Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Helen Belcher OBE, Chuck Berry, Allison Bucknell, Steve Bucknell, Sarah Gibson MP, Howard Greenman, Simon Jacobs, Edward Kirk, Ian McLennan, Paul Oatway QPM, Bill Parks, Antonio Piazza and Richard Rogers.

In addition, it was noted that Cllr Ian Thorn would not be present during the morning session due to a personal matter, and Cllr Gordon King would be deputising on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group.

To approve as a true and correct record and sign the minutes of the last meeting of Council held on 24 July 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 July 2024 were presented for consideration. On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was:

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee or Monitoring Officer.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements through the Chairman.

Through the Chair there were the following announcements:

a)    Chairman’s Engagements

A list of engagements attended by the Chairman since 24 July 2024 were detailed as set out below:

·         3 September 2024 - Merchant Navy Day flag raising ceremony, County Hall, Trowbridge

·         22 September 2024 - Wiltshire Campaign for the Protection of Rural England Best Kept Village Competition presentation day. Winning plaques were presented to Upper Seagry (medium village award), Hankerton (small village award), Ashton Keynes (large village award), and Urchfont (Laurence Kitching ‘winner of winners’ award).

b)    Medals

The following Wiltshire and Swindon resident received a medal during this period:

·         Lisa Hall, Coronation Medal (for direct contribution to Coronation on 6 May 2023), Scouts, North Swindon

c)    Staff Announcements

The Chairman noted that since the previous meeting Lucy Townsend had formally begun her role as Chief Executive on 16 August 2024 and wished her every success in her new position.

The Chairman also updated Council about other changes to the council’s Extended Leadership Team since the last meeting, following meetings of the Officer Appointments Committee.

Darryl Freeman had been appointed as Interim Corporate Director, Children and Education, and Florah Shiringo had been appointed as the Interim Director, Families and Children.

The Chairman further placed on record her thanks and best wishes to Andy Brown, Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director, Resources, who had accepted the post of Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services (Section 151 Officer), at Surrey County Council.  On behalf of the Council the Chairman expressed gratitude for his work and wished him every success in his new role, which he started on 14 October 2024. 

c)    Deaths

It was noted that former MP for the Devizes Constituency known as Michael Ancram had passed away on 1 October 2024.  He was MP for the constituency from 1992 to 2010. The Chairman had sent the council’s condolences go to his friends and family. 

d)    Agenda

The Chairman explained that the Motion 24-09 had been withdrawn by the mover and seconder, so would not be considered at the meeting.

a)    To receive presentation of any petitions submitted for the meeting

b)    To receive an update on any petitions received by the council since the last meeting.

An updated report set out in Agenda Supplement 2 was presented which gave Council details of the seven petitions received since the last meeting of the council, together with the response which had been provided.

On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was:

Resolved:

That Council notes the update on petitions as detailed in Agenda Supplement 2.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Members of the public are encouraged to register to speak earlier.

Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Statements must be relevant to the agenda item.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public received in accordance with the constitution. No person or organisation may submit more than two questions to the meeting. No question may be sub-divided into more than two related parts.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named above (acting on behalf of the Proper Officer) no later than 5pm on 8 October 2024 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. Questions submitted no later than 5pm on 10 October 2024 may receive a verbal response. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

Please contact the officer named on the first page of this agenda for further advice.

The Chairman explained the procedure that would be followed for public participation at the meeting in accordance with the constitution.

Details of six questions submitted and the responses to them were set out in Agenda Supplement 2.

Questions which did not relate to an agenda item were received under this item.

Question P24-28 – Colin Gale (Chairman of Rushall Parish Council)

A supplementary question was asked by Mr Gale about whether the drain head could be rebuilt as soon as possible on Devizes Road, Rushall. 

Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Flooding, responded that he would discuss the issue further with officers and that a written response would be provided in due course.

Question P24-28 – Colin Gale (Chairman of Rushall Parish Council)

Mr Gale asked a supplementary question about whether full clearance of the drainage ditch for Rushall Bridge could be programmed quickly given the wet weather conditions expected in the coming months.

Cllr Holder explained that the instruction to clear the ditch had been issued and it would be programmed in due course. He would speak to officers to find out further information and contact Mr Gale with a date when the works could take place.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director - Place.

The Chairman called upon Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet Member for Waste and Environment, to introduce the annual update on the council’s response to the climate emergency. He moved the recommendations included within the report, which were seconded by Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council.

Cllr Muns reported that significant progress was being made against all the climate strategy delivery themes. The council was on track to meet its objective of being carbon neutral, in its direct emissions, by 2030. He explained that the council’s Climate Delivery Strategy Plan and Carbon Neutral Council Plan would be fully updated by the end of the year to set out the priorities for 2025 and beyond. He noted that Wiltshire Council directly controlled around 0.2 percent of Wiltshire’s emissions, and was increasing support to residents and businesses to help them reach net zero. He gave thanks to officers for their hard work in driving forward the plans and highlighted that a full list of the achievements would be included in the delivery plan presented at the end of the year.

Group Leaders were then given the opportunity to comment.  Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, reiterated the progress that was being made towards reducing the council’s direct emissions and stated that he would welcome a faster reduction in emissions across the county as a whole. He emphasised that he was continuing to lobby hard through UK 100, the Countryside Climate Network, and the County Council Network to ensure that the views of rural communities were represented to national policymakers. He welcomed that there were not currently any air quality exceedances in the county and that there had been an increase in the rate of tree planting.

Cllr Gordon King, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, stated that he agreed with the importance of reducing emissions. He recognised that setting wide ranging objectives within a set timeframe was a large undertaking and that some slippages would be inevitable. He was pleased that the work to reduce the council’s direct emissions was largely on track and commended the work that had taken place.

Cllr Ricky Rogers, Leader of the Labour Group, stated that he was broadly in support of the direction of travel and gave thanks to officers for the tremendous work that they were doing.

Cllr Graham Wright, the Chairman of Climate Emergency Task Group, also took the opportunity to praise officers. He explained that the task group had met the previous week and would meet again the following week, continuing its ongoing work to explore and assess work taking place.

The Chairman then opened the item for general debate.

There was praise for the efforts made by Wiltshire Council in reducing its direct emissions, including within its Highways department. However, some members expressed frustration that there had not been greater progress in reducing indirect emissions, including from outsourced contracts and burning waste. It was claimed that a recent report had estimated that 30 percent of emission reductions nationwide required intervention from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director - Place.

The Chairman called upon Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Finance, Development Management and Strategic Planning, to introduce the report. Cllr Botterill moved the motion set out in the report, which was seconded by Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council.

Cllr Botterill gave an overview of the complex processes, including formal consultation processes, that had taken place ahead of production of the the draft Local Plan, explaining that over 10,000 responses had been received and considered. He outlined some of his concerns about national changes to the way that housing need was calculated, which he felt had seen a shift in the prioritisation of development from cities to rural areas. He reported that Wiltshire was expected to deliver 3,476 new homes per year under these changes, an 81 percent increase on the previous target of 1,911. 

Cllr Botterill reported that the draft Local Plan presented was realistic and sound. He outlined some of the key principles within it, including achieving high environmental standards, delivering affordable housing, and a brownfield site first approach. He urged Council to recommend that the draft Local Plan be submitted to the Inspector, as it would mean that Wiltshire would benefit from transitional arrangements set out in the government’s consultation on the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This would allow the housing numbers that underpinned the draft Local Plan to be used going forward, although a new draft Local Plan would have to be developed in the longer term to meet the government’s revised targets.

Public statements were then received from Andrew Nicolson, Wiltshire Climate Alliance, and Adrian Temple Brown.

Group Leaders were then given the opportunity to comment.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, endorsed Cllr Botterill’s view that the draft Local Plan should be sent to the Inspector. He commended the plan, explaining that new housing would be built to net zero standards and would achieve a 20 percent biodiversity net gain. Other benefits of the draft Local Plan were that it would improve the council’s control over what, and how, development was built, by giving it a six-year housing land supply. It would also deliver military and affordable housing. He criticised attempts in Full Council to delay progression of the draft Local Plan to its Reg 19 consultation in 2023.

Cllr Gordon King, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, thanked officers for providing a briefing about the proposals. He noted that he regretted that an amendment put forward by the Liberal Democrat Group, in July 2023, to undertake a further Reg 18 consultation had been defeated.

Cllr Ernie Clark, Leader of the Independent Group, agreed that the draft Local Plan should be submitted to the Inspector and felt that there had been sufficient opportunity for people to put their views forward. He observed that local plans were always contentious and that some parish councils would likely take the plan to judicial review.

Cllr Ricky Rogers, Leader of the Labour Group, highlighted his disappointment that an amendment proposed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director - Place.

The Chairman called upon Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, to introduce the item. Cllr Clewer moved that the Enforcement Policy be adopted, which was seconded by Cllr Laura Mayes, Deputy Leader of the Council.

Cllr Clewer spoke in support of the motion, explaining that enforcement was vital in preventing harm to people and the environment. It also ensured that there was a level playing field in the planning system. He argued that the policy would be a good way of bringing all the council’s enforcement policies together to ensure a joined-up approach. He noted that complex enforcement situations often required enforcement in a number of different areas and was pleased to report that fly tipping was down by 40 percent.

Other Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment.

Cllr Graham Wright, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, praised the new policy and urged Council to adopt it.

The item was then opened to wider discussion and debate by the Chairman.

A number of comments were made in support of the motion. Praise was given for the partnership work between agencies, such as the Canal and River Trust. The increase in resources for the Enforcement Management Group and reduction in fly tipping were also welcomed.

A number of members emphasised the need to make sure that policies were enforced in a proportionate ‘common sense’ manner, for example when people left second hand items outside of their homes. Other issues discussed included the balance between protecting civil liberties and ensuring strong financial penalties for those breeching policies.

One member stressed the importance of ensuring that projects, due to be implemented by Wiltshire Council using S106 funding, were delivered in a timely manner, so that the council was setting a good example to other agencies.

Cllr Clewer than had the opportunity to respond to the points raised. He welcomed the support for the proposals and reassured Council that the need for proportionately was referenced throughout the Enforcement Policy. He noted that £0.800m had been invested into resourcing enforcement and reiterated that the policy would help to prevent harm to people and the environment.

At the conclusion of the debate, it was then,

Resolved:

That Full Council adopt the Enforcement Policy as set out at Appendix 1.

In accordance with the constitution there was a recorded vote.

Votes for the motion (83)

Votes against the motion (0)

Votes in abstention (0)

Details of the vote are attached as an appendix to the minutes.

To receive a report from the Director, Environment.

The Chairman called upon Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Licensing, to introduce the item. Cllr Muns moved the proposals, which were seconded by Cllr Peter Hutton.

Cllr Muns explained that Wiltshire Council had a statutory duty to review its Licensing Policy every five years and that there were approximately 2,000 licensed premises in Wiltshire that were covered by the policy. He confirmed that a public consultation, that had taken place between April and May 2024, had received 35 responses, most of which related to Temporary Event Notices. He explained that there were no substantial changes to the policy although, some of the wording relating to Temprary Event Notices had been revised to reflect the feedback. Cllr Muns took the opportunity to thank the public that had participated in the consultation as well as officers for their work on the revised draft. He also thanked the Licensing Committee for scrutinising the draft policy and for recommending its adoption by Council.

Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment on the motion.

The Chairman then opened the item for general debate.

Cllr Hutton, Chairman of the Licensing Committee, reassured Council that they held a number of licensing sub-committees throughout the year to ensure that the four licensing objectives were upheld. He reported that he had asked officers to ensure that a comprehensive training package was in place for new members joining after the elections in May 2025.

There being no further comments in debate or summation, it was then,

Resolved:

That Full Council approved the Statement of Licensing Policy (2024-2029) (Appendix 1) under the Licensing Act 2003 which will come into effect from 1 November 2024.

In accordance with the constitution there was a recorded vote.

Votes for the motion (80)

Votes against the motion (0)

Votes in abstention (1)

Details of the vote are attached as an appendix to the minutes.

To receive a report from the Director, Environment.

The Chairman invited Cllr Dominic Muns, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for gambling policy, to introduce the report. Cllr Muns moved that the statement of gambling principles be adopted, which was seconded by Cllr Peter Hutton.

Cllr Muns explained that local authorities had a statutory obligation to review their statement of gambling principles every three years. He highlighted that the statement did not apply to online gambling. However, small lotteries, betting shops, adult gaming centres and family entertainment centres would be covered by the policy. A consultation had been held in July and August, with 14 comments received. All the comments had been reviewed and the feedback added to the updated policy, but there had not been no substantial changes.

Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment on the statement.

The Chairman then opened the item to wider debate.

The Chairman of the Licensing Committee, Cllr Hutton, reported that Wiltshire Council did send out communications highlighting the dangers of excessive online gambling. Even though online gambling was not technically a responsibility of Wiltshire Council they did see it as part of their duty of care to residents.

There being no further comments in debate or summation, it was then,

Resolved:

That Full Council approves the Gambling Statement of Principles (2025-2027) (Appendix 1) under the Gambling Act 2005 which will come into effect from 1 January 2025.

In accordance with the constitution there was a recorded vote.

Votes for the motion (77)

Votes against the motion (0)

Votes in abstention (0)

Details of the vote are attached as an appendix to the minutes.

To receive a report from the Director - HR & OD.

The Chairman invited Cllr Ashley O’Neill, Cabinet Member for Governance, IT, Broadband, Digital and Staffing, to introduce a report regarding the designation of statutory roles following changes to the senior management structure at the council. He moved the recommendations as set out in the agenda, which were seconded by Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council.

Cllr O’Neill noted that the appointment of the new Chief Executive, Lucy Townsend, had created a vacancy in the role of Corporate Director, People. An interim appointment was made for a Corporate Director for Children and Education to partially replace the role of Corporate Director People. He explained that the Chief Executive had used emergency powers to designate the statutory role of Director of Children’s Services to that role and was also intending to appoint a Corporate Director for Care and Wellbeing. He asked that Council agree to abolish the role of Corporate Director, People, approve the new role of Corporate Director for Care and Wellbeing and to note the creation of the new Corporate Director for Children and Education post. The Corporate Director Resources would also lose the designation of Deputy Chief Executive.

He reported that the Chief Executive felt that the changes would increase the ability of the council to deliver preventative measures and improve outcomes for residents. The budgetary implications of the change in roles was outlined.

Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment on the proposals.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, stated that the saw the creation of the additional post as a sensible move given the high proportion of the council’s budget that was spent on caring for vulnerable adults. Given that resources supported the delivery of other services he also felt it was appropriate for this to be a corporate director role. He explained that the management structure was a matter for the Chief Executive but was done in close consultation with political leaders at the council.

Cllr Gordon King, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, endorsed the changes, which he felt reflected the priorities of the council.

The Chairman then opened the item for debate. There being no comments received, it was then,

Resolved

That Council:

1)    Approves the deletion of the post of Corporate Director People;

2)    Approves the creation of the new post of Corporate Director Care & Wellbeing;

3)    Note and ratify the designation of statutory role of Director of Children’s Services (DCS) to the new position of Corporate Director, Children and Education;

4)    Note that other designated statutory roles are unchanged as a result of the restructure and remain with existing posts:

a)    Head of Paid Service, Returning Officer (RO) and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) with the post of Chief Executive

b)   Section 151 with the post of Director – Finance and Procurement

c)    Director of Adult Services (DASS) with the post of Director – Adult Social Care

d)   Director of Public Health (DPH) with the post of Director – Public Health

e)    Monitoring Officer with the post of Director  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

To consider the Motion from Cllrs Elizabeth Threlfall and Pauline Church.

The meeting reconvened at approximately 1:35pm.

On invitation of the Chairman, Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall proposed the motion as set out in the agenda, which was seconded by Cllr Pauline Church.

Cllr Threlfall introduced the motion by speaking in objection to the government’s decision to end winter fuel payments for pensioners not in receipt of pension credit. She described the decision as precipitous and stated that it would force many people to choose between eating and heating. She provided statistical information in support of the view that the decision could impact many pensioners near the poverty line and even lead to excess deaths.

It was stated a large proportion of the 160k pensions living in Wiltshire would face an income reduction for the coming winter and noted that Wiltshire has a higher proportion of pensioners than the national average, with many eligible but not currently in receipt of pension credits. A contrast was made with the decision to end the winter fuel payment for many less well-off pensioners, whilst simultaneously committing to award pay rises to workers on what could be considered comfortable salaries. Cllr Threlfall argued that it was essential that Wiltshire Council signposted pensioners to where they could get help and encouraged Council to support the motion requesting the Chancellor of the Exchequer review the decision.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council and relevant Cabinet Member, agreed with Cllr Threlfall’s statements. He argued that that the decision by the government to withdraw winter fuel allowance for pensioners, at the same time as awarding £9 billion in above inflation pay increases in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent public sector strikes, was the wrong priority. He highlighted that most pensioners had a fixed income, so a future uplift in the state pension would cover other rises in the costs of living and not the withdrawal of the winter fuel allowance. He reported that the Department of Work and Pensions and Wiltshire Council were working to encourage eligible pensioners to claim pension credit.

The Chairman then moved that Council debate the motion, which was seconded by the Vice-Chairman and agreed by the Council.

Other Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment on the motion.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, congratulated Cllr Threlfall on moving the motion, which he fully supported. He criticised the onerous process that pensioners had to go through to apply for pension credit and emphasised the importance of ensuring that Wiltshire Council communicated with people that were impacted by the changes.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, deputising for the Independent Group Leader, noted that they would give their views on an individual basis, but stated his personal concerns about the winter fuel payment decision and about the impact on the most vulnerable, though he questioned why Council had not raised similar concerns about decisions made during the previous government.

Cllr Ricky Rogers, Leader of the Labour Group, explained that, whilst he disagreed with much of the preamble to the motion, he did support the motion  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

To consider the Motion from Cllrs Dominic Muns and Nick Holder.

On the invitation of the Chairman, Cllr Dominic Muns proposed the motion as set out in the agenda, which was seconded by Cllr Nick Holder.

Cllr Muns emphasised the importance of retaining public opinion in working towards net zero targets and warned against counterproductive forms of environmental activism. Concerns were raised by Cllr Muns that the impact of imposing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) was often to disperse, rather than reduce, traffic. He argued that the rural landscape of Wiltshire meant that careful consideration would be required before introducing such measures in the county. Statistical evidence was provided, including that 44 percent of Wiltshire’s population lived in villages and that 28 percent of people were unable to access a town centre within half an hour, by walking or using public transport. Cllr Muns emphasised that the motion did not divert from Wiltshire Council’s Air Quality Action Plan but recognised the disparity in travel opportunities between Wiltshire’s residents and those in large urban conurbations.

Cllr Tamara Reay, Cabinet Member with responsibility for transport, responded and welcomed the motion. She was pleased to report that Wiltshire’s Local Transport Plan would come forward to Cabinet in November 2024 and that transport emissions in Wiltshire had fallen by two percent over the past year. She stressed that she was keen to do more to improve the availability of sustainable transport options and spoke about several measures that were being implemented, such as 23 electric busses being purchased for use in Salisbury from 2026. Other examples included the introduction of the Wiltshire Connect demand responsive transport service, which had been used by over 48,000 people, and the creation of seven new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans in towns.

Members of the public that had registered to make a statement were then given the opportunity to speak.  

Andrew Nicholson, on behalf of Wiltshire Climate Alliance, and Katherine Reed both made statements in opposition to the motion.

The Chairman then moved that the Council debate the motion, which was seconded by the Vice-Chairman and agreed by Council.

Group Leaders were then given the opportunity to comment.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, welcomed the motion. He spoke about the need to ensure that decarbonisation did not penalise residents. He noted that environmental policy needed to be implemented in a way that respected the rural character of Wiltshire, including its reliance on the use of private motor vehicles. He explained that lots of good work was going on to support active travel in Wiltshire but that he would not support measures to force people out of their cars unless alternative dedicated infrastructure was in place. He argued that cars should be decarbonised, not penalised.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, stated he could not support the motion, which he argued was trying to solve a problem that did not exist, and that he did not see the logic of a motion from the group that ran the council telling themselves how to run the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

To consider the Motion from Cllrs Nick Botterill and Philip Whitehead.

On the invitation of the Chairman, Cllr Nick Botterill proposed the motion as set out in the agenda, which was seconded by Cllr Philip Whitehead.

Cllr Botterill identified what he saw as the deep flaws in the use of the housing land supply metric in the planning system. He highlighted that Wiltshire Council had granted permission for around 18,000 unbuilt homes, enough to demonstrate at least a nine-year housing land supply based on current requirements. However, as only 47 percent of the homes granted permission were expected to be completed by March 2028, the council was only able to demonstrate a 3.85-year housing land supply based on government measurements. He reminded Council that as Wiltshire was not able to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, the tilted balance in the planning system restricted their ability to prevent speculative development on green field sites.

It was argued that deficiency in the housing land supply was due to the actions of developers rather than Wiltshire Council. He argued that the system created an incentive for developers not to build on allocated sites, as it gave them a better chance of gaining permission to build on more lucrative but unallocated sites. As a result many large local authorities were unable to demonstrate the requisite housing land supply. Cllr Botterill encouraged Council to support the motion to urge the new government to rethink the current system.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, stated that the issues raised went to the heart of what was wrong with the planning system, as the way that the five-year land supply was measured allowed developers to game the system. He informed Council that the latest figures were that Wiltshire had approved planning permission for 18,837 unbuilt homes and there were around one and a half million nationwide. He emphasised that Wiltshire needed to build homes in accordance with the Local Plan but risked having decisions imposed at appeal that were only in the interests of developers.

He reported that he had lobbied the previous government heavily about this issue and that that they had started to take his feedback onboard. He had also met with the new minister in his capacity as housing spokesperson for the County Council Network to press for a system that compelled developers to build. He emphasised that no developer would be willing to build houses at a rate which saw average house prices fall.

The Chairman moved that Council debate the motion, which was seconded by the Vice-Chairman and agreed by Council.

Other Group Leaders were then invited to comment on the motion.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, spoke in support of the motion. He stated that different governments had been happy to allow the development industry to provide virtually all the country’s social housing and huge swathes of its social infrastructure, rather than enforcing plan led development. He felt that the system had been working against communities for decades. He also noted that he had recently read  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

To consider the Motion from Cllrs Robert MacNaughton and Ashley O’Neill.

On the invitation of the Chairman, Cllr Robert MacNaughton, proposed the motion as set out in the agenda, which was seconded by Cllr Ashley O’Neill.

Cllr MacNaughton stated that he felt very strongly that human waste needed to be taken out of Wiltshire’s rivers. He explained that lots of people he met shared his deep concern about the state of rivers and the natural environment, including local MPs. He referenced public reporting stating that 84 percent of Britain’s rivers were in poor health. He noted that Calne had held its first river festival in 2021, for the River Marden, and a well-attended river blessing in 2023, so there was widespread support for improving river quality. He then spoke about the importance of Wiltshire Council working constructively with water companies to understand what they were going to do to reduce the amount of sewage in Wiltshire’s rivers.

Cllr Dominic Muns, the Cabinet Member for Waste and Environment, responded and spoke in support of the motion.

The Chairman then moved that Council debate the motion, which was seconded by the Vice-Chairman and agreed by Council.

Group Leaders were then invited to comment on the motion.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, welcomed the motion, which he felt would send a strong message to water companies about the need to meet their legislative responsibilities. He explained that Natural England and European Union policy had put too much onus on new housing developments to address nutrient issues in rivers. He felt that there had also been a long-term underinvestment in infrastructure.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, praised Cllr MacNaughton and those that had worked alongside him for drafting the motion. Cllr Thorn then shared his experiences of attending river blessings with Cllr MacNaughton and outlined some of his concerns about the natural environment.

The Chairman then opened the motion to wider debate.

There were many comments made in general support of the motion. The need to have constructive dialogue with water companies was stressed, especially given well reported concerns about regulation, investment in infrastructure, and setting the right level of bills for consumers. One member noted that they had spoken to Wessex Water in advance of the meeting and that they had stated that they welcomed the opportunity to work with Wiltshire Council. Another suggestion was for an overarching water policy for the county that included upgrading septic tanks and measures in the draft Local Plan to reduce water consumption in new homes.

The impact the rivers could have on public health and safety was also raised, especially during times of flooding. It was reported that water companies attended the two Operational Flood Working groups in Wiltshire and held productive discussions about issues such as storm overflow into rivers. It was suggested that the Wessex Rivers Trust charity could also be invited to meetings. There was also praise for the cross-party way in which the motion had been prepared.  

At the conclusion of the debate, the Cabinet Member, Cllr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

To consider the Motion from Cllrs Ricky Rogers and Caroline Corbin.

The Chairman noted that the motion proposed by Cllr Ricky Rogers and seconded by Cllr Caroline Corbin, had been withdrawn. It was noted that resurfacing works on Western Way either had, or were about to, commence.

To consider the motion from Cllrs Ricky Rogers and Sam Charleston.

On the invitation of the Chairman, Cllr Ricky Rogers proposed the motion as set out in the Summons, which was seconded by Cllr Sam Charleston.

Cllr Rogers explained that Salisbury Area Board had been seeking information for a lengthy period about its bid to the Salisbury Transportation Fund through the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG). He explained that the Area Board had gone through due process but had yet to receive an answer.

Cllr Tamara Reay, Cabinet Member with responsibility for transport, was then given the opportunity to respond directly to the motion, but had no comment.

The Chairman moved that the motion be referred to the Leader for appropriate action without debate, which was seconded by the Vice-Chairman. Cllr Rogers confirmed that he was happy for the matter to be referred to the Leader. If resolved the Leader would therefore write to the proposers of the motion, with a copy sent to all Members of the Council, advising them what steps he proposed to take.

It was therefore,

Resolved:

To refer the motion to the Leader for any appropriate action.

To receive a report from the Director - Legal & Governance.

The Chairman invited Cllr Ashley O’Neill, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Governance, to move the motion to approve the proposed changes to the Constitution, which was seconded by Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council.

Cllr O’Neill referred Council to the report details in the agenda setting out proposed changes to Protocol 2 (Terms of Reference of the Wiltshire Pension Fund Committee and Local Pension Board) and Protocol 6 (Complaints Procedure) of the Constitution.

Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment. Cllr Ricky Rogers, Leader of the Labour Group, stated that the changes were well written and supported the motion.

The Chairman then opened the item for general debate.

A statement was made in general support of the motion, and it was noted that the changes had been considered by the Constitution Focus Group and Standards Committee.

There being no further comments in debate or summation, it was then,

Resolved:

That Council approve the following updated sections of the Constitution:

1)    Protocol 2A - Terms of Reference of the Wiltshire Pension Fund Committee

2)    Protocol 6 - Complaints Procedure

In accordance with the Constitution there was a recorded vote.

Votes for the motion            (59)

Votes against the motion    (0)

Votes in abstention              (0)

Details of the recorded vote are attached to these minutes.

To receive a report from the Director – Legal and Governance.

The Chairman invited Cllr Ashley O’Neill, Cabinet Member with responsibility for governance, to move the motion to extend the appoint of the council’s Independent Persons, which was seconded by Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council.

Cllr O’Neill explained that changes had been requested by officers and would allow the appointed Independent Persons to continue their service beyond the end of the council term, until August 2025. The changes would allow any Code of Conduct related matters to be appropriately dealt with until additional recruitment took place.

Group Leaders then had the opportunity to comment before the Chairman opened the item for general debate.

A comment was made in support of the proposals and thanks were given to the independent members for their hard work and analysis in interacting with and advising regarding Code of Conduct complaints.

There being no further comments in debate or summation, it was then,

Resolved:

That Council extend the terms of the council’s three Independent Persons until August 2025.

To receive any other appropriate announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members, or Chairmen of Committees.

There were no announcements.

To determine any requests from Group Leaders for changes to committee membership in accordance with the allocation of seats to political groups previously approved by the Council.

To consider any requests from Members in respect of S.85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Group Leaders proposed changes to membership of committees. On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was then,

Resolved:

1)    To make the following changes to Committees:

·         That Cllr Mike Sankey be removed as a Member of the Standards Committee, Children’s Select Committee, and Northern Area Planning Committee

·         That Cllr Mike Sankey also be removed as a Substitute for the Standards Assessment Sub Committee and Western Area Planning Committee.

·         That Cllr Richard Britton be added as a Member of the Standards Committee.

·         That Cllr Caroline Thomas be added as a Member of the Children’s Select Committee.

·         That Cllr Ashley O’Neill be added as a Member of the Northern Area Planning Committee.

·         That Cllr Iain Wallis be added as a Substitute for the Standards Committee.

·         That Cllr Nick Holder be added as a Substitute for Western Area Planning Committee.

·         That Cllr Stuart Wheeler be added as a Substitute for the Northern Area Planning Committee and the Western Area Planning Committee.

·         That Cllr Sam Pearce Kearney be added as a Member of Eastern Area Planning Committee.

·         That Cllr Dr Brain Mathew MP be removed as a Member of the Eastern Area Planning Committee.

·         That Cllr Bowler be added as a Substitute to the Eastern Area Planning Committee.

2)    That Council ratify the reappointment of Marlene Corbey to the Local Pension Board as a Scheme Member representative (Unison representative) for a period of four years.

Members were required to give notice of any questions in writing to the Proper Officer on the first page of this agenda no later than 5pm nine clear working days before the meeting, 1 October 2024, in order to be guaranteed a written response.

Any question received after 5pm on 1 October 2024 and no later than 5pm four clear working days before the meeting 8 October 2024, may only receive a verbal response at the meeting. Any questions received after this date will be received at the next meeting.

Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman determines the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

The Chairman highlighted that there were 11 questions submitted by Members for the meeting within the scope of the constitution. The questions, together with any written responses, were listed in Agenda Supplement 2.

It was noted that the questions submitted by Cllr David Vigar had been taken under Minute 63. As Cllr Edward Kirk sent his apologies for the meeting, a written response to Question 24-35 would be included with the minutes.

For Question 24-36 relating to Stone Circle, Cllr Jon Hubbard asked supplementary questions on whether the houses purchased were all used to meet demand on the housing list and whether any priority had been given to care leavers. He also asked whether there would be any payment of the referenced loan before the expiry of the 50-year period and, if so, how those payments were being met.

Cllr Phil Alford, Cabinet Member for Housing, said that he would provide a written response to the supplementary questions.