• Apologies: Cllrs Raj Bath and Corinna Smart
• Apologies for lateness: Cllrs Colin Botterill, Mark Bowen and Adrian Lee
• There were no declarations of interest

To receive announcements (if any) from the Mayor, Leader, Members of the Cabinet or the Head of Paid Service

RESOLVED –

That the West Area Forum change its name to the Bedfont, Feltham, Hanworth Area Forum.

ACTION BY: Democratic Services

TO NOTE:     All

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27th November 2012.

RESOLVED –

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on Tuesday 27^th November 2012 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to the following amendments:

• Agenda item 2, page 2: the figure “£800000” to read “£324000”
• Agenda Item 4, page 5: “Hanwell Park” should read “Hanworth Park”
• Agenda Item 6, page 7: “Hounslow Homes 30 year business plan” to read “Housing Revenue Account 30 year business plan”
• Agenda Item 13, page 13: “£2 million” should be replaced by the figure  £5 million”
• Agenda Item 18, page 16: Fourth bullet point recording Councillor Reid’s introduction; end the sentence after ‘national media’. Then change ‘using companies such as Sky Television’ to ‘She referred to Sky being in the borough.’
• Agenda Item 18, page 19: Second bullet point recording Councillor Reid’s summing up: Start the first sentence at “She believed….”
• Agenda Item 18, page 20 of the minutes; The word “unanimously” should be removed from the introduction to the resolution.

TO NOTE: All

Report by the Head of Democratic Services

Mill Farm Business Park Petition:  Cllr Ruth Cadbury confirmed that she would be presenting a detailed response to the requests in the petition to the next meeting of the council.

ACTION BY: Cllr Cadbury/Director of REDE

Report by Councillor Jagdish Sharma, Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED –

1.1       That the 2013/14 savings options outlined in Appendix A to the report which total £4.25m be approved:

1.2       That the business cases for committing a sum of £50k growth funding for a two year period to support the development of Hartland Travellers’ Site and £90k permanent growth for Health and Safety management, as outlined in Appendix B be approved; and

1.3       That the allocation of £537k from the External Fees and Levies budget to fund the additional levy call from the West London Waste Authority be approved.

ACTION: Director of Corporate Resources

The Conservative Group abstained in relation to paragraph 1.1 and Councillor Allan Wilson abstained on all three recommendations.

Report by Councillor Steve Curran, Cabinet Member for Education, Housing and HR.

RESOLVED –

• That the average rent be set in accordance with the Government guidance on rent restructuring, this is an average increase in rents plus service charges of 4.79% with effect from Monday 1 April 2013.
• That service charges be adjusted in accordance with the rent restructuring guidance from 1 April 2013, this is an increase of 3.1% (as set out in Table 2, section 3.7).
• That the charges for central heating, digital aerials, hostels, garages, car ports, parking spaces, and sheds be agreed (as set out in Appendix 1), and District Heating charges be agreed (as set out in Appendix 2). These charges are to be implemented with effect from Monday 1 April 2013.
• That the leaseholder management charge remain a two-tier fee; with the higher rate frozen at £230 and the lower fee frozen at £150, for the leaseholders with the lowest service charge. This service area is currently under review and Hounslow Homes are undertaking a systems thinking project in this area and the team has been restructured to reflect early findings in this review.
• That charges for Sheltered Housing be made as set out in section 3.18 and the appendix
• That charges for the Everglades Housing Scheme be made as set out in section 3.19

ACTION BY: Director Children and Adults

Report by Councillor Jagdish Sharma, Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED –

• That the Council Tax Support Scheme to be adopted for Hounslow residents is to come into effect from 1st April 2013 be noted;
• That the detail and outcomes of the consultation exercise undertaken with regard to the original proposed scheme be noted;
• The findings on equalities and other impacts arising from the proposed Scheme to noted;
• That the local Council Tax Support Scheme for Hounslow be approved.

ACTION BY:  Director of Corporate Resources

Report by Councillor Ruth Cadbury, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration.

RESOLVED –

That the Shop Front Design Guidelines Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) be adopted as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications for new shop fronts.

ACTION BY: Director of REDE

Report by Councillor Ed Mayne, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services.

RESOLVED –

• That that the whole borough be designated as a Controlled Drinking Zone be agreed “in principle”;
• Subject to the first recommendation above, it be agreed that public consultation take place for a four week period and the results reported back to a future Borough Council.
• That it be noted that a final decision will be made by Borough Council as to whether the whole borough should be established as a Controlled Drinking Zone and an Order made if agreed.

ACTION BY: Director REDE

Report by Councillor Ed Mayne, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services.

RESOLVED –

That the recommendations of the Licensing Committee to note the consultation responses and to agree the revised Statement of Gambling Policy (Statement of Principles) to take effect from 31st January 2013 be adopted.

ACTION BY: Director REDE

Report by the Head of Democratic Services 

RESOLVED –

That Cllr Rebecca Stewart to be appointed to the Children and Young Persons Scrutiny Panel to replace Allan Wilson

ACTION BY: Head of Democratic Services

Report by the Head of Democratic Services

Noted

“Could the Leader of the Council outline what measures are in place to minimise the impact of high staff reductions on the effectiveness of the Council in providing services to residents.”

"Does Councillor Sharma recognise that by appointing Cabinet members to the Audit Committee, he compromises its independence and undermines its credibility as an effective part of the Council's corporate governance framework?"

“ Could the Deputy Leader of the Council tell us how he would respond to residents who strongly oppose the replacement of paving stones on their footpaths with tarmac and feel that the Council has failed to adequately inform them about its proposals and intentions.”

This Council welcomes the fact that the Labour Peer Lord Adonis, a former Labour Minister for Schools, performed the Opening Ceremony on 20 December 2012 of the Reach Academy, Feltham and unanimously wishes the Principal, who has been received by the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, the staff, the pupils, the parents and all those involved every success.

Consideration of this item was not completed due to time constraints.

None

The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for Tuesday, 26th February 2013 and will commence at 7.30 p.m. in the Council Chamber.  

Noted that the next meeting of the Council wa scheduled for Tuesday, 26th February 2013 and would commence at 7.30 p.m. in the Council Chamber.