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Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Democratic Services  Email: Democratic.Services@croydon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

154/20

Disclosure of Interests

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to register disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and gifts and hospitality to the value of which exceeds £50 or multiple gifts and/or instances of hospitality with a cumulative value of £50 or more when received from a single donor within a rolling twelve month period. In addition, Members and co-opted Members are reminded that unless their disclosable pecuniary interest is registered on the register of interests or is the subject of a pending notification to the Monitoring Officer, they are required to disclose those disclosable pecuniary interests at the meeting. This should be done by completing the Disclosure of Interest form and handing it to the Democratic Services representative at the start of the meeting. The Chair will then invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3. Completed disclosure forms will be provided to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion on the Register of Members’ Interests.

 

Minutes:

There were none.

 

155/20

Urgent Business (if any)

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

 

156/20

Matter for Consideration by Council

Following the receipt of a requisition signed by Members of the Council, the Mayor has agreed that an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council should be held.

 

The requisition states:

 

“This Council recognises the significant financial pressures Croydon Council is operating under.

 

Its commitment to live within its means is at the core of the Croydon Renewal Plan, which outlines significant savings over future years as the Council returns to financial stability.

 

Included in the Croydon Renewal Plan is a commitment to “Scale back members special responsibility allowances” and make savings of £103,000 in 2021/22.

 

However, the Council consider as the overall financial envelope of the Council is reduced, that it is appropriate that further savings are made in terms of Special Responsibility Allowances, Councillors (SRAs).

 

It, therefore, resolves to amend the scheme of allowances to make approximately £300,000 savings on Councillors’ allowances in the financial year starting on 1 April 2021.

 

The 2021/22 scheme changes will include:

              Permanent deletion of 2nd Non Statutory Deputy Leader post;

              Reduction of Cabinet from 10 to 9 (including Leader and Statutory Deputy leader);

              Deletion of separate role of Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board – with function absorbed into Cabinet member role;

              Reduction of Deputy Cabinet Member roles to four Deputies;

              As part of the Governance Review in setting up of Cabinet Member Advisory Committee’s (CMAC’s), introducing new CMAC Chairs at new limited SRA rate of £5,000;

              Reducing the SRA for the Chair of Scrutiny by £10,000;

              Applying a 20 % reduction on all SRA’s that are not new or already reduced;

              Mirroring changes to SRAs in the Shadow Cabinet to that in the Cabinet;

              Deferral of any inflation increase for 2021/22 on the core basic Councillor Allowance, in addition to SRAs.”

Minutes:

Madam Mayor explained that in accordance with paragraphs 5(4a) of the Council’s Constitution, she received a Cross-Party requisition signed by 44 Members of the Council and it had been agreed than an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council should be held.

 

The requisition stated:

 

“This Council recognises the significant financial pressures Croydon Council is operating under.

 

Its commitment to live within its means is at the core of the Croydon Renewal Plan, which outlines significant savings over future years as the Council returns to financial stability.

 

Included in the Croydon Renewal Plan is a commitment to “Scale back members special responsibility allowances” and make savings of £103,000 in 2021/22.

 

However, the Council consider as the overall financial envelope of the Council is reduced, that it is appropriate that further savings are made in terms of Special Responsibility Allowances, Councillors (SRAs).

 

It, therefore, resolves to amend the scheme of allowances to make approximately £300,000 savings on Councillors’ allowances in the financial year starting on 1 April 2021.

 

The 2021/22 scheme changes will include:

 

         Permanent deletion of 2nd Non Statutory Deputy Leader post;

         Reduction of Cabinet from 10 to 9 (including Leader and Statutory Deputy leader);

         Deletion of separate role of Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board – with function absorbed into Cabinet member role;

         Reduction of Deputy Cabinet Member roles to four Deputies;

         As part of the Governance Review in setting up of Cabinet Member Advisory Committee’s (CMAC’s), introducing new CMAC Chairs at new limited SRA rate of £5,000;

         Reducing the SRA for the Chair of Scrutiny by £10,000;

         Applying a 20 % reduction on all SRA’s that are not new or already reduced;

         Mirroring changes to SRAs in the Shadow Cabinet to that in the Cabinet;

         Deferral of any inflation increase for 2021/22 on the core basic Councillor Allowance, in addition to SRAs.”

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Leila Ben-Hassel to move the motion.

 

Councillor Leila Ben-Hassel stated the resolution in front of the Council to amend the scheme of Councillor allowances was an important move on a Cross-Party basis.  This demonstrated collective working regarding Members commitment to address the council’s challenges to show consolidarity to staff, particular those who had been affected by the poor decisions made at senior and political officer leadership level.

 

Staff had worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic despite insecurities regarding their own livelihoods.  Any restructure of services going forward would affect staff by creating uncertainty.  Nonetheless, they were expected to continue delivering services to the best of their ability with reduced resources and increased demands.   As Members became aware of the true extent of the financial crisis, it was felt that drastic measures were required.  Members listened to feedback from auditors and the LGA that the Council should be more evidence-based in their decision-making.  Therefore, a decision was made to review the scheme of allowances by undertaking benchmarking across London borough averages and looked how the council was required to operate as Majority and Minority Groups.  This  ...  view the full minutes text for item 156/20

157/20

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

 

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

 

Minutes:

This item was not required.