22 February 2008 -Minutes

BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL                                                               COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON FRIDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2008

PRESENT:                              Mr R W Thake – Chairman

The following Members were unable to be present:

Mr M P Booth, Mr J C Brand, Mr J R B Cave, Mr M Newman, Mr C M Spence, Mrs C A Todd, Mr H N Todd, Mr D M Walton, Mr D L Wood and Mr L H Young.

The proceedings were opened with Prayer. 

73 - Minutes
74 - Declaration of Interests
75 - To Receive Notification of Petitions in Accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.13
76 - Recommendations and Reports from Committees
77 - Budget 2008/09 and Financial Strategy for Future Years
78 - Questions from the Public
79 - Questions from Members
80 - Appointment of Substitutes
81 - Appointment of Member to Serve on the County Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) Review Group

73        MINUTES

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2007 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

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74        DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Mr G S White and Mr B L Lazenby each declared a personal interest in the item referred to in Minute No.77 below in their capacity as Trustees of the South Suffolk Leisure Trust but indicated that they were able to speak and vote on the matters concerned.

Mr A J Ward declared a personal interest in the item referred to in Minute No. 76(b)  below by virtue of his daughter being a Council House tenant but indicated that he was able to speak and vote on the item.

Mr B D Hurren declared a personal interest in Minute No.77 below in his capacity as a member of the Management Board of the Quay Theatre but indicated that he was able to speak and vote on the item.

The Monitoring Officer clarified for Members the changed rules under the new Code of Conduct whereby Members having a public service interest had only to declare that interest if they spoke on the item to which the interest related.  Members noted that it was not possible to have a prejudicial interest in relation to the setting of the Council Tax.

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75        TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE NO. 13

None received.

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76        RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

(a)     Standards Committee Minute No. 31 – Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

In presenting the recommendations of the Standards Committee the Chairman Mrs S P Clarke thanked Members for their support to her during her time in that role.  Members were aware that the implementation of the new Act would result in an independent Member of the Standards Committee being elected as its Chairman.  The Monitoring Officer advised Members that a vacancy is currently being advertised for one Parish Council Member.

RESOLVED

(1)    That the terms of reference for the Standards Committee be extended to include the functions set out in part 10 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and regulations thereunder, and that the Head of Corporate Services be authorised to make any ancillary amendments to the Constitution as necessitated thereby.

(2)    That the General Delegation Schedule contained in part 3 of the Constitution be amended so that the Monitoring Officer is authorised in Member Code of Conduct related matters.

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(b)     Strategy Committee Minute No. 114 – Policy for Determination of Requests for Waiver of Repayment of Discount in respect of Properties sold under the Right to Buy

RESOLVED

(1)    That a policy for determination of requests for the waiver of repayment of discount in respect of properties which have been sold under the ‘Right to Buy’ Scheme be adopted in the form of the draft Policy contained in the revised Appendix 1 to Paper G201.

(2)    That the Head of Corporate Services be delegated authority to determine requests for waiver of discount in respect of properties which have been sold under the ‘Right to Buy’ Scheme.

(3)    That the Licensing and Appeals Committee be delegated authority to determine non-statutory appeals in relation to matters arising under the ‘Right to Buy’ legislation.                     

(4)    That the maximum discount repayable is the amount of the original discount, reduced by one third for each full year which has elapsed since the date of the Right to Buy disposal and the date of the subsequent disposal.

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77        BUDGET 2008/09 AND FINANCIAL STRATEGY FOR FUTURE YEARS

The Chairman of the Strategy Committee Mr N A Ridley introduced this item and read a prepared budget statement to the Council.  A copy of the statement was subsequently circulated to all Members. 

Members had before them a report by the Head of Finance (Paper G204) together with the Policy and Budget Framework document appended to the report.  The Council was asked to pass the necessary resolutions in relation to the Budget and to the making and collection of Council Tax for 2008/09 as set out in Paper G204 and the relevant appendices to that report. 

Members were aware that the Suffolk Police Authority was meeting at the same time to set its precept and noted that the appropriate Council Tax resolutions would need to take into account any changes arising from the Suffolk Police Authority’s decision on the level of precept agreed.  In this connection, an additional wording was proposed in relation to recommendation 2.3 of Paper G204.

Note:  Pursuant to the above, the level of Council Tax for all Parishes in the Babergh District (all Bands) for 2008/09 shown on pages 12/13 of these Minutes, takes into account the actual precept amounts required by the Suffolk Police Authority and these replace the amounts set out in Paper G204.

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RESOLVED

(1)    That the details set out below be noted:-

          Parish Council Taxes per Band D Equivalent Property 2008/09

PARISH	2008/09 Parish Precept £	Tax Base	2008/09 Amount Band D £	PARISH	2008/09 Parish Precept £	Tax Base	2008/09 Amount Band D £
Acton	44,000	647.42	67.96	Kersey	5,250	181.16	28.98
Aldham	950	86.99	10.92	Kettlebaston	500	36.89	13.55
Alpheton	2,222	108.05	20.56	Lavenham	45,000	875.32	51.41
Arwarton	0	52.99	0.00	Lawshall	6,000	357.96	16.76
Assington	5,500	165.85	33.16	Layham	3,700	241.16	15.34
Belstead	3,000	86.77	34.57	Leavenheath	15,250	598.36	25.49
Bentley	14,000	332.51	42.10	Lindsey	1,675	83.05	20.17
Bildeston	18,000	391.00	46.04	Little Cornard	2,001	142.48	14.04
Boxford	31,000	514.43	60.26	Little Waldingfield	2,950	146.90	20.08
Boxted	400	52.31	7.65	Little Wenham	0	18.17	0.00
Brantham	37,767	901.62	41.89	Long Melford	63,000	1,474.36	42.73