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BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL STRATEGY COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE STRATEGY COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON THURSDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2008
PRESENT: Mr N A Ridley – Chairman
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Mr N A Bennett
Mrs S Carpendale
Mr R E Kemp
Dr M R Miller |
Mr R C Smith
Mr C M Spence
Mrs S M Wigglesworth
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Mrs J Antill and Mr H N Todd were unable to be present.
101 - Additional Item of Business
102 - Substitutes
103 - Declaration of Interests
104 - Minutes
105 - To Receive Notification of Petitions in Accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.13
106 - Questions from Members
107 - Issues Arising from Overview and Scrutiny Committees
108 - Workplan
109 - Recommendations and Reports from Committees
110 - Facilities in Hadleigh
111 - Budget 2008/09
112 - Exclusion of the Public (Which Term Includes the Press)
113 - Disposal of Property at Hadleigh (Exempt Information by Virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1)
114 - Policy for Determination of Requests for Waiver of Repayment of Discount in Respect of Properties Sold Under the Right to Buy Scheme
115 - Public Consultation on a New Learning Centre for 14 to 19 Year Olds in South West Ipswich and South Suffolk ('The SWISS Centre')
The Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 provides that an item of business may not be considered by a Committee unless it is included on an Agenda. The Act does, however, make provision for an exception to this general rule to be made where by reason of special circumstances the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.
The Chairman advised that a situation had arisen where it had become necessary for the Committee to consider the following matter not included on the Agenda:-
The Council’s response to a consultation by Suffolk County Council on proposals for a new learning centre for 14 to 19 year olds in South West Ipswich and South Suffolk
and that he was satisfied that there were good reasons for dealing with the matter at this meeting as a matter of urgency.
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It was noted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 5, that a substitute was in attendance as follows:-
Mr R C Smith (substituting for Mrs J Antill)
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Mr C M Spence and Mr R E Kemp declared personal interests in the item referred to in Minute No. 115 below in their capacity as Members of Suffolk County Council, but indicated that their interests were such that they were able to speak and vote on the matter concerned.
Mr R C Smith stated that he would not vote on the matter referred to in Minute No. 109 below because he had previously voted when this item was presented to the Development Committee of which he is a Member
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RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2008 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
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None received.
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None received.
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None received.
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The Head of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper G198) on items identified for future meetings of the Strategy Committee. Members were informed of three additional reports for the March meeting.
RESOLVED
That the Workplan set out in Paper G198 and updates be noted.
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Development Committee Meeting 6 February 2008 – Planning Position Statement: E.ON Wherstead Office Park Wherstead
Members had before them a report from the Head of Natural and Built Environment (Paper G197) which had been considered by the Development Committee at its meeting on the previous day. Members were informed that the Development Committee recommended the Strategy Committee to adopt the Planning Position Statement subject to minor amendments.
RESOLVED
That, subject to the minor amendments identified by the Development Committee and set out below, the adoption and publication of the Planning Position Statement attached as Appendix A to Paper G197 be agreed.
Paragraph 1.2 - final sentence - addition of ‘E.ON UK PLC’.
Paragraph 2.7 - substitute the figure ‘370’ for the figure ‘300’ in the first line.
Paragraph 9 - the inspection of and enquiries regarding this site should be made to John Spice at Bidwells
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The Project and Programme Executive submitted a report (Paper G199) asking Members to approve proposals for public consultation on Community and Leisure facilities in Hadleigh.
In considering the proposed consultation process put forward by the Steering Group in paragraph 5.4 of Paper G199, Members formed the view that the questionnaire should be sent to every fifth, rather than every tenth, household in Hadleigh in order to produce a more robust sample.
RESOLVED
(1) That the proposals detailed in paragraph 5.4 of Paper G199 be approved subject to the questionnaire referred to being sent to every fifth household in Hadleigh and all Parishes within a four mile radius of the town.
(2) That the full details of the evidence as detailed in paragraph 5.6 of Paper G199 be made available to the Steering Group with a request that it be taken into account when formalising the final recommendations on what action should be taken.
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The Head of Finance submitted a report (Paper G200) regarding the latest position on the budget for 2008/09 and levels of the Council Tax and Council House rents which had been the subject of consultation with business rate payers and others and had been scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees on 29 January and 5 February 2008. It was noted that the Strategy Committee had approved the draft general fund (Paper G169) and Council Housing (Paper G173) budgets for consultation and scrutiny at its meeting on 10 January 2008.
The Head of Finance then clarified a number of matters relating to the final budget proposals which either amended, or were in addition to, the details set out in the draft Budgets and the issues covered in Paper G200. These adjustments would be incorporated in the final budget document to be presented to the Council on 22 February. The adjustments cover various items including
Addition to para 5.10 in relation to the employment of a Play Worker for 2 years (lottery funded)
Collection Fund Surplus – statutory calculation made on 15 January 2008
Adjustments to various capital charges and other items
Members noted that none of the changes to the detailed Budget affected the overall final Budget Requirement or the proposed increase in the level of Babergh’s Council Tax of 3.9% for 2008/09. They also noted the inclusion of the recommendation in Paper G200 to accommodate changes that might be notified by the main precepting authorities.
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL
(1) That the draft General Fund budget and revised charges, attached in Appendix A to Paper G169, as amended for the matters referred to in Paper G200 together with the updates reported by the Head of Finance, be approved. Further, that the revised charges be implemented with effect from 1 April 2008.
(2) That the Council Housing budget and revised charges, attached in Appendix A to Paper G173, as amended for the matters referred to in Paper G200, be approved. Further, that the weekly rents for Council dwellings and compulsory let garages be increased on average by 6.6% in accordance with rent restructuring requirements with effect from Monday, 14 April 2008.
(3) That the amendments to the staffing establishment and arrangements for utilising the funding for Chilton Woods and Planning resources set out in paragraph 5.10 of the report be approved.
(4) That the prudential indicators for capital finance and treasury management set out in Appendix 1 to Paper G200 be approved.
(5) That where expenditure is included within the approved budget, the Head of Finance be empowered to:-
Vary the timing of revenue and capital payments from the current financial year to 2008/09 or vice versa in accordance with Financial Regulations and Council resolutions.
Vary the method of financing capital schemes, if he is satisfied that it is in the financial interest of the Council to do so.
(6) That the Head of Finance be authorised to amend the annual amounts of Council Tax payable in accordance with any changes notified by Suffolk County Council, and/or Suffolk Police Authority to the precepts issued by them.
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RESOLVED
That pursuant to Part 1 of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the item specified below on the grounds that if the public where present during this item it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item.
The Committee was satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.
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The Minute relating to the above mentioned item is excluded from the public record. A summary of the Minute made by the Proper Officer in accordance with sub-section 2 of section 100(C) of the Local Government Act 1972 is set out below.
The Head of Contract and Asset Management submitted a report (Paper G202) relating to the proposed disposal of property in Hadleigh including the consideration of objections received in response to the public notice under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 to dispose of open space land. Representatives of the agents marketing the property on behalf of the Council were present at the meeting.
Having considered the objections the Committee agreed to dispose of the open space land for reasons relating to the land being associated with the re-use of an urban, brownfield site in a sustainable location, and the need to provide additional facilities for the benefit of Hadleigh residents. Dr Miller voted against the disposal and asked that his vote be recorded in the minutes.
During the course of the discussion on the bids received for the purchase of the property, Members identified matters which required further clarification and authorised the Head of Contract and Asset Management to carry out discussions with identified bidders and report back to Strategy Committee as soon as practicable
The public and press were re-admitted to the meeting at this point.
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Members had before them a report by the Head of Corporate Services (Paper G201) together with a revised Appendix 1 which was circulated prior to the meeting.
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL
(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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115 PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON A NEW LEARNING CENTRE FOR 14 TO 19 YEAR OLDS IN SOUTH WEST IPSWICH AND SOUTH SUFFOLK (‘The SWISS Centre’)
Mike Hammond, Corporate Director, reported that the Council had just received from Suffolk County Council details of the public consultation on proposals for the Swiss Centre. The consultation period would end on 24 February 2008, which is before the next meeting of the Strategy Committee. A copy of the consultation document was available in the Members’ Room.
In order to ensure that this Council’s views on the proposals could be submitted to Suffolk County Council before the deadline, Strategy Committee was asked to approve officer delegation, in consultation with appropriate Members, of the Council’s response. It was suggested that Sue Wigglesworth, who was Babergh’s representative at meetings (held in late 2006/early 2007) of the Learning and Skills Council for Suffolk (LSC) Stakeholder Panel for the development of the new Education Centre, should be included in the delegation arrangements together with the Chairman of the Strategy Committee. Members were aware that the Strategy Committee at its meeting on 16 November 2006 supported the principle of a new education centre of this type, particularly in view of the Council’s corporate priority of raising individual ambition within the District.
RESOLVED
That Mike Hammond, Corporate Director, be authorised to respond to the public consultation on the SWISS Centre on behalf of Babergh District Council, in consultation with the Chairman of the Strategy Committee and Councillor Sue Wigglesworth in her capacity as the Babergh representative on the Stakeholder Panel which was involved in the initial development of proposals.
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Note: The meeting adjourned between 11.00 and 11.20 a.m. for refreshments.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 1.00 p.m.
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Chairman
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