Decisions

RESOLVED:

That Full Council approved a general dispensation under section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 for any member of Council who, although not physically attending any in-person meetings over any six-month period, attends at least 75% of the meetings they would normally be expected to attend in person on-line; this dispensation to last until 31 January 2022 and be reviewed as part of any review of the Council’s remote consultative meeting and delegation arrangements. 

Reason:

To ensure the Council’s decision to continue with remote consultative meetings does not cause any member attending meetings remotely to automatically cease to be a member under section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to:-

a.

an increase to the Council’s revenue budget for the additional financing and public realm costs as given in Table Three of this report;

b.

the use of an additional £2m of the capital receipts earmarked reserve to fund the Programme as proposed by the interim Section 151 Officer and described in paragraph 14;

c.

confirm that SSDC are keen to pursue Phase 2 but recognise that it is not feasible to enter into a Phase 2 programme of work at the current time, until significant external funding opportunities become available;

d.

the inclusion of the gross capital budgets, instead of only the net capital budgets, in the council’s over capital programme for the Regeneration Programme (including the Chard Regeneration Programme), as proposed by the interim S151 Officer in paragraph 20.

Reason:

To consider the financial performance of the overall Chard Regeneration Programme, with particular reference to the changes which have shaped the evolution of the programme.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to:-

a.

delegate authority to the Director of Place and Recovery, in consultation with the Director for Service Delivery, Section 151 Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, to allocate the remaining Additional Restrictions Grant funding.  It is anticipated that this may include relevant grant schemes and business support initiatives consistent with the stated aims of the Recovery and Renewal Strategy, Council Plan and the Economic Development Strategy.

Reason:

To note the Additional Restrictions Grant – Discretionary Business Support Scheme and to seek approval on its future spend.

RESOLVED:

That Council agreed:

a.

To ensure that SSDC continues to do everything in its power to build a district free from misogyny and violence against women and girls. This includes continuing to invest in vital services, listening and responding to women and girls about the action needed, and calling out misogyny and sexism wherever we see or hear it.

b.

That it is vital that women’s and girl’s voices are heard; and that the Council will bring forward a process that proactively encourages and listens to women’s voices across the district. This task force will seek to involve all women Councillors.

c.

To promote the Our Streets Now campaign to make street harassment a crime, and encourage all elected members, and residents to sign their petition.

d.

Call on the government to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combatting Violence Against Women and Girls, to ratify the International Labour Organisation’s No.190, recognising the right of everyone to work free from gender based violence and harassment and to make street harassment a criminal offence.

e.

To call on the Government to provide the resource and funding for police forces across the UK to effectively tackle harassment, misogyny and domestic abuse.

f.

To call on Avon and Somerset Police to record harassment of women and girls as a hate crime as soon as possible, not wait until they are required to do so.

g.

To call on Avon and Somerset Police to prioritise investigating crimes against women and girls and ask them to ensure that women and girls are treated with the required sensitivity.

h.

To work with Avon and Somerset Police on improving women’s safety in South Somerset.

i.

To continue to work with local and national networks working to end violence against women and girls

j.

To call on the County Council to work with schools and families to tackle toxic masculinity culture, and to educate men through campaigns and bringing in male “allies”.

k.

To become a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation. https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/organisations

Reason:

To support the end of misogyny and male violence against women and girls.