Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 17 March 2015 (Extraordinary meeting) and 31 March 2015 (attached).

The minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 17 March 2015 and 31 March 2015 were unanimously accepted as an accurate record and signed by the Leader.

At each Cabinet meeting, up to 15 minutes shall be allocated for questions from and discussion with, non-Cabinet members.  Members wishing to speak during this session should if possible, give notice in advance.  Who speaks and for how long will be at the complete discretion of the person presiding.

No non-Cabinet Members in attendance wished to speak under this item.

Members of the public are invited to put questions/statements of not more than 3 minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.

There were no questions/statements from members of the public.

Report No: CAB/FH/15/021

Cabinet Member:      Portfolio Holder for Resources, Governance and Performance

Lead Officer:           Liz Watts

RESOLVED:

That the content of the report be noted.

(Report No CAB/FH/15/021)

The Cabinet received and noted Report No CAB/FH/15/021, which informed the Cabinet of the following substantive items discussed by the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee on 19 March 2015:

(1)   Performance Report.

(2)   SFIS and Counter Fraud.

(3)   Enforcement Agency Update.

(4)   Electronic Document Management System.

(5)   Universal Credit.

(6)   Forthcoming Issues.

(7)   Strategic Review.

(8)   Risk Based Verification.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That the content of the report be noted.

Report No: CAB/FH/15/022

Cabinet Member: Rona Burt, (Outgoing) Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Transport and (Outgoing) Chairman of the Local Plan Working Group

Lead Officer: Marie Smith

RESOLVED

That:

1.   Progress made to the Core Strategy Single Issue Review (SIR) and Site Specific Allocations (SSA) Further Issues and Options Local Plan Documents be endorsed.

2.   The Core Strategy Single Issue Review (SIR) and Site Specific Allocations (SSA) Further Issues and Options Local Plan Documents be prepared alongside the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and be approved for public consultation.

(Report No CAB/FH/15/022)

Councillor Rona Burt, the (Outgoing) Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Growth and the (Outgoing) Chairman of the Local Plan Working Group presented this report which explained that on 22 April 2015, the Working Group had considered the following substantive item of business:

1.       Regulation 18 Stage ‘Further Issues and Options’ Single Issue Review (SIR) and Site Specific Allocations (SIR) Local Plan Documents.

Councillor Burt also explained that as these consultation documents would now be presented to Cabinet on 14 July 2015, this would give the opportunity for these to also be considered by the Working Group prior to the Cabinet meeting.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.           Progress made to the Core Strategy Single Issue Review (SIR) and Site Specific Allocations (SSA) Further Issues and Options Local Plan Documents be endorsed.

2.           The Core Strategy Single Issue Review (SIR) and Site Specific Allocations (SSA) Further Issues and Options Local Plan Documents be prepared alongside the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and be approved for public consultation.

Report No: CAB/FH/15/023

Cabinet Member:      Portfolio Holder for Resources, Governance and Performance

Lead Officer:           Rachael Mann

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt Appendices to Report No CAB/FH/15/023 be approved as follows:

1.   Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £4,506.78

2.   Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £84,870.46

3.   Exempt Appendix 3: Housing Benefit Overpayments totalling £7,953.64

(Report No CAB/FH/15/023)

The Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance presented this report, which sought approval for the write-off of uncollectable amounts in respect of Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefit Overpayments.  The specific reasons for recommending these write-offs, was included within the exempt Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report No CAB/FH/15/023.

The Cabinet Member also referred to paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 of the report which set out the collection rates for both National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) and Council Tax and explained that the figures within these paragraphs had been transposed and should actually read as follows:

“3.2   As at 30 April 2015, the total National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) billed Anglia Revenues Partnership on behalf of Forest Heath District Council (as the billing Authority) is £22.59m per annum.  The collection rate as at 30 April 2015 was 10.44% against a profiled target of 11.08%.”

“3.3   As at 30 April 2015, the total Council Tax billed by Anglia Revenues Partnership on behalf of Forest Heath District Council (includes the County, Police and Parish precept elements) is just over £25m per annum.  The collection rate as at 30 April 2015 was 11.80% against a profiled target of 11.80%.”

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt Appendices to Report No CAB/FH/15/023 be approved as follows:

1.           Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £4,506.78

2.           Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £84,870.46

3.           Exempt Appendix 3: Housing Benefit Overpayments totalling £7,953.64

Report No: CAB/FH/15/024

Cabinet Member:      Portfolio Holder for Resources, Governance and Performance

Lead Officer:           Karen Points

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

That the West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement for 2015/2016 as contained in Appendix 1 to Report No CAB/FH/15/024, be approved.

(Report No CAB/FH/15/024)

The Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance presented this report which set out the West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement 2015/2016.

Section 38/11 of the Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to produce a Pay Policy Statement annually.  Therefore, a Joint Pay Policy Statement for 2015/2016, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, had been produced, reflecting a shared workforce, and the single Pay and Reward Strategy now in place for St Edmundsbury Borough and Forest Heath District Councils.  It also incorporated the outcomes of the 2013 collective agreement which established a modern reward framework for the integrated workforce.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

That the West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement for 2015/2016 as contained in Appendix 1 to Report No CAB/FH/15/024, be approved.

Report No: CAB/FH/15/025

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council

Lead Officers: Fiona Osman and Joy Bowes

RESOLVED:

1.     That:

(a)   The Local Plan Working Group continues to operate at the present time in accordance with its current Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix A to Report No CAB/FH/15/025.

(b)   The Service Manager (Legal) be given delegated authority to appoint Members to the Local Plan Working Group, in line with the political balance requirements (see Section 1.4 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025), on the basis of nominations from the Group Leaders.

(c)  The future direction of the Local Plan Working Group, as outlined in Section 1.2.3 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, be noted.

2.     That:

(a)     The West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group, West Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Panel, West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel and the West Suffolk Joint Staff Consultative Panel continue to operate in accordance with their current Terms of Reference contained in Appendices B, C D and E to Report No CAB/FH/15/025 respectively.

(b)     The Service Manager (Legal) be given delegated authority to appoint Members and Substitute Members to the Joint Panels and Steering Group, as set out in Section 1.3.1 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, on the basis of political balance requirements, where appropriate (see Section 1.4 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025) and on the nominations from the Group Leaders.

(c)  Meetings of the Joint Steering Group and Panels set out in Section 1.3.1 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, continue to be scheduled as and when required, but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 1.3.4 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025.

3.     That:

(a)   The Service Manager (Legal) be given delegated authority to appoint two full Members and one substitute Member to the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee, on the nomination of the Leader of the Council.

(b)   The potential requirement to only have one full Member representative from each of the Councils represented on the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee, as set out in Section 1.5.2 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, be noted.  Any required changes to the Council’s representation on the Joint Committee be delegated to the Service Manager (Legal) and the Leader of the Council to action accordingly.

(c)       Following the adoption of the Joint Development Management Policies Document and subject to the approval of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, the Joint Development Management Policies Committee be disbanded, with any residual joint planning policy matters being taken through the West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group and Cabinet/Council.

4.     That:

(a)   The Cabinet’s existing informal Working Groups be retained as indicated in Section 1.6.2 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025.

(b)  Provided that resources are available to support them, further informal task-and-finish working groups continue to be established to consider specific issues as required throughout 2015/2016.

(Report No CAB/FH/15/025)

The Cabinet were requested to review the membership and Terms of Reference of its Working Group, Joint Committees/Panels and other Groups for the year 2015/2016.  The existing Terms of Reference for each body was contained within Appendices A to E of the report.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

  RESOLVED:

          1.       That:-

(a)     The Local Plan Working Group continues to operate at the present time in accordance with its current Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix A to Report No CAB/FH/15/025.

(b)     The Service Manager (Legal) be given delegated authority to appoint Members to the Local Plan Working Group, in line with the political balance requirements (see Section 1.4 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025), on the basis of nominations from the Group Leaders.

(c)     The future direction of the Local Plan Working Group, as outlined in Section 1.2.3 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, be noted.

2.       That:-

(a)         The West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group, West Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Panel, West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel and the West Suffolk Joint Staff Consultative Panel continue to operate in accordance with their current Terms of Reference contained in Appendices B, C D and E to Report No CAB/FH/15/025 respectively.

(b)         The Service Manager (Legal) be given delegated authority to appoint Members and Substitute Members to the Joint Panels and Steering Group, as set out in Section 1.3.1 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, on the basis of political balance requirements, where appropriate (see Section 1.4 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025) and on the nominations from the Group Leaders.

(c)     Meetings of the Joint Steering Group and Panels set out in Section 1.3.1 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, continue to be scheduled as and when required, but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 1.3.4 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025.

3.       That:-

(a)     The Service Manager (Legal) be given delegated authority to appoint two full Members and one substitute Member to the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee, on the nomination of the Leader of the Council.

(b)     The potential requirement to only have one full Member representative from each of the Councils represented on the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee, as set out in Section 1.5.2 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025, be noted.  Any required changes to the Council’s representation on the Joint Committee be delegated to the Service Manager (Legal) and the Leader of the Council to action accordingly.

(c)         Following the adoption of the Joint Development Management Policies Document and subject to the approval of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, the Joint Development Management Policies Committee be disbanded, with any residual joint planning policy matters being taken through the West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group and Cabinet/Council.

4.       That:-

(a)     The Cabinet’s existing informal Working Groups be retained as indicated in Section 1.6.2 of Report No CAB/FH/15/025.

(b)     Provided that resources are available to support them, further informal task-and-finish working groups continue to be established to consider specific issues as required throughout 2015/2016.

To consider the most recently published version of the Cabinet’s Decisions Plan

Report No: CAB/FH/15/026

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council     

Lead Officer: Ian Gallin

(Report No CAB/FH/15/026)

The Cabinet considered Report No CAB/FH/15/026, which was the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period June 2015 to May 2016.

Members took the opportunity to review the forthcoming decisions of the Cabinet; however, no further information or amendments were requested on this occasion.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded during the consideration of the following items because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt categories of information as prescribed in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and indicated against each item and, in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Refer to Minute No 74. below.

Appendix 1, 2 and 3 to Report No: CAB/FH/15/023

Cabinet Member:      Portfolio Holder for Resources, Governance and Performance

Lead Officer:           Rachael Mann

(This item is to be considered under paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as it contains information relating to an individual(s) and information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual)

(No representations have been received from members of the public regarding this item being held in private)

(Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report No CAB/FH/15/017)

The Cabinet considered Exempt Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report No CAB/FH/15/017, however, as no reference was made to specific detail, this item was not held in private session.