Agenda item - Member Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by Members:

(a)           Petitions: To receive any petitions;

(b)           Written Questions: To consider any written questions;

1)    Cllr Bagaeen – Clarity of Responsibility for Procurement

2)    Cllr Theobald – Victoria Fountain Restoration

(c)           Letters: To consider any letters;

(d)           Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion submitted directly to the Committee.

1)    Conservative Group – Women’s Safety

2)    Conservative Group – Civic Events

49.1 The Chair invited Councillor Bagaeen to put his question to Committee located on page 21 of the Agenda.

49.2 The Chair gave the following response:

Under the current Events Strategy (2019-2024) Brighton and Hove City Council do not currently operate as a partner or owner of any event but as a landlord. As such any permissions to carry out events are in the form of landlord’s consent, rather than a contract to deliver services. Due to this we do not have any procurement obligations when granting permissions.

Community Wealth Building comes under the remit of this committee and the Community Wealth Building Member Working Group includes some members of this committee.  The working group was a Task and Finish group that was set up specifically to advise on and shape the action plan that appears on today’s agenda. The remit of the working group was to develop an action plan that looks across the whole of the council, but it was not set up to be a consultee on individual contracts or licenses.  Ultimately, decision making on landlord’s consent for events sits either with this committee or is delegated to officers – decisions cannot be taken by Member Working Groups.

49.3 The Chair invited Councillor Bagaeen to put his question to Committee in place of Councillor Theobald, located on page 21 of the Agenda.

49.4 The Chair gave the following response:

Work is now taking place to repair and refurbish the fountain to bring this important piece of the city’s heritage back to life. We aim to have the project finished by the end of March, but this is dependent on weather conditions and if any currently unknown problems are found when the dismantling of the fountain begins in earnest.

49.5 Councillor Bagaeen then gave the supplementary question on page 21 of the Agenda.

49.6 The Chair then gave the following response:

We will be considering our options around a possible civic event to switch the fountain back on and our understanding regarding King Charles III is that Buckingham Palace needs a very long notice period in order to consider scheduling events in the King’s diary. However we would always welcome the King to our city and would be delighted to show him the refurbished fountain if or when he chooses to visit again.

49.7 The Chair invited Councillor Simson to introduce the Conservative Notice of Motion located on page question to Committee located on page 23 of the Agenda, which was seconded by Councillor Bagaeen.

49.8 The Chair then invited Councillor Robins to introduce the Labour Amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Grimshaw.

49.9 Councillors Ebel, Evans, Bagaeen, Simson and Robins spoke about the ringfenced s106 funding and other projects in the city.

49.10 The Committee agreed to pass the Labour Amendment by 8 votes to 2 abstentions.

49.11 The Chair invited Councillor Simson to introduce the Conservative Notice of Motion located on page question to Committee located on page 23 of the Agenda, which was seconded by Councillor Bagaeen.

49.12 The Chair then invited Councillor Evans to introduce the Labour Amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Grimshaw.

49.13 Councillors Bagaeen and Simson spoke about making space for people to celebrate the Coronation if they wish to.

49.14 Councillors Evans and Grimshaw agreed that space should be made for people to celebrate but it shouldn’t be Council funded.

49.15 The Labour amendment was passed by 8 votes to 2 abstentions.