Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: Virtual Meeting - Facilitated by MS TeamsLive Meeting Platform
Contact: Claire Skoyles: Democratic Services Officer
Email: claire.skoyles@westsuffolk.gov.uk
Media
Items
No. |
Item |
131. |
Welcome and Meeting Facilitation
Minutes:
The Chair formally opened the meeting and
welcomed all persons present including
those that were viewing the meeting externally via the live
broadcast.
Alex Wilson, one of the Directors, was acting
as facilitator for the meeting and, upon being invited to do so by
the Chair, detailed the housekeeping matters and guidance as to how
the meeting would operate within the virtual setting.
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132. |
Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
No apologies for absence were received.
|
133. |
Minutes PDF 119 KB
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on
23 June 2020 (copy attached).
Minutes:
The minutes of the meeting held on 23 June
2020 were confirmed as a correct record.
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134. |
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.
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135. |
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 20
July 2020 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 Chairman’s
discretion.
Minutes:
The following member of the public spoke under
this agenda item:
1. Laura Williams, a resident
of the district, asked a question in connection with the proposed
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Conditions Policy and
specifically, where a driver wished to purchase a hybrid or
electric vehicle for private hire use whether it could be made that
they were any age on first grant rather than the proposed five
years as hybrid and electric vehicles were on average three times
more expensive than conventional petrol or diesel vehicles.
In response, Councillor Andy Drummond,
Portfolio Holder for Regulatory, stated that the Council was sensitive to the concerns raised by
the Taxi industry and had endeavoured to reflect this through its
consultation and review process in relation to the proposed
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Conditions Policy.
The proposed policy
provided a framework of requirements and conditions through which
West Suffolk Council wished to regulate the licensing of vehicles
and drivers. However, this did not prevent drivers from approaching
the Council with a scenario such as the wish to licence an electric
vehicle greater than five years old accompanied by an appropriate
evidence base that it could meet the aspirations of the Council.
These would be judged on a case by case basis as other exceptions
would be.
The Council was
seeking to reduce emissions as much as possible and the
introduction of the 10-year maximum age of vehicle proposal
supported this objective. As measures and vehicles were continued
to be assessed in the context of supporting the Council’s
response to its declaration of a climate emergency, this issue
would be included for future review.
In response to Mrs Williams’
supplementary question, Councillor Drummond drew attention to
paragraphs 35.5, to 35.8 of the proposed policy, which set out the
proposed exceptions to the policy in respect of age of the
vehicle.
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136. |
Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 9 July 2020 (Report No: CAB/WS/20/042) PDF 156 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/042
Chair of the Committee: Cllr
Ian Shipp
Lead Officer: Christine
Brain
Minutes:
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 9
July 2020:
1. Council response to
COVID-19;
2. Cabinet Decisions
Plan: 1 July 2020 to 31 May 2021; and
3. Scrutiny Work
Programme 2020-2021.
Councillor Shipp, Chair of the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee drew relevant issues to the attention of
Cabinet.
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137. |
Financial Impact of COVID-19 on West Suffolk Council (Report No: CAB/WS/20/043) PDF 353 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/043
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the financial
impacts of COVID-19 on the council finances, be noted; and
2. the next steps and
principles for future planning at section 8 of Report No:
CAB/WS/20/043, be supported.
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this report, which
presented the financial impacts of COVID-19 on the Council’s
finances and sought endorsement of the proposed next steps and
principles for future planning.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19
in the UK, a number of events had occurred which had had a
significant impact on West Suffolk Council’s financial
position. Some of these had been restrictions imposed by Government
that had affected West Suffolk Council’s investments, assets
and services; and others had been announcements of Government
financial support. These were summarised in the timeline attached
to the report at Appendix A.
The Council had responded to
COVID-19 in respect of supporting businesses and the most
vulnerable in West Suffolk communities as well as running essential
services. This support was (covering the current financial year
2020/21) expected to cost £2.2 million. Equally, the money
expected to be generated by the Council in the current financial
year, through income, was expected to reduce by £8 million.
The money so far allocated by Government (£1.8 million) did
not cover this gap which, with Government funding so far, was a
total of £8.4 million, a loss of 15% of the Council’s
gross budget for the current financial year 2020/21.
Councillor Sarah Broughton,
Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, drew relevant
issues to the attention of Cabinet, including the implications, and
managing the effects of, COVID-19 on the Council’s finances
as set out in the report.
Having acknowledged and noted the significant
financial impact COVID-19 was currently having on the
Council’s finances, the Cabinet was in support of the
proposed next steps and principles for future planning, as set out
in section 8, in order to balance this year’s budget, and for
making revisions to the medium term plan.
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the financial
impacts of COVID-19 on the council finances, be noted; and
2. the next steps and
principles for future planning at section 8 of Report No:
CAB/WS/20/043, be supported.
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138. |
Recommendations of the Grant Working Party: 24 June 2020 - Overview of Community Chest 2020/2021 and proposed changes to the 2021/2022 scheme; and Locality Budgets 2019/2020 (Report No: CAB/WS/20/044) PDF 208 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/044
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Robert
Everitt
Lead Officer: Davina Howes
Chair of the Working Party:
Cllr Jim Thorndyke
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That due to the impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic:
Community Chest: 2020/2021
1. In these exceptional
circumstances, the £3,500 allocation of Community Chest
funding in 2020/2021 to Our Special Friends now be used to pay core
costs for one year only, as detailed in paragraphs 3.6 and 3.7 of
Report No: CAB/WS/20/044;
2. the following nine
organisations that received Community Chest funding in 2020/2021,
be given an extension to fulfil the outcomes and outputs of their
projects which were committed to as part of the award for 2020/21,
as set out in paragraphs 3.7 and 3.8:
a. Bury Drop in
b. Haverhill Community
Trust
c. The Befriending
Scheme
d. Second Chances
Support Group
e. Suffolk Mind
f. Bury Theatre
g. Turner Hall
h. Newmarket Day
Centre
i. The Erskine
Centre
3. The ways in which some
organisations have adapted their approach in response to COVID-19
in order to continue to offer a service be noted, as set out in
section 4 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/044.
Community Chest: 2021/2022
4. The amended
timeframe for applicants and decision-making process, as set out in
paragraph 5.2 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/044, be noted to allow
applications to be submitted by a deadline of 30 October instead of
the usual 30 September; and
5. the proposed revised
guidance for applicants to Community Chest in 2021/2022, as
contained in Appendix A to Report No: CAB/WS/20/000, be approved
for the reasons set out in paragraph 5.3.
Councillor
Locality Budget Scheme: 2020/2021
6.
In these
exceptional circumstances, the Council’s Councillor Locality Budget Guidance
be amended to enable projects awarded funding in 2019/20 and the
early part of 2020/2021 to be completed beyond the current
deadline, which currently required funding to be spent within a
12-month period, as detailed in paragraph 6.1 of Report No:
CAB/WS/20/044.
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this report, which
sought approval for a number of
recommendations presented by the Grant Working Party following its
meeting held on 24 June 2020.
Community Chest funding
supported many voluntary and community organisations in West
Suffolk each year. In January 2020, Cabinet agreed with the
recommendations of the Grant Working Party and financially
supported 22 organisations for 2020/2021.
Following a brief introduction
by Councillor Robert Everitt, Portfolio Holder for Families and
Communities, Councillor Jim Thorndyke, Chair of the Grant Working
Party was invited to bring matters to the attention of
Cabinet.
At its meeting, the Working Party had noted
the headline data that had emerged via Community Action Suffolk
COVID-19 Impact Survey (at Appendix A to its report) which
indicated the critical nature of the voluntary and community sector
across Suffolk. The CAS report recognised that many organisations
were having to make some difficult decisions about the services
they offered as a direct result of COVID-19 and how they could
operate in the future.
At the start of this crisis the Families and
Communities team proactively made contact
with all of West Suffolk Council’s Community Chest
funded organisations, along with other organisations which
supported the communities. Support and guidance had been provided,
together with signposting to additional funding resources where
needed. In addition, organisations had been linked into the wider
work that had been undertaken around new volunteering
opportunities, safeguarding and working differently.
As a result of the engagement exercise,
officers had ascertained that only 15% of organisations had paused
their projects but had every intention of working with the Council
to find a practical and safe way to deliver their projects, once
further clarity was provided by Government on the next
phase. This left one organisation
feeling unable to fulfil the project to which they originally
committed, this being Our Special Friends (OSF) which was awarded
£3,500 for an Animal Companionship Practitioner. They had
requested the Community Chest funding be used to pay core costs, so
they could survive this challenging time and continue with the
support they currently offered.
Given the current circumstance the Working
Party had considered it was reasonable to honour this. The Council
would still expect quarterly performance returns and would continue
to have open dialogue to offer support.
Members also considered that an interim update on progress of the
nine organisations’ projects should be presented to
...
view the full minutes text for item 138.
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139. |
West Suffolk Environment and Climate Change Taskforce - Final Report (Report No: CAB/WS/20/045) PDF 764 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/045
Portfolio Holders: Cllrs John
Griffiths and Andy Drummond
Chair of the Taskforce: Cllr
Rachel Hood
Lead Officer: Jill
Korwin
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the Council be
committed to working towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas
(carbon) emissions by 2030 as set out in section 4 of Report No:
CAB/WS/20/045;
2. the high-level road
map to achieve net zero, be approved, as set out in section 4 and
Appendix 2 noting it will need to develop as technologies and
funding opportunities change;
3. a carbon budgeting
approach be introduced to support the net zero ambition, as set out
in section 5;
4. the immediate
actions the Council can take to support its journey to net zero, be
agreed, as set out in section 3;
5. the longer term
actions the Council could consider as part of 2021/22 service and
budget planning process, be noted, as set out in section 6; and
6. the communications
plan, be approved, as set out in section 7.
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this report, which
presented the first of two reports from the West Suffolk
Environment and Climate Change Taskforce. This report provided
the majority of the final
recommendations of the Taskforce, with a separate report presenting
its recommendations specifically focussed on environment and
biodiversity issues and associated actions (Report No;
CAB/WS/20/046).
At the inaugural Annual Meeting
of West Suffolk Council in May 2019, the new Leader announced that
he proposed to set up two taskforces, one of which would be
requested to look at ways in which the Council could improve on its
current and previous actions taken to mitigate the effects of
adverse environmental factors and climate change.
In September 2019, West Suffolk
Council declared a climate emergency, having already established
the West Suffolk Environment and Climate Change Taskforce in June
2019. The aim of the Taskforce was to make recommendations on the
Council’s future role in protecting and enhancing the
environment, both in the way in which it carried out its operations
and through specific initiatives.
Following a brief introduction
from Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Council,
Councillor Rachel Hood, Chair of the Taskforce was
invited to report on the work of the Taskforce.
It was upon the Council’s
(and predecessor councils) existing strong environmental
performance foundation as summarised in section 1 of the report,
that the Taskforce first met in August 2019. Taking an evidence-led
approach, it agreed that recommendations to Cabinet should take
account of the key features of West Suffolk and continue to embed
environmental considerations into future decision-making. This
report of the Taskforce set out:
·
the approach;
·
achievements following the interim report (January
2020);
·
rationale and opportunity to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030;
·
immediate actions the Council could take to further
improve 2020/21 environmental performance;
·
longer term actions the Council could consider as
part of its 2021/22 budget and service planning process.
Councillor Hood explained
how the Taskforce refined it’s work to focus on actions that were
‘meaningful, measurable and achievable’, and these had
been explored through the development of seven themes, as set out
in paragraph 2.3 of the report. The Cabinet then noted the
rationale behind the making of the recommendations, which included
setting out the opportunity for the Council to achieve net zero
greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. An indicative roadmap for this
had been produced that should find the Council at least breaking
even after 10 years but it could also deliver a financial
return. This was set out in section 4.
It was however, important to
note that the Cabinet was being asked to commit to
working towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas (carbon)
emissions by 2030, and not to the individual projects
listed.
The report also recommended the creation of,
and reporting against a carbon budget to ensure that the Council
could effectively plan and track its progress to net zero, as set
out in section 5.
Councillor Hood expressed with confidence that
with the existing processes the Council had in place,
...
view the full minutes text for item 139.
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140. |
Report of the West Suffolk Environment and Climate Change Taskforce: Environment and Biodiversity Emergency in West Suffolk (Report No: CAB/WS/20/046) PDF 434 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/046
Portfolio Holders: Cllrs Andy
Drummond and Joanna Rayner
Chair of the Taskforce: Cllr
Rachel Hood
Lead Officer: Jill
Korwin
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the Council’s
Climate Emergency declaration be updated to specifically state
Climate and Environment Emergency, as referred to in paragraph 4.1
of Report No: CAB/WS/20/046;
2. the work that can be
progressed within existing resources, outlined in the report as the
phase one actions, be approved (section 3.3); and
3. the potential
longer-term initiatives proposed as being phase two actions, be
noted, which have additional resource and budgetary implications,
and it be agreed they will be considered as part of the 2021/22
service and budget planning process (section 3.4).
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this report, which
presented the second of the final reports from the West Suffolk
Environment and Climate Change Taskforce. This report specifically
made recommendations in connection with environment and
biodiversity issues and associated actions.
Councillor Rachel Hood, Chair of the
Environment and Climate Change Taskforce, had during the
presentation of the previous item on the agenda (see Minute 139.
above), set out the issues that had been looked at in connection
with the evidence-based impact on the environment and biodiversity
and the rationale behind the Taskforce’s short and longer
term recommendations. These largely focused on improving the
Council’s parks and green open spaces and aimed to help
mitigate the challenges currently faced.
Councillor Andy Drummond, Portfolio Holder for
Regulatory, drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet,
including making reference to Councillor Hood’s introductory
report during the previous item (see Minute 139. above) where an
alternative option to the Taskforce’s recommendation of
declaring an Environment and Biodiversity Emergency was
mentioned.
The alternative option, which was set out in
paragraph 4.1 of the report was considered by the Cabinet to be
more appropriate. Having regard to the fact that the original remit
of the Taskforce was to consider wider
environmental issues over and above just looking at reducing the
Council’s carbon emissions, and that in declaring the Climate
Emergency the Cabinet was of the understanding that all Members
already had regard for these wider issues, an amendment to the
original declaration was considered to satisfactorily address
this.
Together with
proposing the other two recommendations set out in the report,
Councillor Drummond proposed an amendment to the first
recommendation, that the Climate Emergency declaration
should be updated to specifically state “Climate and
Environment Emergency”. This was duly seconded by Councillor
Joanna Rayner.
The Cabinet agreed this was a sensible
approach, and upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried
unanimously.
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the Council’s
Climate Emergency declaration be updated to specifically state
Climate and Environment Emergency, as referred to in paragraph 4.1
of Report No: CAB/WS/20/046;
2. the work that can be
progressed within existing resources, outlined in the report as the
phase one actions, be approved (section 3.3); and
3. the potential
longer-term initiatives proposed as being phase two actions, be
noted, which have additional resource and budgetary implications,
and it be agreed they will be considered as part of the 2021/22
service and budget planning process (section 3.4).
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141. |
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Conditions Policy (Report No: CAB/WS/20/047) PDF 185 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/047
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Andy
Drummond
Lead Officers: David Collinson
and Fiona Quinn
Additional documents:
Decision:
DEFERRED:
Consideration of the Hackney Carriage and
Private Hire Conditions Policy has been deferred by the Cabinet to
give officers an opportunity to review the new Statutory Taxi and
Private Hire Vehicle Standards issued by Government to licensing
authorities. Although it is anticipated the Council’s
proposed new Policy contains the expected standards, which have
been issued to improve the safeguarding of children and vulnerable
adults, it is considered appropriate to allow additional time to
carry out these checks before final approval of the Policy is
sought.
Minutes:
This item was withdrawn from the agenda by
officers, as set out in the decision below. The Statutory Taxi and
Private Hire Vehicle Standards were issued on the day in which the
Cabinet was due to make its decision on the proposed Policy. The
item will now be considered by Cabinet at a later date.
DEFERRED:
Consideration of the Hackney Carriage and
Private Hire Conditions Policy has been deferred by the Cabinet to
give officers an opportunity to review the new Statutory Taxi and
Private Hire Vehicle Standards issued by Government to licensing
authorities. Although it is anticipated the Council’s
proposed new Policy contains the expected standards, which have
been issued to improve the safeguarding of children and vulnerable
adults, it is considered appropriate to allow additional time to
carry out these checks before final approval of the Policy is
sought.
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142. |
Great Barton Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 Submission Consultation: Local Planning Authority Response (Report No: CAB/WS/20/048) PDF 451 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/048
Portfolio Holder: Cllr David
Roach
Lead Officers: Julie Baird and
Marie Smith
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the Local Planning
Authority’s response to the Regulation 16 Great Barton
Neighbourhood Plan submission consultation, as set out in section 3
of Report No: CAB/WS/20/048, be approved; and
2. delegated authority
be given to the Service Manager (Strategic Planning), to make minor
non-material consequential changes to the response, as
necessary.
Minutes:
(Councillor Sarah
Broughton declared a pecuniary interest as she and her husband
owned a parcel of land within the area covered by the Great Barton
Neighbourhood Plan. She left the meeting during the consideration
of this item and therefore did not take part in the debate or the
vote.)
The Cabinet considered this report, which
sought approval for the proposed West Suffolk Council response to
the consultation on the Regulation 16 Submission of the Great
Barton Neighbourhood Plan.
The Local Planning Authority (LPA) recognised
that a significant amount of work had gone into the development of
the Plan with extensive community involvement and the LPA commended
the Parish Council for all the hard work to reach such an advanced
stage in the neighbourhood plan making process.
This consultation opened on 10 June and would
close on 19 August 2020. The Council
had responded to the previous Regulation 14 consultation stage
which had raised concerns around the conformity of
some of the Neighbourhood Plan policies and the Council’s
identified local strategic planning policies. The LPA
comments and the Neighbourhood Plan Group’s response to these
comments were attached as Appendix A.
The Council’s response to the Regulation
16 consultation was attached at Appendix B, which was outlining
three principal areas of concern where tensions arose between the
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the LPA’s
Strategic Policies and the Neighbourhood Plan, as summarised in
section 3 of the report.
Following the close of the consultation,
officers would reflect on the outcomes of the consultation process
to ensure confidence in progressing to the next stage. All comments received would be considered by an
Examiner who would decide whether the basic conditions had been met
and that the Plan could proceed to a Referendum. However, it was noted that currently, no
Referendums could take place earlier than May 2021. It was anticipated that the Examination would take
place in September 2020, following which the Examiner’s
report would be received and the Council could then decide whether
the Plan should proceed to Referendum.
The Cabinet agreed it was appropriate at this
current Regulation 16 stage for the LPA to reiterate the previously
identified issues to ensure a consistency of approach and to ensure
consistency of response and reiteration of the concerns previously
raised to the Great Barton Neighbourhood Plan Group and the
Examiner.
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the Local Planning
Authority’s response to the Regulation 16 Great Barton
Neighbourhood Plan submission consultation, as set out in section 3
of Report No: CAB/WS/20/048, be approved; and
2. delegated authority
be given to the Service Manager (Strategic Planning), to make minor
non-material consequential changes to the response, as
necessary.
(Councillor Broughton returned to the meeting.)
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143. |
Decisions Plan: 1 July 2020 to 31 May 2021 (Report No: CAB/WS/20/049) PDF 276 KB
To consider the most recently published
version of the Cabinet’s Decisions Plan
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/049
Portfolio Holder: Cllr John
Griffiths
Lead Officer: Ian Gallin
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this report which was
the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period 1 July 2020 to 31
May 2021.
Councillor Griffiths, Leader of the Council,
explained that since the publication of this version of the
Decisions Plan, there would no longer be an opportunity to carry
out formal engagement with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as
part of the review of Public Space Protection Orders within West
Suffolk towns due to the timing of the public consultation process
that would be undertaken as part of the review.
This would be amended on the Plan, prior to
its next publication in August 2020.
No further information or amendments were
requested on this occasion.
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144. |
Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs (Report No: CAB/WS/20/050) PDF 144 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/050
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That the write-off of the amounts detailed in
the Exempt Appendices to Report No: CAB/WS/20/050, be approved, as
follows:
1. Exempt Appendix 1:
Council Tax totalling £11,864.83
2. Exempt Appendix 2:
Housing Benefit
Overpayment totalling £5,324.25
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this
report, which provided the collection data in respect of Council
Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) and sought approval for
the write-off of 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. She reiterated that it was
always frustrating to write-off any outstanding debts.
Members noted that reliefs
introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had reduced the
amount to be collected by £1 million, which had affected the
collection rate.
RESOLVED:
That the write-off of the amounts detailed in
the Exempt Appendices to Report No: CAB/WS/20/050, be approved, as
follows:
1. Exempt Appendix 1:
Council Tax totalling £11,864.83
2. Exempt Appendix 2:
Housing Benefit Overpayment totalling £5,324.25
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145. |
Abbeycroft Leisure COVID-19 Loan Facility (Report No: CAB/WS/20/051) PDF 301 KB
Report No:
CAB/WS/20/051
Portfolio Holders: Cllrs Jo
Rayner and Sarah Broughton
Lead Officer: Jill
Korwin
Decision:
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the business case to
create a £1,000,000 loan facility for Abbeycroft Leisure, funded from the Investing in
our Growth Agenda Fund, be agreed, as set out in section 5 of
Report No: CAB/WS/20/051;
2. delegated authority
be given to the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in
consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Resources and
Performance, and Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, and the
Director, to agree the final details of the loan and enter into a
loan agreement(s) with Abbeycroft
Leisure; and
3. it be agreed for the
Council’s Section 151 Officer to make the necessary changes
to the Council’s prudential indicators as a result of
recommendation 2. above.
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered this report, which
sought approval for a business case to create a £1 million
loan facility for Abbeycroft
Leisure.
Due to COVID-19, the Council’s leisure
provider partner, Abbeycroft Leisure
was required on 20 March 2020, to close its leisure centres
resulting in a loss of all its income (other than the management
fee the Council paid). Abbeycroft furloughed the majority of its workforce, maintaining a
skeleton team to oversee operations.
Councillor Joanna Rayner, Portfolio Holder for
Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, including that, although
following a recent Government announcement, leisure centres were
expected to re-open within the next few weeks, the offer would be
notably different with social distancing and hygiene measures put
in place and some facilities would not be operational for some time
yet.
The Council could choose not to support
Abbeycroft with the provision of a
£1 million loan facility; however, if a loan facility
wasn’t available and should Abbeycroft then fail, the service would become the
responsibility of the Council and a costly transfer and
remobilisation exercise would have to take place. Staff would have to be transferred to the Council,
and the Council would not have the financial and operational
benefits the Trust model provided. Since transferring leisure
services to Abbeycroft (and previously
Anglia Community Leisure that delivered services to Forest Heath
District Council up to 2015) the costs of that service had reduced
from over £1.8m (2009/10) to £275,000 in 2020/21.
Having considered the strategic, financial,
economic and social and community cases, as detailed in the report,
the Cabinet was fully supportive of providing a £1 million
loan facility to Abbeycroft Leisure to
enable them to remain viable, the terms of which were detailed in
section 5 of the report.
RESOLVED:
That:
1. the business case to
create a £1,000,000 loan facility for Abbeycroft Leisure, funded from the Investing in
our Growth Agenda Fund, be agreed, as set out in section 5 of
Report No: CAB/WS/20/051;
2. delegated authority
be given to the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in
consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Resources and
Performance, and Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, and the
Director, to agree the final details of the loan and enter into a
loan agreement(s) with Abbeycroft
Leisure; and
3. it be agreed for the
Council’s Section 151 Officer to make the necessary changes
to the Council’s prudential indicators as a result of
recommendation 2. above.
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146. |
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 minutes 147. and 148. below
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147. |
Exempt Appendices: Revenues Collection Performance and Write-Offs (paras 1 and 2) (Report No: CAB/WS/20/050)
Exempt Appendices 1 and 2 to Report
No: CAB/WS/20/050
Portfolio Holder: Cllr Sarah
Broughton
Lead Officer: Rachael Mann
Minutes:
The Cabinet 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.
|
148. |
Exempt Appendix: Abbeycroft Leisure COVID-19 Loan Facility (para 3) (Report No: CAB/WS/20/051)
Exempt Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/WS/20/051
Portfolio Holders: Cllrs Jo
Rayner and Sarah Broughton
Lead Officer: Jill
Korwin
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered the Exempt Appendix to
this report. However, no reference was
made to specific detail and, therefore, this item was not held in
private session.
|
149. |
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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In this section
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