To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council, held on 30 October 2024.

The minutes of Council held on the 30 October 2024 were approved as a correct record.

To receive additional items that the Mayor is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business.

To receive any declaration of interests from Members.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Leader paid tribute to the hard work undertaken by the Council’s environment team during the recent Storm Bert, staff were out in very difficult circumstances not only doing their day-to-day job but clearing up after road traffic collisions, oil spills and having dealt with 23 fallen trees across the borough. The Mayor agreed to write to the Executive Director of Place to congratulate the team for all their hard work on the behalf of all members.

Councillor V Holloway spoke on a matter of clarification regarding her response to a question at October’s full council meeting. An Animal Welfare Policy had been approved in 2021 and had a section designated to animals for prizes. This quoted the council would prohibit the use of animals as prizes at circuses, fairs and at any other activity of a similar nature.

In accordance with Chapter 2, Part 2 (Rule 14) of the Council’s Constitution.

The Mayor informed the chamber of the questions received to the leader and cabinet members:

In accordance with Chapter 2, Part 2(Rule 14) of the Council’s Constitution.

No notices of petition had been received.

Members received a report on the status of those petitions handed in at Council meetings and Council office.

The Council are asked to agree any changes to the appointments made to committees and outside bodies, statutory and other panels, as requested by Group Leaders.

The following changes were agreed:

·       Removed Councillor D Arnold and replaced with Councillor Rigby on the Health and Wellbeing Board. 

·       Removed Councillor Alike from the Thurrock Play Network outside body.

·       Removed Councillor D Arnold as substitute on the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader presented the report that confirmed the revised political balance calculations relating to the allocation of seats on Committees following the resignation of Councillor Allen from the Non-Political Alliance of Independent Councillors (NPAIC) Group and becoming a non-aligned independent Member.

RESOLVED

1.    That the political balance and allocation of seats, as set out in Appendix 1, be noted.

2.    That O & S committees remain at 11 seats for the duration of 2024-25 municipal year.

3.    That the appointment changes of the NPAIC group as outlined in point 2.4 is noted.

The report presented outlined the progress to date by the LGBCE and the steps taken by the Council to divide the proposed wards into polling districts and designate polling places for each new polling district based on the draft LGBCE recommendations. The report also set out the timetable, actions and proposed consultation, and decisions required to meet the timeframe for the 1 May 2025 elections.

The following members spoke on this item – Councillors Jefferies, Coxshall, Jones, L Watson, Johnson and Hurrell. The following comments were made:

·       Having no maps made it slightly difficult to comment.

·       Hoped that maps would be included as part of the consultation.

·       Little Thurrock Rectory – concerns that adding more voters to Thurrock Park, made more sense to keep in the LTRB – review please.

·       Little Thurrock Blackshots – two parliamentary constituencies being put into one polling distance which could cause an issue at a general election.

·       Ockendon - Disappointed that two polling stations going into one building. Should be two separate buildings and could exclude large numbers of people travelling from one end of the ward to the other.

·       Concern on timings of the polling station reviews and the boundary changes.

·       Access to information had been hard to obtain.

·       Helpful for members to have seen the polling district boundaries and where the new ones would be.

·       Noted in the new Ockendon South and North Stifford ward polling stations would be lost but consideration needed to be given to the elderly population who may not be able to travel quite so far.

·       Concerns on the timetable, how it was being condensed and questioned whether the council was ready for the changes.

·       Noted concern on the loss of Homesteads name.

·       Reassurance given that the working group put Homesteads as one of the recommendations going forward.

·       North Ockendon did not work it should be Ockendon.

·       Have a consideration for the Renovo Estate who were at full capacity and isolated in lakeside, with their polling station some 15-20 minute walk away.

·       Orsett – questioned why the ward had lost 180 people of out of Horndon and gained 170 in Bulphan.

·       Belhus – questioned why one of the polling stations was not even in Belhus but in Ockendon, which had made no sense.

·       Questioned the name change Ockendon South and North Stifford.

RESOLVED

1.    That members noted the draft polling districts and polling places outlined in Appendix 2.

2.    That Council delegated the decision of the final arrangements for polling districts and polling places to General Services Committee following public consultation and final proposals from the LGBCE.

In accordance with Chapter 2, Part 2 (Rule 14) of the Council’s Constitution.

The Mayor informed the chamber of the questions received to the leader and cabinet members:

No reports were presented.

The minutes of committees as set out in the agenda were received.

Members received an update on outstanding motions.

In accordance with Chapter 2, Part 2 (Rule 15) of the Council’s Constitution.

The Motion, as printed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Day and seconded by Councillor J Maney. The Motion read as follows:

The Council should follow in the footsteps of Kent and Norfolk County Councils, and partner with a region of Ukraine to mutual strengthen bonds and co-operation between Thurrock and Ukraine and instructs officers to work on an official partnership between Thurrock and a Ukrainian region.

Councillor Day presented his motion by referring to the work undertaken by government in recent years to help the Ukrainians in the fight for freedom against the Russians and demonstrated that the UK had a firm commitment. The motion would strengthen ties between Thurrock and Ukraine, and all must play their part. A partnership with Ukraine would see the establishment of a memorandum of understanding between Thurrock and the Ukraine region, strengthen bonds with Ukraine, aid in the support of recovery and cement the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

Councillors J Maney, J Kent and Coxshall spoke on this motion. The following comments were made:

·       Accepted the full spirit of the motion.

·       Symbolic sign of unity.

·       Motion may serve to remind us that the issues faced here in Thurrock were trivial compared to those faced by the civil authorities in Ukraine and the people they served.

·       Much work, further dialogue and investigation would need to be undertaken before we know whether we could move forward.

·       As a first step urged the council to commence dialogue with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.

·       Approach those councils in the UK that had already gone through the process.

·       Noted it was not the role of the council to instruct officers.

·       Recommended an options report be presented to Cabinet.

·       Consider the partnering and signing a memorandum of understanding with the Ukrainian region.

·       The motion demonstrated the true spirit of Thurrock.

·       Important that Thurrock followed in the footsteps of what other councils had done.

Councillor Day summed up by thanking Members for their comments and support.

The Mayor called a vote on the motion, to which members voted unanimously in favour. The Mayor announced the motion carried.

A full recording of this meeting can be viewed from the following link:

Thurrock Council - Full Council, 27/11/2024