Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 13 September 2016 and 20 September 2016 (copies attached).

The minutes of the meetings held on 13 September 2016 and 20 September 2016 were unanimously confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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 who live or work in the District are invited to put one question/statement of not more than three minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.  If a question is asked and answered within three minutes, the person who asked the question may ask a supplementary question that arises from the reply.

A person who wishes to speak must register at least 15 minutes before the time the meeting is scheduled to start.

There is an overall time limit of 15 minutes for public speaking, which may be extended at the Chairman’s discretion.

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

Report No:   CAB/FH/16/043

Chairman of Committee: Simon Cole         Lead Officer: Christine Brain

RESOLVED:

That the contents of Report No CAB/FH/16/043, being the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be noted.

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/043)

Councillor Simon Cole, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented this report which informed the Cabinet of the following items which had been discussed by the Committee on 15 September 2016 and also drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet:

(1)     Annual Presentation by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth.

(2)     Approach to Delivering a Sustainable Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016-2020 and Consideration of the Four-Year Settlement Offer from Central Government. (The recommendations in relation to this item, had been considered at the Cabinet meeting on 20 September 2016).

(3)     Local Air Quality Strategy Progress Report (2015-2016).

(4)     Final Report of the New Housing Development Sites Joint Task and Finish Group.

(5)     Decisions Plan: September 2016 to May 2017.

(6)     Work Programme Update.

Councillor Cole also reported an error within paragraph 1.3.8 of the report and explained that the recommendation which referred to the ‘Head of Operations’ should actually read the ‘Head of Planning and Growth’.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That the contents of Report No CAB/FH/16/043, being the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be noted.

Report No:   CAB/FH/16/044

Portfolio Holder: Stephen Edwards            Lead Officer: Jill Korwin

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted.

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/044)

The Cabinet received this report which informed them of the following items which had been discussed by the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee on 20 September 2016:

(1)     Performance Report.

(2)     Welfare Reform Update.

(3)     ARP Health and Safety Policy.

(4)     ARP Transformation Programme.

(5)     Forthcoming Issues; and

(6)     Exempt: Commercial and Partnership Update

Councillor Edwards also drew Members attention to paragraph 1.1.5 of the report which explained that the Partnership currently had an underspend of £219,064 against budget and the reasons for the specific variances had been reported to the Joint Committee accordingly.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted.

Report No:   CAB/FH/16/045

Portfolio Holder: Stephen Edwards

Chairman of the Committee: Louis Busuttil           Lead Officer: Christine Brain

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted.

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/045)

Councillor Louis Busuttil, Chairman of the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, presented this report which informed the Cabinet of the following items which had been discussed by the Committee on 22 September 2016 and also drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet:

(1)     Ernst and Young – Presentation of 2015-2016 ISA260 Annual Results Report to those Charged with Governance.

(2)     West Suffolk Annual Governance Statement 2015-2016.

(3)     2015-2016 Annual Statement of Accounts.

(4)     Arrangements for Appointment of External Auditors. (This item was subject to a separate report on the agenda – Report No CAB/FH/16/046).

(5)     Work Programme Update.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted.

Report No: CAB/FH/16/046

Portfolio Holder:  Stephen Edwards           Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

Chairman of the Committee: Louis Busuttil

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (21 December 2016)

That Option 3, to ‘opt-in’ to the sector led body (Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited (PSAA)) for the independent appointment of the Council’s External Auditor, beginning with responsibilities for the financial  year 2018-2019, as set out in Report No PAS/FH/16/023, be approved.

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/046)

Councillor Louis Busuttil, Chairman of the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, presented this report which asked the Cabinet to consider the options available for appointing External Auditors in time to make the first appointment by 31 December 2017, following the closure of the Audit Commission and the end of the transitional arrangements.

The Cabinet were informed that it was the Council’s statutory responsibility to appoint a local auditor to audit its 2018-2019 accounts by 31 December 2017.  In meeting this statutory responsibility, the Council could choose one of the following options:

1.       Establish a stand-alone Auditor Panel to make the appointment on behalf of the Council.

2.       Commence work on exploring the establishment of local joint procurement arrangements with neighbouring authorities.

3.       Use an existing independent panel of the Authority (this would only be applicable where a suitably constituted plan already existed).

The Committee had been provided with the advantages and disadvantages for each of the three options, including risk management and legal/financial implications.

The Council had only to December 2017 to make an appointment, which meant that one of the three options would need to be in place by Spring 2017 in order that the contract negotiation process could be carried out during 2017.

The Committee had been advised that Option 3 would provide for better economies of scale in keeping audit fees down and having a Suffolk Wide auditor.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (21 December 2016)

That Option 3, to ‘opt-in’ to the sector led body (Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited (PSAA)) for the independent appointment of the Council’s External Auditor, beginning with responsibilities for the financial  year 2018-2019, as set out in Report No PAS/FH/16/023, be approved.

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

Report No:   CAB/FH/16/047

Portfolio Holder: James Waters                Lead Officer: Ian Gallin

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/047)

The Cabinet considered this report which was the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period October 2016 to May 2017.

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

Report No:   CAB/FH/16/048

Portfolio Holder: Stephen Edwards            Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt Appendices to Report No CAB/FH/16/048, be approved, as follows:

1.           Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £5,709.68

2.           Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £74,715.96

3.           Exempt Appendix 3: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling £5,809.18.

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/048)

Councillor Stephen Edwards, Portfolio Holder 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 Portfolio Holder referred to paragraph 1.5 of the report which explained that the Council was working with the Local Government Association (LGA) for legislation changes which would support the prevention of businesses building up large amounts of unpaid business rates.

Paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 of the report also set out the collection rates for the National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) and Council Tax as at 30 September 2016.

The Cabinet also considered the exempt Appendices to this report and as reference was to be made to specific detail, these discussions, were held in private session (see Minute Number 251. below).

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.

It was proposed, seconded and

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act.

Exempt Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report No: CAB/FH/16/048

Portfolio Holder: Stephen Edwards            Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

(These exempt Appendices are to be considered in private under paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as they contain information relating to an individual 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)

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/048)

The Cabinet considered the exempt Appendices to Report No CAB/FH/16/048, where reference was made to the specific detail contained within these Appendices.

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/16/048, be approved, as follows:

1.           Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £5,709.68

2.           Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £74,715.96

3.           Exempt Appendix 3: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling £5,809.18.