Minutes – Full Council – 24 April 2024
The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Full Council – 24 April 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 – 24 April 2024
MEETING OF COUNCIL
Minutes
Date: 24 April 2024
Time: 7.00pm – 8.10pm
Location: The Council Chamber – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ
PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor C Gershater, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Corfield, and Councillors Apel, Butler, J Gershater, Hitchman, Kondabeka, McHale, Miall, Pramas, Quail, Scicluna, Squire and Vivian
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Council Services and Support Manager, Mayor’s Chaplain, West Sussex County Councillors Hunt and Oakley, Chichester District Councillor Brown
Prior to the start of the meeting, the Mayor expressed his thanks to his Chaplain, Mr Bruno Kondabeka, for his services over the past year in providing thoughts for the day before Council meetings which had been greatly appreciated.
108. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
RESOLVED to receive and approve apologies and reasons for absence from the meeting from Councillors Chant, Knight and Loxton.
Councillor Moore was absent from the meeting.
109. DISPENSATION REQUESTS
No requests were received.
110. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING
No further declarations were made.
At this point, the Mayor took agenda item 10.
111. PLAYGROUNDS IN CHICHESTER – REQUEST FROM CHICHESTER DISTRICT COUNCIL FOR CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR PLAYGROUND PROVISION IN CHICHESTER
Councillor Miall updated Councillors on a meeting that had taken place between Members and Officers of Chichester District Council and the Town Clerk and himself. He advised that the purpose of the meeting had been to discuss if the City Council would be willing to contribute significant funding towards a project to refurbish and improve up to five playgrounds across the city.
Members were further advised that the like-for-like replacement of all the equipment would cost in the region of £800K, which the District Council could fund from existing reserves; and that the District Council hoped that the City Council would be willing to contribute significant extra funds to allow for additional and improved equipment to be provided.
Councillor Miall also explained that, although City Council’s CIL moneys could be used to fund the initial investment, there would also be a need to set aside money annually for ongoing maintenance and future capital expenditure on equipment replacement which would have implications for the City Council’s precept demand and revenue budget.
In response to questions from Members, Councillor Miall clarified that the revenue element would cover the maintenance and future replacement of any additional equipment provided by the City Council.
Councillor Vivian reported that there was likely to be a large request from West Sussex County Council for the city centre pavements project. He advised that the City Council would need to take a longer term view when discussing priorities for funding with a balance being needed between its own projects and funding requests from external organisations.
Chichester District Councillor Brown responded that, at this stage, the District Council was seeking to understand if the City Council would be open to exploring the idea of co-funding the playgrounds project and that they were working on a range of initial scenarios based on budgets of £800K, £1.2M and £1.6M. He expressed the hope that an investment from the City Council would allow the project to deliver significant benefits to the city.
Councillor Miall stressed that, should the request to contribute funding be agreed, there would be an expectation that the City Council would have a significant input in to the project and the delivery of the playground improvements.
Councillor Brown confirmed that, whatever solution was agreed, it would involve the setting aside of funds for the future replacement of equipment but that the City Council’s ongoing contribution might be more representative of the relative sizes of the two Council’s budgets.
Councillor Squire added that additional playgrounds in the city not managed by the District Council also needed to be renovated and that this needed to be considered.
Further to a proposal from Councillor Miall it was RESOLVED to continue further dialogue with Chichester District Council on the basis that the City Council was attracted to supporting the principle of investing in the improvement of playground facilities in the city.
The meeting returned to the published agenda order.
112. MINUTES OF COUNCIL
RESOLVED to approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting of Council held on 28 February 2024 and the minutes of the Special Meeting of Council held on 20 March 2024.
113. UPDATES ON ACTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES NOT COVERED ELSEWHERE ON THE AGENDA
a) Minute 85 – To advise of costs of gift for Chartres visit once the Oxmarket have advised of a suitable artwork.
The Mayor reported that gifts had been sourced from with the City Council’s collection and that they would be presented to the City of Chartres during the Mayor’s upcoming visit.
b) Minute 88 – To update the Terms of Reference of the Committees and Sub-Committees and Scheme of Delegation to incorporate the agreed amendments.
The Town Clerk reported that the terms of reference had been duly updated and were now in place.
c) Minute 89 – To update the grant funding policy, guidelines and terms and conditions to make clear that free use is only available during regular Council House opening hours.
The Town Clerk reported that the grant funding policy, guidelines and terms and conditions had been updated and were now in place.
d) Minute 90 – To convene a meeting of the Business Plan Working Group to prepare the final report and recommendations based on the consultation results.
Members were advised that the final report was currently being distributed to all households in the city and project implementation was underway. They were further advised that a meeting with CAB would be taking place the next day to progress the advice worker recruitment and that the job description for the Project Manager role was being assessed for salary grading ahead of approval by the Personnel Sub-Committee.
e) Minute 90 – To establish a Working Group to review and audit Civic and Ceremonial functions and make recommendations on their delivery.
RESOLVED that the Civic and Ceremonial Working Group would be convened in the new Council year with the date of the first meeting to be confirmed.
f) Minute 90 – To dissolve the Portico Working Group until such time as the project is reconsidered for progression.
Members were informed that, in place of the original Portico Working Group, a new Working Group was being formed to look at the foyer, reception and interior of the building with the aim of creating a more open and welcoming space.
g) Minute 91 – To add all projects incorporated in to the final Council Plan on to the CDC Infrastructure Business Plan.
The Deputy Town Clerk that this process had now been completed.
h) Minute 92 – To call a Special Meeting of the Council on the 28 March 2024 to adopt the Press and Media and Social Media policies.
The Town Clerk reminded Members that the Special Meeting had taken place on the 20 March 2024 and that the policy had been adopted.
114. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Mayor informed Council that, as part of a busy end-of-mayoralty, he would be visiting Chartres to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the signing of the twinning charter between Chartres and Chichester.
The Mayor thanked the Members of the Council for their help and advice during his Mayoralty.
115. PUBLIC QUESTIONS
No questions were received from members of the public pursuant to Appendix 1 of Chichester City Council’s Standing Orders (September 2020).
116. MINUTES OF COMMITTEES
a) Planning and Conservation Committee
- 29 February 2024
- 28 March 2024
Council noted the receipt of the minutes and that the actions from both meetings had been completed.
b) Community Affairs Committee
- 4 March 2024
- 8 April 2024
Council noted the receipt of the minutes.
The Chair advised Members that, regarding the D-Day commemorations, an exhibition would be held in the Council House detailing the role of the City on the day and that guided walks would be taking place throughout the day.
Councillor Scicluna reminded Members that it had been agreed that a wreath would be laid by the City Council on the grave of May Grainger to mark the 80th anniversary of her death as a result of the Liberator plane crash in Chichester.
c) Finance Committee
- 2 April 2024
Council noted receipt of the minutes.
The Committee Chair advised that she had received many positive comments from members of the public regarding the replanting of the Cathedral flower beds and she further expressed her thanks to those involved with the project.
Members noted the minutes of the Special Meeting of the Property Sub-Committee held on 21 February 2024 and the Meeting of the Property Sub-Committee held on 20 March 2024.
RESOLVED to accept and approve the sets of minutes as presented above.
117. REVIEW OF CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL’S STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
Members noted the deferral of the review of the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations to June 2024 due to the delayed publication of a new standard model by the National Association of Local Councils.
118. CHICHESTER PRIDE MARCH – 25 MAY 2024
RESOLVED to accept the invitation from Chichester Pride for the City Council to be represented at the Chichester Pride March. Further RESOLVED that those marching on behalf of the City Council could carry the City Council flag.
119. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Councillor Pramas summarised her paper that had been circulated with the agenda and which outlined the Council’s duties under the Equalities Act and how this translated in to best practice.
Councillor Kondabeka thanked Councillor Pramas for her paper and asked that Council think about how these principles of best practice and equity could be incorporated in to the City Council’s work.
The Town Clerk advised that she would be arranging training for all Councillors and Officers and that this would likely be offered as both in person and online modules so that everyone could access the materials.
120. TO NOTE WRITTEN REPORTS AS FOLLOWS:
- From City Council representatives on outside bodies
- From Chichester City Councillors regarding their ward activities
- From Chichester District and West Sussex County Councillors in Chichester wards or divisions
No written reports had been received.
Chichester District Councillor Brown advised that the tendering process for operators of the proposed ice rink had closed the day before so it was yet to be seen if a suitable proposal had been submitted.
He also advised that the refurbishment of the public toilets in Chichester had started, that the Tower Street toilets would be demolished shortly and that the District Council was currently preparing an option paper on alternative provision at that site.
West Sussex County Councillor Hunt advised that resurfacing of Orchard Street between St Pauls Road and Joy Lane would be taking place shortly. He also reported that the stretch between Joy Lane and the Westgate/West Street junction would be resurfaced as part of the upgrade of that roundabout to a Dutch roundabout format.
121. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT ORDINARY MEETING
- Neighbourhood Plan
122. COMMON SEAL
RESOLVED that the Common Seal be affixed to any documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed at this meeting.
The meeting closed at 8.10pm
DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
Annual Meeting of the City Council – Wednesday 15 2024 at 6.00pm
Ordinary Meeting of the City Council – Wednesday 26 June 2024 – time TBC
ACTIONS ARISING FROM THIS MEETING
No actions arising.