To receive a report from the Director of Environment. This should be read in conjunction with Report No.16 (Part 1 agenda refers). (Report No.17)
Members are asked to note that the recommendations in the report were approved by Cabinet on 20 June 2012 for recommendation onto Council.
(This document contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended).
(Key decision – reference number 3486)
Minutes:
Councillor Bond moved and Councillor Brett seconded the joint report from the Director - Environment & Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services (No.17) seeking approval to the arrangements for consolidation of the Council’s depot functions onto a single site.
NOTED
1. The recommendations in Report No.17 had been approved for recommendation onto Council by Cabinet on 20 June 2012. The item was accompanied by a separate Part 1 report (No.16), which had also been approved by Cabinet on 20 June 2012.
2. The following concerns highlighted by the Opposition Group in relation to the proposals contained in the report:
a. the financial implications and costs associated with the terms of the proposal, as detailed within sections 4.6 and 7 of Report No.17;
b. the basis of the legal advice and opinion obtained in relation to the potential use of Compulsory Purchase powers, with specific reference to powers available under the Highways Act 1980.
3. Whilst noting the concerns raised, the Leader of the Council supported by the Cabinet member for Finance & Property confirmed that external legal opinion had been sought on the proposals outlined in the report which were felt to provide an effective solution and way forward. In view of the concerns raised, however, it was agreed that further clarification would be sought on the basis of the legal opinion obtained with the Cabinet member for Environment to inform the Opposition lead member on Environment on the outcome.
Having provided (as requested) an opportunity for the Opposition Group to highlight their concerns on this item, Councillor Taylor moved and Councillor Constantinides seconded that the report be put to the vote. This was agreed without a vote.
The recommendations in the report were then put to the vote, with a roll call requested by the Opposition Group. The results were as follows:
For : 35
Councillors Anwar, Bakir, Bearryman, Bond, Brett, Buckland, Cazimoglu, Charalambous, Cicek, Cole, Constantinides, Cranfield, Deacon, During, Ekechi, Georgiou, Goddard, Hamilton, Hasan, Ibrahim, Keazor, Lemonides, Levy, McGowan, Murphy, Orhan, Oykener, Robinson, Savva, Simodyal, Simon, Sitkin, Stafford Taylor and Uzoanya.
Against: 22
Councillors Barker, Chamberlain, Delman, E Hayward, R Hayward, Hurer, Joannides, Jukes, Kaye, Laban, Lamprecht, Lavender, Maynard, McCannah, Neville, A M Pearce, D Pearce, Rye, Smith, Vince, Waterhouse and Zetter.
Abstained: 0
AGREED
(1) The relocation of the operations from the existing depots at Carterhatch, Advent Way and Bury Street West to Murphy’s site at Morson Road, Enfield.
(2) The Council enters into an agreement to lease the Morson Road site from Murphy on the terms set out in the report, and the lease to be completed after the depot has been constructed by Murphy.
(3) To approve the necessary capital and revenue expenditure with provision to be made within the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy process for the required expenditure to be incurred.
(4) To delegate minor amendments to the Cabinet Member for Environment in consultation with the Director – Environment.
The meeting then moved back into Part 1 and Council noted that the above decision incorporated the recommendations also detailed in the accompanying report (No.16) on the Part 1 Agenda.