Agenda and minutes

The Mayor’s Chaplain, the Very Reverend Canon Mark Hackeson of St Edmunds’ Church, opened the meeting with prayers.

Prior to the commencement of formal business, the Mayor formally welcomed Leah Mickleborough and Mark Miller to their first Council meeting.  Mrs Mickleborough and Mr Miller had recently been appointed to the posts of Service Managers for Democratic Services (and Monitoring Officer) and Strategic Communications respectively, for Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2017 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

The Mayor reported on the civic engagements and charity activities which she and her Consort and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress had attended since the last ordinary meeting of Council held on 21 February 2017.

To receive announcements (if any) from the officer advising the Mayor (including apologies for absence)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Simon Brown, Jason Crooks, Jeremy Farthing, Wayne Hailstone, David Nettleton and Angela Rushen.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary or local non pecuniary interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda no later than when that item is reached and, when appropriate, to leave the meeting prior to discussion and voting on the item.

Members declarations of interest were recorded under the item to which the declaration related.

Paper No: COU/SE/17/006

(Council Procedure Rules 8.1 – 8.3)  Members may ask the Leader questions on the content of both his introductory remarks and the written statement itself.

A total of 30 minutes will be allowed for questions and responses. There will be a limit of five minutes for each question to be asked and answered. A supplementary question arising from the reply may be asked so long as the five minute limit is not exceeded.

Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Council, presented his statement as contained in Report No: COU/SE/17/006.

In addition to his statement, Councillor Griffiths also wished to pay his own respects to Councillor Julia Wakelam, and commended her on the exemplary way she had conducted the role as Mayor of the Council over the past year.

In response to a question regarding the increasing pressures that the Council was facing on its limited accommodation for homeless people, Councillor Sara Mildmay-White (at the request of Councillor Griffiths) explained the work and engagement which was being undertaken, particularly in relation to the rough/street sleepers within the Town.  Councillor Mildmay-White particularly referred to the successful bid to DCLG for a rough sleeper outreach worker across localities within St Edmundsbury, Forest Heath, Babergh and Mid-Suffolk.  This worker should help to reduce homelessness by providing a point of contact for individuals at risk of becoming homeless or who were at the point of homelessness, whilst also having a role in linking agencies and the Council’s partners to help prevent homelessness in the first place.

(Council Procedure Rules Section 6) Members of the public who live or work in the Borough are invited to put one question of not more than five minutes duration. A person who wishes to speak must register at least fifteen minutes before the time the meeting is scheduled to start.*

(Note: The maximum time to be set aside for this item is 30 minutes, but if all questions are dealt with sooner, or if there are no questions, the Council will proceed to the next business.

Each person may ask one question only. A total of five minutes will be allowed for the question to be put and answered. One further question will be allowed arising directly from the reply, provided that the original time limit of five minutes is not exceeded.

Written questions may be submitted by members of the public to the Service Manager (Democratic Services) no later than 10.00 am on Monday 24 April 2017.  The written notification should detail the full question to be asked at the meeting of the Council.)*

*For further information, see Public Information Sheet attached to this agenda.

No members of the public in attendance wished to speak.

Report No: COU/SE/17/007

(Prior to the consideration of this report, the following Councillors declared local non-pecuniary interests:

Councillor John Burns               His business was deemed to be in competition with Abbeycroft Leisure

Councillor Terry Clements                  Trustee of Abbeycroft Leisure

(this was an appointment made by St Edmundsbury Borough Council)

Councillor Richard Rout             His business was deemed to be in competition with Abbeycroft Leisure

Councillor Burns, Clements and Rout remained in the meeting for the consideration of this item and also participated in the voting thereon)

Council considered the Referrals report of Recommendations from Cabinet contained within Report No: COU/SE/17/007.

(A)    Referrals from Cabinet: 28 March 2017

1.       Development of a New Partnership Agreement with Abbeycroft Leisure

Approval was sought for a new Partnership Agreement to be entered into with Abbeycroft Leisure Ltd for a period of 15 years (with options to extend for 5 + 5 years).

Councillor Joanna Rayner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council, including thanking both Members and Officers for the work which had been undertaken in achieving this proposed new Partnership Agreement.

Councillors Terry Clements and Margaret Marks also both wished to commend the staff and services delivered by Abbeycroft Leisure.

On the motion of Councillor Rayner, seconded by Councillor Clive Springett, and duly carried, it was

RESOLVED:

That:-

(1)     A new Partnership Agreement be entered into with Abbeycroft Leisure Ltd for a period of 15 years, with options to extend for 5 + 5 years, subject to the protections included in the Partnership Agreement; and

(2)     The Partnership Agreement be finalised in line with Report No: CAB/FH/17/019 and the Heads of Terms attached at Appendix 1.

Members are invited to ask questions of committee Chairmen on business transacted by their committees since the last ordinary meeting of Council on 21 February 2017.

Council considered a narrative item, which sought questions of Committee Chairmen on business transacted since the last ordinary meeting of Council on 21 February 2017, as outlined below:

No questions were asked of the above Chairmen.

The Council will consider any urgent questions on notice that were notified to the Service Manager (Democratic Services) by 11am on the day of the meeting.

No urgent questions on notice had been received.

Part 4, Access to Information Procedural Rules, of the Constitution (paragraph 18.3) requires the Leader of the Council to submit quarterly reports to the Council on the Executive decisions taken (if any) in the circumstances set out in Rule 17, Special urgency in the preceding three months.

Accordingly, the Leader of the Council reports that no executive decisions have been taken under the Special Urgency provisions of the constitution.

The Leader reported that no executive decisions had been taken under the Special Urgency provisions of the Constitution.