Agenda item

Pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12.5 the Council will consider further the following Motion to Council (which was submitted by Councillor Gina Placey to the meeting of the Council held on 24 November 2020 and which was referred to the Cabinet for its consideration in accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12.4):-

“(a) That this Council acknowledges that its recently adopted Housing Strategy now gives a different context to the Portfolio Holder decisions in January 2019 to dispose of three pieces of Council owned land at Crome Road, Clacton-on-Sea; Dover Road, Brightlingsea; and Hilton Close, Manningtree and to seek planning permission for housing developments on those sites in order to maximise the income from such disposals; and

(b)   That this Council now considers those sites to be suitable for building council houses especially as two of them already have planning permission.”

The Cabinet considered Councillor Placey’s motion at its meetings held on 18 December 2020 and 19 February 2021. The Portfolio Holders’ joint report submitted to that February meeting together with the relevant Minute are included within the Council Book.

Council recalled that, at its meeting held on 24 November 2020, the following motion had been moved by Councillor Placey and seconded by Councillor Allen and, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.4, had stood referred to the Cabinet for further consideration:

“(a)    That this Council acknowledges that its recently adopted Housing Strategy now gives a different context to the Portfolio Holder decisions in January 2019 to dispose of three pieces of Council owned land at Crome Road, Clacton-on-Sea; Dover Road, Brightlingsea; and Hilton Close, Manningtree and to seek planning permission for housing developments on those sites in order to maximise the income from such disposals; and

(b)     That this Council now considers those sites to be suitable for building council houses especially as two of them already have planning permission.”

Cabinet, at its meeting held on 18 December 2020 (Minute 97 referred), had duly considered the motion put forward by Councillor Placey and had decided at that time to thank Councillor Placey for her input; had noted a number of factors around disposals of pieces of land; and had requested a further report to a future Cabinet meeting with a view to presenting the outcome of Cabinet’s deliberations on this matter to this meeting of the Full Council.

Cabinet, at its meeting held on 19 February 2021 (Minute 140 referred), had duly considered that further report and had decided, amongst other things, to recommend to Council that an amended motion should be approved.

The Corporate Finance & Governance and the Housing Portfolio Holders’ joint report submitted to that February meeting of Cabinet together with the relevant Minute from that meeting were included for Council’s consideration within the Council Book at pages 85 to 96 inclusive.

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi and seconded by Councillor P B Honeywood that, in accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12.5, Councillor Placey’s motion be amended to read as follows:-

“That the Council:

i)       notes and supports the ongoing work by Officers in relation to identification of potential sites for development or disposal, identifying potential purchases of dwellings on the market and establishing processes and resources for the construction of new Council Housing; and

ii)      notes the instruction from Cabinet to Officers to continue to investigate all potential sites and acquisitions, wherever they may be located within the District, reporting to the Cabinet and Portfolio Holders in accordance with their Executive functions and Scheme of Delegation including the various criteria outlined in the Cabinet’s decision taken on 19 February 2021 including reference to housing, financial and other priorities and the specific characteristics of the sites and area under consideration and the identified needs of those areas.”

Councillors G V Guglielmi, Steady, Davis, Allen, Miles, Placey, Harris, Stock OBE and P B Honeywoodaddressed the Council during the debate on Councillor G V Guglielmi’s amendment.

Councillor G V Guglielmi’s amendment on being put to the vote was declared CARRIED and it then became the substantive motion.

Councillors Placey and P B Honeywoodthen addressed the Council during the debate on the substantive motion.

The substantive motion on being put to the vote was declared CARRIED.