Issue - meetings

The information in this case is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed categories:

1.         Information relating to any individual;

3.         Information relating to the financial and business affairs of any person (including the authority holding that information); and

5.         Information in which a claim to Legal Professional Privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The report containing exempt information under the above paragraph is attached.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED:

(a)         To allow the family of Ukrainian refugees currently occupying 33 High Street, Watlington to remain there until the earlier of 31 August 2024 and the date when the transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council has completed (at which point the management of the property will cease to be the Council’s responsibility);

(b)         To instruct officers of the Council  to write to Watlington Parish Council on behalf of the Trust (i) expressing its disappointment at the fact it allowed the family into occupation of the property without going through the procedures mandated by the Committee at its meeting on 28 April 2022, (ii) advising that occupation on the current basis should not carry on beyond 31 August 2024 and (iii) advising that occupation beyond 31 August 2024 will require further renovation work to be carried out at the property so its energy performance rating is improved; and

(c)         To agree not to pay any of Watlington Parish Council’s legal fees.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded during the consideration of the report since it is likely that if they were present during that discussion there would be a disclosure of "exempt" information as described in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and specified below the item in the Agenda.

Members discussed the report and proposed to amend recommendation b) as follows:

To instruct officers of the Council  to write to Watlington Parish Council on behalf of the Trust (i) expressing its disappointment concern at the fact it allowed the family into with the occupation of the property by a family without going through the procedures mandated by the Committee at its meeting on 28 April 2022, (ii) advising that occupation on the current basis should must not carry on beyond 31 August 2024 without formal arrangements being in place and (iii) advising that occupation beyond 31 August 2024 will require further renovation work to be carried out at the property so its energy performance rating is improved; and (iv) reiterating the offer to work collaboratively, including a face to face meeting, to resolve any issues with the occupation of the property and enable a timely transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council; and

The amendment was agreed and the recommendations as amended were agreed.

RESOLVED:

(a)                To allow the family of Ukrainian refugees currently occupying 33 High Street, Watlington to remain there until the earlier of 31 August 2024 and the date when the transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council has completed (at which point the management of the property will cease to be the Council’s responsibility);

(b)               To instruct officers of the Council  to write to Watlington Parish Council on behalf of the Trust (i) expressing its concern with the occupation of the property by a family without going through the procedures mandated by the Committee at its meeting on 28 April 2022, (ii) advising that occupation on the current basis must not carry on beyond 31 August 2024 without formal arrangements being in place, and (iii) advising that occupation beyond 31 August 2024 will require further renovation work to be carried out at the property so its energy performance rating is improved; and (iv) reiterating the offer to work collaboratively, including a face to face meeting, to resolve any issues with the occupation of the property and enable a timely transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council; and

(c)                To agree not to pay any of Watlington Parish Council’s legal fees.