18/04/2006 - Council - Agenda

Head of Democratic Services: Lloyd White
Direct Line: (01628) 796186

TO: EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR & MAIDENHEAD

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED TO ATTEND the Meeting of the Council of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead to be held in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, Maidenhead on Tuesday 18 April 2006 at 6.30 pm for the purpose of transacting the business specified in the Agenda set out hereunder.

Dated: 6 April 2006

Head of Central Services

A G E N D A

PART I

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To receive any apologies for absence.

2. COUNCIL MINUTES

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 21 February 2006.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item to be considered at this meeting.

4. MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS

Since the last Council meeting the Deputy Mayor and I have carried out the following engagements:-

• Friends of St George's
• Windsor and Maidenhead Community Forum
• Twinning Committee
• Windsor Talking Newspaper 30th AGM
• NABPAK Conference
• Samuel Lewis Old Age Pension Fund
• Spoore, Merry and Rixman Foundation and Poole's and Rings Charities
• Visited Kensington Palace and the Science Museum in London with the Twin Town Mayors and representatives and joined them for Dinner in the evening in Bisham
• Maidenhead Shopmobility 10th Anniversary Tea Party
• Presented trophies at Maidenhead Pancake Race
• Presented long service awards to school governors
• Annual Dinner of the Windsor & District Welsh Society
• Presented certificates at the "Equal Access for All" ceremony
• Attended Women World Day of Prayer services in Windsor and Maidenhead
• Attended the Mock Trial Competition at Maidenhead Magistrates Court
• Cut the 1st birthday cake of Windsor Farmers Market
• Citizenship Ceremonies
• Visited two Sunninghill Schools - St Michaels Primary and Charters Secondary - to present certificates and prizes for the art competition as part of the Victory Fields Fundraising
• Presented Duke of Edinburgh Awards
• Fairtrade Fortnight and declaration of the Borough as having Fairtrade status
• Opened Jack Widgery Trust Exhibition
• Milaap Group 10th birthday celebrations
• Investors In People Presentation Award Ceremony Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Wokingham Chairman's Spring Reception
• Opening by Countess of Wessex of Lady Elizabeth House, Maidenhead
• Maidenhead Rotary Club Adjudication of Schools Essay Writing Competition
• PSHE Citizenship Lessons
• 9th Birthday celebrations Braywick Heath Nursery
• Rotary Club of Windsor and Eton launch of 75th Anniversary Celebrations
• Player and Arts Bursary Award Presentation Evening
• Opened Windsor Photographic Society exhibition
• Swearing in of new High Sheriff
• Opened Maidenhead Painting Club exhibition
• Visited the Wednesday Club of Maidenhead Mencap
• Attend the Churches Civic Dinner organised by St Marys Borough Church
• Old Maidonians Association of Desborough School
• Summer Exhibition at Stanley Spencer Gallery
• Snooker Match - Gordon Rance Memorial Cup
• WAMDSAD Annual Awards Dinner
• Queen's Awards for Voluntary Service
• Windsor and Eton Rotary Club Luncheon
• Opened Brunel 200 Exhibition at Maidenhead Heritage Centre
• Started the Maidenhead Easter Ten Race
• Attended the Churches Together in Windsor Good Friday service
• Opened the Customer Service Centre at York House, Windsor
• Our Charity Dinner Dance in aid of the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust
• Campaign to Protect Rural England 80th Anniversary Charity Concert
• Windsor Theatre Guild "Time and The Conways"
• Maidenhead Music Society Piano Recital
• Windsor and Eton Choral Society Spring Concert
• Ascot Rotary Children's Concert
• David Roberts Memorial Concert, Desborough School
• Riverside Players "Kindly leave the Stage"
• Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra Children's Concert
• BYMT County Groups Concert
• Windsor Slough Chrysanthemum Fuchsia and Pelargonium Society Spring Show
• Maidenhead Musical Comedy Society "My Fair Lady"

5. PUBLIC QUESTIONS

Mrs Debbie Keen of Staines Road, Wraysbury will ask the following question of Councillor Wood, the Lead Member for Traffic and Transportation:

"How does the Council justify spending £150,000 on Ascot Road improvements, and £60,000 on Coppermill Road pavements, when the Staines Road in Wraysbury, which was the site of 3 out of the 4 deaths in the Borough in 2002/3 and a further fatality in the first two months of 2006, had only £23,000 spent on improving its safety for all users and residents?"

Mr Reginald Marsh of Hythe End Road, will ask the following question of Councillor Mrs Howes the Lead Member for Planning, Property and Maidenhead Town Centre:

"Does the Lead Member for planning believe that there should be sufficient information available to DC Panel Members to ensure that the they are fully conversant with the details of any planning application in order to ensure that they understand the full nature and impact of the developments that are either refusing or approving?"

Mr Charles Collins of Wraysbury will ask the following question of Councillor Mrs Howes the Lead Member for Planning, Property and Maidenhead Town Centre:

"Can the Lead Member explain why it is that when residents have a planning application refused they may expect swift enforcement action, yet when Charles Morris withdrew its planning application just prior to the DC Panel on Wednesday 28 March an officer advised that the Borough would await a resubmission because CM had advised that they were going to undertake a flood risk assessment?"

Mr Charles Collins of Wraysbury will ask the following question of Councillor Wood, the Lead Member for Traffic and Transportation:

"Does the Lead Member believe that there should be full consultation with members of the public and companies who might be affected by proposed changes to roads and / or pavements in areas in which they live or work or which they go through or past on a regular basis?"

Mrs Sandra Collins of Wraysbury will ask the following question of Councillor Mrs Gliksten, the Leader of the Council:

"Does the Leader of the Council believe that Wraysbury residents are entitled to the right of "peaceful enjoyment of property" as outlined in Article 1 of the First Protocol of the Human Rights Act 1998? I believe that by not consulting with residents in Wraysbury when the Council was consulted on the grant of WML 25/7/01 and not vigorously challenging the proposed license to allow a concrete crusher close to residents, the Council failed the residents, and failed in its duty of care and consideration."

Mrs Sandra Collins of Wraysbury will ask the following question of Councillor Werner, the Lead Member for Community Partnerships:

"Does the Lead Member believe that the Public Protection Unit should be manned to take calls and respond during the hours of operation that a licensed industrial activity in the Borough is able to operate, especially if these licensed industrial activities are very likely to cause a specific public nuisance such as noise, vibration, dust, fires etc?"

6. PETITIONS

To receive any petitions presented by Members on behalf of registered electors for the Borough under Rule A.10.

7. STANDARDS COMMITTEE - PARISH SUB COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Council is asked to approve an amendment to the membership of the Sub-Committee (see page 28).

8. PINKNEYS GREEN ALCOHOL FREE ZONE

Members are asked to consider objections to the alcohol free zone proposal in this area and the sealing of an order in a designated area of Pinkneys Green with the aim of reducing levels of alcohol driven crime and anti-social behaviour. (see report at bottom of this page)

9. LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN 2006-2011

Members are asked to consider the adoption of the Plan (see report at the bottom of this page)

10. POLITICAL BALANCE & APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES / PANELS / FORUMS

Members are asked to note the result of the recent by-election and to consider the political balance of the Council and the allocation of seats (report to follow)

11. MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

To receive Questions submitted under Rule 11.2

i) Questions held over from Council meeting on 21 February

a) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Knight to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Is the Lead Member satisfied with the level of investment in the roads in Sunninghill and South Ascot?

b) Question submitted by Councillor Rayner to Councillor Mrs Gliksten, the Leader of the Council:-

Please could the Leader of the Council explain why it is not possible for the members of the public to record the planning meetings, either manually or electronically?

c) Question submitted by Councillor Rayner to Councillor Mrs Gliksten, the Leader of the Council:-

Does the Leader believe it would be a good thing, if there was not a budget constraint, to video and record Council meetings and make them available on the web as a video stream, so residents can conveniently see democracy in action?

ii) Questions submitted for present meeting:

d) Question submitted by Councillor Fido to Councillor Werner, Lead Member for Community Partnerships:-

How many prosecutions have been taken out by this Council since 1 January 2005 for offences committed under the various licensing and registration procedures and other legislative requirements relating to animal welfare and/or dog control - particularly in relation to dog fouling in public places?

e) Question submitted by Councillor Fido to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Would the Lead Member agree there should be consistency with speed limits on roads within the Royal Borough particularly on the 'A' through roads?

f) Question submitted by Councillor Gregory to Councillor Mrs Howes, Lead Member for Planning, Property and Maidenhead Town Centre:-

Are the Lead Member's views on reducing and virtually eliminating major planning infringements reflected in the Borough's policy and actions?

g) Question submitted by Councillor Gregory to Councillor Mrs Gliksten, the Leader of the Council:-

What steps has or will the Borough take or be taking to significantly and sustainably contribute to meeting Britain's GHG emissions reduction targets?

h) Question submitted by Councillor Grey to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Residents in Datchet have not received their permits for the new parking arrangements and the scheme is not being policed as promised. Can the Lead Member explain why?

i) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Yong to Councillor Eglise, Lead Member for Finance:-

With the recent cut from the budget, with regards to the facilities at Charters School, can you advise the residents in the South of the Borough why they should continue to pay council tax to fund projects elsewhere in the Borough?

j) Question submitted by Councillor Rayner to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Could the Lead Member please provide accident statistics for the Staines Road for the last five years showing what percentage of the total accidents and deaths that occur within the Borough actually occur on this road.?

k) Question submitted by Councillor Burbage to Councillor Eglise, Lead Member for Finance:-

Could the Lead Member please provide details of the average pension for full time employees of the Royal Borough who retired from April 2003 to March 2006 including how much was paid in employee and employer contributions respectively for that average pension?

l) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Hawkes to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Does the Lead Member believe that vehicle owners should at any time be parking on pavements?

m) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Yong to Councillor Mrs Howes, Lead Member for Planning, Property and Maidenhead Town Centre:-

Does the Borough's failure to raise significant issues at planning appeals mean that the resulting impact on residents can just be forgotten?

n) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Knight to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Will the Lead Member authorise a survey to determine what additional or improved street lighting is required in Sunninghill and South Ascot?

o) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Kemp to Councillor Mrs Gliksten, the Leader of the Council:-

What new projects this year, if any, are the Council undertaking in the Larchfield area?

p) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Knight to Councillor Werner, the Lead Member for Community Partnerships:-

What action will the Deputy Leader take against Cabinet Members or officers who fail to provide information that was requested or promised?

q) Question submitted by Councillor Rayner to Councillor Mrs Howes, Lead Member for Planning, Property and Maidenhead Town Centre:-

Would the Lead Member agree that whenever a planning application is submitted it is the responsibility of the planning department to ensure that every opportunity be afforded to all those people who may be affected by it to make their views known so every application can be dealt with on a fair and equitable basis?

r) Question submitted by Councillor Grey to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

What is the Lead Member proposing to do following the withdrawal of the bus service to Datchet?

s) Question submitted by Councillor Hilton to Councillor Eglise, Lead Member for Finance:-

In 2003/04 the Council's performance for its speed of processing new claims and changes of circumstances for Housing and Council Tax benefit was at, or better than standard. Would the Lead Member explain why today, a year after a delivering excellence review, he has been unable to achieve 2003/04 performance levels?

t) Question submitted by Councillor Burbage to Councillor Wood, Lead Member for Transport and Traffic Management:-

Whilst evening parking is free for residents in a limited number of car parks has the Lead Member any plans to extend this scheme or even offer discounts to residents in other car parks where it is currently unavailable?

u) Question submitted by Councillor Mrs Kemp to Councillor Mrs Gliksten, the Leader of the Council:-

Has the Council any plans to introduce or enforce existing by-laws to prevent nuisance to residents caused by noise or antisocial behaviour in public places?

12. MOTIONS ON NOTICE

To consider the following Motions submitted under Rule A12:-

i) by Councillor Walters

"This Council deplores the fact that this Liberal Democrat administration in private and behind closed doors made a bid to the Department of Education and Skills for £12M with the intention of closing the Holyport Manor School, selling the land and using the proceeds to create a new merged school in Cox Green for pupils with special educational needs, contrary to this Council's own Constitution (Article 12, Section 03b), without Cabinet's formal endorsement in confidence or otherwise and without advising in confidence or otherwise the Ward Councillors in either Bray or Cox Green."

ii) by Councillor Hilton

"This Council recognises the need for the Crown Estate to conserve and manage Windsor Great Park for future generations, but deplores the over commercialisation in the approach proposed in their recent consultation and in particular urges the crown estate to reconsider the proposal to enclose and charge entry to the Valley Gardens that have in the past been free and accessible to all"

•   Standards Committee Report (32kb)

•   Pinkneys Green Alcohol Free Zone Report (52kb)

•   Local Transport Plan 2006-20011 report (549kb)

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