Agenda and minutes

Any Member who is substituting for another Member should so indicate, together with the name of the relevant absent Member.

There were no substitutes at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Patrick Chung, Tim Marks, Richard Rout and Andrew Speed.

Councillors Terry Buckle, Wayne Hailstone and Paul Hopfensperger were also unable to attend.

Members of the public who live or work in the Borough are invited to put one question/statement of not more than 3 minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.  If a question is asked and answered within 3 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 limit of 15 minutes for public speaking, which may be extended at the Chairman’s discretion.

This item was taken as part of the informal joint session.  However, there were no questions/statements from members of the public.

Report No: OAS/SE/15/014

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is OAS/FH/15/012)

(Councillor Clive Springett declared a pecuniary interest as a Director on the Havebury Housing Board, and left the meeting.

Councillor Frank Warby declared a pecuniary interest as a member of the Havebury Housing Board, and left the meeting.

Councillor Patricia Warby declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of the Havebury Housing Performance and Scrutiny Panel, and left the meeting.

Councillor Diane Hind declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of the Havebury Housing Performance and Scrutiny Panel, and remained in the meeting). 

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting on the Business Case for Establishing a Housing Development Company, with Members of St Forest Heath District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: OAS/SE/15/014. 

The report sought approval of a business case for establishing a commercial company limited by shares for the purpose of generating an income by the development of housing, including homes for sale, private rent, affordable rent and shared ownership.  The company would be wholly-owned by Forest Heath District Council (25% of shares), St Edmundsbury Borough Council (25%) and Suffolk County Council (50%) and would provide a revenue income to all Councils.

Members had scrutinised the business case in detail and had asked a number of questions to which comprehensive responses were duly provided.

Subject to comments made during the informal joint discussions, with the vote being unanimous, it was:

          RECOMMENDED

That the Full Business Case as set out in Appendix A to Report No: OAS/SE/15/014 be approved, subject to the following amendment to paragraph 3.24; bullet point four to read as follows:

Up to three additional directors unanimously approved by the three Shareholder Councils.  These may either will be ‘independent’ individuals selected for the relevant expertise and experience. in relation to housing development, or other officers.

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 disclosing the information.

See minute 42 below.

Exempt Appendices B, C and D to Report No: OAS/SE/15/014

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the Exempt Appendices B, C and D to Report No: OAS/SE/15/014.  However no reference was made to specific detail and therefore this item was not held in private.