Agenda for Shadow Council on Tuesday 18 December 2018, 6.30 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Chamber, West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3YU

Contact: Helen Hardinge (Democratic Services Officer)  Email: helen.hardinge@westsuffolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

48.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 118 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2018 (copy attached).

 

Minutes:

Councillor David Nettleton made reference to Minute No 46. ‘Civic Leadership Review (Report No: COU/SA/18/013)’ set out within the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2018 and proposed, in view of the perceived importance of the item in question, that the minutes be amended to include the number of votes cast for (33) and against (22) the substantive motion.  This amendment was duly seconded by Councillor John Griffiths.

 

Accordingly, the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2018 were, therefore, confirmed as a correct record and were signed by the Chair, subject to the following amendment:

 

Minute No 46. Civic Leadership Review (Report No: COU/SA/18/013)

 

“Upon the motion being put to the vote, and with 33 voting for the motion and with 22 against, it was…”

 

 

49.

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

At the invitation of the Chair, the Vice-Chair Councillor Brian Harvey addressed the meeting.

 

Councillor Harvey advised the Shadow Council that it was intended at the start of the civic year that he and Councillor Sarah Stamp would each take six months of chairing the Shadow Council, similar to how the Leaders would change over.

 

However, as he currently held the position of Chairman of Forest Heath District Council, which occupied a considerable amount of his time, and in light of Councillor Stamp doing such an excellent job as Chair it seemed sensible for him to remain as Vice-Chair of the Shadow Authority.

 

Councillor Stamp thanked Councillor Harvey for his kind words and advised the meeting that the Constitution agreed in May for the Shadow Authority confirmed that the Chair would remain in post for the year, hence, there was no need to put any re-appointment on the agenda.

50.

Apologies for Absence

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

 

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ruth Allen, John Bloodworth, Max Clarke, Jason Crooks, Roger Dicker, Beccy Hopfensperger, Ian Houlder, Christine Mason, Elaine McManus, David Roach, Lance Stanbury and Frank Warby.

 

Councillors Andrew Appleby, Chris Baker, Louise Marston, Reg Silvester and Peter Thompson were also unable to attend the meeting.

51.

Declarations of Interests

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.

 

Minutes:

None were declared.

52.

Leader's Statement (Report No: COU/SA/18/014) pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Paper No: COU/SA/18/014

 

(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.

Minutes:

Councillor John Griffiths, presented what was to be his last statement as Leader of the Shadow Council, as contained in Report No: COU/SA/18/014.

 

Councillor Griffiths stated that it had been a huge privilege to have been elected Leader of the Shadow Council in May 2018 and tremendous progress had been made since then. 

 

No questions were posed to Councillor Griffiths on his statement.

53.

Election of the Leader of the Shadow Council

The Chairman will call for nominations for the election of Leader of the Shadow Council, and this item of business will be determined by the normal voting process.

Minutes:

The Chair advised the Shadow Council that, as referenced within the minutes of the last meeting, Councillor John Griffiths had indicated his intention to step aside and nominate the current Deputy Leader, Councillor James Waters, to lead the Shadow Council for the remainder of the 2018/2019 year.

 

In his introductory remarks, Councillor Griffiths made reference to how much he had enjoyed working alongside friend and colleague Councillor Waters for a number of years, and particularly since the inception of the Shadow Council in May 2018.

 

He was therefore delighted to nominate that Councillor Waters was elected Leader of the Shadow Council for the remainder of the 2018/2019 year.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Robin Millar.

 

Upon the motion being put to the vote, it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor James Waters be elected Leader of the Shadow Council for the remainder of the 2018/2019 year.

54.

Election of the Deputy Leader of the Shadow Council

The Chairman will call for nominations for the election of Deputy Leader of the Shadow Council, and this item of business will be determined by the normal voting process.

Minutes:

Councillor James Waters echoed the sentiments made by Councillor John Griffiths under the previous agenda item, and stated that he was looking forward to continuing to work together for West Suffolk.

 

He therefore proposed that Councillor Griffiths be elected Deputy Leader of the Shadow Council for the remainder of the 2018/2019 year.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Sara Mildmay-White.

 

Upon the motion being put to the vote, it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor John Griffiths be elected Deputy Leader of the Shadow Council for the remainder of the 2018/2019 year.

55.

Public Participation

(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 17 December 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.

 

Minutes:

No members of the public in attendance had registered to speak.

56.

Referrals Report of Recommendations from the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) (Report No: COU/SA/18/015) pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Report No: COU/SA/18/015

 

(A)    Referral from Shadow Executive (Cabinet):

          27 November 2018

 

1.

Council Tax Base for Tax Setting Purposes 2019/2020

 

 

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members:

Councillors Stephen Edwards and Ian Houlder

 

Minutes:

The Shadow Council considered the Referrals Report of Recommendations from the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) contained within Report No: COU/SA/18/015.

 

(A)    Referrals from Shadow Executive (Cabinet): 27 November 2018

 

1.       Council Tax Base for Tax Setting Purposes 2019/2020

 

Approval was sought to set the tax base for 2019/2020 for West Suffolk.

 

Shadow Council were reminded that Orders had been laid allowing West Suffolk to harmonise the council tax of Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury over a period not exceeding seven years. 

 

Councillor Stephen Edwards, one of the Shadow Executive Members with the responsibility for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Council.

 

Councillor Andrew Smith raised a query in that the figures set out in Paragraph 1.5 of Report No: COU/SA/18/015 did not match those listed within Recommendation 1.

 

Councillor Edwards confirmed that, to his understanding, the figures within the recommendation were correct and he would ask Officers to check those listed within Paragraph 1.5 and respond to Members outside of the meeting.

 

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

 

RESOLVED:

 

That:-

 

1.   The tax base for 2019/2020, for the whole of West Suffolk is 55,056.11 equivalent Band D dwellings, and for each of the predecessor areas is: Forest Heath 18,313.11 and St Edmundsbury 36,743.00, as detailed in paragraph 1.4.3 of Report No: EXC/SA/18/018; and

 

2.   The tax base for 2019/2020 for the different parts of its area, as defined by parish or special expense area boundaries, are as shown in Appendices 3 and 4 to Report No: EXC/SA/18/018.

 

(Following conclusion of the meeting, Officers checked the source reports and confirmed that the figures in Recommendation 1, as proposed by the Cabinet Member and voted on, were consistent and correct.

Paragraph 1.5 therefore contained an error and this was communicated to all West Suffolk Members via their weekly bulletin.)

57.

Urgent Questions on Notice

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.

 

Minutes:

No urgent questions on notice had been received.

 

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