Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday 25 May 2021, 6.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting Via MS Teamslive meeting platform

Contact: Sharon Turner: Democratic Services Officer  Email: sharon.turner@westsuffolk.gov.uk

Note: This will be a non-decision making virtual meeting of the Cabinet and any decisions will be recommended to the Leader of the Council or the relevant Portfolio Holder to action. The link to view the livestream of the meeting is shown in 'Media' below, together with a supporting Guidance document. 

Media

Items
No. Item

230.

Welcome and meeting facilitation

Minutes:

The Chair apologised for the late start to the meeting, which had been due to some technical issues.

 

The Chair then formally opened the meeting and welcomed all persons present, including those that were viewing the meeting externally via the live broadcast. 

 

The Chair explained the rationale behind the arrangements for this meeting.  Due to the expiry of special legislation on 7 May 2021, which allowed Council meetings to be held virtually and despite an unsuccessful High Court challenge, the law meant that councils now had to ensure that members of the public could access decision making meetings of Cabinet, in person.

 

To be able to have meetings in person, consideration also needed to be given to the Government guidance in relation to the safe use of Council buildings and the capacity of its venues to host meetings.  From 21 June 2021, it was expected that restrictions on social contact would ease which would help to mitigate the current challenges.

 

The Government guidance also suggested that, wherever possible, decisions should be delegated to individual Councillors and Officers to make.  For Cabinet decisions, this was possible, as the Leader of the Council could make decisions, as could the individual Portfolio Holders.  However, it was considered prudent to hold this virtual meeting so that if any Councillors or members of the public wanted to join the Cabinet to discuss any items on the agenda, then they had the opportunity to do so.

 

Also, the Chair explained that there would be no formal vote undertaken on the items which required decisions to be made, as it was being recommended for these decisions to be made by either himself as Leader of the Council or the relevant Portfolio Holder.  Therefore, the proposed recommendations would be agreed on a general consensus basis of the Cabinet.

 

The Chair then detailed the housekeeping matters and guidance as to how the meeting would operate.

 

 

231.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Andy Drummond.

232.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 222 KB

To review and note any amendments to the minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2021 (copy attached).

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2021 were reviewed and no amendments were noted.  These minutes would be formally confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair at the next meeting of Cabinet.

233.

Declarations of interest

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:

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

234.

Open forum

At each Cabinet meeting, up to 15 minutes shall be allocated for questions or statements from and discussion with, non-Cabinet members. As this meeting is being held virtually, members wishing to speak during this session must notify Democratic Services by 9am on the day of the meeting that they wish to attend. 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.

 

235.

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.

 

As the meeting is taking place virtually, a person who wishes to speak must register by 9am on Monday 24 May 2021 to ensure that there is time to brief them on how they can speak at the meeting. This can be done by sending the request to democratic.services@westsuffolk.gov.uk

or by telephoning one of the numbers provided on the Public Information Sheet at the start of this agenda. Members of the public will either be set up as a ‘Guest Speaker’ or be provided with a telephone number they can call when prompted to do so during the meeting to enable them to participate.

 

If a member of the public cannot attend the meeting remotely, they may submit a written question or statement to Democratic Services by midday at the very latest on the day of the meeting and this will be read out on their behalf during the meeting.

 

There is an overall time limit of 15 minutes for public speaking, which may be extended at the Chair’s discretion.

Minutes:

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

 

236.

Report of the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee: 9 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 191 KB

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/018

Portfolio holder: Councillor Sarah Broughton

Lead officer: Rachael Mann

Minutes:

(Report number: CAB/WS/21/018)

 

The Cabinet received and noted this report, which informed Members of the following substantive items discussed by the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee at its meeting held on 9 March 2021:

 

1.   Performance Report

2.   ARP Forecast Financial Performance 2020 to 2021

3.   Performance Management Framework 2021

4.   Welfare Reform Update

5.   Forthcoming Issues

6.   Exempt Item: Risk Based Verification (RBV) Policy Review and Verification Policy 2021 to 2022

7.   Exempt Item: Succession Planning

 

Councillor Sarah Broughton, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, also drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet.

237.

Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 18 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 139 KB

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/019

Chair of the Committee: Councillor Ian Shipp

Lead officer: Christine Brain

Minutes:

(Report number: CAB/WS/21/019)

 

The Cabinet received and noted this report, which informed Members of the following substantive items discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting held on 18 March 2021:

 

1.   Exiting the European Union: West Suffolk Council’s preparations and current status.

2.   Update on the Mildenhall Hub.

3.   Suffolk County council: Health Scrutiny Committee – 13 January 2021.

4.   Work programme update 2021 and suggestion for scrutiny.

 

Councillor Ian Shipp, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, also drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet.

238.

Western Way Development, Bury St Edmunds pdf icon PDF 126 KB

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/020

Portfolio holder: Councillor Joanna Rayner

Lead officer: Alex Wilson

 

Minutes:

(Report Number: CAB/WS/21/020)

 

The Cabinet considered this report which was recommending to the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, that a full report for decision on the delivery of the Western Way Development, Bury St Edmunds, be referred directly to Council on 22 June 2021.

 

Councillor Jo Rayner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet and explained that The Western Way Development (WWD) in Bury St Edmunds was a major capital project proposed by the Council and its partners to deliver a national exemplar mixed-use hub as part of the One Public Estate Programme.

 

Work had now fully resumed on the project and would shortly be sufficiently progressed to bring a proposal to Councillors on how Phase One might be taken forward with other public sector partners.  Given the length of time that had passed since the original decisions had been made, it was considered appropriate, by the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder to re-confirm its intent to continue with the project before any procurement started.  Depending on the outcome of the current work on the business case, a new Council decision may be needed.

 

Work on updating the business case with partners would not be finished before early June 2021.  Therefore, to avoid any further delay to the project, the Leader of the Council was satisfied that this matter would not require any Cabinet approval prior to being referred back to Council.

 

The Portfolio Holder also provided a short presentation to the Cabinet on how the project was progressing.  The information provided to the Cabinet would also be included within the Council report on 22 June 2021.  A full briefing to support the published Council report would also be offered to all Councillors in June 2021.

 

Recommended to the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs:

 

That a full report for decision on the delivery of the Western Way Development, Bury St Edmunds, be referred directly to Council on 22 June 2021.

 

(Councillor Peter Stevens left the meeting at 6.27 pm, during the discussion on this item)

239.

Annual Review and Appointment of the Cabinet's Joint Committee, Panel and Other Working Groups pdf icon PDF 192 KB

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/021

Portfolio holder: Councillor John Griffiths

Lead officers: Jen Eves and Leah Mickleborough

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Report number: CAB/WS/21/021)

 

The Cabinet considered this report which was recommending to the Leader of the Council to appoint to the Cabinet’s Joint Committee/Panel and other Groups for the year 2021/2022. Upon doing so, the existing Terms of Reference for each had been reviewed, as set out in the Appendices attached to this report.

 

          Recommended to the Leader of the Council:

 

That:

1a.     Councillor Sarah Broughton, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, be re-appointed as the full member representing West Suffolk Council on the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee in 2021 to 2022.

 

1b.     Councillor Sara Mildmay-White, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing, be re-appointed as a substitute member representing West Suffolk Council on the Anglia Revenues and Benefits Partnership Joint Committee in 2021 to 2022.

 

1c.     On the nomination of the Leader of the Council, the Service Manager (Democratic Services) may exercise their delegated authority to appoint appropriate Cabinet membership (full and substitute members) to the above joint committee during 2021 to 2022, as necessary.

 

2a.     The Staff Consultative Panel continues to operate in 2021 to 2022 in accordance with the Terms of Reference (ToR) contained in Appendix A to Report number: CAB/WS/21/021.

 

2b.     Periodical meetings of the above Panel be scheduled as and when required but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 2.2.2 of Report number: CAB/WS/21/021.

 

3.       The West Suffolk Grant Working Party continues to operate in 2021 to 2022 in accordance with the Terms of Reference (ToR) contained in Appendix B to Report number: CAB/WS/21/021.

 

4.       The West Suffolk Local Plan Working Group continues to operate in 2021 to 2022 in accordance with the Terms of Reference (ToR) contained in Appendix C to Report number: CAB/WS/21/021.

 

5.       Should it become necessary and on the nominations of Group Leaders, the Service Manager (Democratic Services) may exercise their delegated authority to appoint appropriate membership (full and substitute members) to the above Panel, Working Party and Working Group during 2021 to 2022 in accordance with their Terms of Reference.

 

6.       Provided that resources are available to support them, informal task-and-finish working groups or taskforces be established to consider specific issues as required throughout 2021 to 2022.

240.

Decisions Plan: 1 May 2021 to 31 May 2022 pdf icon PDF 308 KB

To consider the most recently published version of the Cabinet’s Decisions Plan

 

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/022

Portfolio holder: Councillor John Griffiths

Lead officer: Ian Gallin

Minutes:

(Report number: CAB/WS/21/022)

 

The Cabinet considered this report which was the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period 1 May 2021 to 31 May 2022.

 

Members took the opportunity to review the intended forthcoming decisions of the Cabinet.  However, no further information or amendments were requested on this occasion.

241.

Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/023

Portfolio holder: Councillor Sarah Broughton

Lead officer: Rachael Mann

Minutes:

(Report number: CAB/WS/21/023)

 

The Cabinet considered this report, which provided the collection data in respect of Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) and which was recommending to the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance to write-off the amounts contained in the exempt Appendices attached to the report.

 

Councillor Sarah Broughton, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including the current performance of both Council Tax and Business Rates collection, as set out in Section 2 of the report.

 

Recommended to the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance:

 

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt Appendices to Report number CAB/WS/21/023, be approved, as follows:

 

1.           Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £22,480.28

2.           Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £34,962.30.

 

242.

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:

See Minute Number 243. below.

243.

Exempt Appendices: Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs (paragraphs 1 and 2)

Exempt Appendices 1 and 2 to Report number: CAB/WS/21/023

Portfolio holder: Councillor Sarah Broughton

Lead officer: Rachael Mann

 

(These exempt Appendices are to be considered in private under paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as they contain information relating to an individual and information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual).

 

(No representations have been received from members of the public regarding this item being held in private.)

Minutes:

(Report number CAB/WS/21/023)

 

The Cabinet considered the Exempt Appendices 1 and 2 to this report.  However, no reference was made to specific detail and, therefore, this item was not held in private session.

244.

Conclusion

Minutes:

On conclusion of the meeting, the Chair thanked all present for their attendance at this virtual meeting.  The live broadcast subsequently ended at this point.

 

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