At a Meeting of Hampshire County Council held at The Castle, Winchester on Wednesday, 25 February, 2004 at 10.00 a.m.


Chairman :


p Councillor Mrs. M. D. Snaith

Vice-Chairman:

p Councillor J. V. Bryant

Councillors:

p Mrs S.E. Allbright

p D.G. Allen

p Mrs A.E. Bailey

Mrs. E.S.M. Barron

p Mrs P.G. Banks

p R. J. Baulk

p I.F.E. Beagley

p Carol Boulton

p F.J. Bright

p P.R. Brown

p Mrs. E.M. Byrom

p M.F. Cartwright

p K.G. Chapman

p P.J. Chegwyn

p A.P. Collett

p B.D. Dash
p L.T. Dunsdon

p C.R.H. Davidovitz

G.W. Davies-Dear

p Mrs. P.M. Devereux

p Mrs. P. Dickens

p A.G. Dowden

p Dr. R.J. Ellis

p 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

B.T. Gurden

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 P.R.C. Hutcheson

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. Luffman

p P.K. Mason

p R.C. McIntosh

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

K.P.J. Searle

p J.D. Shaw

p M.L. Sheehan

p Mrs. V. Steel

p 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

245 MINUTES.

The Minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 27 November 2003 were confirmed subject to the substitution of the following for the first sentence of Minute 244, Questions to the Cabinet, and signed by the Chairman:-

"The Leader answered questions on Executive decisions made since the previous meeting of the Council."


Arising thereon:
Minute 234 - Review of Strategy Areas and Transport Strategy Panels - Change of Name of Highway Management Advisory Panels and Revised Terms of Reference

Ordered:

That the local transport panels be retitled as follows:-

Solent Transport Strategy Panel

New Forest Transport Strategy Panel

North East Hampshire Transport Strategy Panel

Central Hampshire Transport Strategy Panel

246 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.

247 COUNCILLOR L. T. DUNSDON - COUNTY COUNCILLOR FOR THE
FAWLEY COUNTY ELECTORAL DIVISION

The County Council noted the result of the by-election held on 5 February 2004 at which Councillor L. T. Dunsdon was elected County Councillor for the Fawley County Electoral Division.


248 STANDING ORDERS

Ordered:

That Standing Order 21 (f) be suspended so as to allow deputations to be made as referred to in Minute 249, before 6 months have elapsed since the last appearance by those making the deputations.


249 DEPUTATIONS

The Council received deputations from Friends of the Earth represented by Jenny Owens on GM foods, and Isitfair? represented by Mrs C. Melsom and

Mr. W. Whelton on council tax levels.

250 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman reported with great pleasure on the memorable staff carol concert held on 18 December 2003 at which seasonal music had been provided by the Hampshire Youth Band and the Hampshire Youth Choir. She also reported on a range of other activities around the County.

251 LEADER'S REPORT

The Leader reported on proposals to pilot local area committees in two district council areas, namely Test Valley and Havant. Whilst most of the County Council services were delivered locally there had been, hitherto, an absence of any democratic or other mechanism linking into local service delivery or relating directly to the local communities across Hampshire; the object of area committees therefore, was to reinforce the County Council's role at local level. He also reported that the Policy and Resources Policy Review Committee would be restructured as a select committee on the lines of the parliamentary model.

The Leader was delighted to report that the County Council's IT Services Department had been awarded first place in Computer Weekly's Central and Local Government (over 250 staff category) in their national Best Places to Work in IT Competition. The judges had commended the County Council for having better practices than many private sector companies even though it was required to show Best Value and had to operate within close financial constraints.

The Leader reported that in pursuance of the Corporate Sustainable Action Plan, he had appointed Councillor J. West as a Green Energy Champion; Councillor West would report direct to him. He hoped that all Members would provide whatever help they possibly could to assist Councillor West in his endeavours.

The Leader expressed his great pleasure at having opened the exhibition of Antony Gormley's Domain figures in the Great Hall, Winchester, on 5 February in association with Antony Gormley himself. The exhibition had been visited by over 6,000 people since its opening, four times the normal number of visitors expected at this time of year. In commending the exhibition to Members he thanked staff in the Recreation and Heritage, and Property, Business and Regulatory Services, departments for their efforts in putting on such a successful spectacle.

The Leader congratulated Mr. Y. Ezra, the Director of Recreation and Heritage, on his appointment to the Board of the South East England Cultural Consortium.

The Leader reported on arrangements for the enhanced involvement of local County Councillors in consultation processes leading up to decision making; the views of local Members would now be included automatically in reports concerning their electoral divisions.


252 QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDER 20 (b)

Councillor T. K. Thornber, CBE, Leader of the Council answered a question from Councillor M. J. Roberts on discounts on second homes.

Councillor D. G. Allen, Executive Member for Education, answered a question from Councillor M. J. Roberts on the allocation to schools in disadvantaged areas.


Councillor K. B. Estlin, Executive Member for Environment, answered a question from Councillor M. J. Roberts on Environment budget details.

Councillor Felicity Hindson, MBE, Executve Member for Social Care answered a question from Councillor Mrs. P. G. E. Holden-Brown, on the re-organisation of the Social Services Department.


Councillor Felicity Hindson, MBE, Executive Member for Social Care answered a question from Mrs. P. G. E. Holden-Brown, on qualified staff in Social Services.

The Council asked that the replies given in respect of the Social Care questions referred to above, be e-mailed to all Members.

253 APPOINTMENTS


The Council considered and approved a report proposing changes in the size

of certain panels and proportionality. Although as a result of the changes there was a technical requirement for a reduction of one in Liberal Democrat representation to maintain overall proportionality, the Council concluded that on this occasion this would not be necessary. In addition, approval was given to a change in representation on the Basingstoke Theatre Trust.

Ordered:

i) That the revised proportionality table submitted and as set out as Appendix 1 be approved including the changes in the sizes of the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel, and the Solent and North East Hampshire Transport Strategy Panels;


ii) That the terms of reference of the Solent and North East Hampshire Transport Strategy Panels be revised to show the increase in size to 7 Members;


iii) That Councillor Jo Kelly be appointed as the County Council's representative on the Basingstoke Theatre Trust in place of

Councillor K. G. Chapman.


254 REVENUE BUDGET AND PRECEPT 2004/05 AND CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2004/05-2007/08

Councillor T. K. Thornber, CBE, Leader of the Council, presented the report and recommendations of the Cabinet in relation to the Revenue Budget and Precept 2004/05 and the Capital Programme 2004/05-2007/08.

Councillor A. P. Collett, seconded by Councillor B. D. Dash, proposed the following amendment


"That the following amendments be made to recommendations (ii) to (vi) of Item 9 on the revenue budget and precept for 2004/05:

i. that the revenue budget for 2004/05 as set out in the attached draft budget book be approved subject to:

New Services £'000

· improvement in services for young people, including

the youth service (equivalent to a 20% increase), to

reflect the public priority for spending in this area 1,000

· improved recruitment and retention measures for

social care staff; met by 500

· assuming an increase in capital receipts -1,000


· reduction in Hampshire Now from three to two

editions a year -100

· savings on corporate communications and publications

costs throughout the County Council -400


Lower council tax increase; met by


· efficiency savings of 0.4% on staff costs by ring-

fencing savings that accrue through vacancies and

by managing overtime and sickness more effectively

to reduce additional costs that otherwise occur -1,000


· achieve procurement savings on temporary and agency

staff more quickly and improve management and

control of consultancy, temporary staff and agency

placement appointments -500


· use part of the balance of the grant equalisation reserve -2300

-3,800

ii. the total budget requirement be amended to £1,048,475,000


iii. the basic council tax be amended to £832.23


iv. the County Council's council tax for the year beginning 1 April 2004 for properties in each tax band be:


£

Band A 554.82

Band B 647.29

Band C 739.76

Band D 832.23

Band E 1,017.17
Band F 1,202.11

Band G 1,387.05

Band H 1,664.46

v. That the precepts issued be amended to total £398,664,027.39."


Councillor W. H. Wheeler, seconded by Councillor M. J. Roberts, proposed the following amendment:


"That the following amendments be made to the recommendations (ii) to (vi)

of Item 9 on the revenue budget and precept for 2004/05:

(i) That the revenue budget for 2004/05 as set out in the attached draft budget book be approved subject to:


£'000


· Education - additional resources for the Youth 450

Service and to extend eligibility to free school

meals for children in the five most deprived

wards


· Environment - increase in highway maintenance 450

budget to fund hardening of verges and an

increased frequency of grass cutting


· a reduction in the contingency provision for -600

increased interest rates - based on assumption

that interest rates will increase to no higher

than 4.5% in 2004/05


· use of approximately 50% of trading unit -900

(Education and Policy and Resources) reserve

balances at 1 April 2004

· use of 50% of the balance of the grant -6,600

equalisation reserve balance at 1 April 2004

_____

-7,200

(ii) the total budget requirement be amended to £1,045,075,000


(iii) The basic council tax be amended to £825.12.


(iv) The County Council's council tax for the year beginning 1 April 2004 for properties in each tax band be:

£


Band A 550.08

Band B 641.76

Band C 733.44

Band D 825.12

Band E 1,008.48
Band F 1,191.84

Band G 1,375.20

Band H 1,650.24


(v) That the precepts issued be amended to total £395,258,116.48."

The amendments put by Councillors A. P. Collett and W. H. Wheeler were each put to the vote and were lost.

Ordered:

(i) That the Treasurer's report under Section 25 of the Local Government Act
2003 be taken into account when the Council determines its
budget and precept for 2004/05


(ii) That the revenue budget for 2004/05 (as set out in the attached draft budget
book) be approved


(iii) That the total budget requirement for the general expenses of the County Council for the year beginning 1 April 2004 be £1,052,275,000


(iv) That the County Council's Band D council tax for the year beginning 1 April 2004 be £840.15


(v) That the County Council's council tax for the year beginning 1 April 2004 for properties in each tax band be:

£
Band A 560.10
Band B 653.45
Band C 746.80
Band D 840.15
Band E 1026.85
Band F 1213.55
Band G 1400.25
Band H 1680.30


(vi) That precepts be issued totalling £402,457,953.46 on the billing authorities in Hampshire, requiring the payment, in such instalments and on such dates set by them and previously notified to the County Council, in proportion to the tax base of each billing authority's area as determined by them and as set out below:


Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council 58,048.10
East Hampshire District Council 45,830.43
Eastleigh Borough Council 41,762.61
Fareham Borough Council 41,241.00
Gosport Borough Council 25,766.30
Hart District Council 35,678.00
Havant Borough Council 41,997.00
New Forest District Council 70,293.80
Rushmoor Borough Council 29,127.09
Test Valley Borough Council 44,349.00
Winchester City Council 44,937.74


(vii) That the revised Treasury Management Policy Statement be approved


(viii) That the prudential indicators be approved.


(ix) That the scheme to provide nursing care accommodation at a cost of £60m be added to the Social Services Capital Programme for 2003/04, to be met by Department of Health contributions of £40m and up to £20m of County Council unsupported borrowing.


(x) That the costs of principal and interest resulting from the £20m of unsupported borrowing for the nursing care accommodation scheme be met from within the revenue budget cash limit for Social Services.


(xi) That the capital programme for 2004/05 be approved as set out in the draft capital programme and subject to the conditions set out in section B.3 of the County Council's Financial Procedures.

(xii) That the capital programmes for 2005/06 to 2007/08 be approved as set out in the draft capital programme for the purpose of undertaking design work (including the preparation of feasibility and design project appraisals).

(xiii) That expenditure on preliminary design and planning work for major transport schemes be permitted when they have achieved a place in the County Council's Local Transport Plan, subject to the cost being met within existing Government allocations.

(xiv) That authority be given to incur expenditure on land purchases as follows:

a. up to the sum specified in respect of sites still required for the schemes included in the capital programme for the period 2004/05 to 2007/08 provided that the relevant scheme has been the subject of a feasibility or design project appraisal approved by the relevant Executive Member;


b. up to the amount included in the 2004/05 programme in respect of advance and advantageous land purchases as approved by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources.


(xv) That the carrying out of feasibility studies for potential "in/out" schemes be approved, the cost to be met from within approved revenue budgets.


(xvi) That the Executive Member for Policy and Resources be authorised to approve requests from Executive Members to undertake any design work associated with potential "in/out" schemes, provided that such costs as may fall on the County Council are met from within the relevant Executive Member's capital programme limits.

255 CABINET/LEADER - PART I

Part I of the report of the Cabinet/Leader was presented by

Councillor T. K. Thornber, CBE, Leader of the Council.

256 POLICY ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

The Council considered and approved the report following referral of the Notices of Motion put by Councillors K. House and M. J. Roberts at the meeting of the County Council on 18 September 2003 to the Policy and Resources Policy Review Committee and the Leader for consideration.

Ordered:

(i) That the County Council updates its precautionary GM Policy to reflect recent changes in EU Law, the findings of the latest Government reports and crop trials and feedback from the County Council's GM debate as follows:

That the County Council will:

- not provide meals containing detectable genetically modified ingredients, in line with the latest EU legal standards.


- advise Hampshire food businesses on the requirements of the new EU
Regulations on GM food labelling and enforce the new rules via Trading
Standards inspections, traceability checks, sampling and analysis;


- not permit the growing of GM crops on County Council land and request
the Government, as far as possible, to keep Hampshire free from GM crops
by using Article 19 of EU Directive 2001/18/EC;


- use its own scientific and food inspection protocols to identify non-GM

alternatives to permitted GM ingredients and urge the UK Government to
invest in further independent scientific research on the effects of GM;


- request that, because of Hampshire's unusually rich biological diversity,
the government consults Hampshire County Council on any proposed
trialling or commercial growing of any GM crops in the County before any
consents are given;

- request the UK Government to keep the UK GM-free until it has scientific
evidence that there are no significant risks to human health or the
environment;

- encourage District and Unitary Councils in Hampshire to adopt this or a
similar policy with respect to their land and services.

(ii) That the officers prepare a non-technical guidance note on the precautionary GM policy for dissemination to interested parties.

256 SPRINKLER SYSTEMS


The Council considered and approved the report following referral of the Notice of Motion put by Councillor K. G. Chapman at the meeting of the County Council on 20 February 2003, and subsequent consideration.

Ordered:

That the County Council adopts a policy of installing sprinkler systems, where appropriate, based on a risk management methodology, the decision to be made on consideration of the risk assessment.


257 BUILDINGS, LAND AND CONTRACTS PANEL - CHANGE OF NAME, TERMS OF REFERENCE AND MEMBERSHIP

The Council considered and approved the report proposing revised terms of reference and change of name for the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel. Consideration of the proposed change of name of the Panel is dealt with under Minute 259.

Ordered:

That the terms of reference for the Panel be amended to add the following paragraph:

"(j) The development of the Corporate Procurement Strategy, the

management arrangements for the implementation of the Strategy, and

to provide an overview of all the County Council's procurement
activities including the development of e-procurement and e-tendering
initiatives."

258 STANDARDS COMMITTEE - PART I


Part I of the report of the Standards Committee was presented by Councillor C. R. H. Davidovitz, Chairman of the Committee.

259 PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION - BUILDINGS,
LAND AND CONTRACTS PANEL


The Council considered and approved the report proposing the proposed renaming of the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel.

Ordered:

That Part I, Chapter 10, Section "Other Advisory Panels" be amended as follows:

Delete:

Add:

260 APPOINTMENT OF MEMBER TO INDEPENDENT
REMUNERATION PANEL

The Council considered and approved a report proposing the appointment of a member to the Independent Remuneration Panel to fill a vacancy arising.

Ordered:

That Doctor E. Waterman-Roberts be appointed as a member of the Independent Remuneration Panel for a period expiring in February 2006.

261 NOTICE OF MOTION - COMMUNICATION MASTS

Councillor B. D. Dash, seconded by Councillor Collett proposed the following motion, notice of which had been given in accordance with Standing Order 17:


"This Council notes the concerns of Planning Authorities in our County by the proliferation of Tetra communication masts particularly where masts are erected without planning permission.  It also shares the concerns of local people who are worried about the risks to health presented by this technology. Accordingly this Council will make representation through the Local Government Association and County Councils Network for a reconsideration of current Government policy which is being imposed on a reluctant and apprehensive population".

Ordered:

(i) That the motion be referred to the Environment Policy Review Committee for
consideration in accordance with Standing Order 17.4 and report back to the
Council;


(ii) That appropriate local Members be invited to attend the meeting of the
Environment Policy Review Committee when the item is considered.


262 NOTICE OF MOTION - VILLAGE HALLS FUNDING

Councillor J. Waddington, seconded by Councillor M. S. Geddes proposed a motion, notice of which had been given in accordance with Standing Order 17. The motion was adopted.

Ordered:

That, given the vital importance of village halls and community association premises to local communities and their wellbeing, and in pursuance of Aim 4 of the County Council's Corporate Strategy, building strong and safe communities, the County Council believes that financial support for such developments should be available not only through the County Council and its partners but also through central government and the national lottery. To that end the County Council supports the initiatives and actions of the National Village Halls Forum aimed at encouraging the government to provide for a long term, nationwide capital grants programme.


263 HAMPSHIRE POLICE AUTHORITY

The report of the Hampshire Police Authority was presented by

Councillor S. A. Hayes, the Chairman of the Police Authority,

and was received.


264. HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY

The report of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority was presented by Councillor M. F. Cartwright, Chairman of the Fire and Rescue Authority, and was received.

265. 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.

- Cabinet/Leader

- Health Review Committee

- Executive Member for Education
- Executive Member for Environment
- Executive Member for Spatial Strategy

- Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage

- Executive Member for Social Care

The meeting closed at 6.10 p.m.

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