Agenda and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking. The Democratic Services Team Manager will read the following announcement:

“The Chairman would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or another use by such third parties).

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery.”

The Democratic Services Team Manager reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

To declare interests in any item on the agenda.

(a)        During item 9 – Questions by Members without Notice – and pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Cllr C Whitbread declared a personal interest by virtue of being a Board Member of Terra Verde Services in his role as Leader of the Council. The Councillor had determined that his interest was non-pecuniary and would remain in the meeting for the item.

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 9 April 2024 and 23 May 2024 (attached).

            RESOLVED:

(1)        That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 9 April 2024 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record; and

(2)        That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 23 May 2024 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(a)        Chairman’s Announcements

(a)        Announcements by the Chairman of the Council

The Chairman announced that he had attended a number of major events in the District since the last Council meeting, including Ride London, the D-Day fly-in at North Weald Airfield, the launch of the Epping Forest Community Lottery, and the launch of the new Herts/Essex Air Ambulance.

The Chairman stated that it was his sad duty to inform the Council of the passing of Jack Petchey CBE last month. Mr Petchey had set up a foundation to inspire and motivate young people, and many young people within the District and Youth Councillors had received Jack Petchey awards.

Finally, the Chairman informed the Council that the Civic Carol Service would be held on Friday 13 December 2024 at St Mary’s Church in Theydon Bois; and the Civic Awards Night would be held on Friday 14 March 2025 at the Marriot Hotel in Waltham Abbey.

To answer questions asked after notice in accordance with the provisions contained within Part 4 of the Council Rules of the Constitution on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the District:

(a)        to the Leader of the Council;

(b)        to any Portfolio Holder; or

(c)        to the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Questions, if any, will follow if not received in time to be incorporated into the agenda.

The Council noted that no public questions had been received for consideration at the meeting.

To answer questions asked after notice in accordance with the provisions contained within the Council’s rules in Part 4 of the Constitution on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the District:

(a)                     to the Chairman of the Council;

(b)                     to the Leader of the Council;

(c)                     to any Member of the Cabinet; or

(d)                     the Chairman of any Committee or Sub-Committee.

The Council’s rules provide that answers to questions under notice may take the form of:

(a)               direct oral answer;

(b)               where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication; or

(c)               where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner.

Answers to questions falling within (a) and (b) above will be made available to the member asking the question one hour before the meeting. Answers to questions falling within (c) above will be circulated to all councillors.

Questions, if any, will follow if not received in time to be incorporated into the agenda.

The Council noted that there were no questions by members under notice that had been submitted for consideration at this meeting.

To receive reports and any announcements from the Leader and members of the Cabinet on matters falling within their area of responsibility:

(a)        Report of the Leader of Council (verbal);

(b)        Report of the Housing & HGGT Portfolio Holder (attached);

(c)        Report of the Finance & Economic Development Portfolio Holder (attached);

(d)        Report of the Shaping Our District Portfolio Holder (attached);

(e)        Report of the Commercial & Estates Portfolio Holder;

(f)         Report of the Transformation Portfolio Holder (attached);

(g)        Report of the Contracts Delivery Portfolio Holder (attached);

(h)        Report of the Community Health & Wellbeing Portfolio Holder (attached); and

(i)         Report of the Regulatory, Technical & Community Safety Services Portfolio        Holder (attached).

The Council received written reports from Portfolio Holders. The Chairman invited the Leader of Council to provide an oral report and the opportunity for other members of the Cabinet to give updates on matters concerning their relevant portfolios.

(a)        Leader of the Council

The Leader of the Council, Cllr C Whitbread, reported that he had met with numerous local councils over the past fortnight to discuss various issues, including Masterplans. The Cabinet’s plans for the year ahead had been set out at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 4 June 2024, at which the ‘Fit for the Future’ programme and the importance of shared working with other local authorities – particularly with the North Essex Councils – had been highlighted.

The Leader had also attended an Essex Leaders meeting at which many issues had been discussed, including the new Government’s drive for devolution, which would become increasingly important and bring real benefits to the residents of Epping Forest as power was gained over issues such as transport. Shared Services would also become more important, and this Council was leading the way with its collaboration with Colchester City and Braintree District Councils.

The Leader had also attended a meeting at North Weald Airfield to discuss the different options for the Airfield’s future, and highlighted some of the improvements being brought about across the District through Safer Streets funding.

The report of the Leader of the Council was noted.

The Leader also reported on some outstanding nominations for his Group from the Annual Council meeting.

            Resolved:

(1)        That Cllr D Stocker be apponted to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee as a replacement for Cllr D Sunger for the remainder of the municipal year; and

(2)        That Cllr D Sunger and Cllr S Heather be appointed to the Audit & Governance Committee.

(b)       Housing & HGGT Portfolio Holder

The Portfolio Holder updated the Council on the meeting of the HGGT Joint Committee, which had taken place the previous evening at Harlow District Council.

The report of the Housing & HGGT Portfolio Holder was noted.

(c)        Finance & Economic Development Portfolio Holder

The report of the Finance & Economic Development Portfolio Holder was noted.

(d)       Shaping Our District Portfolio Holder

The report of the Shaping Our District Portfolio Holder was noted.

(e)        Commercial & Estates Portfolio Holder

The report of the Commercial & Estates Portfolio Holder was noted.

(f)        Transformation Portfolio Holder

The report of the Transformation Portfolio Holder was noted.

(g)       Contracts Delivery Portfolio Holder

The report of the Contracts Delivery Portfolio Holder was noted.

(h)       Community Health & Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

The report of the Community Health & Wellbeing Portfolio Holder was noted.

(i)         Regulatory, Technical & Community Safety Services Portfolio Holder

The report of the Regulatory, Technical & Community Safety Services Portfolio Holder was noted.

The Council’s rules provide for questions by any member of the Council to the Leader or any Portfolio Holder, without notice on:

(i)             reports under the previous item; or

(ii)            any other matter of a non operational character in relation to the powers and  duties of the Council or which affects all or part of the District or some or all of  its inhabitants.

The Council’s rules provide that answers to questions without notice may take the form of:

(a)             a direct oral answer from the Leader or, at the request of the Leader, from another member of the Cabinet;

(b)             where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication;

(c)             where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner; or

(d)             where the question relates to an operational matter, the Leader or a member of the Cabinet will request that a response be given direct to the questioner by the relevant Service Director.

In accordance with the Council’s rules, a time limit of thirty minutes is set for questions. Any question not dealt with within the time available will receive a written reply. The Chairman may extend this period by up to a further ten minutes at their discretion.

To consider the attached report from the Cabinet requesting approval for Capital Programme variations relating to developments at North Weald Airfield.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr C Whitbread, presented a report from the Cabinet requesting two variations to the Council’s Capital Programme, in relation to the development of a new Control Tower and Fire Station at North Weald Airfield, and obligations arising from the sale of land at North Weald Airfield within the Master Plan employment area to the technology company Google.

            Resolved:

(1)        That a variation to the Capital Programme in the sum of £300,000 be approved for the funding of associated equipment required for the new Control Tower Building at North Weald Airfield, including that for the Visual Control Room; and

(2)        That a variation to the Capital Programme in the sum of £554,916 be approved for the management and delivery of obligatory capital works arising from the conditions within the sale of land within the North Weald Airfield Master Plan employment area, including the adaptation of a new interim Airfield access point and enabling works associated with the electrical power supply.

To consider any motions, notice of which has been given under the Council’s rules.

Motions, if any, will follow if not received in time to be incorporated into the agenda.

The Chairman reported that there were no motions to be considered at the meeting.

To receive the report of the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and to answer any questions without notice asked in accordance with Council Rules.

In the absence of the Chairman who had given his apologies for the meeting, the Vice-Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Cllr C McCann - provided an update.

Cllr C McCann detailed the issues considered at the previous meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 4 June 2024, which included the approval of the Scrutiny Work Programmes for the forthcoming municipal year. The next meeting would take place on 30 July 2024, and Cllr C McCann highlighted the issues to be considered over the course of the year. In addition, Officers were working to get agreement from Transport for London (TfL) to attend a dedicated Scrutiny meeting in the near future.

Cllr S Murray suggested that Members should give TfL advance notice of any issues or questions that they had so that responses could be prepared for the meeting. Cllr C McCann agreed that this would be a very sensible approach as the issues with TfL were felt across the District.

The Council noted the report from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

(a)                 To receive from Council representatives the reports (attached - if any) on the business of joint arrangements and external organisations and to receive answers to any questions on those bodies which may be put without notice; and

(b)                 To request written reports from representatives on joint arrangements and external organisations for future meetings.

The Finance & Economic Development Portfolio Holder, Cllr H Whitbread, informed the Council that the Museum was now a fully vested Trust with a number of active Trustees. Currently, there was a ‘Towns through Time’ exhibition highlighting the development of the various different towns throughout the District. A ‘Winston Churchill’ pictorial exhibition had also been commissioned as a former Member of Parliament for the District. Members were encouraged to visit the Museum and to inform anyone who wished to volunteer for the Museum.

The Democratic Services Team Manager, G Woodhall, provided an update on the two outstanding nominations to Outside Bodies from the Annual Council meeting in May.

For the Epping Forest Local Liaison Groups, confirmation of the final number of nominations had been requested. The next meeting of the Liaison Group would be in December 2024, so this could be decided at the next ordinary meeting of the Council on 15 October 2024.

For the Epping Forest Local Highways Panel, Essex County Council had confirmed that the number of nominations from the District Council should be four and there were currently four nominations outstanding from the Annual Council meeting.

Cllr C C Pond felt that the nominations should be more balanced across the political groups than they were at the current time, and proposed that this should also be deferred to the next ordinary Council meeting on 15 October 2024. Cllr J M Whitehouse disagreed and felt that the four current nominations should be agreed, but the proposal was seconded by Cllr C Whitbread and put to the vote.

            Resolved:

            (1)        That the nominations to the Epping Forest Local Liaison Group and      the Epping Forest Local Highways Panel be deferred to the next ordinary meeting of the Council on 15 October 2024.

Exclusion:

To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers: 

Article 17 of the Constitution (Access to Information) define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection for four years after the date of the meeting one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers.

The Council noted that there were no items of business which necessitated the exclusion of the public and press from the meeting.