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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, 6 NOVEMBER 2008
PRESENT: Mr N A Ridley – Chairman
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Mr N A Bennett
Mrs S Carpendale
Mr A J Hinton
Ms J A Jenkins
Mr R E Kemp |
Dr M R Miller
Mr C M Spence
Mr R Whiting
Mrs S M Wigglesworth |
Mr M P Booth was unable to be present.
Mr H N Todd attended the meeting in order to present the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee referred to in Minute No. 83 below and the report of the CAST Board – Paper H126 (Minute No. 84 refers).
77 - Substitutes
78 - Declaration of Interests
79 - Minutes
80 - Petitions
81 - Questions from Members
82 - Issues Arising from Overview and Scrutiny Committees
83 - Recommendations and Reports from Committees
84 - Recommendations from Task Groups and Panels
85 - Work Plan
86 - Service Standards
87 - 2008/09 Capital Programme - Non-Committed Schemes
88 - Action Out of Meeting
89 - Exclusion of the Public (which term includes the press)
90 - Acquisition of Joint Municipal Depot (Exempt Information by Virtue of Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1)
91 - Management of Hadleigh Community Facility (Excempt Information by Virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1)
It was noted that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 5 a substitute was in attendance as follows:-
Mr R Whiting (substituting for Mr M P Booth).
None declared.
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 September 2008 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
None received.
None received.
None received.
Code of Corporate Governance (Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee Minute No. 40)
Mr H N Todd, Vice-Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee, introduced this item.
RESOLVED
That the Code of Corporate Governance attached as Appendix A to Paper H115 be adopted, subject to the word “Members” being added before the word “staff” in the second line of the second bullet point of the Supporting Principle “Ensuring that an effective risk management system is in place” under Principle 4, so that the second bullet point reads as follows:-
Ensure that effective arrangements for whistle blowing are in place to which Officers, Members, staff and all those contracting with or appointed by the Council have access.
CAST Programme 2008-09
Mr H N Todd, Chairman of the CAST Board, introduced the Board’s report (Paper H126) which reflected on the achievements and experience to date of the CAST Programme. He also referred specifically to the Government’s new target in relation to ‘Avoidable Contacts’ and the work in hand to address this area. Members were aware that the final CAST report will be considered by the Committee in April 2009 and noted the cultural change and capacity aspects associated with the Programme.
RESOLVED
That the progress made on the CAST Programme be noted.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper H127) on items identified for future meetings of the Strategy Committee.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan set out in Paper H127 be noted.
The Director of Corporate Services and the Head of Customer Services submitted a joint report (Paper H128) asking Members to adopt a Customer Charter, revised Service Standards and an Action Plan (all of which were attached as Appendices to the report) to review Service Standards and improve their management. Members also noted that improvements in performance were expected to result from the work on ‘Avoidable Contacts’ referred to in Minute No. 84 above.
RESOLVED
(1) That the Customer Charter attached at Appendix 1 to Paper H128 be adopted.
(2) That the added and revised service standards highlighted in Appendix 2 to Paper H128 be adopted.
(3) That the proposed approach to improving the use of service standards and the associated Action Plan at Appendix 3 to Paper H128 be approved.
The Head of Contract and Asset Management submitted a report (Paper H129) seeking approval to implement schemes within the Council’s Housing Revenue Account and General Fund that are ready to proceed.
RESOLVED
That expenditure from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account and the General Fund be approved to carry out the proposed schemes detailed in paragraph 6.1 of Paper H129.
Replacement of Boilers at Kingfisher Leisure Centre Sudbury
RESOLVED
That the action taken as detailed in Paper H130 be noted.
RESOLVED
That pursuant to Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public 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 Committee was satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemptions outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.
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 H131) seeking approval to enter into a conditional contract to jointly purchase, with Mid Suffolk District Council, land suitable for a depot to service the Joint Waste and Recycling Contract. He informed Members of an addition to the costs given in the report to cover stamp duty, land tax and land registry fee.
Members were aware in making their decision that the build costs of the new depot were not included in the costs given which related solely to the acquisition of the site identified for the depot.
It was agreed to approve the purchase of the land identified in Paper H131, subject to planning permission being granted and to appropriate terms and conditions to protect the Council’s interests.
Note: Dr M R Miller and Mr R E Kemp voted against the decision referred to above and requested that this be recorded in the Minutes.
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 Project and Programme Executive submitted a report (Paper H132) asking the Committee to consider and approve arrangements for the management of the new Community Facility.
The management arrangements proposed in Paper H132 were approved subject to agreement being reached between the parties on terms and conditions to protect the Council’s interests.
Note: The meeting adjourned between 10.50 a.m. and 11.20 a.m. for refreshments.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 12.25 p.m.
Chairman
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