Minutes – Full Council – 26 June 2024
The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Full Council – 26 June 2024 – agenda and papers
The minutes of this meeting are presented below.
You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Full Council – 26 June 2024
MEETING OF COUNCIL
Minutes
Date: 26 June 2024
Time: 6.00pm – 6.50pm
Location: The Council Chamber – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ
PRESENT: The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Loxton, Councillors Butler, Chant, C Gershater, J Gershater, Knight, Kondabeka, McHale, Miall, Moore, Scicluna, Squire and Vivian.
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Council Services and Support Manager, West Sussex County Councillor Simon Oakley, Chichester District Councillor Jonathan Brown (for agenda items 4 to 8)
10. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were noted from the Mayor, Councillor Quail, and Councillors Apel, Corfield, Hitchman and Pramas.
11. DISPENSATION REQUESTS
No requests had been received
12. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING
No declarations were made.
13. MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF COUNCIL
RESOLVED to approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council held on 15 May 2024.
14. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
No announcements were made.
15. PUBLIC QUESTIONS
No questions were received from members of the public pursuant to Appendix 1 of Chichester City Council’s Standing Orders (September 2020).
16. MINUTES OF COMMITTEES
a) Planning and Conservation Committee
Councillor Butler, as Chair of the Committee, gave Members an update on the actions arising from the minutes of the meetings held on 25 April 2024, 8 May 2024 (Special Meeting), 23 May 2024 and 20 June 2024.
RESOLVED to note the receipt of the minutes and the updates given.
b) Community Affairs Committee
Councillor Chant, as Vice-Chair of the Committee, gave Members an update on the actions arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2024.
RESOLVED to note the receipt of the minutes and the updates given.
c) Finance Committee
RESOLVED to note the receipt of the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2024 with the exception of minutes 12, 13, 14, 15b, 17, 18 and 20.
Council were asked to consider the following recommendations:
i) Minute 12 – Statement of Accounts – 2023-2024
RECOMMENDED to Full Council on 26 June 2024 that the Statement of Accounts 2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Mayor and RFO.
Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the Statement of Accounts 2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Chair and RFO.
ii) Minute 13 – Budgets to be carried forward from 2023-2024 and budgets transferred to reserves.
Members RESOLVED to approve the transfers as reported and RECOMMENDED to Full Council on the 26 June 2024 that the carry forward of the budgets to financial year 2024-2025 and the transfer of funds to the general and earmarked reserves be agreed as per the RFO’s recommendation.
Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the carry forward of the budgets to financial year 2024-2025 and the transfer of funds to the general and earmarked reserves be agreed as per the RFO’s recommendation.
iii) Minute 14 – Internal Control Policy
It was RECOMMENDED to Full Council on 26 June 2024 that the Internal Control Policy be adopted and signed by the Mayor and the RFO.
Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the Internal Control Policy be adopted and signed by the Chair and the RFO.
iv) Minute 15b – Annual Internal Audit Report (AGAR) – 2023-2024
Committee noted the receipt of the Annual Internal AGAR report for 2023-2024 and RECOMMENDED to Full Council on 26 June 2024 that it be approved for the AGAR submission.
Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the internal audit be received and noted for the AGAR submission.
v) Minute 17 – Annual Governance Statement (Part 1 of the Annual Return)
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND to Full Council on Wednesday 26 June 2024 that the Annual Governance Statement (Part 1 of the Annual Return) 2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Mayor and the Town Clerk.
Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the Annual Governance Statement (Part 1 of the Annual Return) 2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Chair and the Town Clerk.
vi) Minute 18 – Annual Statements (Part 2 of the Annual Return)
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND to Full Council on 26 June 2024 that the Accounting Statements (Part 2 of the Annual Return) 2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Mayor and the Responsible Finance Officer.
Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the Accounting Statements (Part 2 of the Annual Return) 2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Chair and the Responsible Finance Officer.
vii) Minute 20 – City Council financial regulations
Members noted that this would be discussed under agenda item 8.
Property Sub-Committee
Members noted the minutes of the Property Sub-Committee meeting held on 13 May 2024
Personnel Sub-Committee
Members noted the minutes of the Property Sub-Committee meeting held on 5 June 2024
17. CITY COUNCIL FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
Councillor Chant asked for a number of clarifications from Officers on specific points within the new City Council Financial Regulations.
Members were advised that, on the point about scrutiny of the bank reconciliations, this may be a task undertaken by the internal auditor.
Councillor Chant asked that, for the benefit of Members, a “fiscal timetable” be produced outlining the stages and important dates involved in the budget setting cycle.
AGREED that this would be delivered via the Business Plan Sub-Committee.
The RFO informed Members that, since the document version that had been seen by the Finance Committee on 11 June 2024, point 6.10 had been revised to state that the RFO would present a schedule to the Finance Committee of all payments made since the last meeting.
It was proposed by Councillor Scicluna, seconded by Councillor Miall and RESOLVED that the revised City Council Financial Regulations (June 2024) be approved and adopted.
18. ANNUAL INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT 2023-2024
Further to minute 15a of the Finance Committee meeting held on 11 June 2024, the RFO read out the revised text of the section of the report that had required clarification.
It was then proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Scicluna and RESOLVED that the revised Annual Internal Audit Report for 2023-2024 be approved.
19. DIVERSITY TRAINING FOR MEMBERS
The Town Clerk advised Members that, further to an instruction from the District Council’s Monitoring Officer, she had spoken to Chichester College about designing and tailored course for all Members and staff to attend.
Members were also advised that the training would be delivered in groups of up to 12 attendees and that a total of three dates would be made available.
The course would involve full day sessions and be delivered at the College with the cost of the course design and training delivery being £4,250.
It was RESOLVED to proceed with the training as outlined.
There were two abstentions.
20. REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
The Chair advised that no reports had been received in advance of the meeting and any late updates would be circulated with the meeting minutes.
21. WARD REPORTS FROM CHICHESTER CITY COUNCILLORS
The Chair advised that no reports had been received in advance of the meeting and any late updates would be circulated with the meeting minutes.
Councillors Scicluna and Vivian gave a brief update on the Tower Street toilets and their proposed closure and demolition.
22. REPORTS FROM CHICHESTER DISTRICT AND WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL’S WARD MEMBERS
The Chair noted receipt of the report from West Sussex County Councill Julian Joy and advised that that any late updates from Councillors would be circulated with the meeting minutes.
West Sussex County Councillor Oakley gave an update on the River Lavant embankment along Westhampnett road.
He advised that works were due to commence on 12th August for 12 weeks with breaks in the works during Goodwood events and weekends.
Members were informed that the official diversion route would be via Bognor Road, but that there was a risk that rat running will take place in Barnfield/Swanfield and Oving Road. They were also informed that temporary repairs had been completed at Barnfield/Swanfield in anticipation of this.
23. QUESTIONS
The Chairman noted that no questions had been received pursuant to Standing Order 8.
24. PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS ACT) 1960
Proposed from the Chair and seconded by Councillor Vivian, RESOLVED that the public and press be excluded from this meeting for agenda item 16 due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted namely financial and business affairs of third parties.
25. MATTERS RELATING TO THE MARKET HOUSE
Council discussed the Town Clerk’s report that had been circulated prior to the meeting and RESOLVED to request an urgent meeting with Orion Developments (Southern) Ltd.
AGREED that Councillors Miall, Loxton and Scicluna should represent the City Council to discuss options and further AGREED that if a meeting could not be organised in a timely fashion no action would be taken before the outcome of the auction was known.
The Town Clerk advised that a Special Meeting of the City Council could be called the following week if any resolutions were required once the meeting had been held.
26. COMMON SEAL
RESOLVED that the Common Seal be affixed to any documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed at this meeting.
DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: 6.00pm on 25 September 2024
The meeting closed at 6.50pm