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SUBSTITUTES AND APOLOGIES
Any Member attending as an approved substitute to report giving his/her name and the name of the Member being substituted.
To receive apologies for absence.
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2 |
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.
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3 |
MINUTES
To confirm and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 31 May 2007 as a correct record.
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4 |
PETITIONS
The Head of Corporate Services to report, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 13, the receipt of any petitions submitted to the Chief Executive.
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5 |
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS
The Chairman 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 the Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.15.4 (a) and (b).
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6 |
ISSUES ARISING FROM OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEES
None received.
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Paper G20 attached
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7 |
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
(a) Improving Use of Resources (Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee Minute No. 7)
The Head of Finance presented a report (Paper G20) concerning the outcomes of the Audit Commission’s 2006 Use of Resources Assessment and indicating improvement opportunities and areas where Babergh needed to strengthen arrangements further in 2007 and 2008 in relation to the effective use of resources. It was noted:
§ That overall Babergh had maintained a level 3 score although this was more marginal as the Financial Management theme had been downgraded from level 3 to level 2. This was mainly due to the fact that the Asset Management Plan was not up to date.
§ That the requirements for 2007 and 2008 reflected a further ‘raising of the bar’ by the Audit Commission and included some significant areas where the Council would have to strengthen existing arrangements and, in some cases, introduce new ones.
§ That the Action Plan focused on the aim of achieving level 3 across the board for the 2008 Assessment.
Members recognised that in the current situation it would be very difficult to achieve level 4. However, they requested information on what actions would need to be taken to achieve level 4 over the life of the Council. Officers were also asked to e-mail information to Members about those Councils that had achieved level 4.
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RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE
(1) That the outcomes of the 2006 Use of Resources Assessment be noted as set out in Paper G20.
(2) That in relation to the 2007/08 Assessment the Committee note the improvement opportunities and approve the Action Plan relating to these as set out in Appendix A to Paper G20.
(3) That Officers report back to the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee in due course on progress on this and on the outcomes of the 2007 Assessment. In addition, that Officers report to that Committee on actions that would need to be taken to achieve level 4 over the life of the Council.
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Paper G21 attached
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(b) Significant Business Risks (Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee Minute No.8 and Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee
The Head of Finance presented a report (Paper G21) concerning the results of a comprehensive review of the Strategic Risks agreed in May 2005.
He explained that the 28 risks identified in 2005 had now been reduced to nine broad themes, as summarised in Appendix A to Paper G21.
It was noted that attempts to arrange a Risk Management Workshop for Members had so far been unsuccessful. It was agreed to try to arrange one on the afternoon of a day scheduled for an Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee meeting in July, August or October 2007, with Members of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee and the Strategy Committee being invited to attend.
RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE
(1) That the nine Significant Business Risk themes and risk scores as set out in Paper G21 and as summarised in the Appendices to that Paper, be agreed subject to any revision arising from the Members Workshop to be arranged later in 2007.
(2) That the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee monitor the key elements of the Management Action Plans for each risk on a quarterly basis.
Note: The Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee agree with the above recommendations.
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Paper
G33
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8 |
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM TASK GROUPS/PANELS
Sub-Regional Choice Based Lettings Scheme: Memorandum Of Understanding
Report by the Housing Panel attached.
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Paper
G34
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9 |
WORK PLAN
Report by the Head of Corporate Services attached. |
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Paper
G35
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10 |
COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOR SUFFOLK 2008 – 2028
Report by the Chief Executive attached.
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Paper
G36
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11 |
BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE PLAN 2007/08
Report by the Head of Corporate Services attached. |
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Paper
G37
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12 |
CORPORATE PLAN 2008 ONWARDS AND SERVICE FINANCIAL PLAN PROCESS
Report by the Head of Corporate Services attached. |
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Paper
G38
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13 |
TIMETABLE FOR REPLACING BABERGH’S CURRENT LOCAL PLAN
Report by the Head of Natural and Built Environment attached.
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Paper
G39
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14 |
HAVEN GATEWAY SUB-REGION FRAMEWORK FOR GROWTH
Report by Mike Hammond, Corporate Director attached. |
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Paper
G40
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15 |
ALLOCATION OF 2006/07 FUNDS TO MEET CORPORATE PRIORITIES
Report by the Head of Finance attached.
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16 |
EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS)
To consider whether, pursuant to Part I 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 were present during these items it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against each item.
The authors of the reports proposed to be considered in Part II of the Agenda are satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
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PART II
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Paper
G42
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RATE RELIEF SECTION 47 APPLICATION (Exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1)
Report by the Head of Customer Services attached. |
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Paper
G41
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RATE RELIEF SECTION 49 APPLICATION (Exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1)
Report by the Head of Customer Services attached. |