Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2018 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No announcements were made by the Chair on this occasion.

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Barker, Burt, Simon Brown, Crooks, Evans, Harvey, Midwood, Millar, Pollington, Pugh, Richardson, Robbins, Roman, Stanbury and Frank Warby.

Councillors Appleby, Marston, Mason, Nobbs, Noble, Thompson and Williams were also unable to attend the meeting. 

(Councillor Diane Hind joined the meeting during the consideration of this item.)

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 interests are recorded under the item to which the declaration relates.

Paper No: COU/SA/18/009

(Shadow Council Procedure Rules 8.1 – 8.3)  The Leader will provide a written statement summarising important developments and activities since the preceding meeting of the Shadow Council where these have arisen.  These developments and activities will solely relate to the development of the Shadow Council, and matters related to the future West Suffolk Council.

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 Shadow Council, presented his Statement, as contained in Paper No: COU/SA/18/009.

In his introductory remarks, Councillor Griffiths paid tribute to Councillor Alaric Pugh, former SEBC Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth, who had recently and reluctantly taken the decision to resign from SEBC’s Cabinet and the Shadow Executive for personal reasons. Reiterating that Councillor Pugh was not resigning as a councillor, Councillor Griffiths took the opportunity to acknowledge Councillor Pugh’s many achievements and dedicated service to St Edmundsbury Borough Council and West Suffolk, and particularly for his sterling contribution towards driving the Councils’ considerable growth agenda.

He then announced his intention to nominate Councillor Susan Glossop to the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) (see minute 36 below) following her recent appointment to SEBC’s Cabinet, thus replacing Councillor Pugh.  Subject to approval, Councillor Griffiths took the opportunity to welcome Councillor Glossop to the Shadow Executive.

In response to a question from Councillor David Nettleton, Councillor Griffiths stated that it was his understanding that the findings of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s ward boundary review would be received on or by 23 October 2018; however this date could not be guaranteed.

(Shadow Council Procedure Rules Section 6) Members of the public who live or work in the West Suffolk area are invited to put one question  of not more than five minutes duration about the work of the Shadow Council to members of the Shadow Executive.  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 Shadow 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 Interim Monitoring Officer no later than 10.00 am on Monday 24 September 2018. 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 had registered to speak.

Report No: COU/SA/18/010

The Shadow Council considered the Referrals Report of Recommendations from the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) contained within Report No: COU/SA/18/010.

(A)    Referrals from Shadow Executive (Cabinet): 18 September 2018

1.       Arrangements for the Appointment of External Auditors for the West Suffolk Council and West Suffolk Shadow Authority

Approval was sought for arrangements for the external audit of the accounts for the Shadow Authority and for West Suffolk Council.

The new West Suffolk Council was required to confirm its external audit arrangements to appoint a local auditor to audit its accounts for 2019/2020.  Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils had previously in 2016, agreed to ‘opt-in’ to the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) audit arrangements; however, as these arrangements could not transition across to West Suffolk Council, the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) had recommended that the Councils’ present commitment to option 3, which was to ‘opt-in’ to the PSAA arrangements, should be reaffirmed.  

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) had also recommended proposed arrangements for auditing the accounts of the West Suffolk Shadow Authority (WSSA).  The WSSA met the criteria of a ‘smaller authority’ and following consideration of alternative options, as set out in Attachment A to Report No: EXC/SA/18/009, the Shadow Executive had considered that opting-in to the Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments scheme would be the most cost-efficient route whilst also providing a well-established audit regime.

Councillor Ian Houlder, one of the Shadow Executive Members with the responsibility for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Council. Councillor Stephen Edwards, the other Shadow Executive Member with the responsibility for Resources and Performance, acknowledged the work of the officers in managing to secure a pragmatic and extremely cost effective method for auditing the accounts for the Shadow Authority.

On the motion of Councillor Houlder, seconded by Councillor Edwards and duly carried, it was:

RESOLVED:

That:

West Suffolk Council

(1)     Option 3, to ‘opt-in’ to the sector led body (Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited) for the independent appointment of the Council’s External Auditor, beginning with responsibilities for the financial year 2019-2020, as set out in Report Nos: PAS/SE/18/025 and PAS/FH/18/024, be approved. 

West Suffolk Shadow Authority

(2)     Agreement be given for the External Audit of the West Suffolk Shadow Authority Accounts to be prepared under the Smaller Authority audit procedures, as set out in Attachment A of Report No: EXC/SA/18/009; and

(3)     approval be given for the S151 Officer to write to the Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments (SAAA) informing them that the West Suffolk Shadow Authority would like to be treated as ‘opted in’ to the smaller authorities scheme and as such the auditor would be PKF Littlejohn (the appointees for Suffolk).

2.       Transfer of Joint Policies to West Suffolk Council

Approval was sought for transferring the existing suite of joint policies adopted by Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils to West Suffolk Council, together with giving delegated authority for officers to make minor drafting changes to existing and additional joint policies due to be adopted between  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

Paragraph 6.4 of Article 6‘The Shadow Executive (Cabinet)’ of the Shadow Constitution states that:

…..the Leader may give written notice to the Interim Monitoring Officer of Portfolio Holder appointments or changes.  Such changes will come into effect two days after receipt of the notice by the Interim Monitoring Officer and be notified to the next meeting of the Shadow Council.

Only the Shadow Council has the authority to appoint members of the Shadow Executive, and any portfolio appointments must be made from members of the Shadow Executive.

The Interim Monitoring Officer has received written notice from the Leader of the Shadow Council, nominating Councillor Susan Glossop to replace Councillor Alaric Pugh on the Shadow Executive (Cabinet).  This is following the appointment of Councillor Susan Glossop to St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s (SEBC) Cabinet as Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth thus replacing Councillor Alaric Pugh following his recent resignation from SEBC’s Cabinet. 

A vote will be required to be taken on this nomination. 

The Shadow Council considered a narrative item which sought a nomination to appoint to the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) to replace Councillor Alaric Pugh following his recent resignation from St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Cabinet and the Shadow Executive.

Unlike appointments to Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils’ Cabinets, appointments to the Shadow Executive required a vote by the Shadow Council on the nomination.

Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Shadow Council nominated Councillor Susan Glossop to be appointed to the Shadow Executive, which was duly seconded by Councillor James Waters, Deputy Leader of the Shadow Council.

No other nominations were proposed.

On the motion of Councillor Griffiths, seconded by Councillor Waters, and duly carried, it was:

RESOLVED:

That, Councillor Susan Glossop be appointed to the Shadow Executive (Cabinet), thus replacing Councillor Alaric Pugh, for the remainder of the 2018/2019 Shadow Authority year.

Report No: COU/SA/18/011

The Shadow Council considered this report, which sought approval for the appointment of members to the West Suffolk Independent Remuneration Panel.

Following approval given by the Shadow Council in June 2018 regarding the process to be undertaken to appoint an Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) for the West Suffolk Council, a selection panel had been established to interview shortlisted applicants. This panel’s recommendations on whom to appoint to the IRP were now being considered by the Shadow Council.  Five individuals had unanimously been recommended by the selection panel and paragraph 1.2.2 of the report included short biographies on each for Members’ consideration.

Councillor Ruth Bowman, one of the Shadow Executive Members with the responsibility for Future Governance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Council, including that whilst the Shadow Council had agreed to appoint an advisor to the IRP, the two candidates interviewed by the selection panel for this post were not considered to offer the full, rounded skillset that was required and therefore an appointment for the role of advisor had not been recommended.  Instead, the panel had recommended that support to the IRP would be provided by the Councils’ officers directly, details of which were provided in the report.

In response to a question, Councillor Ruth Bowman explained that the IRP would receive an initial briefing on what a Members’ Allowance Scheme should contain, as set out in the Regulations, as well as bringing the Panel’s attention to other key issues that should form part of the review. With the support of appropriate officers, as listed in paragraph 2.2, a fair and appropriate scheme was envisaged to come forward for consideration and adoption by the Shadow Council in February 2019, for implementation by West Suffolk Council.

On the motion of Councillor Ruth Bowman, seconded by Councillor Carol Bull, and duly carried, it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)     That Laura Austin, Derek Blake, Richard Cooper, Sandra Cox and Chris Mattinson be appointed to the West Suffolk Independent Remuneration Panel (WSIRP) and that no appointment be made to the post of Advisor to the West Suffolk Independent Remuneration Panel.

The Shadow Council will consider any urgent questions on notice that were notified to the Interim Monitoring Officer 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 Shadow Constitution (paragraph 18.3) requires the Leader of the Shadow Council to submit quarterly reports to the Shadow Council on the Shadow 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 Shadow Council reports that no shadow executive decisions have been taken under the Special Urgency provisions of the Shadow Constitution.

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