Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Nils Christiansen, Liz Hogger, Christian Holliday, Dennis Paul, and Matt Sarti, and from Honorary Aldermen Mrs C F Cobley, Mrs S Creedy, Mrs C F P Griffin, J Marks, and L 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.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 7 February 2018.

The Council confirmed, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2018. The Mayor signed the minutes.

To receive any communications or announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor read a letter written by Ms Lisa Wright who wished to clarify a statement she had made at the extraordinary meeting of the Council on 21 November 2017 relating to the Proposed Submission Local Plan.

The Mayor informed the Council that he had sent a letter of condolence to the family of Simon Barnes, who was the Chief Executive of the Surrey County Agricultural Society, who had passed away peacefully last week following a relatively short illness. 

The Mayor reported that tickets had sold well for his final fundraising event of the year, the ‘Red, White & Blue’ Royal Birthday Ball’, which was being held on Saturday 21 April 2018 at Guildford Harbour Hotel.   

The Mayor had commissioned the ‘Mayor’s trophy for Sportsmanship’, to be awarded each year at the Guildford Lions Raft Race, and would be presented for the first time at this year’s Race on Saturday 7 July.

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

The Leader made a statement in respect of the Local Plan Inspector’s questions and the Council’s response.  The Council’s detailed responses to the eight core questions would be circulated to all councillors and uploaded to the Council’s website.

To receive questions or statements from the public.

Statements

The following persons addressed the Council meeting in respect of Agenda Item 10 – Minutes of the Executive (specifically minute EX84 – West Lodge, Blacksmith Lane, Chilworth):

(1)   Gavin Morgan (on behalf of Guildford Heritage Forum

(2)   Maggie Scott (on behalf of Chilworth2gether, and member of the St Martha Parish Council West Lodge Working group)

The public speakers expressed concern over the Executive’s decision to dispose of West Lodge, and its justification for that decision.  It was suggested that in order to make the property suitable for owner occupation, it would be necessary to demolish a substantial part of the Listed Building.  Furthermore, it was argued that the proposal to dispose of the only building on the Gunpowder Mills site that provided shelter, electricity, drinking water, and a toilet was counter intuitive.

It was also suggested that the Council should maintain a separate list of heritage assets, and explore with St Martha Parish Council options as to how the property might be used and maintained in the future as a heritage asset.

The Lead Councillor for Finance and Asset Management responded to the statements and indicated that any purchaser of West Lodge would be aware of its Listed Building status and would need appropriate consents from the Council to demolish any part of it.  The Lead Councillor reiterated that local organisations, including St Martha Parish Council, were given every opportunity to come up with sustainable proposals for West Lodge and none were received.  Councillors were also reminded that, in the current financial climate, the Council did not have the resources to maintain West Lodge in the future.

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

(a)        Councillor Angela Gunning asked the Lead Councillor for Social Welfare, Heritage and the Arts, Councillor Nikki Nelson-Smith, the following question:

“2018 marks the centenary of women achieving the vote - albeit initially only property owners aged over 30. Many Guildford women participated in the previous decades of campaigning – both as suffragists and suffragettes.

It is very disappointing to see that Guildford Museum apparently has currently no plans to celebrate this historic achievement.

Can we know why?

To rectify this omission can we please have an exhibition and/or an event devised as quickly as possible to take place before end 2018?

The Lead Councillor’s response was as follows:

“I am very happy to allay Councillor Gunning’s concerns and confirm that Guildford Museum will indeed be marking the anniversary of women achieving the vote. 

Heritage team staff are already planning and curating the temporary exhibition, Women’s work, to open at the Museum in November 2018.  This will draw on photographs, from the Guildford Museum collection, depicting women at work during World War I – largely in roles previously only occupied by men. While the images are interesting in themselves and provide a record of life in Surrey during World War I, they also show how WWI disrupted the status quo at home and contributed to furthering women’s suffrage.  The exhibition will be accompanied by a programme of activities.  We are also providing copies of some of these images for display during the Suffragette Centenary Dinner at the Watts Gallery in December.

In addition, we are planning to show the exhibition, the March of the Women, Surrey’s Road to the Vote, a touring exhibition being curated by the Surrey History Centre. This will explore and chronicle the contribution of Surrey’s people to both sides of the suffrage debate http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/march-women-surreys-road-vote/.  The exhibition will launch at the Surrey History Centre in November 2018 and tour Surrey museums after this.” 

Councillor Nikki Nelson-Smith

Lead Councillor for Social Welfare, Heritage, and the Arts

In a supplementary question, Councillor Gunning asked the Lead Councillor why we were commemorating the March of the Women in November 2018, when the event actually took place in 1913 and the centenary was recognised in Guildford in 2013.  The Lead Councillor responded by stating that the order in which the exhibitions were curated was a matter for the Heritage team, but indicated that she would investigate whether an alternative time for this event would be appropriate.

(b)         Councillor Tony Rooth asked the Lead Councillor for Economic Development and Tourism, Councillor David Bilbé the following question:

"In light of the fact that, as at 2pm on Wednesday 4 April 2018, the Village was still closed with the containers remaining on the site, may I ask the Lead Councillor for Economic Development and Tourism, by reference to the Report made to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 6 March 2018 (paragraphs referred to below):

(a)     whether the Council has now negotiated the sale of the containers, at what  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO103

Councillors were reminded that neighbourhood plans were statutory development plans produced by parish/town councils or neighbourhood forums.  The Council considered a report on the Effingham Neighbourhood Plan, which had been produced by Effingham Parish Council for the Effingham Neighbourhood Area (Effingham ward and parish).

To meet the requirements of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended) (“the Regulations”), the Council subjected the Plan to a six-week consultation and an examination, after which the Plan was amended in line with the recommendations of the examiner.  The Plan was then the subject of a referendum of qualifying voters within the neighbourhood area on 22 February 2018.  A majority voted to accept the plan.

By virtue of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) and the Regulations, the Council must make (adopt) the Plan as soon as reasonably practicable after the referendum is held and, in any event, not later than the last day of the period of 8 weeks from the day after the referendum.

The Council did not need to make the neighbourhood plan if it considered that to do so would be a breach, or would otherwise be incompatible with, any EU or human rights obligations.  Officers were of the view that making the Plan would not breach those obligations and that the Council must therefore decide whether or not to make the Plan.

Under recent changes to the Regulations, the Plan formed part of the statutory development plan and carried full weight in planning decisions as soon as it was approved at a referendum, rather than when it is made. Applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the statutory development plan, unless material considerations indicated otherwise.

Upon the motion of the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Planning and Regeneration, Councillor Paul Spooner, seconded by Councillor Caroline Reeves, the Council

RESOLVED: That the Council makes the Effingham Neighbourhood Plan.

Reason:

To meet the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) and The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

The Council considered a report on the appointment of external auditors for the five year period from 2018-19.  Councillors noted that with effect from the 2018-19 audits of accounts, Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) were responsible for appointing an auditor to principal local government and police bodies that had chosen to opt into its national auditor appointment arrangements.  At its meeting on 6 December 2016, the Council had resolved to opt-in to the appointing person arrangements made by PSAA. 

Grant Thornton UK LLP had been successful in winning a contract in the procurement process and had been recommended by PSAA as the Council’s auditors for a period of five years from 2018-19.  This appointment was made under Regulation 13 of the Local Audit (Appointing Person) Regulations 2015, and had been approved by the PSAA Board at its meeting on 14 December 2017.

Grant Thornton had also been appointed as auditors to nine Surrey Boroughs/ Districts and Surrey County Council.  There were no issues in respect of independence or any other reasons that would have prevented the appointment of Grant Thornton as auditors.

The matter had also been considered by the Corporate Governance and Standards Committee on 29 March 2018 as part of its consideration of the item on the External Audit Plan for 2017-18 and the Committee had endorsed the recommendation to appoint Grant Thornton. 

Upon the motion of the Lead Councillor for Finance and Asset Management, Councillor Michael Illman, seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Matt Furniss, the Council

RESOLVED: That, following conclusion of the tendering exercise conducted through Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd, Grant Thornton UK LLP be appointed as the Council’s auditors for a period of five years commencing with the audit of the 2018-19 Statement of Accounts.

Reason:

To comply with regulation 13 of the Local Audit (Appointing Person) Regulations 2015.

To receive and note the attached minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 20 February 2018.

In relation to Minute No. EX84 (West Lodge, Blacksmith Lane, Chilworth) of the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 20 February 2018, Councillor Susan Parker expressed concern over the Executive’s decision to dispose of West Lodge and suggested that it was inappropriate to realise a capital receipt from a heritage asset. Councillor David Reeve asked for clarification on the extent of the deterioration of West Lodge, and as it was a Grade II Listed Building, why it was allowed to deteriorate to its current condition.

The Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer indicated that a written response to Councillor Reeve’s question would be provided and circulated after the meeting.

Councillor Caroline Reeves asked the Council to note her suggestion made at the Executive meeting that a separate list of Heritage Assets should be produced.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Spooner confirmed that the Council already had a separate asset category for heritage assets on its balance sheet which included assets such as the Gunpowder Mills, Castle Arch, St Catherine’s Hill and Chapel, and various collections at the Museum and Guildhall.  West Lodge was not classified as a heritage asset and never had been. 

The Leader also emphasised the great deal of work undertaken with St Martha Parish Council and the local community regarding opportunities to acquire the site as a local asset for the parish.

The Council

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 20 February 2018 be received and noted.

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.