The Minutes of the Council meeting held on 27 October 2008 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Margaret Ali, Peter Geiringer, Abigail Lock, Roger Thistle, Simon Wales and Marion Williams.  Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Paul Newman.

a)         Deaths of Former Councillors Pauline Brennan and John Woodley.

The Mayor reported that former Councillor Pauline Brennan had died on 5 November 2008.  Mrs Brennan had first been elected to the Council in 1971 and had served until May 1982.  She had been an Alderman from May 1974 to May 1978 and Leader of the Opposition from May 1978 to May 1982.

He also reported that former Councillor John Woodley had died on 29 November 2008.  Mr Woodley had acted as Mayor’s Consort in 1997/98.  He was elected to the Council in May 1998 and served until May 2002.

All present stood for a few moments in respect of former Councillors Pauline Brennan and John Woodley.

b)        Mayoral Events

The Mayor also reported that he had attended the following events:

·              9 November 2008 – Annual Service of Remembrance

·              13 November 2008 – A meal in aid of the mayor’s Charity at Nightingales Restaurant, Carshalton College where he had been joined by Mayors from nine neighbouring boroughs

·              17 November 2008 – the London Mayor’s Association’s annual Diplomatic dinner at Westminster City Hall where he was host to his Excellency Mr Robert Holmes Tuttle, the American Ambassador

·              7 December 2008 – the annual literary supper where several authors, including Kate Adie, spoke.

·              10 December 2008 – The Strictly Sutton Come Dancing competition between Carshalton High Schools for Girls and Boys and The John Fisher and St. Philomena’s High Schools.

a)         Asked by Members of the Public

b)        Asked by Councillors

a)         Asked by Members of the Public

Three members of the Public asked six questions and supplementary questions and received replies as set out in Appendix A to these Minutes received

7.45pm

b)        Asked by Councillors

Five Councillors asked six questions and supplementary questions and received replies as set out in Appendix B to these Minutes.

In accordance with notice given, Councillor Tim Crowley will move

“This Council notes: -

1.                  The key role that businesses play in providing jobs and creating wealth locally.

2.                  That businesses are a hub for Sutton’s communities without which they would wither and die.

3.                  That businesses contribute to the cost of running local council services through the payment of business rates.

4.                  That in light of the above the Council shall create a right of audience for any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton, at meetings of the Full Council and at Local Committees.

This Council resolves to: -

1.                  Amend Standing Order 8.7, in Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution, to allow any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton’s boundaries to ask a maximum of two questions of the Mayor, a Committee Chairman, or an Executive Councillor.

2.                  Amend Standing Order 30.5 to include any person with a business operating within Local Committee catchment areas with a right of audience, to attend and speak at committee meetings.

3.                  Amend Standing Order 30.3 to allow the appointment of any person representing businesses within Local Committee catchment areas to be a non-voting representative/special adviser, subject to agreement by the relevant committee and annual approval at Full Council.

4.                  Establish a forum that will enable the Council to assess the effect of its policies on local businesses.” 

In accordance with Standing Order 11.22 the Motion will be dealt with at this Council meeting.

Councillor Tim Crowley moved and Councillor Stuart Gordon-Bullock seconded the following Motion:

            “This Council notes: -

1.                  The key role that businesses play in providing jobs and creating wealth locally.

2.                  That businesses are a hub for Sutton’s communities without which they would wither and die.

3.                  That businesses contribute to the cost of running local council services through the payment of business rates.

4.                  That in light of the above the Council shall create a right of audience for any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton, at meetings of the Full Council and at Local Committees.

This Council resolves to: -

1.                  Amend Standing Order 8.7, in Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution, to allow any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton’s boundaries to ask a maximum of two questions of the Mayor, a Committee Chairman, or an Executive Councillor.

2.                  Amend Standing Order 30.5 to include any person with a business operating within Local Committee catchment areas with a right of audience, to attend and speak at committee meetings.

3.                  Amend Standing Order 30.3 to allow the appointment of any person representing businesses within Local Committee catchment areas to be a non-voting representative/special adviser, subject to agreement by the relevant committee and annual approval at Full Council.

4.                  Establish a forum that will enable the Council to assess the effect of its policies on local businesses.” 

In accordance with Standing Order 11.22 the Motion was deferred for consideration later in the meeting.

It is RECOMMENDED that, following recent elections, Mr James Bogere be appointed to serve as a parent governor representative for secondary schools on the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee for a period of two years to 14 December 2010.

            Resolved: That Mr James Bogere be appointed to serve as a Parent Governor representative for secondary schools on the Children and Young People’s scrutiny Committee for a two tear period until December 2010.

8.10pm

To receive and consider the following recommendations of Committees

Further to Minute 526/08, the results of the review of the SEN Transport Policy and the consultation on the proposed introduction of ‘Pick-Up Points’ were reported.  The Policy had been updated to ensure that parents were more informed about the criteria for SEN Transport, transport arrangements and safety issues.

545 consultation packs had been sent out to all parents who had children attending the schools listed in the proposals relating to pick-up points and to those whose children received SEN Transport but did not attend those schools.  128 responses had been received, the key points from which were summarised in the report.  A number of public meetings had also been held to inform, and hear views from, parents.  A summary of the feedback from these meetings was also submitted.  A large majority of parents were not in favour of introducing pick-up points, but were in favour of the SEN Transport Policy review.

The proposals now before the committee were expected to generate savings of around £200k p.a., although there were likely to be additional costs associated with implementing the proposed arrangements that could not yet be quantified.

Two petitions objecting to the proposals had been received in response to the consultation: one with over 700 signatures and an e-petition with 86 entries.  Gary Kirkwood and Michelle Kinsella addressed the meeting on behalf of parents who had signed the first petition, and answered questions from Executive Members.  Mr Kirkwood asked several questions as part of his presentation, which were answered by the Executive Head of Parent Pupil & Student Services. 

Councillor David Theobald spoke to the e-petition and also presented an additional petition against the proposals, which he said had around 3000 signatures. 

Councillor Peter Wallis, the Opposition Spokesman for Children Young People & Learning Services, also addressed the meeting at the invitation of the Chair.

The Scrutiny Overview Committee had considered the report at its meeting on 25 November, and had endorsed the recommendations in the report that children with ASD should be excluded from the pick-up points proposals.  The Committee’s recommendations were tabled.

Members questioned how the risk assessments would be carried out and were assured that the individual needs of each child would be taken into account, as well as the road safety matters, as required by the Department for Children & Families’ guidelines.  Very few children would be expected to walk for more than 10 minutes to their designated pick-up point.

The Chair thanked parents and families for responding to the consultations, attending meetings and sharing their perspective and experiences of special educational needs.  He expressed a hope that parents would continue to work with the Council to ensure the best outcome for these children.

Resolved: (i) To note receipt of the petitions and thank the petitioners for attending and for their presentations;

(ii) To note the comments of the Scrutiny Overview Committee (Minute ***/08 refers);

(iii) To agree the revised SEN Transport Policy, submitted as Annex A to the report;

(iv) To agree to exclude children with Autistic Spectrum  ...  view the full agenda text for item 1071a

Councillor Tony Brett Young moved the reception of Minute 995/08.

Councillor David Theobald asked a question and supplementary question and received replies as set out in Appendix C to these Minutes.

Following debate, the Minute was adopted on a show of hands.

A Poll Vote was demanded when there voted

The Minute was adopted.

Councillor Tim Crowley moved and Councillor Stuart Gordon-Bullock seconded the following Motion:

“This Council notes: -

1.         The key role that businesses play in providing jobs and creating wealth locally.

2.         That businesses are a hub for Sutton’s communities without which they would wither and die.

3.         That businesses contribute to the cost of running local council services through the payment of business rates.

4.         That in light of the above the Council shall create a right of audience for any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton, at meetings of the Full Council and at Local Committees.

This Council resolves to: -

1.         Amend Standing Order 8.7, in Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution, to allow any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton’s boundaries to ask a maximum of two questions of the Mayor, a Committee Chairman, or an Executive Councillor.

2.         Amend Standing Order 30.5 to include any person with a business operating within Local Committee catchment areas with a right of audience, to attend and speak at committee meetings.

3.         Amend Standing Order 30.3 to allow the appointment of any person representing businesses within Local Committee catchment areas to be a non-voting representative/special adviser, subject to agreement by the relevant committee and annual approval at Full Council.

4.         Establish a forum that will enable the Council to assess the effect of its policies on local businesses.” 

Councillor Lyn Gleeson moved and Councillor Colin Hall moved an amendment which rewrote the Motion as follows:

“This Council notes: -

1.         The key role that businesses play in providing jobs and creating wealth locally.

2.         That businesses are a hub for Sutton’s communities without which they would wither and die.

3.         That businesses contribute to the cost of running local council services through the payment of business rates.

4.         That encouraging enterprise and employment in Sutton is one of Council’s nine priorities as outlined in the Sutton Plan in addition to the Council’s commitment in the 2007-2010 Economic Strategy to foster relationships and engage with the local business community amongst others

4.         That in light of the above the Council shall create a right of audience for any person with a business operating within the London Borough of Sutton, at meetings of the Full Council and at Local Committees.

5.         That the business community currently has a variety of opportunities to express its needs and interests as well as shaping council policy including membership of the Sutton Partnership, the Town Centre Partnership and Sutton Business Forum.

6          That the Council has recently launched a ten point plan of no-nonsense measures to support business and residents and set up an Economic Taskforce, membership of which includes business representatives, to monitor the impacts of the downturn and develop effective economic measures to support the community in the months ahead.

This Council resolves to: -

1.         Amend Standing Order 8.7, in Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution, to allow any person  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1071b

RECOMMENDED: That full Council approves:

(i) The detailed calculation of the total of the relevant amounts for 2009/10 for each of the valuation bands totalling 74,832.5 Band D equivalents, as set out Appendix A to the report, for government purposes and 74,929.9 for tax setting purposes;

(ii) An estimated collection rate for 2009/10 of 0.979594;

(iii) That, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Sutton Council as its tax base for the year 2009/10 shall be 73,400 Band D equivalents.

Councillor John Drage moved the adoption of Minute 1001/08.

The Minute was unanimously adopted.

Authority had been sought under the Delegated Decision Notice (DDN) procedure to enter a three-year contract with the City of Westminster from 1 December 2008 to continue the provision of the shared communication service which Westminster managed and delivered on Sutton’s behalf.  Councillor Tony Shields had dedelegated this DDN for decision by The Executive.  Councillor Shields attended the meeting to explain his reasons for calling in the DDN.

Resolved: (i) To note that this is an urgent item, brought forward at the direction of the Chair, as the contract under discussion is due to commence on 1 December 2008;

(ii) To agree to enter into a three-year contract with the City of Westminster from 1 December 2008 to continue the provision of the shared communication service which Westminster manages and delivers on Sutton’s behalf, as set out in DDN Del/145/08.

Written notice having been received from 13 members of the conservative group under standing order 24.4, on the grounds that the Conservative Opposition has serious concerns about the lack of public accountability in this decision from the Executive Member for Communications and all elected Councillors/Members of The Executive, given the amount of money involved and want the policy to be debated and considered by all councillors in the open forum of the full Council in the interests of accountability and transparency, the above decisions are

RECOMMENDED: To full council for consideration.

Councillor Tony Brett Young moved the adoption of Minute 1005/08.

Following debate, on being put to the vote, the Minute was adopted on a show of hands.