Agenda and minutes

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

The Chairman opened the meeting by taking a moment to reflect on the recent passing of former Councillor John Farrin who had been a Liberal Democrat Member for Burghfield from 2003 – 2007. Councillor Lee Dillon spoke in remembrance of Mr Farrin.

The Chairman then welcomed Councillor Biyi Oloko to the Council. Councillor Oloko had been elected as a Conservative Councillor on 16^th December 2021 for the Tilehurst South and Holybrook Ward and this was his first Council meeting. Councillor Oloko briefly introduced himself.

The Chairman then invited Members to make any declarations of interest.

Councillors Owen Jeffery, Jeff Brooks, Tony Vickers, Phil Barnett, Royce Longton and Billy Drummond declared an interest in Agenda Item 3 (To consider and deal with Item 22 of the Agenda as specified in the Summons to the Council Meeting of 2 December 2021 pertaining to the unfinished business - Notices of Motion (Motion (C) West Berkshire Council Pensions Divestment from Fossil Fuels refers)) due to being in receipt of a Royal County of Berkshire Pension and reported that, as their interests were disclosable pecuniary interests or an other registrable interest, they would be leaving the meeting during the course of consideration of the matter.

Councillor Tony Linden declared an interest in Agenda Item 3 (To consider and deal with Item 22 of the Agenda as specified in the Summons to the Council Meeting of 2 December 2021 pertaining to the unfinished business - Notices of Motion (Motion (C) West Berkshire Council Pensions Divestment from Fossil Fuels refers)) due to having had a councillors pension policy but not currently being in receipt of it and reported that, as the interest was a disclosable pecuniary interests or an other registrable interest, he would be leaving the meeting during the course of consideration of the matter.

Councillors Graham Bridgman and Andy Moore declared an interest in Agenda Item 3 (To consider and deal with Item 22 of the Agenda as specified in the Summons to the Council Meeting of 2 December 2021 pertaining to the unfinished business - Notices of Motion (Motion (C) West Berkshire Council Pensions Divestment from Fossil Fuels refers)) due to their spouses being in receipt of a Berkshire pension and reported that, as the interest was a disclosable pecuniary interests or an other registrable interest, they would be leaving the meeting during the course of consideration of the matter.

The Chairman indicated the order under which the Motions would be taken.

The Council considered the under-mentioned Motion (Agenda Item 3(a) refers) submitted in the name of Councillor Jeff Brooks regarding the integrity of West Berkshire Council.

The Chairman informed the Council that the Motion, if seconded, would be debated at the meeting.

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Jeff Brooks and seconded by Councillor Owen Jeffery:

“This Council will act with the utmost integrity at all times and will ensure that all of its actions put our residents first. Where mistakes are made we will put them right. Where injustices are apparent we will act to resolve them.

In everything we do, the needs of our residents will be uppermost in our policies and actions. We will never take short term gains over the interests of the people we are here to serve”.

Councillor Brooks in introducing the Motion explained how the Motion related to values that the Council demonstrated in everything it did, in every policy developed, and in every decision it made. In putting the Motion before Council, Councillor Brooks did not believe it would find unanimous support as he felt the Leader of the Council and several of the Executive would not vote for something they did not evidence in their actions. Councillor Brooks stated that several members were discomforted by this Motion, and were not convinced that their leadership would evidence the behaviour called upon in the Motion. In particular he highlighted that the Council should never take short term gains over the interests of residents. Councillor Brooks provided examples of when he believed residents had not been put first in both the actuality and the spirit of this Motion:

·           Hundreds of fines totalling tens of thousands of pounds had been levied on drivers for crossing over the Parkway Bridge and were refused reimbursement when the signage (and thus those fines) were found to be illegal. Several members of the current administration were in charge at that time.

·           A grant was made to an important local transport provider conditional on a gagging order which was not reciprocal, and there had been no consultation on the withdrawal of the grant which the Council had yet to apologise for.

·           Grudgingly, residents were given some financial relief on the green bin charge when the green bins were not emptied last winter, after showing no enthusiasm for the budget amendments put forward by Councillor Brooks to provide that financial relief. Already this winter there had been missed collections and it was yet to be seen how the Council would react to that.

·           The Council had insisted on the collection of nearly £100,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) whilst also admitting that no levy would be chargeable if the private individuals in Lambourne and Kintbury had completed their CIL forms correctly. Amongst the collection techniques was visiting the debtor – or not debtor, as no charge should be levied – and attaching a letter outside their home on the public highway stating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.