AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING of the COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF GOSPORT was held in the Council Chamber at the TOWN HALL, GOSPORT on MONDAY the TWENTIETH EIGHTH day of FEBRUARY 2005 at 6.00 PM.
The Mayor (Councillor Edwards) (P) (in the Chair);
The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Burgess) (P);
Councillors Allen , Mrs Batterbury, Mrs Binfield (P), Bone, Carr (P), Carter (P), Mrs Champion (P), Chegwyn (P), Clinton (P), Mrs Cully (P), Cully (P), Davis (P), Dickson (P), Edgar (P), Farr (P), Foster (P), Gill (P), Hayward (P), Hook (P), Jacobs (P), Kimber (P), Langdon (P), Philpott (P), Redrup, Rigg (P), Mrs Salter (P), Searle, Smith (P), Taylor (P), Train (P), Mrs Wright (P) and Wright (P).
Also in attendance: Honorary Alderman Foster
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APOLOGIES
Apologies for inability to attend the meeting were submitted on behalf of Councillors Allen, Mrs Batterbury, Bone, Redrup and Searle
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MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS
ROYAL HOSPITAL HASLAR
The Mayor had agreed to allow Councillor Edgar to update Members on the action taken in respect of the “Save Haslar” Campaign, following the decision taken by Council on 20 January 2005.
A questionnaire had been sent out to residents in the Borough seeking their views on whether or not to support the Council’s action for the Royal Hospital Haslar to be used for the provision of future health care. Councillor Edgar announced that to date 8,796 completed questionnaires had been returned, of which 8,691 were in support and 105 against the action.
Residents outside the Borough and in neighbouring areas had asked to be involved and included in the survey, as they could also be affected by the proposed closure of facilities at the Royal Hospital Haslar.
Councillor Edgar thanked the Council for arranging the public meeting and expressed his gratitude to the Press and Public Relations Officer for her hard work and commitment to the cause.
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STANDING ORDER 4.15.1
The Mayor reported that the Borough Solicitor had received notice requesting that Standing Order 4.15.1 be moved to enable:
(a) the Chief Executive to present his reports on The Thorngate Almshouse Trust and Realignment of Polling Districts within the Alverstoke Ward; and
(b) the Borough Treasurer to present his report on Council Tax Setting 2005/06.
RESOLVED: That Standing Order 4.15.1 be moved to enable the Chief Executive to present his reports on The Thorngate Almshouse Trust and Realignment of Polling Districts within the Alverstoke Ward and the Borough Treasurer to present his report on Council Tax Setting 2005/06.
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THE THORNGATE ALMSHOUSE TRUST
NOTE: Councillor Clinton declared a personal interest as one of the Nominated Trustees of the Thorngate Almshouse Trust and left the room and took no part in the discussion or decision thereon.
The Councillors had before them a report of the Chief Executive in connection with the Thorngate Almshouse Trust.
A letter had been received from the Clerk of the Trust informing the Council of the proposed changes to the current instrument governing the Trust. The Trust had been considering the method by which Trustees were appointed and considered that the requirement for the Council to nominate two Trustees no longer appeared relevant to the activities of the Trust. The current Council Nominated Trustees were Councillor Clinton and Honorary Alderman Lucas.
The Charity Commission had advised that there were no legal reasons for the provision to remain and suggested that the views of the Council be sought before any constitutional changes be made.
Council officers had been consulted and the views of the current Council Nominated Trustees had been obtained and as a result, it was reported that there would appear to be no reasons for the Council to object to the deletion of the requirement in the Trust’s Constitution.
The Council was requested to consider the Trust’s proposal that the Council no longer appoint two Nominated Trustees to the Thorngate Almshouse Trust.
MOTION: That the Council be recommended to raise no objection to the Thorngate Almshouse Trust proposition that the Council no longer appoint two Nominated Trustees to the Trust.
The Motion was accordingly put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.
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RE-ALIGNMENT OF POLLING DISTRICTS
WITHIN THE ALVERSTOKE WARD
The Chief Executive presented a report for consideration of arrangements for a revision of two of the three polling districts within the Alverstoke Ward.
The review had arisen following receipt of a complaint from a Member of the Alverstoke Ward that he had received representations from a resident of Tebourba Drive who was required to pass a Polling Station at Alverstoke Junior School in order to reach his allotted Polling Station some distance away at Ashburton Road. On examination it was found that there were other residents and properties in Tebourba Drive and The Avenue similarly affected.
In consideration of the complaint and subsequent investigation, it had been necessary to examine the Alverstoke Ward Polling Districts previously approved by the Council in February 2002.
The Chief Executive reported that in his view the complaint was justified and as a result it would be necessary to re-align the GA2 and GA3 Polling Districts in order to provide areas that were considered more fair and reasonable to the Returning Officer for the purpose of allocating polling places.
Plans illustrating the existing and proposed situation of Polling Stations were on display at the meeting.
The Ward Member thanked the Council for its consideration of the revision which he considered a logical way forward for the Alverstoke Ward.
Members fully supported the proposals for the re-alignment of polling stations in the Alverstoke Ward and commented that there might be other Wards similarly affected that would benefit from examination of the polling districts, with a view to revision.
The Chief Executive advised Members to contact the Returning Officer if they were aware of any other Polling Districts that needed to be considered for review.
MOTION: That the Council approve the proposals for the re-alignment of two of the three Polling Districts within the Alverstoke Ward, as shown on the plan on display at the meeting.
The Motion was accordingly put to the Meeting and duly RESOLVED.
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COUNCIL TAX SETTING 2005/2006
Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Treasurer on Council Tax Setting for 2005/2006.
The Borough Treasurer reported that the Council was required to set the levels of council tax for the Borough for 2005/2006 as the Billing Authority. The tax levels resulted from the precept requirements of the County Council, Fire Authority and Police Authority, the Council’s approved budget and local tax collection balances. The tax levels proposed for each Band were set out in the Borough Treasurer’s report.
Surpluses or deficits from Community Charge and Council Tax collection were assessed annually in order that corrective action could be taken in setting future tax levels. They formed part of the figure contained in recommendation 5.2 (d) of the Borough Treasurer’s report. The figure of £20,000 represented Gosport’s share of surpluses on the Council Tax Collection Fund.
Despatch of Council Tax bills would commence by mid March 2005 and be completed shortly afterwards. The first direct debit instalment was planned for 1 April 2005.
MOTION: That the following recommendations in the Borough Treasurer’s report be approved and adopted.
(i) That it be noted that the Borough Treasurer determined the Council’s Tax Base on 06 January 2005 in the amount of 26,083.8 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2005/2006 in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by Section 84 of the Local Government Act 2003.
(ii) By virtue of the budget approved by Council on the 09 February 2005 the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2005/2006 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:-
(a) £36,524,190 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act.
(b) £25,590,080 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act.
(c) £10,934,110 being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) above exceeds the aggregate at (b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget requirement for the year.
(d) £6,266,928 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its general fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates, revenue support grant and additional grant; increased by the amount of the sums which it estimates will be transferred in the year from its collection fund to its general fund in accordance with Section 97(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Council Tax Surplus) and increased by the amount of any sum which the Council estimates will be transferred from its collection fund to its general fund pursuant to the Collection Fund (Community Charges) directions under section 98(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Community Charge Surplus).
(e) £178.93 being the amount at (c) above less the amount at (d) above, all divided by the amount at (i) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year.
(f) Valuation Bands
£ (Local tax rates for Borough purposes)
A 119.29
B 139.17
C 159.05
D 178.93
E 218.69
F 258.45
G 298.22
H 357.86
being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (e) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.
(iii) That it be noted that for the year 2005/2006 Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Police Authority and Hampshire Fire Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:-
Precepting Authority Valuation Bands
(Local tax rates for County purposes)
£
Hampshire County Council A 579.60 B 676.20
C 772.80
D 869.40
E 1062.60
F 1255.80
G 1449.00
H 1738.80
(Local tax rates for Police purposes)
£
Hampshire Police Authority A 75.84
B 88.48
C 101.12
D 113.76
E 139.04
F 164.32
G 189.60
H 227.52
(Local Taxes for Fire Purposes)
£
Hampshire Fire Authority A 34.74
B 40.53
C 46.32
D 52.11
E 63.69
F 75.27
G 86.85
H 104.22
(iv) That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at (f) and (iii) above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of council tax for the year 2005/2006 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-
Valuation Bands
(Total local tax rates within Gosport)
£
A 809.47
B 944.38
C 1079.29
D 1214.20
E 1484.02
F 1753.84
G 2023.67
H 2428.40
The Motion was accordingly put to the Meeting and duly RESOLVED
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MALCOLM CROCKER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE
As this was the last Council Meeting before Malcolm Crocker, Chief Executive retired on 31 March 2005, the Leader of the Council wished to put on record his thanks on behalf of the Council for the excellent service given during Mr Crocker’s time at Gosport.
Group Leaders concurred with the sentiments of the Leader of the Council and offered Mr Crocker their best wishes for the future.
Mr Crocker responded accordingly and thanked Members for their good wishes. He felt it had been a rewarding job and remarked that it had been a privilege to work at Gosport Borough Council.
The Council rose at 6.30p.m.
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