Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cox, D Jones, Murphy and Ward.

The following declarations of interest were made:

(a) Cllr Badger – Minute 105 (Notice of Motion - Building on Green Belt and Open Spaces) – Volunteer at Salvation Army in Hadleigh.

(b) Cllr Garston – Minute 105 (Notice of Motion – Building on Green Belt and Open Spaces) – has a business in Hadleigh (withdrew).

(c) Cllr Faulkner-Hatt – Minute 102 (Approval of Statement of Gambling Policy) – works in the gambling industry (withdrew).

(d) Cllr Harland - Minute 102 (Approval of Statement of Gambling Policy) – works in the gambling industry (withdrew).

(e) Cllr McMahon – Minute 104 (Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2025/26) – works for South Essex Advocacy.

(f) Cllr O’Connor - Minute 104 (Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2025/26) – works for South Essex Advocacy.

(a) Minutes Silence

The Council remained silent for one minute as a mark of respect to Mr Derek Jarvis, former Councillor, Mayor and Honorary Alderman, who sadly passed away recently.

(b) Presentation of the Yule Log

Councillor Wakefield presented the traditional Yule Log.

The relevant Cabinet Members responded to written questions received from the public.

The relevant Cabinet Members responded to written and supplementary questions received from Councillors.

Resolved:

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday, 17 October 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Resolved:

That the Minutes of the Special Meeting held on Wednesday, 20 November 2024, be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The Leader of the Council addressed the Council and provided a brief overview of the work of the Cabinet. Councillors Courtenay, Longstaff, Aylen and Berry responded.

Councillor Cartey presented a petition containing 635 signatures from residents against the proposed development of the Salvation Army land.

Resolved:

That, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.7 the petition be referred to the Cabinet.

The Council had before it the recommendation of Cabinet held on 18^th November 2024 concerning the Financial Performance Report for September 2024.

Resolved:

That the recommendation of the Cabinet held on 18^th November 2024 (Minute 44 refers), be approved.

The Council had before it the recommendation of Cabinet held on 18^th November 2024 concerning the Statement of Licensing Policy.

Resolved:

That the recommendation of the Cabinet held on 18^th November 2024 (Minute 50 refers), be approved.

The Council had before it the recommendation of Cabinet held on 18^th November 2024 concerning the Statement of Gambling Policy.

Resolved:

That the recommendation of the Cabinet held on 18^th November 2024 (Minute 51 refers), be approved.

Report of Chair, Standards Committee, Councillor K Robinson

The Council considered a report of the Chair of the Standards Committee concerning the new proposed Constitution.

Resolved:

1. That the whole of the proposed new Constitution set out at Appendix 1 to the submitted report, subject to a minor alteration to Part 2, Section 3, paragraph 3.35 regarding the duration of meetings shall be four and a half hours after the commencement of the meeting, be approved.

2. That the whole of the new Constitution, except all those provisions relating to changes to the number of committees, the sizes of committees plus the quorum requirements for these, the change of name for Development Control Committee to Planning Committee and the creation of a Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to have effect on 1 January 2025, be approved.

3. That all those provisions in the new Constitution relating to the number of committees, the sizes of committees plus the quorum requirements for these, the change of name for Development Control Committee to Planning Committee and the creation of a Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the numbers of Members allocated to Committees be adopted at the Annual Council in May 2025, be approved.

Report of Executive Director (Finance and Resources)

The Council considered a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Resources) concerning the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2025/26.

Resolved:

That the current 2024/25 Local Council Tax Support Scheme be re-adopted for 2025/26.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning the Building on green belt and open spaces was submitted by Councillor Aylen and seconded by Councillor Cartey.

During consideration of this matter an amendment was proposed by Councillor Mulroney and seconded by Councillor Collins and accepted by Councillor Aylen.

Resolved:

That the amended Notice of Motion set out below concerning building on the green belt and open spaces, be referred to the Cabinet for consideration:

‘Building On The Green Belt & Open Spaces

The Government has announced that it intends to relax the rules on building on the Green Belt which puts the Green Belt land north of Bournes Green Chase at risk, the Green Belt land owned by the Salvation Army in Hadleigh and the Green Belt land at Daws Heath which will severely impact residents in Leigh especially those which back onto the Salvation Army land.

Concerns have also been raised by residents about the potential building on open green spaces in Shoeburyness especially the land on Elm Road and the former Hinguar School playing field site which was highlighted as options for development in the Council’s Options and Appraisal document.   

This Council therefore resolves that:

1. It confirms its current objection to the development of Green Belt sites in Castle Point as per the objection letter dated 13th September 2024.  Should Castle Point Borough Council include the areas concerned in the next and final iterations of the Local Plan for major development i.e. housing, which impacts on Leigh, this Council will consider pursuit of its objections at the Examination in Public of the Plan.

2. It will give consideration to not designating the Green Belt land north of Bournes Green Chase and land on Elm Road, as well as the former Hinguar School playing field site, for development through the updated Local Plan process.’

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning the improved voting provision for visually impaired people was submitted by Councillor Nelson and seconded by Councillor Poulton.

Resolved:

That the Notice of Motion concerning the improved voting provision for visually impaired people, be referred to the Cabinet for consideration.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning the phasing out of the use of glyphosate was submitted by Councillor Stuart Allen and seconded by Councillor Badger.

Resolved:

That the Notice of Motion concerning the phasing out of the use of glyphosate, be referred to the Cabinet for consideration.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning urban trees was submitted by Councillor Longstaff.  In the absence of the seconder and no other seconders to support the motion it was withdrawn from consideration.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning support for rough sleepers was submitted by Councillor Campbell and seconded by Councillor Garston. 

On consideration of the matter the Leader of the Council undertook to take forward the proposals.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning the Labour Government Budget was submitted by Councillor Courtenay and seconded by Councillor Salter.

Resolved:

On being put to the vote the Notice of Motion concerning the Labour Government Budget, was not carried.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, a Notice of Motion concerning High Street Trees was submitted by Councillor McMahon and seconded by Councillor Buck.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 21.5 a named vote having been proposed and supported by six other Councillors, the voting was as follows:

For:

Cllrs Buck, Campbell, Cartey, Courtenay, Davidson, Evans, Folkard, Garston, Habermel, Harland, McMahon, Salter and Warren (13)

Against:

Cllrs Sam Allen, Stuart Allen, Aylen, Badger, Borton, Burton, Collins, Cowan, Dent, Faulkner-Hatt, Ferguson, Gilbert, Hyde, Anne Jones, Kinsella, Webster, Longstaff, McMullan, Mulroney, Nadeem, Nevin, Norman, O’Connor, Poulton, Richardson, Robinson, Sadza, Terry and Wakefield (29)

Abstentions:

Cllr Woodley (1)

Absent:

Cllrs Berry, Cox, Dear, Darryl Jones, Moyies, Murphy, Nelson and Ward (8).

Resolved:

On being put to the vote the Notice of Motion concerning high street trees, was not carried.

There was one change to the membership of the Policy and Resources Scrutiny Committee.  Councillor Nelson would be replaced by Councillor Campbell.