26th July 2005 - Minutes

(d)  Application No: B/05/00929 – Erection of  warehouse Lury House, Bulmer Road, Sudbury

Petition signed by approximately 127 residents of Babergh which was reported to the Development Committee meeting on 20 July 2005 and which will be considered in conjunction with any relevant report.

33  NOTICE OF MOTION

Mr C M Spence moved his motion, which was subsequently seconded, of  which due notice had been given under Council Procedure Rule No 16.

Discussion then ensued on the notice of motion and during the debate two separate amendments to the motion were moved.  Mr C M Spence and his seconder agreed to incorporate these amendments into the original motion and these are reflected in the decision referred to below.

It was noted that Mike Hammond, Corporate Director, in consultation with the Chairman of the Council, the Chairman of Strategy Committee and the Political Leaders Group would submit/draft a response to any consultation on this matter together with any representations made to appropriate bodies. 

RESOLVED

(1)  That this Council views with grave concern the proposals by the Suffolk West Primary Care NHS Trust to withdraw all current patient services from Sudbury’s existing Hospitals and to exclude in-patient bed provision from the proposed new Health and Social Care Centre due to open in 2007.

The Council calls upon the Suffolk West Primary Care NHS Trust to urgently reconsider these proposals in the light of the health needs of the population of Sudbury and its surrounding area and the assurances given to them by the Strategic Health Authority late last year that the services currently provided at the Walnuttree Hospital site would continue to be delivered until the new health facilities were opened in 2007.

(2)  That the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee consider the consultation documentation to be provided by Suffolk West Primary Care Trust on their proposal to close  Walnuttree Hospital and identify key areas of concern of the impact of these proposals on the  residents of Babergh.

(3)  That Mike Hammond, Corporate Director, in consultation with the Chairman of Council,  Chairman of Strategy Committee and the Political Leaders Group take into account the concerns identified by the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee and submit a response on this matter to the Secretary of State, Tim Yeo MP, Strategic Health Authority and Suffolk West PCT.

34     RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

Public Consultation Strategy (Strategy Committee Minute No. 10)

During consideration of this matter it was agreed that Faith groups would be added to the list of consultees.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the Public Consultation Strategy (Appendix 1) and Action Plan (Appendix 2) attached to Paper E43 be approved.

(2)  That the consultation programme for 2005/06 attached as an appendix to Paper E43 be approved.

35     QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

None received.

36     QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS

Paper E69 contained Questions which had been received under Council Procedure Rule No. 15 from Mr R E Kemp to the Chairman of Strategy Committee and Mr D C Rose to the Chairman of Development Committee.  A copy of the relevant Chairman's response was also included in Paper E69 .

After the response given by the Chairman of Strategy Committee, Mr R E Kemp asked the following supplementary question:-

Members will note that this process started in 1998.  The last bullet point in response says other sites are currently being assessed.  With the current housing crisis there is an extreme need to progress these matters at a greater pace so could we please proceed as a matter of urgency?

Mr. Ridley advised that he would provide a response to this question at the end of the meeting and circulate a copy to all Members (a copy of the response is appended to these Minutes). 

After the response provided by the Chairman of the Development Committee, Mr  D C Rose asked the following supplementary question:-

In relation to the fourth reason given "other comparable large developments elsewhere had attracted similar objections and these were not sustained".

I would like to know which developments were considered to be similar to the Ganges Development as I am not aware of any other development in Babergh built at the point of a peninsula and served by a single road approximately six miles long.

Mr. R W Thake responded to the supplementary question as follows:-

The developments in Great Cornard at the Rugby Club, Guilford Europe and Bakers Mill impacted upon a single 'B' Class Road and are comparable in terms of the scale of development which attracted opposition on traffic grounds.

37     IEG 4.5

Mr. D J Read, on behalf of the E-Government Steering Group, introduced Paper E70 advising that as part of the funding process the Council has had to complete and return an Implementing Electronic Government Statement No. 4.5 (IEG 4.5) by 18 July 2005 to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).

The ODPM had granted permission to incorporate any modifications identified at this meeting.

RESOLVED

That the IEG Return (4.5) attached as an Appendix to Paper E70 be approved.

38     STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2004/05

Geoff Kistner, Corporate Director and the Head of Finance and Performance Review submitted a report (Paper E71) seeking approval of the draft Statement of Accounts for 2004/05 which were attached as Appendix 1 to the report, the Treasury Management Review attached as Appendix 2 and the Summary of Budget carry forward requests  attached as Appendix 3.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the Statement of Accounts for 2004/05 as contained in Appendix 1 of Paper E71 be approved. 

(2)  That the Treasury Management Performance for 2004/05 as detailed in Appendix 2 to Paper E71 be noted.

(3)  That the budget carry forwards set out in Appendix 3 to Paper E71 be approved.

(4)  That Geoff Kistner, Corporate Director:-

(a)  be authorised to make  minor amendments to the accounts where this is necessary before they are audited;

(b)  give consideration to the impact of any of the 2004/05 results on the current and future budgets in conjunction with the Service and Financial Member Working Group.

39     APPOINTMENT PROCESS FOR CORPORATE DIRECTOR AND OTHER MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

The Chief Executive submitted a report, (Paper E72) outlining proposals for:

(a)  The appointment of the post of Corporate Director in the light of Mr. Kistner's decision to retire in March 2006.

(b)  Future arrangements for the appointment of Chief Officers.

(c)  Future arrangements for the appointment of the Head of Paid Service.

It was noted that the Chief Executive was finalising arrangements which would include  how a cross section of Members could meet the short-listed candidates.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the proposals set out in Paragraph 4.2 of Paper E72 for the appointment of Mr. Kistner's successor be approved.

(2)  That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Selection Panel comprising the Chairman of the Council, Chairman of Strategy Committee and the Group Leaders be authorised to appoint Chief Officers.

(3)  That Full Council approve the appointment of the Head of Paid Service following a recommendation of such an appointment by a Committee or Sub-Committee of the Council to be set up at the appropriate time.

(4)  That the Head of Legal and Administrative Services be authorised to make appropriate amendments to the Constitution in relation to the recommendations referred to above.

40     EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS)

RESOLVED

That pursuant to Section 100 A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the business specified below, on the grounds that if the public were present during this item, it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item.

41     CAST – STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR HR ISSUES (Strategy Committee Minute No. 29)

Mr A C Bavington, as Chairman of the HR Panel introduced this item.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the Council does not indicate a preference for any employment model and that potential suppliers be asked to describe how they would handle staffing issues.  Proposals would be assessed against an agreed list of prioritised HR criteria.

(2)  That the approach for dealing with any internal downsizing (i.e. reduction) of the workforce will be:-

(a)  Use natural wastage by not filling those  vacancies that can assist this process as and when they arise.

(b)  Release those employees on temporary  contracts specifically to aid this process.

(c)  Invite applications from staff under the early  voluntary retirement and redundancy policy.

Note:   The meeting adjourned between 10.50 a.m. and 11.15 a.m. for refreshments.

The business of the meeting was concluded at 1.10 p.m.

Chairman

APPENDIX

Work is continuing to ensure that even more sites are identified and assessed.  A new procedure is being formulated by Development Team to streamline the process of identifying and assessing sites.  This will enable the speedier delivery of further affordable housing on Babergh owned land.

It is also important to remember that the work relating to Babergh owned land is only one part of the Enabling Team's role.  A great deal of work is also underway to negotiate affordable housing on 25 private development sites, which could deliver over 500 affordable homes for the District over the next 10 years.  233 dwellings are already confirmed through Section 106 planning agreements and work is already underway on a proportion of these.

At the same time the Enabling Team is working with 19 Parish Councils to progress potential rural housing schemes across the District.  Some of these will be using Babergh owned land.  Others will be using County Council land or other exception sites.  There is a potential to deliver about 150 new affordable homes through this process.