Agenda, decisions and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Peter Stevens.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2016 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2016 were 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 Borough are invited to put one question or 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 members of the public in attendance.

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/018

Portfolio Holder: Ian HoulderLead Officer: Jill Korwin

The Cabinet received and noted Report No: CAB/SE/16/018, which provided an outline of issues discussed by the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee at its meeting held on 22 March 2016.

On 22 March 2016 the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership (ARP) Joint Committee considered the following substantive items of business:

(1)   Performance Report;

(2)   Welfare Reform Update;

(3)   Enforcement Agency Update;

(4)   Forthcoming Issues;

(5)   Exempt Item: Risked Based Verification;

(6)   Exempt Item: Commercial Update; and

(7)   Exempt Item: Shareholders’ Agreement and Presentation.

Councillor Ian Houlder, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including that the Joint Committee had received an update on the initial success of the relatively recently established ARP enforcement agency and had received a presentation and a copy of the proposed Shareholders’ Agreement for the new ARP Trading Company. A copy of the presentation was attached as Exempt Appendix A to this report; however as Members did not wish to discuss the specific content of the document, the meeting remained in public session.

The Cabinet commended ARP on its successes, particularly the work of the enforcement agency.

(At this point, and with the agreement of the Chairman, the agenda was considered in a different order to that published to provide more time for the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to arrive to present the Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which was due to be considered next on the agenda.)

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/020

Portfolio Holder: Joanna Rayner       Lead Officer: Jill Korwin

RESOLVED

That:

(1)     subject to planning permission, an investment of £50,000 be made into the Ram Meadow site, Bury St Edmunds to enable Bury Town Football Club to progress the building of a new clubhouse;

(2)     a virement of £50,000 be made from the allocated Capital Programme for the Bury Community Football projectto fund this investment, as outlined in Section 2.6 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/020; and

(3)     the £50,000 investment be made via a capital grant to Bury Town Football Club and be subject to the agreement of a new 5 year lease (with a 3 year break clause) on the site with a revised annual rent of £6,800, as outlined in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/020.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/16/020, which sought approval for an investment of £50,000 towards the building of a new clubhouse for Bury Town Football Club at the Council-owned Ram Meadow site in Bury St Edmunds.

Councillor Joanna Rayner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including that although a short term option, the investment would help strengthen Bury Town Football Club, make it more attractive to investors and ultimately enable the Club to contribute financially to a future move. The investment would be subject to  a new five year lease to be granted to the Club, which would generate an income of £6,800 per annum.  The additional £6,000 per annum represented a return of 12%pa for the Council and would reflect the upgraded facilities on the site.  At the end of the five year lease the Council would also own the asset.

The Cabinet acknowledged the significant state of disrepair of the existing clubhouse and that the costs of improvement were uneconomic.  Members also recognised the Club’s efforts to fund in excess of £50,000 of the total project cost of just over £100,000, which resulted in unanimous support expressed for the recommendations contained in the report.

RESOLVED

That:

(1)     subject to planning permission, an investment of £50,000 be made into the Ram Meadow site, Bury St Edmunds to enable Bury Town Football Club to progress the building of a new clubhouse;

(2)     a virement of £50,000 be made from the allocated Capital Programme for the Bury Community Football projectto fund this investment, as outlined in Section 2.6 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/020; and

(3)     the £50,000 investment be made via a capital grant to Bury Town Football Club and be subject to the agreement of a new 5 year lease (with a 3 year break clause) on the site with a revised annual rent of £6,800, as outlined in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/020.

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/021

Portfolio Holders: Alaric Pugh and Peter Stevens            

Lead Officers: Steven Wood and Mark Walsh

RESOLVED:

That the recently revised Suffolk Flood Risk Management Strategy (SFRMS), as contained in Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/SE/16/021, be adopted.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/16/021, which sought approval for the recently revised Suffolk Flood Risk Management Strategy.

Councillor Alaric Pugh, one of the Portfolio Holders with the responsibility for flood risk management, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet including that it was a statutory requirement for Suffolk County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) to produce the Suffolk Flood Risk Management Strategy (SFRMS) document, in partnership with other flood risk management authorities (which included Forest Heath District Council (FHDC) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC)).  Adoption of the strategy by the flood risk authorities would ensure that all parties were working to a common flood risk management approach across Suffolk.

On 17 May 2016, FHDC’s Cabinet (SEBC’s shared services partner) had resolved to adopt the document.

Members recognised the comprehensive and thorough content of the document, which would also assist Town and Parish Councils and developers with addressing potential flood risk management issues as part of the planning process.

RESOLVED:

That the recently revised Suffolk Flood Risk Management Strategy (SFRMS), as contained in Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/SE/16/021, be adopted.

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/022

Portfolio Holder: John Griffiths        

Lead Officers: Karen Points and Steven Boyle

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the Grant Working Party continues to operate in accordance with its Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix A of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022.

(2)

(a)    The Sustainable Development Working Party continues to operate at the present time in accordance with its current Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix B to Report No: CAB/SE/16/022; and

(b)    the future direction of the Sustainable Development Working Party, as outlined in Section 1.2.8 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022, be noted.

(3)

(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 C, D, E and F to Report No: CAB/SE/16/022 respectively; and

(b)     meetings of the Joint Panels set out in Section 1.3.4 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022, continue to be scheduled as and when required but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 1.3.5.

(4)

(a)     The interim Service Manager (Legal and Democratic Services) be given delegated authority to re-appoint or appoint as applicable, Members and substitute Members to the Working Parties, Joint Panels and Steering Group for 2016/2017, as set out in Sections 1.2.1 and 1.3.1 on the nominations from the Group Leaders; and

(b)     such re-appointments/appointments be made on the basis of political balance requirements, where applicable and identified in Report No: CAB/SE/16/022.

(5)     The interim Service Manager (Legal and Democratic Services) be given delegated authority to re-appoint or appoint as applicable, one full Cabinet Member and two substitute Cabinet Members to the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee for 2016/2017, on the nomination of the Leader of the Council.

(6)

(a)     The Cabinet’s existing informal Working Groups be retained or disbanded as indicated in Section 1.6.2 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022; and

(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 2016/2017.

(7)     The Members stated in Section 1.7.2 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022 be re-appointed as observers to the respective outside bodies listed, and to NOTE the Leader or ex-officio appointments to the project or partnership groups listed in Section 1.7.3 and 1.7.4.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/16/022, which presented the annual review and re-appointment of Cabinet Working Parties, Joint Committee/Panels and Other Groups: 2016/2017.

Councillor Griffiths, Leader of the Council, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including that the Cabinet was required to review the membership and Terms of Reference of its Working Parties, Joint Committees/Panels and Other Groups for 2016/2017.

The existing Terms of Reference for the relevant bodies were attached as Appendix A to F inclusive.

No changes were recommended to the majority of the existing arrangements, with the exception of a proposal to disband the West Suffolk Joint Diversity Working Party.  St Edmundsbury Borough and Forest Heath District Councils were now in a position across the West Suffolk organisation where, instead of diversity and equality being considered in isolation, it was now mainstreamed into the way in which the Councils worked and was reported to Members through the Annual Report.

Together with the other recommendations contained in the report, the Cabinet supported this proposal.

Appointments and  re-appointments of Members to the various bodies would be made under delegated authority on the basis of political balance requirements, where applicable.

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the Grant Working Party continues to operate in accordance with its Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix A of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022.

(2)

(a)    The Sustainable Development Working Party continues to operate at the present time in accordance with its current Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix B to Report No: CAB/SE/16/022; and

(b)    the future direction of the Sustainable Development Working Party, as outlined in Section 1.2.8 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022, be noted.

(3)

(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 C, D, E and F to Report No: CAB/SE/16/022 respectively; and

(b)     meetings of the Joint Panels set out in Section 1.3.4 of Report No: CAB/SE/16/022, continue to be scheduled as and when required but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 1.3.5.

(4)

(a)     The interim Service Manager (Legal and Democratic Services) be given delegated authority to re-appoint or appoint as applicable, Members and substitute Members to the Working Parties, Joint Panels and Steering Group for 2016/2017, as set out in Sections 1.2.1 and 1.3.1 on the nominations from the Group Leaders; and

(b)     such re-appointments/appointments be made on the basis of political balance requirements, where applicable and identified in Report No: CAB/SE/16/022.

(5)     The interim Service Manager (Legal and Democratic Services) be given delegated authority to re-appoint or appoint as applicable, one full Cabinet Member and two substitute Cabinet Members to the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee for 2016/2017, on the nomination of the Leader of the Council.

(6)

(a)     The Cabinet’s existing informal Working Groups be retained or disbanded as indicated in Section 1.6.2 of Report No:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 205.

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

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/023

Portfolio Holder: John Griffiths         Lead Officer: Ian Gallin

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/16/023, which was the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period May 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.

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.

See minute 208 below.

Exempt Appendix A to Report No:       CAB/SE/16/018

Portfolio Holder: Ian HoulderLead Officer: Jill Korwin

The Cabinet received and noted Exempt Appendix A to Report No: CAB/SE/16/018 under Agenda Item 5, however no reference was made to specific detail and therefore this item was not discussed in private session.

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/019

Chairman: Outgoing Chairman Diane Hind             Lead Officer: Christine Brain

The Cabinet received and noted Report No: CAB/SE/16/019 which informed the Cabinet of the following items discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 April 2016:

(1)     Presentation by the Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities;

(2)     Western Suffolk Community Safety Partnership Annual Report;

(3)     On-Street Parking – Skyliner Way, Bury St Edmunds: Update;

(4)     Review and Revision of the Constitution;

(5)     Directed Surveillance Authorised Applications (Quarter 4); and

(6)     Work Programme Update.

In the absence of Councillor Diane Hind, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee, the Democratic Services Officer (Scrutiny) drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including that a detailed discussion had been held on the current position regarding potential funding options to alleviate the parking issues in Skyliner Way, Bury St Edmunds, and improve traffic flow in Skyliner Way before the completion of the Eastern Relief Road.  A summary of that discussion was contained in the report.

(Councillor Diane Hind arrived at the conclusion of this item and the meeting itself.)