Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies.

It was noted that apologies had been received from Councillors Kaur and McEwing.

To authorise the signing of the minutes of the Council Meetings held on 15^th November 2023,  3^rd January 2024, 21^st February 2024 and 6^th March 2024 attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 15^th November 2023, 3^rd January 2024, 21^st February 2024 and 6^th March 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record. 

Matters especially brought forward by the Lord Mayor and the Leader.

Announcements from the Lord Mayor

(i)  New Microphone System

Members, you will see that there is a new digital microphone system in operation which is operated in the same way as the previous system by pressing the button on the right to speak which will show a red light and then by turning it off when you have finished speaking.  Sound Engineers have been working this week to finesse the acoustics and are on hand for today’s meeting to assist if needed, but please bear with us if there appears to be any feedback on sound. The new equipment has numerous other features such as allowing electronic voting but those will be in place in due course.

(ii)  Last meeting of the Municipal Year

Members as you know this is the last meeting of the Municipal Year. I have enjoyed my time as Chair of these meetings even if often they have been challenging circumstances. 

I also thank all Members of the Council for their hard work and contributions made during this past year.

Some Councillors are not seeking re-election Councillors Fitzhenry, Paffey, McEwing, Quadir and T Bunday. We thank them for their service to their communities and wish them well.

(iii)  Goodbye to Adam Wilkinson

Members, I would like to formally say goodbye to Adam Wilkinson, Interim Executive Director of Place and thank him for all his hard work, dedication, and commitment to the City Council.

(iv)  Change in order of today’s business

Members, you will note from the order of the summons for today’s meeting that item 13, Asset Development and Disposal Programme (ADDP) is last on the agenda in order that we can consider the confidential appendix should we need to. As that would require the Chamber to be cleared of the press and public, I intend to deal with that item last. 

In addition, we have a linked item on the agenda today.  We have an Executive Question in the name of Councillor Moulton, linked to the Public Question from Mr Obiri-Danso.  I would suggest that we change the agenda running order so that we bring forward Executive Question 2 and hear it directly after Mr Obiri-Danso’s questions.

Members, you will also be aware it is practice to bring forward the items of business on the agenda ahead of Executive Business and Motions, therefore items 9 – 11 will be taken ahead of items 5 – 8 with items 12 – Exclusion of the Press and Public and item 13 – Asset Development and Disposal Programme moving to the end of the meeting in order that the meeting can go into confidential session 

The running order will therefore be the public questions followed by Executive Question 2 in the name of Councillor Moulton.  We will then deal with items 9-11 followed by items 5-8 and then items 12 and 13.

(v)  Lord Mayor Charity Events

Members, I have some upcoming charity events to remind you of:-

28th March, Friends of Old Southampton will be presenting Mayoral  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.

The Council received and noted the following deputation:

(i)  Glen Eyre Quietway – Mr Obiri-Danso

The Council received the following Public Questions from Mr Obiri-Danso which was responded to by Councillor Keogh, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

I work in the Southampton Science Park in Chilworth and live in Bitterne. Since I don't have a car, I previously cycled, and due to recent health problems, now use the Voi hire scooters to get to work at least twice a week.

My usual route takes me through Glen Eyre Road, which has recently had traffic calming measures implemented in order to improve the safety for vulnerable road users and pedestrians.

Some of these measures include the kerb buildouts around the northern part of the road, between Bassett Avenue and Glen Eyre Halls.

While it is claimed that this is to make motor traffic slow down, I feel, and have concurred with a colleague of mine that cycles through the same road, that it has made travelling down this road more treacherous, since there were weeks of road closures to put the buildouts in, but none of the potholes were filled in on this side of the road, making the ride quality worse as there is no way of avoiding these.

QUESTION 1

Why were kerb buildouts deemed to be the best idea for this stretch of road rather than keeping the road layout as it was?

ANSWER

Build outs were installed to help reinforce the lower 20mph speed limit along Glen Eyre Road. The buildouts have been positioned to compliment on-street car parking bays, which in the previous set up would have required road users to move out and pass a parked vehicle. The width of the carriageway at the buildouts are in accordance with design guidance to reduce the chance of drivers performing a close pass on cyclists.

Ongoing post-scheme monitoring indicates an 85% reduction in vehicle speed along Glen Eyre Road, from 28.1 mph to 21.1 mph. The reduced speeds will result in a safer environment for cycling and walking.

QUESTION 2

In either case, why weren't the potholes filled and the road resurfaced during the works, as they were past Violet Road junction, and is there any scope to do this in the near future?

ANSWER

Some surface defects in the carriageway have been corrected during the scheme. During a post scheme review, additional areas have now been identified for repair  and are programmed to be addressed under the annual Roads Maintenance Programme. 

Verbal Report of the Leader of the Council.

A verbal report of the Leader of the Council was given setting out the details of the business undertaken by the Executive.

The Leader and the Cabinet made statements and responded to questions. 

The following questions were submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.1:-

1.  Lifts in tenant’s buildings

Councillor Galton to Councillor A Frampton

QUESTION: Given the record increases to Tenants' Rents, are you meeting your duty with regards lift provision in Council buildings and what would your message be to those that continually have to cope with broken down lifts when using their homes or visiting friends locally?

ANSWER: The maintenance of lifts and other repairs and maintenance to council owned homes, are funded by the Housing Revenue Account. Income to this account, to ensure sufficient funds are available, is raised through the rent charged for those homes. I remain committed to improving the services Southampton City Council tenants receive.

2.  Glen Eyre Cycle Scheme

Councillor Moulton to Councillor Keogh

QUESTION: Is £850,000 good use of money for the Glen Eyre Cycle Scheme?

ANSWER: The Glen Eyre cycle scheme is part of the Southampton Cycle Network (SCN) route 5, facilitating connections for the University of Southampton campus and the largest halls complex, where approximately 1,900 students reside. SCN5 also serves as a link for Cantell High School, Chilworth Science Park, and the broader city region to Chandlers Ford. This scheme is funded from the Transforming Cities Fund by the UK Government.  The scheme has delivered a new 1.1 km quietway cycleway, incorporating traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds. Additionally, it features an improved traffic signal junction at the intersection of A35 Burgess Road and Glen Eyre Road. This upgraded junction includes bus priority signal technology, pedestrian countdown timers, and expanded pedestrian waiting areas. Furthermore, the scheme allocates space for innovative technologies such as EV charging, escooter and bike hire.  Ongoing post-scheme monitoring indicates a reduction in 85th %ile vehicle speeds along Glen Eyre Road, from 28.1 mph to 21.1 mph. The reduced speeds will result in a safer environment for cycling and walking – from the Southampton Walking and Cycling Index report 2023, 50% of respondents would find streets with 20mph speed limits would be useful to walk more and 45% to cycle more.

3. Paignton Road Play Park

Councillor Moulton to Councillor Letts

QUESTION: Can the Cabinet Member advise on the status of the £100,000 funding for the Paignton Road Play Park that was allocated to the budget by the previous Conservative Administration? When will the money be released and the play park redeveloped?

ANSWER: Verbal response given at the meeting.  

It’s an entirely valid question. Councillor Moulton has been here a long time and has a rich history of campaigning on behalf of his residents and I am sure this is part of that process.  We all have aspirations to support additional capital schemes in our area to support our residents and that is entirely fair.  We paused the programme on play parks  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

(a)  Moved by Councillor Fielker

This council notes that in the lead up to a General Election the Household Support Fund has been extended for an additional six months, the lateness of the notification announcement and that guidance was not provided at the same time.

This council also notes that the Household Support Fund provides hardship support for the poorest households in Southampton who are most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and that a failure to continue the fund after October or replace it with a more permanent crisis support system would lead to a surge in families unable to meet basic living costs in the winter.

This council resolves to write to the Leaders of the three largest political parties to ask that if they are in government following the election they commit to:

·  continuing to provide support to those most in need through hardship funds delivered by local authorities

·  that funds are distributed to local authorities based on need

·  that local authorities, who understand the needs of their communities best, are able to make local decisions on how those funds are distributed. 

that a multi-year commitment is made to enable local authorities to enable them to plan distribution in an efficient manner

(b)  Moved by Councillor Barbour, seconded by Councillor Wood

This motion recognises the River Itchen as one of the natural assets of our City and calls on the Council to ensure that commerce can thrive and that the balance between private and public access to the waterfront is maintained and improved. 

The banks of the River Itchen have been used for centuries for commerce. In recent years sites have been built on for residential flats. With the decarbonisation of electric production transportation now produces a greater percentage of CO2 than any other sector. Transportation by sea only produces 1% of the CO2 compared to by lorry for a given distance per tonne. There are businesses in Northam that currently use bulk transportation by water of scrap for recycling importing aggregate and cement for concrete production. This is carbon efficient transport and should be supported. There are limited locations around the UK where shipping and use of wharfs is possible. Southampton is one of these few precious locations. Shipping of materials also requires multiple locations around Britain to thrive. If we want this to remain a possibility for future generations we need to prevent the building of flats on these sites as once built the land and wharves effectively becomes unavailable for commerce. To reduce climate change we will need to make difficult choices. But we should not be jeopardising long term strategy, not only for Southampton, but the country as a whole.

For the wellbeing of the citizens access to the waterfront needs to be maintained and improved as its benefits for mental and physical health are well described. The Council needs to aspire to 40% of the waterfront being accessible by the public as an initial goal in the next 10 years with  ...  view the full agenda text for item 73.

(a)  Councillor Fielker moved and seconded by Councillor Lambert

This council notes that in the lead up to a General Election the Household Support Fund has been extended for an additional six months, the lateness of the notification announcement and that guidance was not provided at the same time.

This council also notes that the Household Support Fund provides hardship support for the poorest households in Southampton who are most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and that a failure to continue the fund after October or replace it with a more permanent crisis support system would lead to a surge in families unable to meet basic living costs in the winter.

This council resolves to write to the Leaders of the three largest political parties to ask that if they are in government following the election they commit to:

·  continuing to provide support to those most in need through hardship funds delivered by local authorities

·  that funds are distributed to local authorities based on need

·  that local authorities, who understand the needs of their communities best, are able to make local decisions on how those funds are distributed.

·  that a multi-year commitment is made to enable local authorities to enable them to plan distribution in an efficient manner

Amendment moved by Councillor P Baillie

Insert the following paragraph after paragraph 2 and before paragraph 3

“This Council notes with dismay the huge increase in HRA rents, together with the large rises in Energy Bills for our tenants, which disproportionately hit the poorest families trying to meet their basic living costs, which have already increased due to the impact of inflation from COVID and the Ukraine War. This Council also notes with relief that the national Conservative Government did not agree to the Labour Administration’s request for catastrophic council tax rises this year".

Amended Motion to read:

This council notes that in the lead up to a General Election the Household Support Fund has been extended for an additional six months, the lateness of the notification announcement and that guidance was not provided at the same time.

This council also notes that the Household Support Fund provides hardship support for the poorest households in Southampton who are most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and that a failure to continue the fund after October or replace it with a more permanent crisis support system would lead to a surge in families unable to meet basic living costs in the winter.

This Council notes with dismay the huge increase in HRA rents, together with the large rises in Energy Bills for our tenants, which disproportionately hit the poorest families trying to meet their basic living costs, which have already increased due to the impact of inflation from COVID and the Ukraine War. This Council also notes with relief that the national Conservative Government did not agree to the Labour Administration’s request for catastrophic council tax rises this year.

This council resolves to write to the Leaders of the three largest political parties  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

To consider any question of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

It was noted that no requests for Questions from Members to the Chairs of Committees or the Lord Mayor had been received.

To deal with any appointments to Committees, Sub-Committees or other bodies as required.

It was noted that there were no changes to the Appointments to Committees, Sub-Committees and Other Bodies.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development detailing the transfer of Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) core function to Local Authorities.  

Report of the Leader of the Council detailing the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership Integration into the Solent Unitary Authorities. 

RESOLVED:

(i)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader and Executive Director for Corporate Services (and S151 officer), to agree the final details of the transfer of LEP functions to the UTLAs, including future governance arrangements.

(ii)  To approve in principle the proposed draft governance structures attached as Appendix One that demonstrate how SCC plans to work with our sub-regional partners to achieve our economic growth ambitions which will need to be outlined in an updated Solent 2050 Strategy.

(iii)  Subject to the agreement of PCC and IOWC, to agree that PCC is confirmed as the Accountable Body for the new a new joint UTLA Board, with the Leader of SCC acting as the first board chair.

(iv)  SCC agrees that the existing LEP funding, should be disaggregated to the three Solent UTLAs and be pooled (subject to the agreement of Isle of Wight Council and Portsmouth City Council), for the benefit of economic growth of the sub-region, defined as the combined geographies of the three Solent UTLAs.

(v)  Agree that, subject to the three Solent UTLA area being recognised by the Government as an area for LEP Integration, with appropriate legal due diligence, to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to determine whether SCC will become a Member of Solent Partners (SP).  This agreement to be conditional on all three UTLAs agreeing to become Members of Solent Partners in conjunction.

(vi)  To agree that SCC should not appoint a Director to the Board of Solent Partners to ensure that there is no conflict of interest with the wider governance needed for the new LEP integration arrangements. The three UTLAs will seek appropriate requirements, within the articles of Solent Partners, to ensure representatives of the three Solent ULTAs are entitled to observe board meetings.

(vii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to work with all sub-regional partners to develop an agreement on how to deliver economic growth for the functional economic area and take ownership of the Solent 2050 strategy.

(viii)  To support the creation of a Solent Economic Partnership, inviting adjacent Districts and Boroughs, Hampshire County Council (HCC), and other key public sector stakeholders to participate, to enable Local Authorities leaders and the private sector to have an opportunity to discuss and support economic growth in the Solent sub-region.

(ix)  To approve the proportional disaggregation of existing assets held by the SLEP to the Accountable Body (PCC) on behalf of the Upper Tier Local Authorities, including HCC (subject to the agreement of the three Solent unitary UTLAs).

Report of the Leader of the Council seeking approval of the new Corporate Plan.

Report of the Leader of the Council seeing approval of the new Corporate Plan.

RESOLVED:

(i)  To approve the Corporate Plan (2024 update), appended to the report.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive to make minor amendments to the corporate plan following consultation with the Leader of the Council.

Report of the Interim Chief Executive seeking approval of the Pay Policy for 2024-2025.

Report of the Chief Executive detailing the Pay Policy 2024-25.

RESOLVED:

(i)  To approve the Pay Policy statement for 2024 -2025.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director Corporate Services to amend the Pay Policy once the proposed revisions to the Severance & Pensions Payments: Discretionary Powers Policy are agreed by the Governance Committee.

To move that in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, specifically the Access to Information Procedure Rules contained within the Constitution, the press and public be excluded from the meeting in respect of any consideration of the exempt appendices to the following Item.

Appendix 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this report contains information deemed to be exempt from general publication based on Category 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding the information)) of paragraph 10.4 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules. In applying the public interest test this information has been deemed exempt from the publication due to commercial sensitivity. It is not considered to be in the public interest to disclose this information as it would reveal information which would put the Council at a commercial disadvantage.

RESOLVED: To move that in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, specifically the Access to Information Procedure Rules contained within the Constitution, the press and public be excluded from the meeting in respect of any consideration of the exempt appendices to the following Item.

Appendix 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this report contains information deemed to be exempt from general publication based on Category 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding the information)) of paragraph 10.4 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules. In applying the public interest test this information has been deemed exempt from the publication due to commercial sensitivity. It is not considered to be in the public interest to disclose this information as it would reveal information which would put the Council at a commercial disadvantage.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development for the disposal and development of assets.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Developing seeking detailing the Asset Development and Disposal Programme (ADDP).

RESOLVED:

(i)  To approve the overall Asset Development and Disposal programme and disposal of assets (as detailed in Appendix 2 and 3) which includes assets with a combined value at over £5M.