Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, District Offices, College Heath Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7EY
Contact: Sharon Turner: Democratic Services Officer
Email: sharon.turner@westsuffolk.gov.uk
Items
No. |
Item |
59. |
Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
No apologies for absence were received.
|
60. |
Minutes PDF 148 KB
To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on
10 September 2019 and 8 October 2019 (copy attached).
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The minutes of the meetings held on 10
September 2019 and 8 October 2019 were confirmed as a correct
record and signed by the Chair.
|
61. |
Open Forum
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.
Minutes:
No non-Cabinet Members in attendance wished to
speak under this item.
|
62. |
Public Participation
Members of the public who live or work in the
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 members of the public in
attendance on this occasion.
|
63. |
Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 14 November 2019 PDF 149 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/19/039
Chair of the Committee: Cllr
David Nettleton
Lead Officer: Christine
Brain
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/039)
The Cabinet received and noted this report,
which informed Members of the following substantive items discussed
by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting held on 14
November 2019:
(1) Draft West Suffolk Strategic
Framework 2020-2024
(2) Cross Authority Task and Finish
Group – Citizens Advice
(3) Suffolk County
Council: Health Scrutiny Committee – 10 October 2019
(4) Cabinet Decisions Plan (1
November 2019 to 31 May 2020)
(5) Work Programme Update
Councillor David Nettleton, Chair of the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee, drew relevant issues to the
attention of the Cabinet, including that a separate report
containing the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee was contained elsewhere on the Cabinet agenda in respect
of Item (1) above.
|
64. |
Draft West Suffolk Strategic Framework 2020 - 2024 PDF 163 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/040
Portfolio Holder: Cllr John
Griffiths
Lead Officer: Ian Gallin
Additional documents:
Decision:
DEFERRED:
The Cabinet agreed to defer the consideration
of the Draft West Suffolk Strategic Framework 2020-2024 to 14
January 2020, to allow for the suggestions made by Cllr
Ingwall-King relating to the priority of protecting the environment
and mitigating the impact of climate change, to be considered by
the West Suffolk Environment and Climate Change Taskforce.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/040)
The Cabinet received this report which was
recommending to Council, the approval and adoption of the draft
West Suffolk Strategic Framework.
At their meeting on 14 November 2019, the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee had made a number of suggested
amendments to the draft West Suffolk Strategic Framework and these
were set out within paragraph 3.1 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/040.
However, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee
had not had the opportunity to fully consider all of the amendments
proposed by Members. The Cabinet was of
the opinion that these required further consideration before a
decision was made on whether to refer the Strategic Framework to
Council for adoption.
RESOLVED:
The Cabinet agreed to
defer the consideration of the draft West Suffolk Strategic
Framework 2020-2024 to 14 January 2020, to allow for further
consideration of amendments proposed during the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 14 November 2019.
|
65. |
Investing in Housing Development Sites and Approval of the Barley Homes Business Plan 2019 PDF 195 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/041
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sara
Mildmay-White Lead Officer: Julie
Baird
Decision:
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17
December 2019)
That:-
1.
Taking into
account the financial and risk
implications set out in Report No: CAB/WS/19/041 and Exempt
Appendix A, the Barley Homes Business Plan 2019 be
agreed.
2.
In order to bring the Barley Homes Business Plan
2019 into effect:
(a)
A revenue budget of £350,000 be established to
fund the Council’s share of costs to progress planning
applications for the Mildenhall site and
also the development of future pipeline sites;
(b)
A capital budget of £5m be established, funded
from the Investing in our Growth Agenda, to support the issuing of
equity and loan financing (to increase the existing £7.5m
facility) to facilitate the development of the two additional sites
identified in the Business Plan;
(c) It
is noted that in order to facilitate the developments within the
Business Plan, the Council will be required to acquire sites from
partners and subsequently dispose of these to Barley
Homes.
Minutes:
(Report No: CAB/WS/19/041)
The Cabinet considered this report which set
out:
- the current development
proposals being put forward for Barley Homes;
- the longer-term approach to
developing a ‘pipeline’ of developments for Barley
Homes; and
- the seeking of Council’s
endorsement to the funding necessary to deliver these
proposals.
In order to support the
development of the Business Plan, the Cabinet noted that Officers
had undertaken a wide range of work to evaluate potential
development sites, considered the financial implications arising
from the sites and considered the governance arrangements in
place. This work had been set in the
context of the Council’s emerging Strategic Framework and the
Medium Term Financial Strategy
(MTFS).
Whilst the proposed Business Plan focused on
bringing forward two new sites (in addition to the two sites
currently under development), work had been undertaken to assess
other future development opportunities for Barley Homes, referred
to as the ‘pipeline’.
The details of the sites were
included in the Business Plan(Exempt Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/WS/19/041) and were forecasted to deliver an additional (over
and above the existing two Haverhill sites) 118 homes, 30% of which
would be affordable, and all built to the Government’s
minimum size standard. These were to be
delivered across two sites, one in Mildenhall and the other near
Bury St Edmunds. In recommending these sites, the Cabinet noted
that this would contribute to the geographical reach of Barley
Homes, adding to the committed two sites in Haverhill. Combined,
these would generate a steady build out rate, delivering 181 homes
over a five year period, starting in
Autumn 2019.
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17 December
2019)
That:-
1.
Taking into
account the financial and risk
implications set out in Report No: CAB/WS/19/041 and Exempt
Appendix A, the Barley Homes Business Plan 2019 be
agreed.
2.
In order to bring the Barley Homes Business Plan
2019 into effect:
(a)
A revenue budget of £350,000 be established to
fund the Council’s share of costs to progress planning
applications for the Mildenhall site and
also the development of future pipeline sites;
(b)
A capital budget of £5m be established, funded
from the Investing in our Growth Agenda, to support the issuing of
equity and loan financing (to increase the existing £7.5m
facility) to facilitate the development of the two additional sites
identified in the Business Plan;
(c) It
is noted that in order to facilitate the developments within the
Business Plan, the Council will be required to acquire sites from
partners and subsequently dispose of these to Barley
Homes.
|
66. |
Recommendations of the Grants to External Organisations Review Group PDF 161 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/042
Leader of the Council: Cllr
John Griffiths
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Robert
Everitt
Chair of the Review Group: Cllr
Jim Thorndyke
Lead Officer: Davina
Howes
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That:-
1. A framework setting out West Suffolk’s approach to grant
funding and rate reliefs, attached as Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/WS/19/042, be approved;
2. The changes to future
criteria and applications to grant funding and rate reliefs, as set
out at paragraphs 2.4 to 2.6 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/042 and at
Appendices B and C, be approved; and
3. The changes made to
the allocation of funding to each grant, as set out at paragraphs
2.7 to 2.8 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/042 be approved.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/042)
Councillor Jim Thorndyke, Chair of the Grants
to External Organisations Review Group, was in attendance to
present this report to Cabinet. It was
explained that in June 2019, the Cabinet had agreed to establish a
group (titled the West Suffolk Grants to External Organisations
Review Group) to carry out a review of West Suffolk Council’s
Grants to External Organisations. The
aim of the review was to ensure that locality budgets and grants
made from 1 April 2020 and reliefs made from 1 April 2021 were
aligned to the Council’s strategic objectives and offered
value for money.
The Review Group had agreed that a framework
setting out West Suffolk’s approach to grant funding and rate
reliefs should be developed. The aim of
the framework was to make clear what the Council sought to achieve
by awarding grant funding and rate reliefs and to establish a set
of principles that would guide the Council’s approach to
offering financial support. Therefore,
this proposed framework was attached at Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/WS/19/042.
The Review Group had also considered the
effectiveness of grant schemes and had agreed changes to future
criteria and applications to each of the funds within the scope of
the review, as set out in paragraph 2.6 and in Appendices B and C
to the report. The changes considered
were informed by previous discussions held by the Review Group,
feedback from the survey of applicants and recipients of grant
funding and reliefs and feedback from the Councillor survey
relating to Locality Budgets.
The Cabinet then considered each of the
recommendations from the Review Group, as set out within Section 2
of the report.
RESOLVED:
That:-
1. A
framework setting out West Suffolk’s approach
to grant funding and rate reliefs, attached as Appendix A to Report
No: CAB/WS/19/042, be approved;
2.
The changes to future criteria
and applications to grant funding and rate reliefs, as set out at
paragraphs 2.4 to 2.6 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/042 and at Appendices
B and C, be approved; and
3. The changes made to
the allocation of funding to each grant, as set out at paragraphs
2.7 to 2.8 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/042 be approved.
|
67. |
Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCTRS) for 2020-2021 PDF 167 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/043
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officers: Rachael Mann and
Adrian Mills
Decision:
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17 December 2019)
The West Suffolk Local Council Tax Reduction
Scheme for 2020-2021, as attached at Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/WS/19/043, be approved, taking into account the proposed
changes outlined within the report and the consultation
undertaken.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/043)
The Cabinet considered this report which
explained that each year the Council was required to consider
whether to review its Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme
(LCTRS). This report advised Cabinet on
the conclusion of the 2019 annual review of, and the resultant
proposed changes, which had been consulted on, to the LCTRS to take
effect from 1 April 2020.
Section 3 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/043 was
recommending that a tolerance rule of +/-£15 be introduced
into the West Suffolk Council scheme.
This would have the effect of freezing a customer’s
assessment when a revised Universal Credit Data Sharing hub (UCDS)
notification would otherwise trigger a reassessment. Changes in a customer’s financial position
of more than +/-£15 would be processed as usual, whereas
changes within the tolerance level would not be updated, no
correspondence issued to the customer and without amendment to
Council Tax repayments.
The Cabinet noted that where customer’s
circumstances noticeably changed, the tolerance rule would not
apply, given the change would be greater than £15 per
week. In these circumstances, the
customer’s Council Tax Support would be immediately adjusted
to provide extra benefit.
RECOMMENDED TO
COUNCIL: (17 December 2019)
The West Suffolk
Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2020-2021, as attached at
Appendix A to Report No: CAB/WS/19/043, be approved, taking into account the proposed changes outlined
within the report and the consultation undertaken.
|
68. |
Council Tax Technical Changes - Including Empty Property Reliefs and Premiums Changes PDF 165 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/044
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Decision:
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17 December 2019)
That:-
(a)
The continuation of the West Suffolk Council Tax Technical Changes
set out in Section 2 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/044, be
approved;
(b) A
Council Tax premium of 200% for properties that have been long term
empty and unfurnished for five years and over from 1 April 2020, be
approved;
(c) A
Council Tax premium of 300% for properties that have been long term
empty and unfurnished 10 years and over from 1 April 2021, be
approved; and
(d)
Properties that fall into the classes, set out in Section 3 of
Report No: CAB/WS/19/044, will not attract the Long Term Empty Premium for the period(s)
detailed.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/044)
The Cabinet considered this report which
provided an overview of the current Council Tax technical changes
for continuation from April 2020, alongside proposed changes to the
long term empty property premium scheme from April 2020, in line
with recent changes in legislation.
New legislation had come into effect from 1
April 2019 that provided local authorities with the ability to
implement a scheme that enabled a 200% Council Tax charge on
properties that had been empty for longer than two
years. The charge rose to 400% Council
Tax on properties that had been empty longer than 10 years from 1
April 2021.
Paragraph 2.1 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/044 set
out the current scheme proposals for the Council Tax Technical
Changes for West Suffolk Council for continuation from April
2020. Paragraphs 2.2 to 2.4 set out the
proposals for the Long Term Empty Property Premium and paragraph 3
set out the classes of properties/exemptions that would not attract
the Premium.
RECOMMENDED TO
COUNCIL: (17 December 2019)
That:-
(a)
The continuation of the West Suffolk Council Tax Technical Changes
set out in Section 2 of Report No: CAB/WS/19/044, be
approved;
(b) A
Council Tax premium of 200% for properties that have been long term
empty and unfurnished for five years and over from 1 April 2020, be
approved;
(c) A
Council Tax premium of 300% for properties that have been long term
empty and unfurnished 10 years and over from 1 April 2021, be
approved; and
(d)
Properties that fall into the classes, set out in Section 3 of
Report No: CAB/WS/19/044, will not attract the Long Term Empty
Premium for the period(s) detailed.
|
69. |
Council Tax Base for Tax Setting Purposes 2020/2021 PDF 148 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/045
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Additional documents:
Decision:
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17 December 2019)
That:-
1. The tax base for 2020/2021, for the whole of West Suffolk is
56,138.14 equivalent Band D dwellings and for each of the
predecessor areas is: Forest Heath 18,879.62 and St Edmundsbury
37,258.52, as detailed in paragraph 4.3 of Report No:
CAB/WS/19/045; and
2. The tax base for 2020/2021 for the different parts of its area,
as defined by parish or special expense area boundaries, are as
shown in Appendix 2 to Report No: CAB/WS/19/045.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/045)
The Cabinet considered this report which
explained that the Council Tax base was the total taxable value, at
a point in time, of all the domestic properties in the
Council’s area. It was a yearly
calculation and represented the estimated number of chargeable
dwellings after allowing for exemptions and discounts, projected
changes in the property base and after applying an estimated
collection rate.
The Council Tax base was used in the
calculation of Council Tax. 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. Because of this, it was
necessary to calculate tax base figures for the areas formerly
covered by Forest Heath District Council and St Edmundsbury Borough
Council (the “predecessor areas”).
RECOMMENDED TO
COUNCIL: (17 December 2019)
That:-
1. The tax base for 2020/2021, for the whole of West Suffolk is
56,138.14 equivalent Band D dwellings and for each of the
predecessor areas is: Forest Heath 18,879.62 and St Edmundsbury
37,258.52, as detailed in paragraph 4.3 of Report No:
CAB/WS/19/045; and
2. The tax base for 2020/2021 for the different parts of its area,
as defined by parish or special expense area boundaries, are as
shown in Appendix 2 to Report No: CAB/WS/19/045.
|
70. |
West Suffolk Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020-2024 PDF 160 KB
Report No: CAB/WS/19/046
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Additional documents:
Decision:
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17
December 2019)
That the West Suffolk Medium
Term Financial Strategy, contained at Appendix A to Report No:
CAB/WS/19/046, as its strategic financial framework from 1 April
2020, be adopted.
Minutes:
(Report No: CAB/WS/19/046)
The Cabinet considered this report which set
out the Medium Term Financial Strategy
(MTFS) context against which the 2020-2021 budget and medium term
financial plans 2020-2024 were proposed to be developed between now
and the formal Council Tax and budget adoption meeting of the
Council in February 2020.
The MTFS 2020-2024 assessed and evaluated the
final resources expected to have and the expenditure in order to
deliver the Council’s strategic priorities as set out in the
Council’s West Suffolk Strategic Framework (which would now
be due for adoption in January/February 2020).
As part of good financial planning the West
Suffolk Council in February 2020, would be asked to set a balanced
budget for 2020-21 (its statutory obligation) alongside a
medium term financial plan for the
period 2021-2024.
Officers explained that this
report had made reference to the West
Suffolk Strategic Framework 2020-2024 (Report No: CAB/WS/19/040),
which had been deferred earlier in the Cabinet meeting. However, the Cabinet noted that this deferral did
not impinge on the approval of the West Suffolk Medium Term
Financial Strategy 2020-2024 document.
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (17 December
2019)
That
the West Suffolk Medium Term Financial Strategy, contained at
Appendix A to Report No: CAB/WS/19/046, as its strategic financial
framework from 1 April 2020, be adopted.
|
71. |
Use of Chief Executive Urgency Powers: Polling Place Outside of Polling District
Portfolio Holder: Not
applicable
Lead Officer: Ian Gallin
Background
Under Part 3, Section 5, Scheme
of Delegation to Officers, paragraph 14 of the Council’s
Constitution, it states:
Where, in the opinion of the Chief Executive, by reason of
limitation of time or urgency, a decision is required on any
matter, after such consultation as they consider necessary (or as
is required by the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework
Procedure Rules in Part of the Constitution), they shall have power
to make a decision provided that any such decision shall be
reported to the next meeting of the Cabinet, appropriate Committee
or Council…..
Decision made
On 31 October 2019, the Chief
Executive exercised his urgency powers and made a decision to move
Newmarket East 1 Polling District to poll at King Edward VII
Memorial Hall (in Newmarket West 1 Polling District) for the
Parliamentary General Election on12 December 2019. The reason for
this was because the ordinary polling place at The Palace House
Mews is not available and no other suitable alternative venues are
available within the Polling District.
Alternative options considered
were Palace House Cottage and The Palace House Coach Room; however
these have been discounted due to ongoing construction. All Saints
Church has also been discounted as Officers have been unable to
make contact with the booking agent and the building has not
previously been used as a polling station. This would, therefore, require inspections prior
to agreement being made for it to be used as a polling station.
Unfortunately, insufficient time is available to progress this
option.
Information considered in
making the decision
S18B(4)(d) of the
Representation of the People Act 1983
provides that the polling place for a polling district must be an
area in the district, unless special circumstances make it
desirable to designate an area wholly or partly outside the
district. The decision to move a polling place must be made by the
Council unless specific delegations are in place. The term ‘special circumstances’ is
not defined but there is evidence of other councils using this
provision when planning for the snap General Election in
2017.
The Assistant Director (HR,
Legal and Democratic Services), Service Manager (Shared Legal), the
Deputy Returning Officer and Monitoring Officer were consulted on
this matter prior to the decision being made.
Recommendation
In
accordance with the Constitution, the Cabinet is requested to NOTE
the use of the Chief Executive’s Urgency Powers in respect of
making the decision outlined above.
Minutes:
The Cabinet noted that under
Part 3; Section 5 - Scheme of Delegation to Officers, paragraph 14
of the Council’s Constitution stated that:
Where, in the opinion of the Chief Executive, by
reason of limitation of time or urgency, a decision is required on
any matter, after such consultation as they consider necessary (or
as is required by the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework
Procedure Rules in Part of the Constitution), they shall have power
to make a decision provided that any such decision shall be
reported to the next meeting of the Cabinet, appropriate Committee
or Council…..
On 31 October 2019, the Chief
Executive exercised his urgency powers and made
a decision to move Newmarket East 1 Polling District to poll
at King Edward VII Memorial Hall (in Newmarket West 1 Polling
District) for the Parliamentary General Election on Thursday 12
December 2019. The reason for this was because the ordinary polling
place at The Palace House Mews was not available and no other
suitable alternative venues were available within the Polling
District.
Alternative options considered
were Palace House Cottage and The Palace House Coach
Room. However these had been discounted due to ongoing
construction. All Saints Church had also been discounted as
Officers had been unable to make contact
with the booking agent and the building had not previously
been used as a polling station. This
would, therefore, require inspections prior to agreement being made
for it to be used as a polling station. Unfortunately, insufficient
time was available to progress this option.
S18B(4)(d) of the
Representation of the People Act 1983 provided that the polling
place for a polling district must be an area in the district,
unless special circumstances made it desirable to designate an area
wholly or partly outside the district. The decision to move a
polling place must be made by the Council unless specific
delegations were in place. The term
‘special circumstances’ was not defined but there was
evidence of other councils using this provision when planning for
the snap General Election in 2017.
The Assistant Director (HR,
Legal and Democratic Services), Service Manager (Shared Legal), the
Deputy Returning Officer and the Monitoring Officer were consulted
on this matter prior to the decision being made.
Therefore, the Cabinet
NOTED the use
of the Chief Executive’s Urgency Powers in respect of making
the decision outlined above.
|
72. |
Decisions Plan: 1 November 2019 to 31 May 2020 PDF 133 KB
To consider the most recently published
version of the Cabinet’s Decisions Plan
Report No:
CAB/WS/19/047
Portfolio Holder: Cllr John
Griffiths
Lead Officer: Ian Gallin
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/047)
The Cabinet considered this report which was
the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period 1 November 2019 to
31 May 2020.
Members took the opportunity to review the
intended forthcoming decisions of the Cabinet. However, no further information or amendments were
requested on this occasion.
|
73. |
Exclusion of Press and Public
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:
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 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.
|
74. |
Investing in Housing Development Sites and Approval of the Barley Homes Business Plan: Appendix (para 3)
Exempt Appendix A to Report No: CAB/WS/19/041
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sara
Mildmay-White Lead Officer: Julie
Baird
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/041)
The Cabinet considered Exempt Appendix A to
this report. However, no reference was
made to specific detail and, therefore, this item was not held in
private session.
|
75. |
Investing in our Commercial Asset Portfolio (para 3)
Exempt Report No: CAB/WS/19/048
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Susan
Glossop
Lead Officer: Julie Baird
Decision:
WITHDRAWN FROM THE AGENDA
In private session, the Cabinet were informed
of the reasons as to why this item had now been withdrawn from the
agenda.
Minutes:
(Report No:
CAB/WS/19/048)
In private session, the Cabinet were informed
of the reasons as to why this item had now been withdrawn
from the agenda.
|
|
In this section
|