Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Paul Abbey, Tim Anderson, Christopher Barrass, Colin Cross, Angela Goodwin, David Goodwin, Diana Jones, Nigel Manning, Marsha Moseley, Tony Rooth, Keith Witham, and Catherine Young, and also from Honorary Aldermen Catherine Cobley, Jayne Marks, Tony Phillips, and Lynda Strudwick.

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 confirm the minutes of the Selection meeting of the Council held on 16 May 2022.

The Council confirmed, as a correct record, the minutes of the Selection meeting held on 16 May 2022. The Mayor signed the minutes.

To receive any communications or announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor informed the Council that he had recently spent a morning at the Guildford Junior Citizen Child Safety event.  These were important sessions where young people in Year 6 had the opportunity to learn about safety issues on such topics as water safety, and the home.  One of the crucial sessions delivered concerned being safe on the internet.  The Mayor thanked the schools for bringing their Children to the Fire Station and the various agencies that ran the event.

The Mayor reported that it had been a busy Jubilee bank holiday weekend.  Highlights included witnessing the lighting of the Beacon on the Mount, the launch of Guildford in Bloom, and the Picnic in the Castle Grounds and the County Jubilee service at the Cathedral on the Sunday afternoon.

The Mayor also reported that he had walked around the Town Centre on Monday 6 June with Enterprise Guildford to judge the Jubilee Window competition, which was won by Nicklins Opticians.

The Mayor was looking forward to two fund raising events for his chosen Charity Challengers, the first on 24 June with an Audience with Jonathan Veira and then on 12 July for a Sparkling Ladies Cream Tea.  Further details could be obtained from Kate Foxton.

The Mayor had also attended the funeral of Andrew Hodges at the Cathedral on 27 May, which had been well attended with respect befitting an Honorary Freeman of the Borough.  The Mayor also reminded councillors that Councillor Richard Billington’s memorial service would be held on Monday 18 July at 2.30pm at Holy Trinity Church. 

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

The Leader reported that many people across Guildford were continuing to open their homes for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.  There was updated information on the Council’s website of how those affected could be supported.  The Council had recently hosted two information and support events at The Hive for Ukrainians and sponsors with over 120 people attending, with further events planned as more guests arrive.

In relation to Stoke Park Paddling Pool, the Leader noted that councillors had recently received a very comprehensive update from the Lead Councillor for Environment, Councillor Steel regarding the floor surface of the pool and the need to temporarily close the facility on public safety grounds.  Officers were working with the contractor to improve the pool floor and councillors would be updated on progress.

The Leader reported that testing of the Council’s website was going very well at Guildford Library and that there were still spaces if anyone wished to help with making improvements to it.   Zero Carbon Guildford were holding an event on 27 June 2022, supported by the University of Surrey, which would involve setting up a sustainable business network, of which the Council was fully supportive.

The Leader reminded councillors that Armed Forces Week would commence on 20 June 2022, when Councillor Tom Hunt and Colonel Crowley would be raising the Armed Forces Flag at the Guildhall showing support for the men and women of the armed forces community - from currently serving personnel to service families, veterans, and cadets.  It was particularly poignant this year as it marked 40 years since the Falklands War.

Finally, the Leader thanked all councillors who had supported him and in respect if his forthcoming sponsored bike-ride for Challengers.

In response to a question regarding liability for any additional cost associated with the Stoke Park Paddling Pool floor surface, the Leader had assumed that the Council would not incur further expense and that any additional costs would fall on the contractor.

To receive questions or statements from the public in relation only to the business for which this extraordinary meeting has been called.

No members of the public had indicated a wish to ask a question or make a statement to the Council.

To hear questions (if any) from councillors of which due notice has been given in relation only to the business for which this extraordinary meeting has been called.

There were no questions from Councillors.

The Council considered a report which sought approval to submit the Local Plan: Development Management Policies to the Secretary of State for Examination by an independent Planning Inspector.  The Submission Local Plan was the second part of Guildford’s Local Plan. Once adopted it would, together with the adopted Local Plan: Strategy and Sites document (LPSS), fully supersede the existing Local Plan 2003 and become part of the Council’s Development Plan. The Submission Local Plan provided the more detailed policies to be used by Development Management in the determination of planning applications.   The report noted that the LPSS included a small number of development management policies where these were necessary in implementing the strategic policies, for examples in relation to Green Belt, employment and retail.

The structure of the Submission Local Plan was consistent with that contained in the LPSS. The chapters therefore consisted of: Housing, Protecting, Economy, Design, and Infrastructure and Delivery.

A Regulation 18 consultation on ‘issues, options and preferred options’ had been carried out in June/July 2020. This was followed by a ‘Regulation 19 ‘proposed submission’ consultation in January/February 2022. All the responses to that consultation had been analysed and no ‘main modifications’ were considered necessary.

It was proposed that the Regulation 19 version of the Submission Local Plan would be submitted alongside another version containing minor corrections and suggested minor amendments as tracked changes to enable the Inspector to consider these as part of the Examination process.  In examining the plan, the Inspector would be requested to recommend any main modifications that were considered necessary to make the plan sound. This would be subject to further consultation.

This matter had been considered by both the Joint Executive Advisory Board (JEAB) at its meeting on 10 May 2022, and the Executive on 26 May 2022.  The JEAB’s comments had been summarised in an appendix to the report submitted to the Council.  The Executive had endorsed the recommendation in the report.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Joss Bigmore proposed, and the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Julia McShane seconded the adoption of the following motion:

  (1)  That the Submission Local Plan: Development Management Policies, attached as Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Council, together with all relevant associated documentation referred to in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved for submission to the Secretary of State for the purpose of proceeding to and through the Examination in Public process.

(2)   That the Lead Councillor with portfolio responsibility for Strategic Planning be authorised, in consultation with the Strategic Services Director, to make such minor alterations to improve the clarity of the submission documents as they may deem necessary.

Following the debate on the motion, Councillor Susan Parker proposed, and Councillor Ramsey Nagaty seconded, the following amendment:

After “Appendix 2 to the report, be approved” in paragraph (1) of the motion, substitute the following in place of the remaining text and omit paragraph (2):

“..subject to a cross-party emergency committee revising the document to strengthen its  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO25

The Council, at its Selection Meeting in May 2019 following the Borough Council elections had appointed Councillor Fiona White as its representative to serve on the Surrey Police and Crime Panel for a four-year term ending in May 2023.

On 23 May 2022, Councillor White had given notice in writing that she wished to stand down from this appointment, which meant that the Council needed to appoint a councillor to represent the Council on the Panel until May 2023.

The Council, having considered the person specification referred to in Appendix 1 to the report and the single nomination received,

RESOLVED: That Councillor Julia McShane be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Surrey Police and Crime Panel for a term of office expiring in May 2023.

Reason:

To enable the Council to comply with the requirements of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

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.