Agenda

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 12 July 2023.

A letter from the Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Commission is included in the agenda advising the council of the outcome of the Commission’s deliberation on the referral of motion 03/2023 at the previous council meeting. 

Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary or affected interests in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest. If the Disclosable Pecuniary Interest is not entered on the register of Members interests the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

Any Member with an affected Interest in a matter must disclose the interest to the meeting.  There is no requirement to withdraw from the meeting when the interest is only an affected interest, but the Monitoring Officer should be notified of the interest, if not previously notified of it, within 28 days of the meeting.

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Executive since the Council meeting held on 12 July 2023.

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

·       Revenue Expenditure Outturn

To note the Standards outputs in 2022/23.

To note the progress made by the Council in relation to its Climate Change Strategy and detailed in the Annual Report.

To approve the appointment of councillors to vacant seats on committees and to approve a change to the 2023/2024 meetings schedule.

(i)         By Councillor Harrison to Councillor Purnell, Executive Member for the Environment and Community Cohesion

Would the Executive member responsible for liaison with community groups please update the Council on what they have done to ensure a viable future for the Jealotts Hill Community Landshare?

(ii)        By Councillor Virgo to Councillor Wright, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing

              Our sexual health provision is at crisis point. What urgent action will be taken to make it fit for purpose in our expanding town?

(iii)       By Councillor P Thompson to Councillor Gillbe, Executive Member for Planning and Transport

            Can the Executive Member give an update on this Council’s plans for this autumn, 2023, to repair the many potholes in public roads in Bracknell Forest Borough Council area [which are of great concern to many residents] and report to Council, each year, before winter?

Motion 05/2023 moved by Councillor Temperton and seconded by Councillor Haffegee

This Council declares a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.

To that end, this Council invites the Executive to;

i.       Resolve to review, broaden and accelerate its Climate Change Strategy, and to commit to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions as close to 2030 as possible.

ii.     Co-produce with the community a Community Climate Emergency Strategy, with the aim of making the wider Bracknell Forest area net-zero as close to 2030 as possible.

iii.    Explore the feasibility of raising a Bracknell Forest Local Climate Bond to support decarbonisation projects throughout the Borough.

iv.    Revise the Biodiversity Action Plan to include audits of the State of Nature in the Borough and to highlight local biodiversity threats due to the Climate Change. Reports of these will be presented annually. Any expected ecological impacts will also be added to Executive and Council reports.

Motion 06/2023 moved by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor C Eberle

This Council recognises that it has some way to go in achieving its published values, particularly in terms of inclusivity, engaging with residents, and involving residents in important policy decisions. Council requests the Executive to report at a future meeting on efforts to enhance resident engagement, including practical measures aimed at improving working arrangements so as to give residents a stronger, genuine voice in the Council’s business.

Motion 07/2023 moved by Councillor Barnard and seconded by Councillor McLean

The Council continues to recognise and promote the vital importance of good emotional health and well-being for our residents, particularly but not exclusively for younger people, and commits to working with partner organisations and local communities to further improve awareness of advice, support and opportunities available to all to support this aim.

Furthermore, the council will work to ensure that promoting positive emotional well-being and mental health will underpin the objectives of the new Council Plan.