Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, District Offices, College Heath Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 7EY
Contact: Sharon Turner
Email: sharon.turner@westsuffolk.gov.uk
Items
No. |
Item |
429. |
Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were received from
Councillor Lance Stanbury.
Councillor Andy Drummond was also unable to
attend the meeting.
|
430. |
Minutes PDF 218 KB
To approve as a correct record the minutes of
the Cabinet meetings held on 9 January 2018 and 13 February 2018
(attached).
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The minutes of the meetings held on 9 January
2018 and 13 February 2018 were unanimously confirmed as a correct
record and signed by the Chairman.
|
431. |
Open Forum
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.
Minutes:
No non-Cabinet Members in attendance wished to
speak under this item.
|
432. |
Public Participation
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.
Minutes:
There were no questions/statements from
members of the public.
|
433. |
Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 8 March 2018 PDF 237 KB
Report No: CAB/FH/18/020
Chairman of the Committee:
Simon Cole Lead Officer:
Christine Brain
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the contents of Report No: CAB/FH/18/020,
being the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be
noted.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/020)
Councillor Simon Cole, Chairman of the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented this report which
informed the Cabinet of the following substantive items discussed
by the Committee on 8 March 2018:
(1)
Barley Homes Group Limited Annual Report 2018.
(2)
Lettings Policy.
(3)
Annual Presentation by the Cabinet Member for Resources and
Performance.
(4)
West Suffolk Information Framework – Report from the Joint
Task and Finish Group.
(5)
Work Programme Update.
Councillor Cole drew relevant issues to the
attention of the Cabinet, including that separate reports
containing recommendations of the Committee were included on this
Cabinet agenda for Items (2) and (4) above.
It was proposed, duly seconded and with the
vote being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the contents of
Report No: CAB/FH/18/020, being the report of the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee, be noted.
|
434. |
Recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 8 March 2018 - West Suffolk Information Framework PDF 229 KB
Report No: CAB/FH/18/021
Portfolio Holder: Stephen
Edwards
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Chairman of Committee: Simon
Cole
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the West Suffolk Information Framework,
attached as Appendix A to Report No: OAS/FH/18/007, be
approved.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/021)
Councillor Stephen Edwards, Portfolio Holder
for Resources and Performance, presented this report which sought
approval for a new West Suffolk Information Framework.
A joint Task and Finish Group, comprising
Members of Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough
Councils’ Overview and Scrutiny Committees, had been
established to devise a new Information Framework. The Framework represented a revised approach to
data and the way the West Suffolk Councils used it. It provided a high level summary of the current
position and proposed an approach that sought to maximise the
Councils’ data assets through aligning data across the West
Suffolk Councils and its partners to improve the services provided
and create better outcomes for residents, customers, visitors,
businesses, partners and communities.
The vision and key principles of the
Information Framework were summarised in paragraph 1.1.3 of the
Cabinet report. Its aim was to provide
Councillors, staff, partners and interested members of the public
with an overview of the Councils’ direction of travel and its
intent with regards to data and information and was, therefore, not
a delivery document. Detailed
individual plans, strategies and service-specific business cases
that accorded with this framework would come forward at a later
stage.
Councillor Edwards also wished to express his
thanks to both Overview and Scrutiny Committees for their
involvement and input into this document.
It was proposed, seconded and with the vote
being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the West Suffolk
Information Framework, attached as Appendix A to Report No:
OAS/FH/18/007, be approved.
|
435. |
Recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 8 March 2018 - Lettings Policy PDF 232 KB
Report No: CAB/FH/18/022
Portfolio Holder: Sara
Mildmay-White, West Suffolk Lead for Housing
Chairman of Committee: Simon
Cole Lead
Officer: Davina Howes
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the revised Lettings Policy, attached at
Appendix 1 to Report No: OAS/FH/18/005, be approved.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/022)
Councillor Sara Mildmay-White, West Suffolk
Lead for Housing, presented this report which sought approval for a
revised Lettings Policy.
On 8 March 2018, the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee considered Report No: OAS/FH/18/005, which set out
proposed revisions to the Lettings Policy. These revisions were required as a result of
recent case las and to ensure that the Policy was compliant with
the requirements of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, which came
into force on 3 April 2018. The
Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the draft policy in
detail and recommended its adoption.
Councillor Mildmay-White drew relevant issues
to the attention of the Cabinet, including that the revisions, as
summarised in Section 1.1.2 of the Cabinet report, had been subject
to consultation and agreement of the Home-Link (Choice Based
Lettings Scheme) partners of the Cambridge and West Suffolk
sub-region.
It was proposed, duly seconded and with the
vote being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the revised
Lettings Policy, attached at Appendix 1 to Report No:
OAS/FH/18/005, be approved.
|
436. |
Tackling Rogue Landlords: Civil Sanctions Policy PDF 246 KB
Report No: CAB/FH/18/023
Portfolio Holder: Sara
Mildmay-White, West Suffolk Lead for Housing
Lead Officer: Andrew
Newman
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the Housing Standards – Civil
Sanctions Policy contained in Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/FH/18/023, which describes the new measures and sanctions which
will support existing enforcement work and pro-active inspection
programmes, be adopted and
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (25 April 2018)
That the new delegations regarding the
enforcement powers be incorporated into the Scheme of Delegation,
contained in Part 3 of the Constitution, to enable these sanctions
to be enforced.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/023)
Councillor Sara Mildmay-White, West Suffolk
Lead for Housing, presented this report which sought approval for a
new Civil Sanctions Policy, which if adopted, would help tackle
rogue landlords.
The adoption of a new Civil Sanctions Policy,
attached as Appendix A to the report, would enable the West Suffolk
Councils (Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough) to make
use of new powers under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to tackle
a small number of rogue landlords in the private rented sector in
West Suffolk and improve the well-being of tenants. On 9 January 2018, the Cabinet had approved the
draft Policy for consultation and the outcome of this engagement
exercise was contained in Section 5 of the report.
Councillor Mildmay-White drew relevant issues
to the attention of the Cabinet, including that the engagement
process on the draft Policy with landlords, tenants, interested
groups and other stakeholders, had largely been positive and had
provided the opportunity to promote the Housing Standards service
offered by the Councils and the most effective way to enforce the
new legislation. Promotion of the
preventative and reactive regulatory agendas was key and better
landlords involved in the process, had identified that the Councils
wished to work with them, not only to achieve compliance, but to
deliver a sector that provided an adequate supply of decent
homes.
The Cabinet supported its adoption (with new
delegated powers to Officers for incorporation into their
respective Constitutions being presented to each Council for
approval). Due to its importance, the
Cabinet were also keen to ensure that this Policy was widely
communicated within the District, so that people were aware that it
was in operation.
It was proposed, duly seconded and with the
vote being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the Housing
Standards – Civil Sanctions Policy contained in Appendix A to
Report No: CAB/FH/18/023, which describes the new measures and
sanctions which will support existing enforcement work and
pro-active inspection programmes, be adopted.
and
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (25 April 2018)
That the new
delegations regarding the enforcement powers be incorporated into
the Scheme of Delegation, contained in Part 3 of the Constitution,
to enable these sanctions to be enforced.
|
437. |
Workforce Strategy 2018-2020 PDF 220 KB
Report No: CAB/FH/18/024
Portfolio Holder: Stephen
Edwards
Lead Officer: Wendy Canham
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the Workforce Strategy as contained in
Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/FH/18/024, be approved.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/024)
Councillor Stephen Edwards, Portfolio Holder
for Resources and Performance, presented this report which sought
approval of a new Workforce Strategy.
The Strategy, attached at Appendix 1 to the
report, set out the West Suffolk Councils’ vision for their
people and identified the areas needed to focus on to achieve their
ambitions. It looked at the composition
of the workforce and the current skills set and the skills needed
for the future. It identified how the
Councils would continue to recruit and develop their workforce and
work with their communities to make sure the right people, the
right skills and the right behaviours were in place.
Councillor Edwards drew relevant issues to the
attention of the Cabinet, including that the Strategy aimed to
enable West Suffolk to be a confident, co-operative and high
performing organisation in every aspect of its work addressing the
needs of its customers and communities, together with promoting
West Suffolk as an employer of choice.
It was proposed, duly seconded and with the
vote being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the Workforce
Strategy as contained in Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/FH/18/024, be
approved.
|
438. |
Decisions Plan: April 2018 to May 2018 PDF 245 KB
To consider the most recently published
version of the Cabinet’s Decisions Plan
Report No: CAB/FH/18/025
Portfolio Holder: James
Waters
Lead Officer: Ian Gallin
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/025)
The Cabinet considered Report No:
CAB/FH/18/025, which was the Cabinet’s Decisions Plan
covering the period 1 April 2018 to 31 May 2018.
Members took the opportunity to review the
intended forthcoming decisions of the Cabinet. However, no further information or amendments were
requested on this occasion.
|
439. |
Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs PDF 228 KB
Report No: CAB/FH/18/026
Portfolio Holder: Stephen
Edwards
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the write-off of the amounts detailed in
the exempt Appendices to Report No: CAB/FH/18/026 be approved, as
follows:
1.
Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £10,297.99.
2.
Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £24,032.49.
3.
Exempt Appendix 3: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling
£13,613.62.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/026)
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 and Business Rates and the overpayment of Housing
Benefit.
Councillor Edwards also referred to paragraphs
3.2 and 3.3 of the report which set out the collection rates for
the National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) and Council Tax as at 28
February 2018.
Whilst considering this report, the Cabinet
indicated that they would also wish to discuss the content of the
exempt Appendices and as reference was to be made to specific
detail, it was proposed, duly seconded and unanimously RESOLVED for these discussions to be held in private session
and for the press and public to be excluded from the meeting (see
Minute Numbers 440. and 441. below).
Following the conclusion of the discussions in
the private session, the press and public were re-admitted to the
meeting, where it was proposed, seconded and 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/18/026 be approved, as follows:
1.
Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £10,297.99.
2.
Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £24,032.49.
3.
Exempt Appendix 3: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling
£13,613.62.
|
440. |
Exclusion of the Press and Public
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.
Minutes:
It was proposed, seconded and with the vote
being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the press and
public 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.
|
441. |
Exempt Appendices 1, 2 and 3 : Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs (paras 1 and 2)
Exempt Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report No:
CAB/FH/18/026
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 1092, 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)
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/FH/18/026)
The Cabinet considered the exempt Appendices
to Report No: CAB/FH/18/026, where reference was made to the
specific detail contained therein.
Particular discussion was held in relation to
the arrears relating to Council Tax and Officers received agreement
from the Cabinet to progress ‘test cases’ in relation
to the action being taken by the ARP to recover outstanding
debt.
Once the discussions were concluded in the
private session, the meeting then moved back into the open session,
where the press and public were re-admitted and the Cabinet then
voted on the recommendations contained within the report (see
Minute Number 439. above).
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In this section
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