Eastleigh Borough Council Council Meeting

There was no public participation on this occasion.

The Mayor advised the Council of the sad passing of Zoe Walne, Senior Communications Officer for the One Horton Heath Team.  The Mayor paid tribute to Zoe and a moment’s reflection was observed.

The Mayor then gave an overview of recent Council highlights:

He was delighted to hear that two Borough residents had been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honour’s list. Simon Ayers, Chief Executive of TrustMark was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire Medal for services to consumer protection, and Jean Roberts-Jones was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community during the pandemic. We are very proud of them and their achievements.

The Mayor recently sent the Borough’s best wishes for a speedy recovery to His Majesty the King, following his cancer diagnosis.

Since the last Council meeting in November the Mayor and Mayoress had enjoyed attending engagements around the Borough. There were lots of Christmas events which included a celebration at the Eastleigh Community Garden and Christmas Eve Carols at Eastleigh Baptist Church. Recent events had included Chinese New Year celebrations and the Indo Pak Food Festival.

There was lots to look forward to in the last few months of their Mayoral year including the Asian Welfare and Cultural Association (AWCA) Community Lunch on 4 April, Hiltingbury Dog Show on 7 April, Fryern Funtasia and May Day Fayre at Itchen Valley Country Park on 6 May; and a Quiz and Curry Night at The Concorde Club on 7 May in aid of the Mayor’s charity appeal which will raise money for Eastleigh Citizens Advice. The Mayor hoped that Councillors would be able to join him to support this local charity who were doing excellent work to help the Borough’s residents.

Councillor Tidridge declared a personal interest in agenda item 11, Capital, Treasury Management and Investment Strategy, by nature of her employment.

RESOLVED -

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

There was no Leader’s report on this occasion.

Consideration was given to the recommendations contained in the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 February 2024 concerning the 2023/24 – 2024/25 General Fund Revenue Budget and the Medium Term Financial Plan 2023/24 to 2028/29.

The Leader introduced the budget (copy of speech appended to signed minutes).

Councillor Tidridge, speaking on behalf of the Independent Group, did not put forward any enhancements or amendments and was pleased to see that the budget was consistent with the Best Value Notice. She hoped that the need to make savings did not have negative impact on residents.

A recorded vote occurred:

FOR: Councillors Asman, Attrill, Beer, Bourne, Broadhurst, Corben, Couldrey, Craig, Cross, Dedhia, Du-Crow, Duguid, Garton, Gomer, Hadaway, Holes, Holland, House, Irish, Jarvis, Kinloch, Kyrle, Marsh,

O’Sullivan, Park, Pragnell, Pretty, Spencer, Tennent, Tidridge and Welsh

ABSTAIN: Councillor Broomfield

(FOR: 31; ABSTAIN: 1)

RESOLVED –

That Council:

(1)  set the revised Net Revenue Budget Requirement for 2023/24 at £12,157,000 and notes the impact on the Council’s General Fund balance (para 16);

(2)  set the Net Revenue Budget Requirement for 2024/25 at £13,235,000 and notes the impact on the Council’s General Fund balance (para 16); 

(3)  noted the Local Government Finance settlement for 2024/25 (para 56);

(4)  approved budget adjustments for 2023/24 and 2024/25 incorporated within the appended Medium-Term Financial Plan (Appendix A & para 19-42);

(5)  approved the Medium-Term Financial Plan for 2023/24 – 2028/29 (Appendix A)

(6)  approved an increase of £5 for 2024/25 for the average Council Tax for Eastleigh Borough Council (para 58);

(7)  approved the Special Expenses for Parished areas (para 62-63);

(8)  noted the revised Service Improvement and Efficiencies requirement in 2023/24 and 2024/25 (para 52-55);

(9)  approved the amendment to Fees and Charges for Section 52/106 compliance checks and agreements (para 78);

(10)  approved the transfer to/from Earmarked Reserves and the temporary freeze of any further discretionary transfers to service reserves (para 50);

(11)  approved that where an underspend arises at 31 March and the Chief Financial Officer deems that the funding will not be required for future years, the relevant budget is removed from the following year as a saving. (para 23); and

(12)  approved the continuation of the policy to not purchase any further Investment Properties (as defined by the CIPFA Code and PWLB Guidance). (para 12)

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Financial Officer detailing the Council Tax Resolutions for 2024/25.

A recorded vote occurred:

FOR: Councillors Asman, Attrill, Beer, Bourne, Broadhurst, Corben, Couldrey, Craig, Cross, Dedhia, Du-Crow, Duguid, Garton, Gomer, Hadaway, Holes, Holland, House, Irish, Jarvis, Kinloch, Kyrle, Marsh,

O’Sullivan, Park, Pragnell, Pretty, Spencer, Tennent, Tidridge and Welsh

ABSTAIN: Councillor Broomfield

(FOR: 31; ABSTAIN: 1)

RESOLVED –

That Council:

(1)  approved the Council Tax Resolutions as set out within the report. This brings together the Borough’s Council Tax Requirement, including special expenses and that of the other major preceptors (Hampshire County Council, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue and The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner) and sets the Council Tax charges for 2024/25; and

(2)  gave delegated authority to the Chief Financial Officer (Section 151 Officer) to implement any variation to the overall level of Council Tax arising from the final notification of any Parish, Hampshire County Council and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority precepts received after the publication date of this report.

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Financial Officer detailing the Capital, Treasury Management and Investment Strategies.

RESOLVED –

That Council approved:

(1)  the Capital Strategy at Appendix 1;

(2)  the Treasury Management Strategy at Appendix 2;

(3)  the Investment Strategy at Appendix 3;

(4)  the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy at Appendix 1D;

(5)  the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement at Appendix 2A;

(6)  the Prudential Indicators at appendix 2B;

(7)  the Treasury Management Policy Statement at Appendix 2C; and

(8)  the Treasury Management Practices (TMP’s) and Investment Management Practices (IMP’s) at Appendix 2D.

Councillors indicated that they did not wish to discuss the confidential appendices so it was not necessary to move into exempt session.

Consideration was given to the report of the Democratic Services Manager regarding the appointment of Independent Co-Opted members to the Audit and Resources Committee.

The Leader proposed that to allow for continuity that the terms for the Independent Members were amended to be four years and two years.

RESOLVED –

That Council approved :

(1)  the appointment of Mark Pellegrini as an Independent Co-Opted Member to the Audit and Resources Committee for a two-year term; and

(2)  the appointment of Martyn Royle as an Independent Co-Opted Member to the Audit and Resources Committee for a four-year term.

[NOTE: The Chair of the Audit and Resources placed on record his thanks to the Chief Financial Officer, the Democratic Services Manager and Councillor Tidridge, who had formed the interview panel with him.]

Consideration was given to a report by the Monitoring Officer detailing a request for a suspension of Councillor attendance rules.

RESOLVED -

That Council approved a suspension pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, of the six-month Councillor attendance rule for Councillor Mann.

[NOTE: Councillors placed on record their best wishes to Councillor Mann.]

In 2014 it was agreed to recognise the public service of former members of the Council who have retired from office by introducing the title of Honorary Alderman.?The title is awarded to former members who served for twelve years or more since 1974/1975 and who are not actively seeking re-election. Past Mayor, Roger Wood served as a Councillor from 1964 to 1982. As his years of service started before the local government re-organisation in 1974 he has not received an Alderman award.

RESOLVED –

That Council approved that Roger Wood be conferred as an Honorary Alderman with the award to be presented at Mayor Making on 20 May.

Councillor Jarvis, seconded by Councillor Marsh, moved the following motion:

Council noted that:

1.  In the 1995 Pensions Act, the Government increased State Pension age for women from 60 to 65, with a further increase to 66 in the 2011 Pensions Act;

2.  the change was not properly communicated to 3.8m women born in the 1950s until 2012, giving some only one year’s notice of a six year increase in their anticipated retirement age;

3.  there are 6310 1950s-born WASPI women in Eastleigh;

4.  the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found that the Department for Work and Pensions was guilty of maladministration in its handling of the State Pension Age increase for women born in the 1950s;

5.  the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women has concluded that “the impact of DWP maladministration on 1950s-born women has been as devastating as it is widespread.  The APPG believes that the case for category 6 injustice is overwhelming and clear.  Women have had their emotional, physical, and mental circumstances totally obliterated by a lack of reasonable notice”;

6.  research commissioned by campaign group WASPI has found that by the end of 2022, more than 220,000 1950s born women will have died waiting for justice since the WASPI campaign began in 2015; 

7.  WASPI’s figures show that over the course of the two year COVID pandemic, 1 in 10 women who died were affected by these uncommunicated changes and lost both their state pension income and the opportunity to make alternative retirement plans; and that 

8.  despite the Ombudsman’s findings and the rapid death rate of those affected, the government is choosing to wait for further reports before taking any action. 

Council supported: 

1.  The conclusion of the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality that women born in the 1950s have suffered a gross injustice, affecting their emotional, physical and mental circumstances in addition to causing financial hardship;

2.  a swift resolution to this ongoing injustice before more and more women die waiting for compensation;

3.  proper compensation in line with the Parliamentary Ombudsman's recommendations.

Council resolved:

1.  To ask the Leader of the Council to write to local Members of Parliament, and to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to outline the effects of the injustice to 1950s women on the community in Eastleigh and to seek their support for fair and fast compensation for WASPI women.

*figures provided by the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign

RESOLVED –

That the motion be approved.

There were Councillors’ questions as set out in the Agenda, and supplementary questions were answered by the Leader.

RESOLVED -

That the Minutes of the following meetings be received: 

CABINET

7 December 2023

21 December 2023

22 January 2024

22 February 2024

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

21 November 2023

AUDIT AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

5 December 2023

21 December 2023

16 January 2024

20 February 2024

POLICY AND PERFORMANCE SCRUTINY PANEL

11 January 2024

15 February 2024

BISHOPSTOKE, FAIR OAK AND HORTON HEATH LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE

29 November 2023

31 January 2024

BURSLEDON, HAMBLE-LE-RICE AND HOUND LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE

30 November 2023

25 January 2024

CHANDLER’S FORD AND HILTINGBURY LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE

17 January 2024

EASTLEIGH LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE

23 January 2024

HEDGE END, WEST END AND BOTLEY LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE

20 November 2023

29 January 2024

5 February 2024