Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, Councillors of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

The disclosures of interests made by Councillors were set out in Appendix A to the minutes.

To receive and consider any announcementsor communications.

The Mayor invited representatives from each party to pay tribute to Councillors Stephen Joyce and Dr. Howard Bloom, who had both decided to stand down from the Council at the Borough Election in May, after a significant service both to Crawley Borough Council and to the residents of the Borough. Councillors Mullins, Crow,      B. Smith, Burrett, Lamb, and the Mayor himself, paid their heartfelt respects with glowing and touching tributes to both Councillors who had serviced their residents and the Borough so diligently.

As part of the Mayor’s communications he informed the Council of the sad passing of Ted Lynch OBE the Council’s first Treasurer. Also noted that it was 50 years ago Martin Luther King was assassinated.

To answerpublicquestionsunder Council Procedure Rule10.The questionsmust be on matterswhich are relevanttothe functionsofthe Council, andshould not includestatements.

One supplementaryquestionfrom thequestioner will be allowed.

Up to 30 minutesisallocatedto PublicQuestionTime.

Questions asked in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 were as follows:

To approve as a correct recordthe minutesofthe meetingof the Full Council held on Wednesday 21 February 2018.

The minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 21 February 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

Prior to the introduction ofthe Minutesofthe Cabinet, Overviewand Scrutiny CommissionandCommittees (ascontained in the BookofMinutes), Memberswill be given the opportunity to indicate on which items they wish tospeak.

TheseReservedItemswill then bethe onlymattersto bethe subject ofa debate.

Members indicated that they wished to speak on a number of items as set out in the following table:

1)            Toreceive theminutes ofthe meetings ofthe Cabinet,Overviewand Scrutiny Commission and Committees, as listed on page 19, and set out in the appendices to this item.

2)            Toadopt any of therecommendationsto Full Council,which have notbeenreservedfor debate and as listed on page 19, and set out in the appendices to this item.

Moved by Councillor Portal Castro (as the Deputy Mayor):-

RESOLVED

That the following reports be received:

a)            Planning Committee – 27 February 2018

b)            Planning Committee – 27 February 2018

c)            Overview and Scrutiny Commission – 19 March 2018  

d)            Planning Committee – 20 March 2018  

e)            Cabinet – 21 March 2018  

f)             Governance Committee – 26 March 2018  

Councillor Burrett, on behalf of the Conservative Group, explained the rationalefor bringing forward this item for debate. He commentedthat he welcomed this item and the way it has been dealt with generally. He was pleased that Cabinet allowed representations from Maidenbower Councillors during their meeting. He and his Ward colleagues had also intended to request to speak at the Cabinet, but it clashed with the new Forge Wood forum. The plans for Threes Bridges Station does have a significant impact on his Ward, most residents were pleased with the proposals as it addressed the numerous issues associated with the station. But the concern with the current proposal of the no right turn, will make the possible rat run through St Mary’s Drive and surrounding roads worse. He welcomed that the Cabinet have asked for further highways studies over the no right hand turn and traffic generally surrounding the station.

Councillors McCarthy, Lanzer, Irvine, Boxall, P. Smith andLamb also spokeon thismatter.

Councillor Burrett, on behalf of the Conservative Group, explained the rationale for bringing forward this item for debate.  He commented that he was surprised that the minute showed that the Council had worked on the potential of an in-house bid, but wasn’t submitted as it wasn’t thought to have been competitive. He commented that he hoped we had moved away from the idea of having everything in-house and leant from the sheer cost of those days, but clearly not and hoped this was not a trend to come.

Councillor Lamb responded on this matter.

The Full Council considered report LDS/135 of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, which had been previously considered at the meeting of the Governance Committee on 26 March 2018.

Councillor Lunnon as the Chair of the Governance Committee, presented the report to the Full Council and highlighted that the Electoral Review - Ward Patterns, report contained two recommendations for their consideration and with agreement of the Mayor, each recommendation would be debated independently from one another.

Councillor Lunnon moved and presented the first recommendation which related to the consideration of the Principle of Promoting a Mixed Pattern of Wards. The proposal before the Full Council was that the Council’s submission to the Electoral Boundary Commission for England should be a mixed pattern of wards namely that 10 Wards served by 3 Councillors and 3 Wards served by 2 Councillors. The approach was based on the Council’s desire to retain the Borough’s electoral division’s in-line with the neighbourhood principle throughout Crawley.

Councillors Burrett seconded the recommendation and Councillor Crow spoke in support of the recommendation.

A recorded vote was requested and the Mayor then called for the vote.

Votingin Favour:Councillors: Ayling,Belben,Bloom, Boxall, BJ Burgess, RG

Burgess, Burrett, Cheshire, Crow, Eade, Fiveash, Guidera, Irvine, Jaggard, Jones,Joyce, Lamb, Lanzer,Lunnon, McCarthy,Mullins, Peck, Pendlington, Pickett, Portal Castro,Quinn, Rana,Sharma, Skudder, B ASmith, PC Smith, Stone, Sudan,Tarrant, ThomasandVitler. (36)

Voting Against: Councillors:None (0)

Abstentions:Councillors: None (0)

The Mayor declared the recommendation was carried in favour 36, and votes against 0 with 0 abstention.

RESOLVED

That the Full Council approves that the Council’s submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England should be for a mixed pattern of Wards (10 Wards served by 3 Councillors and 3 Wards served by 2 Councillors).

The Full Council considered report LDS/135 of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, which had been previously considered at the meeting of the Governance Committee on 26 March 2018.

Councillor Lunnon as the Chair of the Governance Committee, moved and presented the second recommendation which related to the consideration of the mixed Pattern of Wards. The proposal before the Full Council detailed a specific pattern of Wards and proposed Ward boundaries to be submitted as the Council’s submission to the Electoral Boundary Commission for England. In moving the recommendation, it was emphasised that the proposal was focused on maintaining the neighbourhood principle, whilst achieving best as possible, electoral equality across the Borough. The recommendation was seconded by Councillor Lamb.

Councillor Crow moved his amendment, having been seconded by Councillor McCarthy, in doing so highlighted that his alternative Scheme would align electoral Ward boundaries closest to the neighbourhood principle whilst remaining within the limits of electoral variance.

During a passionate discussion on the two sets of boundary proposals, including debating both the merits and weaknesses of both moved proposals, Councillors McCarthy, R G Burgess, Burrett, Lamb, Lanzer, Thomas Guidera, Sudan, Dr Bloom, B J Burgess Irvine Pickett, and Jones all spoke on the item.

At the conclusion of the debate a recorded vote was requested on the proposed amendment and the Mayor then called for the vote.

Voting in Favour: Councillors: Belben, Dr Bloom, Boxall, B J Burgess, R G Burgess, Burrett, Crow, Eade, Guidera, Jaggard, Lanzer, McCarthy, Peck, Pendlington, Stone, Tarrant, and Vitler. (17)

Voting Against: Councillors: Ayling, Cheshire, Fiveash, Irvine, Jones, Joyce, Lamb, Lunnon, Mullins, Pickett, Portal Castro, Quinn, Rana, Sharma, Skudder, B A Smith,

P C Smith, Sudan, and Thomas. (19)

Abstentions: Councillors: None (0)

The Mayor declared the proposed amendment had fallen by – votes in favour 17, and votes against 19 with 0 abstention.

A recorded vote was requested on the substantive motion and the Mayor then called for the vote.

Voting in Favour: Councillors: Ayling, Cheshire, Fiveash, Irvine, Jones, Joyce, Lamb, Lunnon, Mullins, Pickett, Portal Castro, Quinn, Rana, Sharma, Skudder, B A Smith,

P C Smith, Sudan, and Thomas. (19)

Voting Against: Councillors: Belben, Dr Bloom, Boxall, B J Burgess, R G Burgess, Burrett, Crow, Eade, Guidera, Jaggard, Lanzer, McCarthy, Peck, Pendlington, Stone, Tarrant, and Vitler. (17)

Abstentions: Councillors: None (0)

The Mayor declared the proposed recommendation as approved – votes in favour 19, and votes against 17 with 0 abstention.

RESOLVED

That the Full Council approves for final submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, the mixed pattern of Wards submission as set out in the Appendix to minutes of the Governance Committee 26 March 2018.

(i.e. report LDS/135, Appendix A amended with the revision of Appendix C to report LDS/135).

As the business had not been completed within the scheduled 2 hours 30 minutes a vote on continuation, and in line with Council Procedure Rule 2.2, was held. The Mayor required the Full Council to consider if it wished to continue with the meeting.

Having put it to the vote, the Council agreed that the meeting be continued for an additional period not exceeding 30 minutes.

To answer Councillors’ writtenquestionsunder Council Procedure Rule 11.3.

It was noted that there were no Councillors’ written questions submitted.

Anopportunityfor CabinetMembersto report verbally (ifnecessary)on issuesrelating totheirPortfolio not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

To answer questionsto CabinetMembersunder Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

Up to 15 minutesisallocatedfor questionsto CabinetMember

To answer questionsto Committee Chairs.

Up to 15 minutesisallocatedfor questionsto CommitteeChairs.