Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

Minutes – Full Council (Special meeting) – 20 March 2024

The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Full Council (Special Meeting) – 20 March 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 (Special meeting) – 20 March 2024

SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL

Minutes

Date: 20 March 2024

Time: 5.30pm – 6.12pm

Location: The Council Chamber – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ

PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor C Gershater, and Councillors Apel, J Gershater, McHale, Miall, Moore, Pramas, Quail, Scicluna, Squire and Vivian

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk, Council Services and Support Manager

101. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

RESOLVED to receive and approve apologies and reasons for absence from the meeting from Councillors Butler, Chant, Hitchman, Kondabeka and Loxton.

Councillors Corfield and Knight were absent.

102. DISPENSATION REQUESTS

No requests were received.

103. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING

No further declarations were made.

104. CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL PRESS AND MEDIA POLICY

The Town Clerk reminded Members that the Press and Media policy had been brought to Council as part of the regular review process set out in the City Council’s Standing Orders.

Councillors discussed the policy and Councillor McHale requested clarification that only one of the relevant persons cited (Mayor/Deputy Mayor/Chairs of relevant committees) would need to sign off quotes and press releases, and only in their areas of competence within the Council.

The Mayor requested that the Town Clerk investigate providers of and costs for media training for Councillors and Officers and it was RESOLVED that a section be added to the policy advising that training would be provided to those who requested it.

RESOLVED to adopt the Press and Media policy subject to the agreed amendments being added.

105. REQUEST FOR EXTENDED ABSENCE

RESOLVED to grant the request for extended absence for Councillor Pramas for 12 months commencing on 13 May 24.

106. CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL STANDING ORDERS

Following an explanation of the changes that had been made to the Standing Orders as presented with the agenda.

RESOLVED to adopt the revised Standing Orders.

The Town Clerk was asked to arrange a briefing session for Councilllors on the Standing Orders in advance of the annual review later in the year.

107. CITY COUNCIL PLAN

Councillor Miall, as Chair of the Business Plan Working Group, gave an overview of the results of the consultation and the key messages for communication going forward.

Referring to the draft flyer that had been produced to communicate the results, Councillor Miall suggested that it should include the following:

  • Recruitment is commencing for a Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) advice worker to be based in the Council House.
  • The City Council is offering to contribute funding for city centre pavements works once West Sussex County Council have finalised a plan.
  • The City Council is proceeding with a “dark spaces” street lighting improvment project.
  • The City Council is actively looking at ways to improve the environment based on comments received from residents on the importance of environmental issues.
  • The City Council is commencing a feasibility study in to delivering a community centre in the south of the city.

It was AGREED that the Town Clerk would send the updated flyer to Councillors for their comments and feedback.

Following a short discussion, it was then RESOLVED to create the post of and recruit a Community Support Officer post, through the CAB, funded from the City Council’s precept demand.

Councillor Scicluna abstained and Councillor Squire voted against.

Further RESOLVED to recruit a Project Management Officer to deliver on priorities identified in the business plan, the post to be funded from the City Council’s CIL receipts.

Councillor Apel abstained.

The meeting closed at 6.12pm

DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: Wednesday 24 April 2024 at 7.00pm

ACTIONS ARISING FROM THIS MEETING

Minute ref.Agreed actionAssigned for action to
104Incorporate requested changes in to draft City Council press and Media Policy and publish.Town Clerk
106Arrange Standing Orders briefing for Councillors in advance of the annual review.Town Clerk
107Update draft Business Plan outcomes flyer and distribute to Councillors for commentTown Clerk
107To commence recruitment in to the new posts of Community Support Officer and Project Management OfficerTown Clerk
Skip to content