Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Kenyon and Van Looy.

·                     Councillor Arscott

Development Control Committee – 1^st March 2017

Minute 816 - 16/02277/FUL - The Britannia, 6 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 2ER – Non-pecuniary interest: Applicant is known to them;

Audit Committee – 29^th March 2017

Minute 900 – Internal Audit Service Quarterly Performance Report – School Governor at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School – Non-pecuniary interest.

            People Scrutiny Committee – 11^th April 2017

Minute 962: School Admissions Arrangements; Minute 963: Annual Education Report; Minute 964: School Term Dates 2018/19; Minute 969: Schools Progress report – non pecuniary – Governor at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School;

Cabinet – 14^th March 2017

Minute 863 – FLAG Report – non-pecuinary interest – Board member of North Thames Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG);

·                     Councillor Ayling

Development Control Committee – 1^st March 2017

Minute 816 - 16/02277/FUL - The Britannia, 6 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 2ER – Non-pecuniary interest: Applicant is known to them;

Development Control Committee – 5^th April 2017

Minute 919: 16/01901/FUL – 1 Mayfair Place, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2FR - Non-pecuniary interest: Knows the applicant;

Minute 918: 16/02194/FULM – Shoeburyness High School, Caulfield Rd, Shoeburyness, SS3 9LL - Non-pecuniary interest: Son works in department at school;

Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committee – 12^th April 2017

Minute 973: PCC Consultation – non-pecuniary interest: son is a Police Special;

·                     Councillor Borton

Cabinet Committee – 9^th March 2017

Minute 847 (Additional Parking Spaces around the Seaway Car Park Area) – Non-pecuniary interest: Fellow Councillor lives in Pleasant Road;

People Scrutiny Committee – 11^th April 2017

Minute 961: Future provision of secondary places in Southend; Minute 962: School Admissions Arrangements; Minute 963: Annual Education Report; Minute 969: School Progress report – non- pecuniary – Governor at Milton Hall School;

Minute 966: Scrutiny Committee updates – non-pecuniary – daughter nurse at Rochford Hospital;

Council – 20^th April 2017

Notice of Motion – Muscular Dystrophy and Motobility – non-pecuniary interest – employed by the DWP which was mentioned;

·                     Councillor Boyd

People Scrutiny Committee – 11^th April 2017

Minute 961: Future provision of secondary places in Southend; Minute 962: School Admissions Arrangements; Minute 963: Annual Education Report; Minute 969: School Progress report – non- pecuniary – Governor at Westcliff High School for Girls and South East Essex Academy Trust, south east Essex Teaching School Alliance;

·                    Councillor Buckley

Cabinet Committee – 9^th March 2017

Minute 843 (Members Requests List – Reference No.16/01 – waiting restrictions or parking management scheme to deter airport parking in Rochford Road) – non-pecuniary interest – Frequently lobbied for some action and expressed views in local media and political literature and to officers;

·                     Councillor Burzotta

Place Scrutiny Committee – 10^th April 2017

Minute 951: (Better Queensway: Process to appoint a preferred project partner) – Disclosable non-pecuniary interest: Non-Executive Director of South Essex Homes – attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed by the Standards Committee on 28th February 2017, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011 to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 985.

The Worshipful the Mayor presented the chain of office to this year’s Youth Mayor, Mr Edward Feddon, and the Chain of Office to this year’s Deputy Youth Mayor, Ms Nadia Ahmed.

Minutes Silence – Westminster Terror Attack

The Council stood for a one minute silence as a mark of respect for all those affected by the Westminster Terror attack on 23^rd March 2017.

Councillor Assenheim

The Council stood for a one minute silence in tribute to the memory of the late Councillor Mike Assenheim who passed away suddenly on 3^rd April 2017.

The relevant Executive Councillors responded to written questions received from Members of the Public.

The relevant Executive Councillors responded to written questions received from Members of the Council.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of this meeting be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Petition attached.

Councillor Mulroney presented a petition on behalf of local residents requesting the Council to increase pedestrian safety in Whitehouse Road.

Resolved:

That, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5, the petition be referred to Cabinet Committee.

Petition attached.

Councillor Mulroney presented a petition on behalf of local residents requesting the Council to install a zebra crossing at Western Approaches.

Resolved:

That, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5, the petition be referred to Cabinet Committee.

Minutes attached.

During consideration of Minute 809 (Committee on Standards in Public Life) the Executive Councillor for Corporate & Community Support Services agreed that an equality and diversity training session would be arranged for Members.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes attached.

During consideration of Minute 843 (Members Request List) the Executive Councillor for Transport, Waste and Cleansing provided an assurance that in future reports concerning Members’ requests for traffic management schemes would be published well in advance of the meetings of the Traffic & Parking Working Party and Cabinet Committee.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted and the recommendations contained in Minutes 853, 860 and 864 be approved, subject to an amendment to Resolution 3 of Minute 855 (HRA Development) to read as follows:

‘3. That an additional budget in the HRA Capital Programme of £2.755m be approved and be funded as set out in paragraph 6.2 of the report.’

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes to follow.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted, subject to a minor amendment to the resolution in Minute 917 (TPO 1/2017 – 29 Hadleigh Road) to read as follows:-

‘That TPO 1/2017 at 29 Hadleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea be confirmed, for the following reasons – the trees provide valuable contribution to the amenity of the area.

Informative: Further works to the trees will require the consent of the LPA.’

Minutes to follow

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes to follow.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes to follow.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes to follow.

Better Queensway Project

In moving the Minutes, the Executive Councillor for Transport, Waste and Cleansing proposed an amendment to recommendation (i) in Minute 951 (Better Queensway Project) relating to Transport (see resolution below).  In response to questions about this amendment, the Executive Councillor:

(i) Provided an assurance that all relevant matters would be considered as part of the review of the road layout, including the status of the ‘Deeping’; and

(ii) Confirmed that engagement and consultation will all Members and stakeholders would take place in connection with the Transport arrangements.

Revocation of Pier Cycling Byelaw

During consideration of Minute 952 (Revocation of Pier Cycling Byelaw) a requisition for a named vote was made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12(a) to refer the matter back to Cabinet.  The voting was as follows:-

For reference back:

Cllrs Aylen, Ayling, Borton, Callaghan, Endersby, Gilbert, Jones, McDonald, Mulroney, Nevin, Robinson, Stafford, Terry, Ware-Lane, Willis and Woodley (16)

Against reference back:

Cllrs Arscott, Bright, Boyd, Buckley, Burzotta, Butler, Byford, Courtenay, Cox, Davidson, Evans, Flewitt, Folkard, D Garston, J Garston, Habermel, Hadley, Holland, Jarvis, Lamb, McGlone, Moring, Moyies, Phillips, Salter, Walker, Waterworth (27)

Abstentions:

Cllr Davies and McMahon (2)

Absent:

Cllrs Kenyon, Norman MBE, Van Looy, Ward and Wexham (5)

The motion to refer the matter back was lost.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted and the recommendations contained in Minutes 951 and 952 be approved, subject to the deletion of recommendation (i) relating to Transport in Minute 951 to be replaced with the following words:-

‘Members note that the plan at appendix 2 is an indicative road transport layout of the regeneration area and that the final layout will be submitted to Cabinet for approval in the context of the overall Queensway scheme developed through the partnership.  Members note that it is proposed to retain two lanes in each direction through the underpass.’

‘

Minutes to follow.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes to follow.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted and the recommendations contained in Minutes 973 and 976 be approved.

Notice of Motion attached.

Resolved:

That, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.4, the following notice of motion be referred to Cabinet:

‘Muscular Dystrophy and Motability

Thousands of people have lost access to Motability vehicles through being  switched from the Disability Living Allowance  to the Personal Independence Payments since 2013.  According to Muscular Dystrophy UK the number of people returning Motability vehicles is over 900 a week, in addition to the  51,000 people who have already returned their cars.

The number of people eligible for Motability funding has halved during the reassessment process. Of the 254,200 people who were eligible for Motability funding under DLA who were reassessed for PIP by 31 October 2016, 126,300 people have lost access.

Government-funded Motability cars, mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs are specially adapted for the individual needs of disabled people, and are vital for maintaining independence, social inclusion and overcoming problems of loneliness and being housebound.

Since a change in the rules , to  qualify for the higher level of the mobility component of PIP, which is needed to get a Motability vehicle, a person must be unable to walk unaided for 20 metres, compared to the previous distance of 50 metres under the DLA assessment.

The Government has not been able to produce any evidence to support the use of the 20-metre rule, which was introduced by the DWP with no prior warning.

This change has been compounded by a lack of knowledge about the reliability criteria, which are included in the assessment to ensure that people can not only walk 20 metres, but do so safely and more than once in a short time period. However, many people being assessed do not know the rules about the reliability criteria, and are losing their vehicles as they can barely or unsafely walk 20 metres.

It is also not a question of being able to walk safely and unaided but also to walk without severe pain.

Statistics from the Ministry of Justice show that 65% of contested PIP awards have been won on appeal.

Muscular Dystrophy UK is calling for the DWP:

·              to revert to the 50-metre rule

·                and assessment providers Atos and Capita to ensure that all applicants are made aware of the reliability criteria and are prompted to consider them

·                to ensure vehicles are not taken away until a final decision has been reached. The appeals process currently takes longer than the time allowed for people to return their cars.

That this Council supports the campaign by Muscular Dystrophy UK and  requests  the Borough's MPs to promote the changes  requested by Muscular Dystrophy UK  for the benefit  of those who suffer from the disease (and other mobility diseases)   and thus restore their ability to live as mobile and inclusive a life as is possible.

Proposed: Councillor Mulroney

Seconded: Councillor Gilbert

The Worshipful the Mayor advised that under Council Procedure Rule 19, a minority group may request an item to be placed on the Council agenda for discussion and be treated as opposition business.  The Independent Group had activated this procedure and requested that Planning Policy be debated.  A debate took place but no motions were moved.

Resolved:

That the following changes and appointments to Committees, be noted:

·           Councillor Flewitt to replace Councillor Holland on the Conservation Working Party;

·           Councillor D Norman MBE to be appointed as the Labour Group substitute on the Essex Fire Authority.