Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 15^th November 2023 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meeting held on the 15^th of November 2023 were approved as a correct record of the meeting.

At the start of the meeting the Mayor announced that due to an urgent report being received he would be using his discretion to change the order of business set out in the summons. In line with this Item 13 was heard before Item 8.

To receive apologies for absence, if any.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mitchinson, Pace, Sarson, Musk, Wachuku and Lass.

The Mayor will receive petitions (limited to the first three petitions presented).

No petitions were received.

A period of thirty minutes will be made available for questions to be put by Members of the public to Members of the Cabinet on matters for which the Council has a responsibility or which affect the Borough.

No questions from the public were received.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on the Agenda.

The following councillors raised an interest as Hertfordshire County Councillors:

Councillor Bond

Councillor S Boulton

Councillor Kingsbury

Councillor Thomson

Councillor Thusu

Councillor Zukowskyj

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader of the Council, Member of the Cabinet or the Head of Paid Service.

“Holocaust Memorial Day

A gathering to mark Holocaust Memorial Day was held on The Campus arena on 25th January, attended by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant Anthony Chapman, along with representatives from local faith communities, Councillors, and the public.  Thank you to everyone who took part in this very moving service.

Mayor’s Civic Service

I will be holding my Civic Service on Sunday 11 February at Our Lady, Queen of Apostles Church in Welwyn Garden City. The Service starts at 3.00pm and will be conducted by Canon Norbert Fernandes, and we have two local school choirs joining us. The service will be followed by a buffet and refreshments to which you are also invited. 

Mayor’s Charity Fundraising Dinner

Thank you to all those who have already booked your tickets for my charity dinner at Brocket Hall on 8 March, I really appreciate your support.  If you are unable to come, please do consider donating an auction prize for the evening. Your donations are invaluable in helping us to raise funds for my two local foodbank charities.

LGBTQ+ History Month

LGBT+ History Month is a month-long annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual trans, and non-binary history, including the history of LGBT+ rights and related civil rights movements. In the United Kingdom it is celebrated in February each year, to coincide with the 2003 abolition of Section 28.

The theme for 2024 LGBTQ+ History month is Medicine #UnderTheScope. It is a prompt to celebrate the work and life of LGBTQ+ people that have made significant contributions to the field of medicine. It is also an opportunity to shine a light on the discrimination and inequalities that LGBTQ+ people have historically experienced in healthcare settings, and still face to this day. To celebrate the LGBTQ+ history month today we raised the pride flag outside the Council Chamber. Thank you to everyone that took part in the flag raising.”

“I would just like to take a moment to discuss the Christmas gift-giving initiative for families who are living in temporary accommodation. Homelessness can affect anybody at any time of their lives, and has a wide variety of causes; properties being sold or rents being increased, temporary losses in income, and changes in family circumstances to name but a few. The stress and worry caused by not having a place to call home is hard to imagine, and can have a real impact on people’s lives. The Council works tirelessly to support people, not only to try and prevent homelessness from occurring, but also by providing temporary accommodation to vulnerable residents if the worst does happen.

The Christmas gift-giving initiative, now in its fourth year, provided 350 gifts to our families who were staying in temporary accommodation over the festive period. Gift vouchers, children’s toys, chocolates and selection boxes are just a few examples of the gifts given. We received some really heartwarming feedback from residents, who were touched by the generosity. I would like to say a big thank you to the Council’s temporary accommodation team, council staff and friends, councillors, and a wide range of local businesses who supported us; there are too many to name tonight, but we have published a press release to show our appreciation to everybody who has helped make things a little better for our residents. Thank you.”

“In my role as Executive Member for the Environment I want to provide an update about services within my area of responsibility. 

I am pleased to say that waste collections over the Christmas and New Year period have been completed successfully and collection dates have now returned to their normal days.  The pilot of collecting excess cardboard at the kerbside on blue lidded bin collection days has been a success and I am proposing that this change becomes permanent.  This will contribute to the recycling rate for the borough.   We are also trialling the use of large bins at some flat locations across the borough for the collection of dry mixed recycling. 

After a challenging start to the grass cutting season last year, I am happy to report that all cuts were completed with the final cuts finishing unseasonably late in November due to the very mild weather.  In addition, our contractor appointed additional roles to manage the contract including two new team leaders; one to focus on grass cutting and the other to focus on other horticultural works. This will help ensure greater quality assurance for grass cutting. Plans are progressing well to ensure that the 2024/25 cut season is a success.  Officers are also working with our contractors to identify areas for rewilding. This includes a new approach where we will seed some large amenity grass areas with low growing wildflower/grass species to encourage biodiversity and pollinators without visually impacting the street scene.

Following our success in last year’s Anglia in Bloom (AiB) competition in the category ‘Best BID Town - Welwyn Garden City’, I am excited to share that we have been put forward by the AiB organisers to represent the region in the national Britain in Bloom this summer.  I look forward to sharing more updates about this in due course.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank officers, staff and volunteers for their hard work in driving improvements and delivering these fantastic achievements for the borough.”

“Our staff continues to work hard to deliver many of the vital services to our community. Our communications team has produced a video highlighting some of the achievements in recent months, which we would like to share with Members tonight.”

At this point in the meeting, the staff achievements video was shown.

For a period of up to thirty minutes, a Member of the Council who has given prior notice in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, may ask (a) the Mayor, (b) the Leader of the Council or (c) a Member of the Cabinet a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the Borough.

The questions received for this meeting are attached.  A Member asking a question may ask, without giving notice, one supplementary question of the Member to whom the first question was asked.  The supplementary question must arise directly out of the reply.

1.    Question to the Executive Member for Housing

“Child poverty is an issue that should concern us all. A number of key groups and organisations have identified the ‘two child cap’ as one of the key drivers for the increase in child poverty seen in the UK in the last few years. Will the leader of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council write to our MP and to Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP as chancellor to ask them to remove the two child cap?”

Answer

“The two-child cap, which was introduced in 2017 by the Conservative government  restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most household. One in 10 UK children now live in families affected by the two-child limit and the number continues to rise each year. This benefit cap was supposed to incentivise parents into work. However, recent research published by the London School of Economics found there was no impact at all on employment rates or on work hours.

the research noticed the two thirds of affected families are already doing some paid work. The effected families could not simply increase their working hours as a number of constraints, including health problems of that child and childcare was also a significant barrier. The research concluded that the two-child limit had limited or no effects on the government's stated objective for the policy. What it has meant instead is a sharp increase in poverty and hardship.

Nearly half of UK children with two or more siblings now live in poverty, and this number is projected to rise sharply in coming years. Inevitably such policies impact on Council's finances through rent arrears, as well as current cost of living crisis. It is imperative for the government to remove the two-child cap, and I, along with Councillor Zukowskyj, would be happy to write to our MP and the chancellor of the exchequer to this effect. We would also invite the Leader of the opposition to sign the letter as well.

`

2.    Question to the Executive Member for Governance

“Would the portfolio holder like to explain why there has been not a meeting of the Licensing Committee since June 2022?”

Answer

“It is a statutory requirement for this Council to have a full Licensing Committee Business is reserved for matters such as approvals of policies, licencing conditions and more strategic matters.

The more recent meetings of the Licensing Committee have had no business to discuss, they were cancelled by the agreement of the Chair. I'm sure Councillor Thusu and other Members are aware the Licensing Sub-Committee deals with the more day-to-day operational business relating to licences. It determines applications which are not taken by officers under delegated powers. It meets more frequently than the full Licensing Committee. In fact, it's met five times since June 2022, with a further meeting which was cancelled after the applicants withdrew the particular event notice they were applying for. The Licensing Sub-Committee has determined matters such as premises, licence,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

To consider any matters of urgency subject to the agreement of the Mayor in accordance with Procedure Rule 5.1(s).

The Council received the report of the Deputy Monitoring Officer submitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Section 106 of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 imposes certain voting restrictions on councillors who are in arrears with payment of their council tax, by at least 2 months.  The section provides that where any such councillor is present at a meeting of the authority or committee, at which calculation of council tax or any recommendation, resolution or other decision which might affect the making of any such calculation is the subject of consideration, the councillor(s) concerned must: at the meeting and as soon as practicable after its commencement disclose the fact that the section applies to them; and shall not vote on any question with respect to the matter.

A Member who was 2 months or more in arrears of their Council tax attended and chaired the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 16th January and did not make the required positive declaration. At that meeting the report on the 2024/25 budget proposal was discussed and the Councillor took part in the resolution which was made by the Committee.

Following various questions from Members and answers from the Deputy Monitoring Officer, Council noted the report.

To consider recommendations from the meetings of the Cabinet on 9^th January 2024 and 23^rd January 2024.

The Council considered recommendations from the Cabinet meetings which took place on 9^th January 2024 and 23^rd January 2024

To receive a report from the Executive Director (Finance and Transformation).

Full Council received a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Transformation) setting out the 2024/25 budget proposals for approval specifically Revenue Budgets 2024/25, Capital Programme 2024/25 – 2028/29,  Use of Reserves 2024/25, Fees and Charges for 2024/25, Medium Term Strategy and Governance Framework 2024/25 – 2027/28.

It was moved and seconded by Councillors Jones and Councillor Chesterman that the recommendations in the report be approved.

Amendment 1

It was moved and seconded by Councillors S Boulton and Kingsbury that the budget proposal recommendations in the report be amended as follows:

“The reduction on planning income of £350k in Appendix D seems to be overly pessimistic given the general reduction in inflation, expected interest rate reductions and adoption of a Local Plan which is likely to result in additional planning applications. Additionally planning fees increased in December last year by 35% for major applications and 25% for household applications. Indeed, officers at a recent DMC meeting highlighted that they expected more major planning application to be submitted. 

Enforcement can often be a concern of residents when development happens without consent, and when plans are not adhered to. Planning enforcement is often stretched to deal with the complexity and number of enforcements requested. 

Therefore, we propose to reduce the assumption of loss of planning income by £112k to fund the recruitment of two full time enforcement officers to increase the speed and number of enforcement cases undertaken and support residents in their valid concerns.”

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

RESOLVED

(17 FOR, 25 AGAINST)

Voting FOR Councillors:

Hellyer, Stanbury, Thomson, Ganney, Michaelides, Bond, Lake, J Boulton, Cragg, Smith, Trigg, Kasumu, Tunstall, J Boulton, McNamara, Thusu and Kingsbury

Voting AGAINST Councillors:

Nix, Scott, Watson, Panter, Jones, Marsh, Moore, H Goldwater, Broach, Quinton, Skoczylas, Weston, Thorpe, Crofton, Chesterman, Birleson, Holloway, Siewniak, Shah, Zukowskyj, Grewal, Platt, Bonfante, S Goldwater, Rowse.

And the amendment was declared LOST.

Amendment 2

It was moved and seconded by Councillors S Boulton and Kingsbury that the budget proposal recommendations in the report be amended as follows:

“Reduce the planned social rent increase from 7.7% to 5.0%.”

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

RESOLVED

(17 FOR, 25 AGAINST)

Voting FOR Councillors:

Hellyer, Stanbury, Thomson, Ganney, Michaelides, Bond, Lake, J Boulton, Cragg, Smith, Trigg, Kasumu, Tunstall, J Boulton, McNamara, Thusu and Kingsbury

Voting AGAINST Councillors:

Nix, Scott, Watson, Panter, Jones, Marsh, Moore, H Goldwater, Broach, Quinton, Skoczylas, Weston, Thorpe, Crofton, Chesterman, Birleson, Holloway, Siewniak, Shah, Zukowskyj, Grewal, Platt, Bonfante, S Goldwater, Rowse.

And the amendment was declared LOST.

Councillor H Goldwater left at prior to the vote.

Recommendations

The recommendations in the report were put to the meeting and it was

RESOLVED

(24 FOR, 17 AGAINST)

Voting FOR Councillors:

Nix, Scott, Watson, Panter, Jones, Marsh, Moore, Broach, Quinton, Skoczylas, Weston, Thorpe, Crofton, Chesterman, Birleson, Holloway, Siewniak, Shah, Zukowskyj, Grewal, Platt, Bonfante, S Goldwater, Rowse.

Voting AGAINST Councillors:

Hellyer, Stanbury, Thomson, Ganney, Michaelides, Bond, Lake, J Boulton, Cragg, Smith, Trigg, Kasumu, Tunstall, J Boulton,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

The report for FP2023 2024/25 Business Plan can be found here:

Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday 9th January 2024, 7.00 pm – Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (welhat.gov.uk)

Full Council received the extract of the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 9^th January 2024.

It was moved and seconded by Councillors Zukowskyj and Councillor Chesterman that the recommendations in the report be approved.

RESOLVED

The Council agreed the 2024/25 Business Plan

To consider notices of motions submitted under Procedure Rule 16 in such order as the Mayor shall direct.  The motions received for this meeting are attached.

No motions were received.

Report of the Chief Executive and Returning Officer

Full Council received a report of the Chief Executive and Returning Officer setting out the responses received to the recent consultation exercise carried out and minor amendments be made to the current arrangements for polling districts, places and polling stations.

It was moved and seconded by Councillors Broach and Councillor Panter that the recommendations in the report be approved.

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

RESOLVED

(unanimous)

That Council note the number of responses received to the consultation and agrees, in the light of these, to make minor amendments to the current arrangements for polling districts, places and polling stations as detailed in the report.

Report of the Chief Executive.

Full Council received a report of the Chief Executive setting out the recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Committee to consider the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) for the new Cabinet Panel Chairs and the review of the SRA for the Standards Committee.

It was moved and seconded by Councillors Broach and Councillor Panter that the recommendations in the report be approved.

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

RESOLVED

(36 FOR, 0 AGAINST, 5 ABSTAINED)`

That Council agrees the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel and approves the proposed Special Responsibility Allowance for the new Cabinet Panel Chairs and Standard Committee Chair as set out in Appendix A, payable with effect from the beginning of the Municipal year 2024/25.

Report of the Executive Director (Finance) on the approval of the schedule of meeting for the 2024/25 municipal year.

Full Council received a report of the Executive Director (Finance & Transformation) setting out the Council schedule of meetings for 2024/25.

It was moved and seconded by Councillor Broach and Councillor Panter that the recommendations in the report be approved.

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

RESOLVED

(unanimous)

The timetable setting out dates of meetings for the Municipal Year 2024/25 as attached at Appendix A.