Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council Council Meeting

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M Bound, Connor, Durrant, Grant, Johnstone, Robinson, K Watts.

Councillors G Watts, Lee and Bean declared an interest in relation to agenda item 16 as members of Hatch Warren Runners.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2023 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Mayor.

The Mayor welcomed all new and returning councillors.

The following motion was moved by Councillor Harvey and seconded by Councillor G James:

Council resolves that Councillor Simon Minas-Bound be removed from the office of Leader of the Council and that Councillor Paul Harvey be appointed Leader of the Council.

The motion was fully debated where a range of comments both in support and opposing the motion were made.

The motion was put to a recorded vote with 25 votes in favour, 21 votes against and 1 abstention.  The motion was carried.

Resolved:     That Councillor Harvey be appointed Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council announced membership of the Cabinet:

·           Co-Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Property – Councillor G James

·           Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture – Councillor Morrow

·           Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency – Councillor Tomblin

·           Cabinet Member for Communities, Partnerships and Inclusion – Councillor McKay

·           Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing – Councillor L James

·           Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure – Councillor Konieczko

·           Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration – Councillor Cubitt

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires local authorities to review committee membership and political representation annually. Council considered a report which sought approval to the committee sizes together with the scheme of proportionality for 2023/24.

Resolved: That Council

1)        Approve the committee sizes and scheme of proportionality for 2023/24 as set out in appendix 1 of the minutes, in order to enable appointments to be made to Committees of Council.

2)        Agree to depart from political proportionality in the allocation of seats to Standards Committee and the Investigation and Disciplinary Committee.

Nominations were received for the appointment of Members of the Council and a standing panel  of substitute members to the Council’s Committees for the year 2023/24.

Resolved: That appointments be made to Committees for the 2023/24 council year as set out in appendix 2 of the minutes.

Nominations were received for the appointment of Chairs to the Committees of the Council.

Resolved:     That Members be appointed to the role of Chair for the following Committees of the Council:

) Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Miller

2) Economic Planning and Housing Committee – Councillor Ashford

3) Community Environment and Partnerships Committee – Councillor Slimin

4) Manydown Overview Committee – Councillor Freeman

5) Development Control Committee – Councillor McCormick

6) Licensing Committee – Councillor Jones

7) Human Resources Committee – Councillor Bowes

8) Audit and Accounts Committee – Councillor Basham

9) Standards Committee – V Murricane

10) Investigating and Disciplinary Committee (IDC) – Councillor Minas-Bound

Nominations were received for appointments to Joint Bodies:

Resolved: That Members be appointed to joint bodies as follows:

1)  Joint Manydown Committee - Cllrs Compton-Burnett, Cubitt, Freeman and Lee.

2)  Crime and Disorder Joint Scrutiny Committee - Cllrs Howard-Sorrell, Edwards and Jones

3)  Hampshire Police and Crime Panel – Cllr Minas-Bound (Main representative) and Cllr Vaux (Deputy representative)

4)  PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) Adjudication joint Committee - Cllr Ibrahim

Nominations were received for representatives to sit on various outside bodies.

Resolved: That Members be appointed as Council representatives to sit on outside bodies as set out in appendix 3 of the minutes.

There were no questions.

No petitions were presented.

Council considered a report which recommended the ‘making’ of the updated Burghclere Neighbourhood Plan.

Resolved: That

1.     The Burghclere Neighbourhood Development Plan 2022-2029 is formally made, under section 38A(4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, with immediate effect.

2.     The Neighbourhood Planning Group and the local community be congratulated on their work in producing the modified plan.

Council considered a report that recommended that the Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green Neighbourhood Plan 2022-2039 was ‘made’ following a local referendum held on 4 May 2023, where the plan was supported by 87.82% of those who voted.  The plan would be used alongside the adopted Local Plan and national planning policy and guidance to determine planning applications in the parish.

Resolved:     That Council

1.     Under section 38A(4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, formally make the Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green Neighbourhood Development Plan with immediate effect.

2.     Congratulates the Neighbourhood Planning Group and the local community on their work to develop the plan.

Councillor Dillow withdrew his question regarding early morning access for Hatch Warren Runners to the Down Grange running track as he had received a response from the former Cabinet Member that the facility would be accessible to the runners at 6am on Tuesday mornings.

There were no questions.