Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gordon Jackson, Ann McShee, and Patrick Sheard.

To receive and note any disclosable pecuniary interests from councillors. In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must also withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To receive any communications or announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor was delighted to announce that during his second year in office, he would be supporting the Coronavirus Response Fund, which had been set up by the Community Foundation for Surrey to support local charities and voluntary organisations that were helping vulnerable, elderly and isolated residents affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

In keeping with his new Mayoral theme ‘Supporting communities – supporting each other’ the Fund planned to tackle local need in three phases:

• response,
• recovery and
• resilience. 

Those wishing to make a donation could find more information on the Council’s website and Guildford Borough Council would match fund donations pound for pound, for as long as the budget allowed.

Following the huge success of Guildford Live earlier this month, the Council was proud to be supporting Guildford Live II on Facebook on Thursday 28 May. 

To receive any communications or announcements from the Leader of the Council.

The Leader announced that updates to the respective portfolio responsibilities would be issued to the Democratic Services and Elections Manager for circulation.   The Leader indicated that, due to the need for flexibility in the Council’s response to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, it was likely that portfolio responsibilities would need to change accordingly.

To receive questions or statements from the public.

There were no questions or requests to make statements from the public.

To hear questions (if any) from councillors of which due notice has been given.

(1)    Councillor Angela Gunning asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor Caroline Reeves, the following question:

“Can the Leader of the Council ensure that information on the Council's response to COVID-19 will be shared on a weekly basis with all Councillors? To date this information has been shared with Group Leaders only, and they have been expected to forward this to members of their Groups. It is not clear that this is the best means to reach all Councillors”

The Leader of the Council’s response was as follows:

“Thank you for your question Councillor Gunning. We did discuss this same question at the Group Leaders’ meeting last week and the majority were in favour of group leaders forwarding to their group so that any comments could be circulated at the same time. I currently forward these updates by email to Councillor Jackson as he has no group leader. I’m sure that Steve Benboughcan also forward them to Councillor Walsh as well as yourself if that is requested.”

Councillor Caroline Reeves

Leader of the Council

In response to a supplementary question from Councillor Gunning, in which she asked to what extent honorary aldermen and parish councils featured in the distribution of information on the Council's response to COVID-19, the Leader confirmed that the information was updated on a weekly basis on the Council’s website.

(2)    Councillor James Walshasked the Leader of the Council, and Lead Councillor for Housing and Development Control, Councillor Caroline Reeves, the following question:

“Can the Lead Councillor for Housing and Development Control describe what additional measures the Council will take to help Guildford's homeless to access accommodation when the Lock-down is finished? Guildford's hotels have been helpful in offering rooms to those in need, but obviously will not be able to continue indefinitely. What measures are being taken to provide long-term accommodation for the homeless?

The Leader of the Council’s response was as follows:

“The Council and partners first met on Friday 13 March 2020 to share information and discuss arrangements for rough sleepers and people living in hostels.  We have worked with our partners to identify all known rough sleepers and emergency COVID-19 accommodation has been provided for them.  This work was started prior to the Government announcement that all rough sleepers should be accommodated.

The Council is taking action now as the amount and complexity of work involved in securing appropriate move-on accommodation for rough sleepers is very time consuming.

We have developed a housing pathway plan for each person currently in COVID-19 accommodation.  Examples of accommodation include:

·       shared or self-contained private rented accommodation with move-in support (e.g. furniture, food and household items) and ongoing floating support  

·       supported shared housing or hostel accommodation

·       the Number Five Hub

·       Social housing

Due to the limited availability of appropriate accommodation for people with higher support needs, we have had to work with the local hostels to identify people who are ready to move on and  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO6

The Council considered a report on the appointment of councillors to committees for the municipal year 2020-21. 

Details of the proposed committees and their respective size and terms of reference were set out in the report submitted to the Council, including details of the numerical allocation of seats on the committees to the political groups.  The report also included details of each group’s nominations to fill those seats (and substitutes where appropriate), together with the nominations for election of committee and sub-committee chairmen and vice-chairmen.  Details of the contested elections in respect of Committee Chairmen were set out on the Order Paper circulated at the meeting

Upon the motion of the Leader of the Council, Councillor Caroline Reeves, and seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Joss Bigmore, the Council:

RESOLVED:

(1)      That, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 4(2) of The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, the Council notes that Councillors Richard Billington and Marsha Moseley shall continue in their respective roles as Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Guildford for the municipal year 2020-21.

(2)      That, for the municipal year 2020-21, the Council agrees to appoint the committees referred to in the table set out in paragraph 4.1 of the report submitted to the Council, and agrees their respective size referred to therein and the proposed terms of reference, as indicated in Appendix 1 to the report.

(3)      That, until such time as the Council determines otherwise,

(a)   the Licensing Committee shall be politically balanced;

(b)   the Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing Regulatory Sub- Committeeneed not be politically balanced.

(4)        That the following numerical allocation of seats to each political group on the Council, be approved for the municipal year 2020-21:

(5)        That the nominations for membership and substitute membership (where applicable) of the committees, Executive Advisory Boards, and the Guildford Joint Committee, together with the nominations for election of committee chairmen and vice-chairmen for the 2020-21 municipal year, be approved as set out and indicated below:

Corporate Governance and Standards Committee

To order the Common Seal to be affixed to any document to give effect to any decision taken by the Council at this meeting.

The Council

RESOLVED: That the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any documents to give effect to any decisions taken by the Council at this meeting.