COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS, 21 FEBRUARY 2007

HAMPSHIRE

At a Meeting of Hampshire County Council held at The Castle, Winchester on

Wednesday 21 February 2007.

Chairman:

p

Councillor Mrs. P. A. West

Vice Chairman:

a

Mrs. P. M. Devereux

Councillors:

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F. G. Allgood J.P.

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Felicity Hindson, M.B.E.

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Mrs. C. A. Bailey

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G. M. Hockley

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Mrs. P. G. Banks

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Keith House

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R. J. Baulk

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R. Hughes

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I. F. E. Beagley

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P. R. C. Hutcheson

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D. R. Blampied

S. C. James

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Carol Boulton

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Jo Kelly

a

Alan Broadhurst

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M. N. Kemp-Gee

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J. V. Bryant

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M. J. Kendal

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Mrs. A. Buckley

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R. J. Kimber

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Mrs. E. M. Byrom

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D. A. Kirk

a

Adam Carew

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T. G. Knight

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M. F. Cartwright

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Mrs. C. A. Leversha

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K. G. Chapman

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A. R. Ludlow

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P. J. Chegwyn

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Peter Kent Mason

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N. R. G. Clarke

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J. J. W. Maxwell

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A. P. Collett

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R. C. McIntosh

a

M. G. Cooper

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Mrs. A. M. McNair Scott

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B. D. Dash

E. J. Neal

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Colin Davidovitz

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Sam Payne

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G. W. Davies-Dear

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R. J. Perry

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Mrs. P. Dickens

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Mrs. P. G. Peskett

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A. G. Dowden

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Mrs. J. A. Porter

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L. T. Dunsdon

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Roger H. Price J.P.

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P. R. Edgar

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S. H. Reid

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Anne Edwards

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A. W. Rice, TD

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Dr. R. J. Ellis

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Mrs. A. M. Roling

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A. D. G. Evans

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David Simpson

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K. D. Evans

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Mrs. M. D. Snaith

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Mrs. J. K. Frankum

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Mrs. E. F. Still

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E. F. Gale, M.B.E.

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T. K. Thornber, C.B.E.

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K. L. Gill

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Mrs. M. J. Tucker

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D. Gillett

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John K. West

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J. K. Glen

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A. Weeks

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B. T. Gurden

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Mrs. S. A. Wheale

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D. Harrison

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M. J. Woodhall

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P. A. Heath

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Seán D. T. Woodward

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Mrs. K. Heron

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D. F. Wright J.P.

169

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs. P. M. Devereux,

who was representing the Chairman in connection with a Royal visit and from Councillors Broadhurst, Cooper and Carew.

170

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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.

171

MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 23 November 2006

were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

172

DEPUTATION

The Council received a deputation comprising of Mrs. Christine Melsom and

Janet Kelly on behalf of Isitfair. Mrs Melsom gave an address concerning the Council Tax and local democracy.

173

CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

With regret the Chairman reported on the recent passing of former County

Councillors Leslie Francis Hope-Jones, J.P. and Brian Roost. Councillors T.K. Thornber, C.B.E., A. P. Collett and Jo Kelly each referred to their memories of the two members.

The Chairman drew the Council's attention to a range of events, activities and

engagements at which she had represented the County Council since the previous meeting and on forthcoming dates for Members' diaries including:

·

a visit from H.R.H. The Prince of Wales to Phoenix Futures Alpha House in Droxford;

·

a visit from H.R.H. The Duke of York to the South East Energy Recovery Facility in Portsmouth;

·

a visit from H.R.H. The Princess Royal who officiated at the naming ceremony of the RRS James Cook at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton;

·

a visit from H.R.H. The Duke of Kent to Serle's House where he lunched and met a number of scouts from Hampshire;

·

a reception at Serle's House to mark the first tour by young musicians to the country of Estonia;

·

a reception in the Mayor's Parlour at Southampton to welcome the new Honorary Consulate of Romania;

·

Launch of the Hantsweb Awards at the Wildern School, Hedge End;

·

functions organised in relation to the staff Carol Concert before Christmas and the Burn's Night Celebration on 19 January 2007;

·

on 8 March 2007, an evening reception to mark 100 years of Women in Local Government in the Great Hall;

·

on 2 April 2007, a reception to mark 100 years of scouting in the Great Hall;

·

on 18 April 2007 the second annual Chairman's concert at The Anvil in Basingstoke which was being organised by Hampshire Music Service.

174

LEADER'S REPORT

The Leader was pleased to report that Hampshire County Council had become

the first County Council in England to be given the highest possible score by the Audit Commission for its work in supporting a wide range of vulnerable people with housing related services by way of its Supporting People programme. The programme was a testament to two-tier working bringing together all Hampshire's district councils, the County Council, Hampshire Probation Service and the Hampshire Primary Care Trust.

The Leader was also pleased to report that the County Council put the least

amount of waste into landfill of anywhere in the United Kingdom. Through the Integra Partnership, Hampshire had invested in an impressive network of facilities, including three state of the art energy recovery facilities. As a result, the vast majority of Hampshire's unrecycleable domestic rubbish was now safely incinerated at very high temperatures to generate energy that is put back into the national grid, and which was enough for the energy needs of 40,000 houses.

The Leader further reported that the County Council had received an award from

the Secretary General of the Assembly of European Regions for its participation in a recent competition for the most youth friendly European region. Hampshire's entry on the health and well-being of young men and women was showcased as an example of innovative youth events.

The Leader reported that the Chief Executive would be notifying all members

shortly about the intention to cancel the County Council meeting on 29 March 2007 due to insufficient business.

In line with the democratic review, the Leader mentioned he had been

considering the future of the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel. Whilst confirming it was to continue, a further report about the size of its membership would be made to the May annual meeting. The Leader confirmed the intention to adjust the County Council member briefing days down from full to half-day sessions. However, given the extensive work which had gone into the programmes for February and March 2007, it had been agreed, in the special circumstances, to full day sessions up to the end of the financial year. Finally, the Leader reported that the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment ratings were due to be announced on 22 February 2007 and that Hampshire was again likely to be awarded the top rating of four stars and to be judged as improving well. If confirmed, as expected, Hampshire County Council would have been awarded the top performance rating for five consecutive years.

175

QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDER 20(b)(i)

Councillor Thornber, the Leader of the Council, answered a question from

Councillor Dowden about an article which appeared in the Community Care Magazine on the experiences of a Social Care Consultant and comments made about the Commission for Social Inspection.

Councillor Thornber, the Leader of the Council, answered a question from

Councillor House about areas of the county not yet covered by Accredited Community Safety Officers.

Councillor Kirk, the Executive Member with Special Responsibility for

Education, answered a question from Councillor Reid about providing a permanent classroom at Saxon Wood Special School in Basingstoke instead of continuing to use a temporary facility.

Councillor Thornber, the Leader of the Council, answered a question from

Councillor Dash about the introduction of the Pay and Benefits scheme and any improvements in services to Hampshire people.

A question from Councillor Dowden about concerns expressed by Direct

Payment clients in Hampshire over the process and analysis of financial assessments carried out by the County Treasurer's FAB Assessment Team would be given a written reply as the period set aside by the Council for questions had expired.

176

APPOINTMENTS

There were no alterations in the membership of committees, panels and/or

outside bodies to this meeting of the Council.

177

REVENUE BUDGET AND PRECEPT 2007/08 AND

CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2007/08 - 2010/11

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet, marked Item 8 in the Minute

Book.

Councillor T. K. Thornber, C.B.E., Leader of the Council, presented the report

and recommendations of the Cabinet in relation to the Revenue Budget and Precept 2007/08 and the Capital Programme 2007/08 - 2010/11.

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

following Liberal Democrat amendment. In doing so, Councillor Collett handed in a petition against the reduction in services in care homes.

"2.1 That it be an amendment to recommendation b) of item 8A on the revenue

budget and precept for 2007/08:

a)

Addition to budget

Adult Services:

·

reduce pressure for cuts in care services by a reduction in the Adult Services recovery plan target from £9.3m to £5.3m

4,000

Children's Services:

·

reverse the cut in community education

300

·

increase positive engagement of young people in Hampshire by recruiting more youth workers

400

Environment:

·

remove the need for cuts in bus subsidies

694

·

improve the condition of highways and footways through an increase in the maintenance budget

2,000

·

provide for research into options for a free or flat-rate travel scheme for young people

12

Recreation and Heritage:

·

reverse the cuts in libraries and other Recreation and Heritage services

1,244

8,650

b)

These additions would be financed by

·

increased corporate procurement savings target

2,000

·

reduction in Corporate Communications and publication costs throughout the County Council

2,000

·

review of taxi costs in home-to-school transport through improved procurement and efficiency improvements

650

·

further efficiency savings of £4m (0.7%) across all services other than schools

2,500

·

use of Grant Equalisation Reserve to allow for part-year achievement of above efficiency savings

1,500

8,650

That it be an amendment to recommendation a) of item 8B on the capital programme for 2007/08

£'000

a)

Addition to programme:

·

investment in additional 20mph zones outside schools and to assist with the provision of 20mph/30mph zones generally

1,500

b)

This addition would be financed by:

·

increased income from land sales

1,500"

Councillor Jo Kelly, seconded by Councillor D. F. Wright, proposed the

following amendment::

"2.1

That it be an amendment to recommendation b) of item 8A on the revenue budget and precept for 2007/08

a)

To add £1.5m to the Adult Services budget to ensure all vacancies for occupational therapists and other relevant staff are filled so that timely assessments are made of small improvements to homes and living conditions, avoiding more expensive care intervention at a later stage. This would enable all disabled facilities grants provided by district councils to be taken up and for other improvements to promote independent living.

b)

To add £1.5m for 2007/08 only to the Environment budget to provide 50% of the replacement costs of the Gosport ferry pontoon in order to alleviate the public transport problems remaining in Gosport.

c)

To add £250,000 for 2007/08 only to the Recreation and Heritage budget to replenish the potential withdrawal from the Library book fund in 2006/07 which may be required to keep within the cash limit as a result of the drop in income and modernisation of the Library Service during that year.

d)

These additions will be financed by:

·

deleting the extra resources of £780,000 provided for Hampshire Action Teams

·

diverting the planned contribution of £700,000 to the invest to save reserve proposed to provide better value for money in the delivery of Adult Services and Children's Services in 2008/09

·

withdrawing £1.5m from balances (arising from the reimbursement of £2.6m for the abortive costs on the South Hampshire Rapid Transport scheme) and a further £270,000 from balances (from extra contributions accrued from an overall underspending in 2006/07)."

All proposals were then considered. The amendments put were voted upon and

lost. Councillor P. R. Edgar declared a personal prejudicial interest on the Liberal Democrat Amendment by way of his taxi business interest and left the meeting prior to the vote taken on the Liberal Democrat amendment and returned directly afterwards. Councillors Mrs. P. Dickens and Mrs. J. A. Porter declared personal interests given their role with youth organisations in respect of County Council grants.

The Cabinet's proposals on the Revenue Budget and Precept 2007/08 and

Capital Programme 2007/08 -2010/11 were put to the vote and were carried.

RESOLVED:

a)

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 2007/08 (Appendix 1).

b)

That the revenue budget for 2007/08 (as set out in the attached draft budget book in the Minute Book) and the medium-term financial plan be approved.

c)

That the total budget requirement for the general expenses of the County Council for the year beginning 1 April 2007 be £598,223,000.

d)

That the County Council's band D average council tax for the year beginning 1 April 2007 be £955.62.

e)

That the County Council's council tax for the year beginning 1 April 2007 for properties in each tax band be:

£

Band A

637.08

Band B

743.26

Band C

849.44

Band D

955.62

Band E

1167.98

Band F

1380.34

Band G

1592.70

Band H

1911.24

f)

That precepts be issued totalling £471,356,287.22 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

61,049.70

East Hampshire District Council

47,044.89

Eastleigh Borough Council

43,012.29

Fareham Borough Council

42,043.00

Gosport Borough Council

26,948.20

Hart District Council

36,953.10

Havant Borough Council

42,468.00

New Forest District Council

71,687.40

Rushmoor Borough Council

30,359.64

Test Valley Borough Council

45,019.00

Winchester City Council

46,661.35

g)

That the Annual Investment Strategy (Appendix 2) be approved.

h)

That the Prudential Indicators (Appendix 3) be approved.

i)

That the capital programme for 2007/08 be approved as set out in the draft capital programme circulated separately and subject to the conditions set out in section B.3 of the County Council's Financial Procedures and, where appropriate, to the approval of the Executive Member for Policy and Resources to proposals by Executive Members to retain more than a 25% share of capital receipts.

j)

That the remainder of the capital programmes for 2008/09 to 2010/11 be approved as set out in the draft capital programme set out in the Minute Book for the purpose of undertaking design work (including the preparation of feasibility and design project appraisals).

k)

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.

l)

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

(1)

up to the sum specified in respect of sites still required for the schemes included in the capital programme for the period 2007/08 to 2010/11 provided that the relevant scheme has been the subject of a feasibility or design project appraisal approved by the relevant Executive Member;

(2)

up to the amount included in the 2007/08 programme in respect of advance and advantageous land purchases.

178

MEMBERS ALLOWANCES SCHEME 2007/08

The Council considered and approved the recommendations of the Governance

Committee on the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2007/08.

RESOLVED:

That Members' basic, special responsibility and child care and dependant

carer's allowances for 2007/08 be increased in accordance with the national annual pay award for local government staff and be backdated if necessary to take effect from 1 April 2007.

179

MEMBERS' WEB PAGES - ACCETABLE USE POLICY

Pursuant to Minute 162 of the previous meeting, the Council considered the

report of the Head of Corporate and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer (Item 10 in the Minute Book) on the key points which arose at the members' Seminar on 9 January 2007 and in the light of the outcome of the seminar, reconsidered the appended report of the Governance Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the Council implements the members' web pages initiative and adopts the Acceptable Use Policy attached as an appendix to the report for endorsement by all members wishing to use the web pages.

180

HIP DYSPLASIA AND DISABLED PARKING - NOTICE OF MOTION

The Council considered the following Notice of Motion submitted in

accordance with Standing Order 17 by Councillor S. H. Reid and seconded by Councillor P. A. Heath:

"That temporary blue passes entitling drivers to use disabled parking bays be

made available to parents whose children are diagnosed with hip dysplasia and who are obliged to wear hip spica casts".

Councillor Mrs. Frankum declared a personal interest as a blue badge holder.

Councillor T. K. Thornber C.B.E., Leader of the Council proposed the

following amended Notice of Motion.

"That representation be made to government urging it to expedite, as a matter of

urgency, the production of Regulations and Guidance so as to allow the County Council to make temporary blue passes entitling drivers to use disabled parking bays available to parents whose children are diagnosed with hip dysplasia and who are obliged to wear hip spica casts, or have other medical needs so as to require the transport of bulky medical equipment at all times and that the matter be referred to the Executive Member for Environment to investigate and make proposals to enable the County Council to progress this matter within a legal framework."

In introducing the amendment, Councillor Thornber also indicated his

expectation that Councillor Reid and any other interested members would be invited to contribute to the debate. The Council also noted that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council had resolved to work with the County Council in taking this matter forward. The Chief Executive advised the Council that agreeing the Motion was contrary to the regulations governing the issue of disabled badges and would put the Council in breach of its statutory duty, after which the amendment was put to the vote. The amendment was lost and accordingly it was

RESOLVED:

That temporary blue passes entitling drivers to use disabled parking bays be

made available to parents whose children are diagnosed with hip dysplasia and who are obliged to wear hip spica casts.

181

HAMPSHIRE POLICE AUTHORITY

The Council received the report of the Hampshire Police Authority (Item 12(a)

in the Minute Book). No questions had been received pursuant to Standing Order 20(e).

182

HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY

The Council received the report of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

(Item 13(a) in the Minute Book). No questions had been received pursuant to Standing Order 20(f).

183

REPORTS FOR INFORMATION

The Council received the reports of the following:

a)

Cabinet/Leader

In relation to the report on "Care Matters - Transforming the Lives of Children and Young People in Care", the Leader reported that at Cabinet recently, the Member led Corporate Parenting Group within the Children and Young People's Partnership would be reporting to the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services.

b)

Executive Member for Adult Social Care

c)

Governance Committee

d)

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee

e)

Executive Lead Member for Children's Services and Executive Member with Special Responsibility for Education

f)

Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage

g)

Executive Member for Environment