18 December 2007 - Agenda

Dear Sir/Madam

A Meeting of the Babergh District Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Corks Lane, Hadleigh on TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2007 AT 9.30 A.M.

The proceedings will be opened with Prayer.

Yours faithfully

Andrew Hunkin
Head of Corporate Services

ITEM

BUSINESS

 PART I

	1	MINUTES To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2007 as a correct record.
	2	DECLARATION OF INTERESTS Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.
	3	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive apologies for absence.
	4	CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
	5	TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE NO. 13 In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 13, the Chief Executive will report the receipt of a petition as detailed below.  There can be no debate or comment upon this matter at the Council meeting:- Stanstead Bus Service Petition signed by approximately by 140 residents of the District relating to the retention of a bus route via the village of Stanstead.  The receipt of the petition was reported to Strategy Committee at the meeting on 15 November 2007 and the Head of Contract and Asset Management has dealt with the petition under his delegated powers.
Paper G127	6	RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES Term of Office of Co-opted Members of Standards Committee (Standards Committee Minute No. 20) The Monitoring Officer presented a report (Paper G127) concerning the possible extension of the term of appointment of Co-opted Members of the Standards Committee from two years to four years. Members were aware that experience had shown that it was difficult to attract suitable candidates to fill the Independent Member vacancies who fulfilled the qualifying criteria and had sufficient degree of independence from the Council.  They noted that the Standards Board had confirmed that it had no objection to the proposed extension to the term of office.  RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL (1)    That the term of office for the four existing co-opted Members of Standards Committee be extended from two years to four years. (2)    That subject to the needs or requirements of any joint Standards Committee established with other authorities, future vacancies for co-opted Members of the Committee be advertised for a term of four years.
	7	QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which Notice has been given no later than midday two working days before the day of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 14.
	8	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS The Chairman of the Council and the Chairmen of Committees and Sub-Committees to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District and which fall within the terms of reference of that Committee or Sub-Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 15.4 (a) and (b).
Paper G160	9	REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS, POLLING PLACES AND POLLING  STATIONS Report by the Head of Corporate Service attached.
	10	POLITICAL BALANCE AND COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES AND APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTITUTES The Head of Corporate Services to report that in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Council at it’s Annual Meeting in May 2007, agreed to the sizes and numerical allocation of seats to the various groups and ungrouped Member and to the composition of Committees. The appointment of substitutes to serve on the various Committees were also agreed. Following the resignation of Mr D B Warner as a Member for Hadleigh (North) a by-election was held and Mr R Whiting was successful.  Both Mr Warner and Mr Whiting stood as Liberal Democrat Candidates accordingly there is no need to re-calculate the number of seats allocated to each group. The Liberal Democrat Group have advised that Mr Whiting is to replace Mr Warner on the Committee he served and as the nominated substitute on the Strategy Committee. It is RECOMMENDED:- (1)    That R Whiting be appointed to serve on the Development Committee. (2)    That Mr R Whiting be the approved substitute for Mr M P Booth on the Strategy Committee.
Paper G161	11	TIMETABLE OF MEETINGS 2008/09 Members are asked to approve the draft timetable (Paper G161) attached prepared by the Head of Corporate Services, and which has been the subject of consultation with Management Team, Heads of Services and the Political Group Leaders.
	12	EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS) To consider whether, as shown in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the public should be excluded from the meeting for the business specified below on the grounds that if the public was present during this item it is likely that there will be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item. The author of the Report proposed to be considered in Part II of the agenda is satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

PART II

Paper G146           Papers G162 and G163

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DISPOSAL OF LAND (Strategy Committee Minute No. 74) - (Exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part I) Prior to consideration of this item the Chairman of the Committee indicated that any decision taken by the Strategy Committee would be a recommendation to Council. Mr John Dennis, from the Valuation Office, was in attendance for this item and answered Members’ questions. The Head of Contract and Asset Management submitted a report (Paper G146) requesting approval to dispose of land. RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL That the Head of Contract and Asset Management be authorised to dispose the freehold of land within the area shown black on the plan attached to Paper G146 subject to: (a)    A consideration as agreed by the Council’s valuer. (b)    Any other terms deemed necessary to protect the Council’s interests. Further to the deliberation of this matter by the Strategy Committee a copy of a briefing paper from the District Valuer is attached as Paper G162 together with a plan Paper G163, outlining the preliminary route of the proposed access. Appropriate plans shall also be displayed in the Council Chamber.

For further information on any of the Part 1 items listed above, please contact Steve Ellwood on 01473 825876 or via email at committeeservices@babergh.gov.uk