayes
p P.A. Heath
p Mrs. K. Heron
p Felicity Hindson, M.B.E.
p Mrs. P.G.E. Holden-Brown
p K. House
p Jo Kelly
p M.J. Kendal
p R.J. Kimber
p D.A. Kirk
p T.G. Knight
p Mrs C.A. Leversha
p A.R. Ludlow
p P. Luffman
p P.K. Mason
p R.C. McIntosh
p Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott
p Mrs. P.G. Peskett
p P.A. Pierce
p R.H. Price
p Mrs. E.M.F. Randall
p A.W. Rice, T.D.
p M.J. Roberts
p Sir James Scott
p K.P.J. Searle
p J.D. Shaw
p M.L. Sheehan
p Mrs. V. Steel
J.W. Stocks
p T.K. Thornber, C.B.E.
p J. Waddington
p Dr. J.G.L. Wall
p J.K. West
p Mrs P.A. West
p W.H. Wheeler
p M.J. Woodhall
p Jenny Wride
p D.F. Wright
The Chairman referred to the recent passing of Squadron Leader Keith Robinson, former County Chief Executive, and Arthur Hunt, former Director of Social Services, and to the loss of life in the Iraqi conflict. Members stood in silence as a mark of respect.
159 MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 20 February 2003 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.
160 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS.
Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate, declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.
161 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS.
The Chairman, the political group leaders and other Members paid tribute to the outstanding service given to the County Council by the late Squadron Leader
Keith Robinson, former County Chief Executive, and the late Arthur Hunt, former Director of Social Services, to the work of the County Council. The Chairman also reported that Captain Michael Boyle, former Chairman of the County Council, was recuperating well and was in good spirits.
It gave him great pleasure to welcome to the meeting Oliver Edwards,
Emma Biermann, Guy Parsons, John Tippett-Cooper and Anne Gammon, five of Hampshire's representatives on the United Kingdom Youth Parliament.
162 LEADER'S REPORT.
The Leader echoed the Chairman's welcome to the United Kingdom Youth Parliament representatives to the meeting and obtained the Council's agreement to their making a presentation to Members about their work and aspirations. Members would also be given the opportunity to ask questions of them.
The Leader confirmed that he had asked the Standards Committee to consider arrangements for more robust questioning of the Cabinet and Cabinet Members and that, following consideration by the Standards Committee on 22 April, the matter would be brought to the County Council at its annual meeting in May.
It gave the Leader great pleasure to report the opening, on 25 March 2003, by the Right Honourable Michael Meacher, MP, Minister of State for the Environment, of the Midland Glass Reprocessing Company's new facility, developed through joint working with Project Integra, and jointly constructed with Associated British Ports. The Minister had used the occasion to announce new targets for the food and drink industry for recycling and had highlighted this development as the kind of public/private initiative that other councils would need to adopt if they were to achieve the recycling targets set by the Government. The first shipping movement of processed glass from the site had taken place in March with a single ship transporting the equivalent of 45 articulated lorry loads of glass to the north of England for reprocessing.
The Leader was also pleased to report that the reinspection of the Library and Information Service of the County Council by the Audit Commission had resulted in confirmation that the service now had promising prospects for improvement. In 2001 it had been assessed as a service that was unlikely to improve. The inspectors had commented particularly favourably upon the Discovery Centre projects, being cited as an example of the innovative work of a progressive library authority in the recently published Department for Cultural and museum services report "Framework for the Future". The Leader wished to place on record his appreciation for the work of Councillor J. Waddington, Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage,
Yinnon Ezra, Director of Recreation and Heritage, and all his staff for the progress made.
In conclusion, the Leader asked that Members join with him in sending a message to the appropriate authorities giving the County Council's support to the men and women of Britain's Armed Services, whatever individual views there were on the Iraqi conflict. There was unanimous support.
163 UNITED KINGDOM YOUTH PARLIAMENT (UK YP).
At the invitation of the Leader, Oliver Edwards, on behalf of Hampshire's UK YP representatives, made a short presentation to the Council in relation to their work with Members of Parliament at Westminster, the County Youth Council, local Youth Councils, and schools. He also outlined their activities over the last year and their efforts to gain more publicity and media coverage. He made particular reference to the Hampshire Youth Manifesto, and the key issues affecting many young people.
Questions were then put to all the UK YP representatives by a number of County Councillors to which considered and measured responses were given touching upon the engagement of young people in public affairs, what the issues of "youth" might be, the need for consultation, the highest priorities in the Hampshire Youth Manifesto, service improvements for young people and the age at which young people may vote.
The Leader thanked all the young people for their vitality and interesting views and, on their behalf, Oliver Edwards thanked the Council for their invitation. It was agreed that similar arrangements would be made for a future meeting.
164 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY - APPOINTMENTS
In order to fill vacancies it was
ORDERED:-
That Councillor J.K West be appointed to represent the County Council on the Environment Agency (Southern Region) Flood Defence Committee and the Environment Agency (Hampshire and Isle of Wight) Local Flood Defence Committee until the annual meeting of the Council in May 2005.
165 FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED.
Councillor T.K. Thornber, CBE, Leader of the Council presented his report responding to the notice of motion put by Councillor W.H. Wheeler at the meeting of the Council on 20 February 2003 concerning facilities for the disabled. The Council approved the Leader's recommendation and his nominations for membership of the Member/Officer Working Party.
ORDERED:-
That the action being taken in response to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 be endorsed and that a Member/Officer Working Party comprising Councillors
W.H. Wheeler (Chairman), Mrs P. Dickens and Mrs E.M.F. Randall, plus appropriate officers be established to report twice yearly to the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel with a remit to look at appropriate issues in more detail with representatives from disability groups and organisations.
166 HAMPSHIRE POLICE AUTHORITY.
There was no report of the Hampshire Police Authority on this occasion and no questions had been submitted pursuant to Standing Order 20(d) concerning the discharge of its functions.
167 HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY.
There was no report of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority on this occasion and no questions had been submitted pursuant to Standing Order 20(e) concerning the discharge of its functions.
168 MATTERS FOR INFORMATION OR WITHIN DELEGATED POWERS.
Part II of the reports of the following comprising matters for information or dealt with within delegated powers were presented, received and adopted:
The Cabinet/Leader
Executive Member for Environment - in the absence of Councillor K.B. Estlin, Councillor T.K. Thornber, CBE, Leader of the Council, presented the report.
Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage
Executive Member for Social Care - on paragraph 231 (Supporting People), with the agreement of the Council, the words "housing benefit type" were submitted for "Fairer Charging Financial" in the last line of paragraph 2, this approach having been advised as the appropriate solution by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Executive Member for Education
The meeting closed at 12.45 p.m.
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