Apologies were received from Councillors Davies, Van Looy and Ware-Lane.

•              Councillor Assenheim

Cabinet Committee – 10^th March 2016

Minute 705 (Members Request List Ref No. 15/11 – Tyrone Road and Fermoy Road) – Non-pecuniary interest – Patient at doctor’s surgery in the road affected;

•              Councillor Ayling

Development Control Committee – 2^nd March 2016

Minute 690 (15/01898/FULM) – Non-pecuniary interest – Have met with the school and residents;

•              Councillor Betson

Cabinet Committee – 10^th March 2016

Minute 703 (objections to Traffic Regulation Orders) – Non-pecuniary interest – lives in the vicinity of the junction of Neil Armstrong Way;

Place Scrutiny Committee – 11^th April 2016

Interests in the referred/called-in items; attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19th July 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011.

·                     Councillor Borton

Council – 21^st April 2016

Minute 807 – Petition (20mph Speed Limit in Rochester Drive) – Disclosable Non-Pecuniary interest – lives in Rochester Drive;

•              Councillor Buckley

General Purposes Committee – 23^rd March 2016

Minute 741 (Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman) – Non-pecuniary interest – Nominees for Alderman/Alderwoman were known to him;

•              Councillor Callaghan

General Purposes Committee – 23^rd March 2016

Minute 741 (Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman) – Non-pecuniary interest – Nominees for Alderman/Alderwoman were known to him;

            Council – 21^st April 2016

Minute 809 (Petition – Dual Diagnosis Worker) – Non-pecuniary interest – signed the petition;

·                     Councillor Courtenay

Cabinet – 15^th March 2016

Minute 709 (Notice of Motion - C2C Timetable) – Non-pecuniary interest – attended a demonstration against the new C2C timetable;

•              Councillor Crystall

People Scrutiny Committee – 12^th April 2016

Minute 778 (Chairman’s Update) and Minute 777 (Southend Hospital report) – non-pecuniary – Governor at Southend Hospital;

•              Councillor Davidson

People Scrutiny Committee – 12^th April 2016

Minute 779 (In-depth Scrutiny project – transition arrangements from children’s to adult services) – non-pecuniary interest – member of SAFE (Supporting Aspergers Families in Essex);

•              Councillor Endersby

General Purposes Committee – 23^rd March 2016

Minute 741 (Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman) – Non-pecuniary interest – Nominees for Alderman/Alderwoman were known to him;

•              Councillor Evans

Minute 793 (16/00154/FUL) – Non-pecuniary interest: A Governor of the school is a personal friend;

•              Councillor Folkard

General Purposes Committee – 23^rd March 2016

Minute 741 (Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman) – Non-pecuniary interest – Nominees for Alderman/Alderwoman were known to him;

People Scrutiny Committee – 12^th April 2016

Minute 778 (Southend University Hospital Trust) and Minute 777 (Chairman’s Update) – Non-pecuniary interest - ambassador for fundraising team at Southend Hospital; on reading panel at Southend Hospital for information leaflets and relative works at Broomfield Hospital;

·                     Councillor Flewitt

Cabinet – 15^th March 2016

Minute 708 (C2C) – Non-pecuniary interest – spoken and lobbied on this and rail issues in general;

Minute 710 (HIV Motion) – Non-pecuniary interest – worked with Halve-It and THT charities;

Minute 722 – A127 Kent Elms – Non-pecuniary interest – Lobbying and commented on the consultation;

Minute 723 – PVX Policy – Non-pecuniary interest – lobbied for changes to procedures;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 803.

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

The relevant Executive Councillors responded to written questions received from Councillors Hadley, Cox, Aylen, McGlone and Willis.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 25^th February 2016 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Petition attached.

Councillor Betson presented a petition on behalf of local residents requesting the introduction of a 20mph speed limit in Rochester Drive.

Resolved:

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

Petition attached.

Councillor Willis presented a petition on behalf of local residents requesting the introduction of an alcohol free zone for the area around Westcliff library.

Resolved:

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

Petition attached.

Councillor Salter presented a petition on behalf of local residents requesting the employment and funding for a dual diagnosis worker.

Resolved:

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

Petition attached.

Councillor Courtenay presented a petition on behalf of local residents requesting reconsideration of the licensed hours of trade of PlayFootball in Prittlewell Chase.

Resolved:

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

Minutes attached.

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.

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 713, 714 and 717, be adopted.

Minutes attached.

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Minutes attached.

Minutes 741 and 742 were dealt with at the Special Council meeting held earlier this evening.

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 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 attached

Resolved:

That the minutes of this meeting be noted.

Notice of Motion attached.

Resolved:

That in accordance with Standing Order 8.4 the following notice of motion be referred to the Cabinet:

‘Trade Union Bill

This Council recognises:

·         The positive contribution that trade unions and trade union members make in our workplaces. This Council values the constructive relationship that we have with our trade unions and we recognise their commitment, and the commitment of all our staff, to the delivery of good quality public services.

·         This Council notes with concern the Trade Union Bill which is currently being proposed by the Government and which would affect this Council’s relationship with our trade unions and our workforce as a whole. This Council rejects this Bill’s attack on local democracy and the attack on our right to manage our own affairs.

·         This Council is clear that facility time, negotiated and agreed by us and our trade unions to suit our own specific needs, has a valuable role to play in the creation of good quality and responsive local services. Facility time should not be determined or controlled by Government in London.

·         This Council is happy with the arrangements we currently have in place for deducting trade union membership subscriptions through our payroll. We see this as an important part of our positive industrial relations and a cheap and easy to administer system that supports our staff. This system is an administrative matter for the Council and should not be interfered with by the UK Government.     

This Council resolves:

·         To support the campaign against the unnecessary, anti-democratic and bureaucratic Trade Union Bill.

·         This Council further resolves to seek to continue its own locally agreed industrial relations strategy and will take every measure possible to maintain its autonomy with regard to facility time and the continuing use of check-off.’

Proposed: Cllr Cheryl Nevin

Seconded: Cllr Margaret Borton

Report of the Chief Executive & Town Clerk attached.  (Item deferred from the meeting of The Council held on 25^th February 2016).

The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk which was deferred from Council held on 25^th February 2016.  The report provided background information to enable the Council to make a decision on the notice of motion on proposed changes to the Council’s electoral arrangements. 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.1 Councillors Lamb and Flewitt submitted 2 amendments to the proposals concerning:-

Amendment 1: In the third line of paragraph 3.1(i) of the report, delete “2018” and replace with “2020” and delete paragraph 3.1(ii)

Amendment 2: To delete paragraph 3.1(ii);

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12 a requisition for a named vote on each amendment was made and the voting was as follows:-

Amendment 1

For the amendment:

Cllrs Arscott, Aylen, Buckley, Byford, Courtenay, Davidson, Evans, Flewitt, Folkard, D Garston, Hadley, Kenyon, Lamb, Phillips, Robertson, Salter (17)

Against the amendment:

Cllrs Assenheim, Ayling, Betson, Borton, Butler, Callaghan, Cox, Crystall, Endersby, J Garston, Gilbert, Habermel, Jarvis, Jones, Longley, McGlone, McMahon, Moyies, Mulroney, Nevin, Norman, Robinson, Stafford, Terry, Velmurugan, Walker, Ward, Waterworth, Willis and Woodley (30)

Abstentions:

Cllr Moring (1)

Absent for the vote:

Cllrs Davies, Van Looy and Ware-Lane (3)

The amendment (1) was not carried.

Amendment 2:

For the amendment:

Cllrs Arscott, Betson, Buckley, Courtenay, Crystall, Davidson, Flewitt, Folkard, D Garston, Mulroney, Phillips, Terry (12)

Against the amendment:

Cllrs Assenheim, Aylen, Ayling, Borton, Butler, Byford, Callaghan, Cox, Endersby, Evans, J Garston, Gilbert, Habermel, Hadley, Holland, Jarvis, Jones, Kenyon, Lamb, Longley, McGlone, McMahon, Moyies, Nevin, Norman, Robertson, Robinson, Salter, Stafford, Velmurugan, Walker, Ward, Waterworth, Willis and Woodley (35)

Abstentions

Cllr Moring (1)

Absent for the vote:

Cllrs Davies, Van Looy and Ware-Lane (3)

The amendment (2) was not carried.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12 a requisition for a named vote on the recommendations contained in 3.1(i) and 3.1(ii) was made and the voting was as follows:-

For the recommendations:

Cllrs Callaghan, Cox, Gilbert, Jarvis, Longley, Moyies, Stafford, Terry, Ward and Woodley (10)

Against the recommendations:

Cllrs Arscott, Assenheim, Aylen, Ayling, Betson, Borton, Buckley, Butler, Byford, Courtenay, Crystall, Davidson, Endersby, Evans, Flewitt, Folkard, D Garston, J Garston, Habermel, Hadley, Holland, Jones, Kenyon, Lamb, McGlone, McMahon, Mulroney, Nevin, Norman, Phillips, Robertson, Robinson, Salter, Velmurugan, Walker, Waterworth and Willis (37)

Abstentions:

Cllr Moring (1)

Absent for the vote:

Cllrs Davies, Van Looy and Ware-Lane.

The recommendations contained in 3.1(i) and 3.1(ii) of the submitted report were not carried.

Resolved:

That the recommendations contained in 3.1(i) and 3.1(ii) of the submitted report concerning changes to the cycle for electing Councillors and a reduction in the number of Councillors not be adopted.

Report of Chief Executive & Town Clerk (to follow).

The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk on a breach of the pre-election purdah rules.

During consideration of the report a requisition for a named vote for a ‘vote of no confidence in the Leader of the Council’ was made and the voting was as follows:

For vote of no confidence:

Cllrs Arscott, Buckley, Butler, Byford, Courtenay, Cox, Davidson, Evans, Flewitt, Folkard, D Garston, J Garston, Habermel, Hadley, Holland, Jarvis, Lamb, McGlone, Phillips, Robertson, Salter, Walker and Waterworth (23)

Against vote of no confidence:

Cllrs Assenheim, Ayling, Betson, Borton, Callaghan, Crystall, Endersby, Gilbert, Jones, Kenyon, Longley, McMahon, Moyies, Mulroney, Nevin, Norman, Robinson, Stafford, Terry, Velmurugan, Ward, Willis and Woodley (23)

Abstentions:

*Cllr Moring (1)

Absent for the vote:

Cllrs Davies, Van Looy and Ware-Lane (3)

*As a result of an equality of votes the Worshipful the Mayor used his casting vote and voted against the motion of no confidence in the Leader.

The motion was not carried.

Resolved:

That the circumstances which have resulted in the breach of the pre-election purdah rules, the steps which have been taken, and are proposed to be taken, to prevent it happening again, and the apology offered by the Chief Executive & Town Clerk as Head of Paid Service for the breach, be noted.

The Worshipful the Mayor extended his thanks and appreciation on behalf of the Council to Councillors Crystall, Longley and Robertson who were not standing for re-election on 5^th May 2016 and to those Members who were standing but may not be returned. 

During consideration of Minute 825 (Changes in Electoral Arrangements) the hour of 11 p.m. having been reached, the Council:

Resolved:

That the remaining business on the agenda be proceeded with.

Resolved:-

That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the item of business set out below, on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Minute 606 of People Scrutiny Committee held on 26^th January 2016 attached (The minute was deferred by Council on 25^th February 2016 and is for debate only).

Resolved:

That minute 606 of People Scrutiny Committee held 26^th January 2016 be noted.