Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, District Offices, College Heath Road, Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds IP28 7EYU
Contact: Sharon Turner: Democratic Services Officer
Email: sharon.turner@westsuffolk.gov.uk
Items
No. |
Item |
61. |
Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
Apologies for absence had been received from
Councillors Lance Stanbury and James Waters.
|
62. |
Minutes PDF 144 KB
To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on
18 September 2018 and 2 October 2018 (copies attached).
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The minutes of the meetings held on 18
September 2018 and 2 October 2018 were confirmed as a correct
record and signed by the Chairman.
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63. |
Open Forum
At each Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee
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.
Minutes:
No non-Cabinet Members in attendance wished to
speak under this item.
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64. |
Public Participation
Members of the public who live or work in the
Borough/District 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.
Minutes:
There were no questions/statements from
members of the public.
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65. |
Report of the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury (Informal Joint) Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee's: 27 September 2018 PDF 148 KB
Report No:
CAB/JT/18/039
Chairmen of the
Committee’s: FHDC Cllr Louis Busuttil and SEBC Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Christine
Brain
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/039)
The Joint Committee received and noted this
report, which informed Members of the following substantive items
discussed by the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury (Informal Joint)
Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee’s on 27 September
2018:
(1)
Ernst and Young – Annual Audit Letter 2017-2018.
(2)
Annual Corporate Environmental Performance 2017-2018.
(3)
Work Programme Update.
(4)
Approach to Delivering a Sustainable West Suffolk Budget 2019-2020
and Medium Term Plan (to be reported to the Shadow
Executive (Cabinet) on 27 November 2018).
(5)
Decision relating to Complaint to Local Government Ombudsman Report
(considered by the Forest Heath Performance and Audit
Scrutiny Committee only)
Councillor Sarah Broughton, Chairman of the
SEBC’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee drew relevant
issues to the attention of the Joint Committee.
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66. |
Report of the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee: 25 September 2018 PDF 156 KB
Report No:
CAB/JT/18/040
Portfolio Holders: FHDC Cllr
Stephen Edwards and SEBC Cllr Ian Houlder
Lead Officer: Jill
Korwin
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/040)
The Joint Committee received and noted this
report, which informed Members of the following substantive items
discussed by the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee on 25
September 2018:
(1)
Highlight Report, Balance Scorecards and Financial Performance
Report.
(2)
Welfare Reform Update.
(3)
Norwich Partnership – Partnership Working Through Section 113
Agreement.
(4)
Forthcoming Issues.
Councillors Stephen Edwards and Ian Houlder,
FHDC and SEBC Portfolio Holders for Resources and Performance
respectively, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Joint
Committee. Particular reference was
made to paragraph 1.2.1 (Universal Credit) which provided an update
on the current position regarding the operation of the full service
for St Edmundsbury and the expected roll-out for Forest Heath in
December 2018.
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67. |
Forest Heath Statement of Licensing Policy 2019 to 2022 and Newmarket Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) Area PDF 556 KB
Report No: CAB/JT/18/041
Portfolio Holder: FHDC Cllr
Lance Stanbury
Lead Officer: David
Collinson
Additional documents:
Decision:
RECOMMENDED TO FHDC COUNCIL:
(21 November 2018)
That:-
1.
The draft overarching Statement of Licensing Policy
for Forest Heath 2019-2022, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/041, be adopted.
2.
The existing Newmarket Cumulative Impact Assessment
(CIA) Area (as incorporated within Appendix 1 to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/041) be:
(a)
renewed; and
(b)
reviewed again within approximately 18
months.
Minutes:
(Report No: CAB/JT/18/041)
The Joint Committee received
this report which explained that local authority Statement of
Licensing policies were required to be renewed every five
years. The integrated Cumulative Impact
Assessment (CIA) Area must now be reviewed every three years or
sooner, for example, if it was considered with the overarching
Statement of Licensing Policy review.
The current proposal was for
the Forest Heath Statement of Licensing Policy to run until
December 2022, as this was when the current St Edmundsbury
Statement of Licensing Policy expired, allowing a West Suffolk
Statement of Policy to be proposed. The
changes which had been made to the Forest Heath Statement of
Licensing Policy 2014-2019 due to statutory guidance changes and
the need to update local area facts and figures were set out in
paragraph 1.2.3 and were also marked as red text within Appendix
1.
In the meantime, it was
proposed that a West Suffolk Council Statement of Licensing Policy
be adopted by the Shadow Council in February 2019, using the
identical policy wording of the two Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury
policies and putting them into a single document and updating any
references to legislation. This would
be communicated to stakeholders, alongside the Shadow
Council’s consideration. This
approach had also been agreed with the Ministry for Housing,
Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
RECOMMENDED TO FHDC COUNCIL:
(21 November 2018)
That:-
1.
The draft overarching Statement of Licensing Policy
for Forest Heath 2019-2022, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/041, be adopted.
2.
The existing Newmarket Cumulative Impact Assessment
(CIA) Area (as incorporated within Appendix 1 to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/041) be:
(a)
renewed; and
(b)
reviewed again within approximately 18
months.
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68. |
West Suffolk Contaminated Land Strategy 2018 to 2023 PDF 155 KB
Report No: CAB/JT/18/042
Portfolio Holders: FHDC Cllr
Lance Stanbury and SEBC Cllr Susan Glossop
Lead Officer: David
Collinson
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the draft West Suffolk
Contaminated Land Strategy, attached as Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/042, be adopted for the period November 2018 to November
2023.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/042)
The Joint Committee received this report which
explained that the proposed West Suffolk Contaminated Land Strategy
(as set out in Appendix A to the report), covered the period
November 2018 to November 2023 and would form part of a framework
affecting the quality and use of land locally.
The Strategy followed the principles of
sustainability, aiming to achieve a balance between social,
economic and environmental concerns, whilst meeting the
Councils’ statutory obligations and corporate responsibility
to protect and improve human health and the local environment.
In line with statutory guidance, it was good
practice to review the Strategy at least every five
years. The previous Strategy expired in
September 2018. Subject to approval,
the Strategy would then form part of a package of policies to be
‘rolled forward’ to the single West Suffolk
Council.
As part of this review, there were no local
policy changes proposed and the structural and statutory changes
were not viewed as contentious. The
revisions were limited to updates according to legislation,
creation of a single West Suffolk Council and updated technical
guidance.
RESOLVED:
That
the draft West Suffolk Contaminated Land Strategy, attached as
Appendix A to Report No: CAB/JT/18/042, be adopted for the period
November 2018 to November 2023.
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69. |
Use of Chief Executive's Urgency Powers PDF 103 KB
Report No: CAB/JT/18/043
Lead Officer: Ian
Gallin
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/043)
The Joint Committee received and noted this
report which reported on the use of the Chief Executive’s
Urgency Powers in relation to the submitting of a bid of
£500,089 in order to purchase the site at Wamil Court, Mildenhall, owned by Suffolk County
Council.
Forest Heath District Council had since been
notified that the offer made was not accepted on the basis of price
offered. A higher offer had been
provisionally accepted, subject to contract. At this stage, Officers were unable to confirm
what the preferred bidders intended use for the site, but would
continue to monitor for any early emerging indicators.
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70. |
Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee Decisions Plan: 1 November 2018 to 31 March 2019 PDF 148 KB
To consider the most recently published
version of the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury Joint Executive
(Cabinet) Committee Decisions Plan.
Report No:
CAB/JT/18/044
Portfolio Holders: FHDC Cllr
James Waters and SEBC Cllr John Griffiths
Lead Officer: Ian
Gallin
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/044)
The Joint Committee received this report,
which was the Forest Heath District Council’s and St
Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Joint Executive (Cabinet)
Committee Decisions Plan covering the period 1 November 2018 to 31
March 2019.
Members took the opportunity to review the
intended forthcoming decisions within the Plan. However, no further information or amendments were
required on this occasion.
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71. |
Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs PDF 150 KB
Report No: CAB/JT/18/045
Portfolio Holders: FHDC Cllr
Stephen Edwards and SEBC Cllr Ian Houlder
Lead Officer: Greg
Stevenson
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the write-off of the
amounts detailed in the exempt Appendices to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/045, be approved as follows:
1.
Exempt Appendix 1: FHDC Council Tax totalling
£2,731.33.
2.
Exempt Appendix 2: SEBC Council Tax totalling
£169,454.08.
3.
Exempt Appendix 3: SEBC Business Rates totalling
£22,292.16.
4.
Exempt Appendix 4: FHDC Sundry Debt (Housing Benefit
Overpayments) totalling £24,740.18.
5.
Exempt Appendix 5: FHDC Sundry Debt (Property
Services) totalling £2,902.91.
6.
Exempt Appendix 6: SEBC Sundry Debt (Property
Services) totalling £5,796.38.
Minutes:
(Report No: CAB/JT/18/045)
The Joint Committee received
this report which provided the collection data in respect of
Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates for both Forest Heath
District Council (FHDC) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC)
and sought approval for the write-off of the amounts contacted in
the Exempt Appendices to this report.
Councillors Stephen Edwards and
Ian Houlder, FHDC and SEBC Portfolio Holders for Resources and
Performance respectively, drew relevant issues to the attention of
the Joint Committee, including the current performance of each
authority, as set out in Section 3 of the report.
The Portfolio Holders also
explained that the process of vetting cases for write-offs had also
been more vigorous this year, to be able to move into a single
Council with debts that were economically viable to
collect.
Councillor John Griffiths also
explained that he had received correspondence from Councillor Diane
Hind, Chairman of SEBC Overview and Scrutiny Committee, expressing
her concerns over the debt collection and write-off
processes. Cllr Griffiths confirmed
that he would respond back to Councillor Hind accordingly,
addressing the concerns raised.
RESOLVED:
That
the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt Appendices to
Report No: CAB/JT/18/045, be approved as follows:
1.
Exempt Appendix 1: FHDC Council Tax totalling
£2,731.33.
2.
Exempt Appendix 2: SEBC Council Tax totalling
£169,454.08.
3.
Exempt Appendix 3: SEBC Business Rates totalling
£22,292.16.
4.
Exempt Appendix 4: FHDC Sundry Debt (Housing Benefit
Overpayments) totalling £24,740.18.
5.
Exempt Appendix 5: FHDC Sundry Debt (Property
Services) totalling £2,902.91.
6.
Exempt Appendix 6: SEBC Sundry Debt (Property
Services) totalling £5,796.38.
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72. |
Exclusion of Public and Press
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.
Minutes:
As Report No: CAB/JT/18/046 needed to be
considered by the Joint Committee in private session, it was
proposed, seconded and
RESOLVED:
That the press and
public 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 item, 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 the item and, in all circumstances of the case, the public
interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest
in disclosing the information.
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73. |
Exempt Appendices: Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs (paras 1 and 2)
Exempt Appendices 1 to 6 to Report No:
CAB/JT/18/045
Portfolio Holders: FHDC Cllr
Stephen Edwards and SEBC Cllr Ian Houlder
Lead Officer: Gregory
Stevenson
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/045)
The Joint Committee considered the Exempt
Appendices to this report. However, no
reference was made to specific detail and, therefore, this item was
not held in private session.
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74. |
Disposal of Property in Haverhill ( paras 1, 2 and 3)
Report No: CAB/JT/18/046
Portfolio Holders: FHDC Cllr
David Bowman and SEBC Cllr Peter Stevens
Lead Officers: Mark Walsh and
Neil Turvey
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the Assistant Director (Operations), in
consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Operations, be given
delegated authority to agree the sale of the property with a buyer,
at or above, the market valuation.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/JT/18/046)
The Joint Committee received this report which
explained that following a period of unsuccessful attempts to
recover unpaid rent, the premises were repossessed by St
Edmundsbury Borough Council, through the County Court in February
2018. The premises had remained vacant
for several months and had been subject to criminal
damage. Despite a range of protective
security measures having been undertaken, there remained a risk of
further damage to the property.
The Council’s appointed agents had
marketed the property and since July 2018, several financial offers
had been received. In order to secure
an early and unconditional sale and to mitigate the identified
risks, an urgent decision was required in order to allow the sale
of the property to progress and complete in a timely manner.
However, since the publication of the agenda
papers, the original buyer, as identified within Report No:
CAB/JT/18/046, had withdrawn their offer. Therefore, the Joint Committee were requested to
consider an alternative recommendation in relation to the disposal
of this property.
RESOLVED:
That the Assistant
Director (Operations), in consultation with the Portfolio Holders
for Operations, be given delegated authority to agree the sale of
the property with a buyer, at or above, the market valuation.
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In this section
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