Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Watford

Contact: Pat Thornton 

Items
No. Item

61.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lovejoy.

 

Councillor Saffery had forwarded apologies stating that he had been delayed and would attend the meeting as soon as he could.

 

62.

Disclosure of Interests

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest.

 

63.

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2014 to be submitted and signed.  (All minutes are published on the Council’s website.)

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2014 were submitted and signed.

 

64.

Official Announcements

Minutes:

Fairtrade Fortnight

 

The Chairman reported that he had attended the launch of the successful Fairtrade Fortnight, which had taken place in the Town Hall.

 

Chairman’s Quiz

 

The Chairman informed Council that his quiz night would take place the following evening and he hoped to see as many as possible there.

 

Chairman’s visit to the Colosseum with the Hertfordshire Mayors and Chairmen

 

The Chairman stated that he had hosted the Hertfordshire Mayors and Chairmen at the Canadian Carnival evening held at the Colosseum.  The BBC Concert Orchestra had played a number of Commonwealth pieces.  It had given him the opportunity to show them the wonderful Colosseum.

 

Related Party Transactions

 

The Chairman reminded Members that their Related Party Transactions needed to be returned to the Head of Democracy and Governance as soon as possible.

 

Members’ Self-assessments

 

The Chairman advised Members to forward their completed self-assessments to the Democratic Services Manager or the Member Development and Civic Officer by 31 March.

 

Resignation

 

The Chairman announced that he would be resigning from the Council at the end of the following week, as he had been offered a full-time job managing a wildlife hospital in West Sussex.

 

The Mayor, on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group, said that Councillor Rackett would be missed.  She felt that all Members would agree he had not tried to score political points but had always strived to see the bigger picture.  He had cared about his residents.  She was sure that people would miss him.

 

Councillor Bell agreed that Councillor Rackett would be missed and he was well respected across the Chamber and in the Town.  During debates in the Chamber his comments had been respected and he had taken a balanced view.  He said that the Labour Group wished him well for the future.

 

Councillor Brandon stated that he wished to thank Councillor Rackett for leading the Green Group over the last few years.  He had known Councillor Rackett since joining the local Watford Green Group in 2005.  Councillor Rackett had helped him to grow as a person, a campaigner and eventually as a Councillor.  He had always respected Councillor Rackett’s views; he had taught him very well.  He added that he wished to thank him personally and on behalf of the Green Party.

 

65.

Mayor's Report pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Minutes:

A report of the Mayor had been circulated with the agenda.

 

a)      Councillor Joynes stated she was pleased about the resident who would be raising funds for Alzheimer’s as it was a worthy cause.  She advised that she had attended a dementia awareness day and had met an Admiral Nurse.  She had discovered that there was only one Admiral Nurse in Hertfordshire who was based in Stevenage.  She asked whether it would be possible to have one for this Council.

 

          The Mayor replied that she did not believe it was the role of the Council to acquire an Admiral Nurse for the area.  She said that she would willingly meet with a representative to discuss how the nurses were funded.  The Council supported local charities through different events.  There were health budgets managed by the County Council.  She added that she was a member of the Health and Well-being Board and would be able to raise the matter at a meeting.  She asked Councillor Joynes to provide her with contact details.

 

b)      Councillor Turmaine commented that it was great news that 77% of the responses to the Health Campus consultation had been in favour of the scheme.  He considered that the most bogus recent political act was an email circulated by Councillor Martins, which had condemned Clause 119 to the Health and Social Care Bill.  He considered it correct but a top-down reorganisation of the NHS would not have happened if the Liberal Democrats had not been part of the Government.

 

          The Mayor responded that she was unclear of the question posed by the Councillor.  She stated that every Government had decided to restructure the NHS, including Labour which had started the privatisation movement.  The Mayor said that personally she considered there to be serious endemic problems with the NHS and feared that neither the Labour Party nor the Liberal Democrats had recognised the issues.  Any criticisms of the NHS were seen as right wing and it was not possible to have an adult debate about the NHS.  She considered this a barrier to serious improvements which were needed.

 

          The Mayor said that the best way to support the NHS in Watford was to support the Health Campus.

 

c)      Councillor Meerabux asked the Mayor whether she considered it to be reasonable for those people attending funeral services to be worried about getting a parking ticket.  He had recently attended a number of funerals in Brent where churches distributed free specially timed vouchers to residents and those attending funeral services.  He considered this to be a positive move by the Council and showed sympathy and sensitivity.  He felt there needed to be more compassion rather than just collecting fees from parking machines.

 

          The Mayor replied that she did have sympathy in this matter.  She advised that she had received a parking ticket herself whilst attending a colleague’s funeral in Dunstable.  The Mayor said that in Watford there were many religious establishments affected by restricted parking, including the Town Centre Mosque  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

66.

Questions by Members of the Council under Council Procedure Rule 10.0

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

 

67.

Questions by Members of the Public under Council Procedure Rule 11.0

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

 

68.

Petitions presented under Council Procedure Rule 12.0

Minutes:

No petitions had been received.

 

69.

Business especially brought forward by the Chairman or the Head of Paid Service which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.

 

70.

Motions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 13.0

Motion 1

 

The following motion has been moved by Councillor Turmaine and seconded by Councillor Bell

 

“That WBC deplores the illegal practice of ‘blacklisting’ within the construction industry and will ensure that any company known to have been involved in blacklisting practices and not to have indemnified their victims, will not be invited to tender for contracts by WBC until they have:

 

1.      Identified the steps taken to remedy blacklisting for affected workers;

 

2.      Identified the steps taken to ensure that blacklisting will not happen again;

 

3.      Given assurances that they do not employ individuals who were named contacts for the Consulting Association.”

 

 

Motion 2

 

The following motion has been moved by Councillor Joynes and seconded by Councillor Dhindsa

 

 

That WBC undertakes to limit the sale of cheap, super-strength alcohol from off-licences and supermarkets Watford-wide.

 

1.      This will mitigate the prevalence of street-drinkers;

 

2.      Consequently lead to a reduction of ASB;

 

3.      Thereby facilitating  a  more pleasurable shopping experience for people in local retail areas.”

 

 

Minutes:

Council was informed that two motions had been received.

 

1)      The following motion was proposed by Councillor Turmaine and seconded by Councillor Bell –

 

          “That WBC deplores the illegal practice of ‘blacklisting’ within the construction industry and will ensure that any company known to have been involved in blacklisting practices and not to have indemnified their victims, will not be invited to tender for contracts by WBC until they have:

 

          1.      Identified the steps taken to remedy blacklisting for affected workers;

 

          2.      Identified the steps taken to ensure that blacklisting will not happen again;

 

          3.      Given assurances that they do not employ individuals who were named contacts for the Consulting Association.”

 

          Councillor Sharpe moved the following amendment to the motion which was seconded by Councillor Watkin –

 

          “That Watford Borough Council deplores the illegal practice of ‘blacklisting’ within the construction industry and will ensure that any company found to have been involved in blacklisting practices by a tribunal, court, or any other public body exercising similar functions shall be excluded from further participation in the procurement process for contracts tendered by Watford Borough Council unless they have (to the satisfaction of Watford Borough Council):

 

          1.      Identified the steps taken to remedy blacklisting for affected workers;

                   and

 

          2.      Identified the steps taken to ensure that blacklisting will not happen again.”

 

          Following clarification by Councillor Sharpe, Councillor Turmaine agreed in principle to the amendment.

 

          Members debated the motion

 

          On being put to Council the motion as amended was AGREED.

 

          RESOLVED –

 

          that Watford Borough Council deplores the illegal practice of ‘blacklisting’ within the construction industry and will ensure that any company found to have been involved in blacklisting practices by a tribunal, court, or any other public body exercising similar functions shall be excluded from further participation in the procurement process for contracts tendered by Watford Borough Council unless they have (to the satisfaction of Watford Borough Council):

 

          1.      Identified the steps taken to remedy blacklisting for affected workers;

                   and

 

          2.      Identified the steps taken to ensure that blacklisting will not happen again.”

 

2)      The following motion was moved by Councillor Joynes and seconded by Councillor Dhindsa –

 

          “That WBC undertakes to limit the sale of cheap, super-strength alcohol from off-licences and supermarkets Watford-wide.

 

          1.      This will mitigate the prevalence of street-drinkers;

 

          2.      Consequently lead to a reduction of ASB;

 

          3.      Thereby facilitating a more pleasurable shopping experience for people in local retail areas.”

 

          Councillor J Brown, the Chair of the Licensing Committee (licensing Act 2003), responded to the motion.  She suggested that the motion should be discussed at Licensing Committee (Licensing Act 2003).

 

          Councillor Sharpe moved that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.12 a) i) and in view of the Chair of Licensing Committee’s undertaking that this matter could be discussed at Licensing Committee, which would be appropriate, Council proceeded to the next business.  Councillor Watkin seconded the motion.

 

          Councillor Joynes, the mover of the motion was granted a right of reply.

 

          The procedural motion on being put to Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

71.

Chief Officer Pay Policy 2014 pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Report of the Head of Human Resources

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report of the Head of Human Resources which sought approval for the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15.

 

RESOLVED –

 

that the Pay Policy Statement attached as Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

 

72.

Local Government Pension Scheme 2014 - Adoption of new pension discretion pdf icon PDF 33 KB

Report of the Head of Human Resources

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report of the Head of Human Resources which sought Council’s approval to exercise its discretion under Regulation 9 (3) of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Benefits, Membership and Contributions) regulations 2008.

 

RESOLVED –

 

that Council agrees to exercise its discretion under Regulation 9 (3) of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Benefits, Membership and Contributions) Regulations 2008 by determining the rate of each employee’s contributions monthly.

 

73.

Draft Corporate Plan 2014-18 pdf icon PDF 25 KB

Report of Cabinet – 10 March 2014.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report of Cabinet, including the original report presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 10 March 2014.  The report included the current draft of the Corporate Plan 2014-2018. 

 

RESOLVED –

 

that the Corporate Plan 2014-18 be agreed.

 

74.

Moving Shared Services to a Lead Authority Model pdf icon PDF 35 KB

Report of Cabinet – 10 March 2014.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report of Cabinet, including the original report presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 10 March 2014.  The report included the proposed Lead Authority Model Agreement including Service Specifications.

 

RESOLVED –

 

that, subject to Three Rivers District Council also agreeing to resolutions 1 and 2 below before 31 March 2014

 

1.      the Joint Committee Agreement for Shared Services with Three Rivers District Council dated 26 August 2008 be terminated with effect from midnight 31 March 2014.

 

2.      Council enters into the Shared Services Agreement with Three Rivers District Council attached at Appendix 1 to the report with effect from 1 April 2014.

 

3.      the addition of Procurement including sharing best practice on contract management to the services in the Agreement with Watford Borough Council being the Lead Authority be agreed.

 

4.      the Shared Director of Finance be given delegated authority to agree any minor amendments to the agreement as may be necessary, including the service specification and charges for Procurement.

 

 

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