A MEETING of the COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF GOSPORT was held in the Council Chamber at the TOWN HALL, GOSPORT on WEDNESDAY, the THIRD day of APRIL 2002 at 6.OO PM.
The Mayor (Councillor Wright) (P) (in the Chair);
The Deputy Mayor (Councillor King) (P);
Councillors Allen (P), Mrs Angus (P), Bartlett (P), Mrs Batterbury (P), Mrs Binfield (P), Mrs Bloodworth (P), Burgess (P), Mrs Cully (P), Cully (P), Edgar (P), Edwards (P), Farr (P), Gibson (P), Gill (P), Hayward (P), Hook (P), Kimber (P), Langdon (P), Philpott (P), Redrup (P), Rigg (P), Russell (P), Mrs Salter (P), Mrs Searle (P), Smith (P), Taylor (P), Train (P) and Mrs Wright (P)
Also in attendance: Honorary Aldermen Mrs Bailey, Flory, Foster, O'Neill, Searle and Mrs Whitbread.
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ONE MINUTE'S SILENCE
In order to express their sympathy regarding the recent bereavement of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Members of the Council stood in silent tribute for one minute.
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MINUTES
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Council Meetings held on 6 February, 12 February and 13 March 2002 be confirmed and signed.
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MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS
PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL: NOTICES OF MOTIONS
(A) NAVAL BASE WORKFORCE
(B) AIRCRAFT CARRIERS: HOME PORT
The Mayor reported that Portsmouth City Council at its meeting on 26 March 2002 had requested the Borough Council's support to two Notices of Motion which had been unanimously supported by the City Council:
(A) Naval Base Workforce
"This Council is disappointed that the Government, through the Warship Maintenance and Support initiative, has chosen to transfer the workforce to a private employer.
The Council congratulates the workforce on its alternative plan, which would have kept the Naval Base within the Ministry of Defence and have delivered all the services required within the Government's cost parameters, and resolves to:
(a) seek an urgent meeting with Ministers, with the local MPs in attendance, to ensure that the workforce will be protected under the new employer, their terms and pensions to be at least as good as the previous MOD employment,
(b) seek assurances from Government that there will be no compulsory redundancies and that any reduction in the workforce will be by natural wastage or an enhanced voluntary redundancy scheme,
(c) write to neighbouring local authorities and to those local authorities which have Naval Bases seeking their support."
(B) Aircraft Carriers: Home Port
"Portsmouth City Council acknowledges the critical importance of the Government's decision on the future home port of the Royal Navy's new generation of aircraft carriers to:
· the viability of the Naval Base
· jobs within the City
· Portsmouth's status as the home of the Royal Navy
It therefore notes with concern the conflicting reports on whether or not the decision has been taken and, if so, the nature of the decision.
The Council therefore calls upon the Government to end this uncertainty by making the earliest possible announcement that Portsmouth will indeed be the home port of the new generation of aircraft carriers, and instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Defence accordingly.
It also calls upon its MPs, as well as neighbouring MPs and local authorities, to press for a decision in Portsmouth's favour."
RESOLVED: That the above Notices of Motions received form Portsmouth City Council be supported unanimously by this Council and the Chief Executive be requested to write accordingly in these terms to the City Council.
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QUESTIONS PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 3.3
PART I MINUTES
(P & O Board (18/3/02))
NOTICES OF MOTION
'NO CONFIDENCE' IN THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL
It was reported that Councillor Russell had given notice of the following Motion in accordance with Standing Order 3.2:
"That this Council has no confidence in the Leader of the Council for bringing the Council into disrepute."
The Motion was accordingly seconded by Councillor Edwards.
The Mayor ruled that because of the content of the Notice of Motion it would not be referred to a Board for consideration but be debated immediately at this meeting of the Council.
Upon the Motion being put to the meeting and in accordance with Standing Order 4.12.4, it was requisitioned that the voting on the Motion be recorded. A recorded vote was thereupon taken and the names of the members voting for and against and abstaining from voting were read to the Council as follows:
FOR MOTION: Councillors Mrs Angus, Mrs Batterbury, Mrs Binfield, Mrs Bloodworth, Mrs Cully, Cully, Edwards, Farr, Gill, Redrup, Russell, Mrs Salter, Mrs Searle, Smith, Train and Mrs Wright (16).
AGAINST MOTION: Councillors Allen, Bartlett, Burgess, Edgar, Gibson, Hayward, Hook, Kimber, King, Langdon, Philpott, Rigg and Taylor (13).
NEUTRAL: The Mayor (1).
The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.
PART II MINUTES
Under Min No. 22 (P & O Board - 18 March 2002)
[NOTE: Councillor Mrs Wright declared an interest in this item and left the meeting during its consideration.]
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STANDING ORDER 4.15.1
The Mayor reported that Standing Order 4.15.1 needed to be moved to enable the Chief Executive to present his report in connection with the Members' Allowances Panel.
RESOLVED: That Standing Order 4.15.1 be moved to enable the Chief Executive to present his report in connection with the Members' Allowances Panel.
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MEMBERS ALLOWANCES PANEL
Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Executive (a copy of which is inserted in the Minute Book as Appendix 'C1') concerning the establishment of an independent Members Allowances Panel.
It was reported that the Council's current scheme of Members Allowances embracing Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances was introduced on 1st October 2000. This scheme now needed to be reviewed in accordance with Government Regulations by an independent Members Allowances Panel.
The Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2001 provided for independent remuneration panels to have the following functions:
· to make recommendations to the authority as to the amount of basic allowances which should be payable to its elected members.
· to make recommendations to the authority about the roles and responsibilities for which a special responsibility allowance should be payable and as to the amount of each such allowance.
· to make recommendations as to whether the authority's allowances scheme should include an allowance in respect of the expenses of arranging for the care of children and dependents and if it does make such a recommendation, the amount of this allowance and the means by which it is determined.
The Government had provided guidance for the operation and establishment of independent remuneration panels and this guidance was given in the Chief Executive's report in note form with recommendations for the establishment of Gosport's panel.
MOTION: That the Chief Executive be authorised to implement the following recommendations for the establishment of a Members Allowances Panel:
(i) That a maximum of five appointees be selected for the Panel to cover any unavoidable absences;
(ii) That the criteria for selecting the Members of the Panel be based on the content of the Chief Executive's report;
(iii) That the Panel at its first meeting (a) selects a Chairman, and (b) considers its terms of reference and operational responsibilties;
(iv) That the workings of the Panel be reviewed in 12 months time and this review to include the length of service of its Members; and
(v) That Panel appointees be paid allowances the same as that paid to staff for attendance at meetings ie. £30 for up to 2 hours, then £10 per additional hour or part thereof, this allowance to be paid for meetings of the Panel plus any necessary training sessions.
The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.
The Council rose at 8.04 pm.
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