Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cliff Waterman and David Taylor.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2024 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2024 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, other registerable or non-registrable 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.

Members’ declarations of interest are recorded under the item to which the declaration relates.

At each Cabinet meeting, up to 15 minutes shall be allocated for questions or statements from and discussion with, non-Cabinet members. Members wishing to speak during this session are encouraged to give notice in advance. Who speaks and for how long will be at the complete discretion of the person presiding.

The following non-Cabinet member spoke under this item:

1. Councillor Joe Mason (Ward Member for Haverhill North)

Councillor Joe Mason addressed the Cabinet with specific questions in relation to car parking charges and measures to support the High Street in Haverhill.

Councillor Mason asked if Cabinet had a clear, cohesive plan to help improve the vibrancy and encourage greater footfall in Haverhill’s High Street. As part of the plan for encouraging greater footfall, Councillor Mason stated that there was currently no free car parking in Haverhill and asked whether there were plans to support that.

In response, Councillor Indy Wijenayaka, Portfolio Holder for Growth, provided Councillor Mason with examples of initiatives that were in place to support Haverhill High Street, including the forthcoming ‘Makers’ Market’ which had previously proved successful and the ‘Free from Three’ car parking initiative on Fridays. The Cabinet was committed to supporting the High Street with an holistic strategy in place which aligned with the Council’s strategic priorities.

Councillor Mason was informed that he would be provided with a written response which would expand on this further.

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. This can be done online by sending the request to democratic.services@westsuffolk.gov.uk or telephoning 01284 757176 or in person by telling the Committee Administrator present at the meeting. We would urge anyone who wishes to register to speak to notify Democratic Services by 9am on the day of the meeting so that advice can be given on the arrangements in place. 

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

There were no members of the public in attendance on this occasion.

Report number:     CAB/WS/24/017

Portfolio holder: Councillor Gerald Kelly

Lead officers: Jen Eves and Andrew Newman

Resolved:

That the Food Safety and Health and Safety Service Plan 2024 to 2025, as contained in Appendix A to Report number: CAB/WS/24/017, be approved.

(Report number CAB/WS/24/017)

The Cabinet considered this report which sought approval for the West Suffolk Food Safety and Health and Safety Service plan 2024 to 2025.

The Food Safety and Health and Safety Service plan outlined the Council’s commitment to protect public health and safety and the environment by conducting programmed and reactive interventions, investigations, and research to detect, eliminate and control hazards by applying fair, transparent, and proportionate enforcement.

The plan, which was a statutory requirement set out in the code of practice for food safety, was attached as Appendix A to the report, and was considered in detail by the Cabinet.

Councillor Gerald Kelly, Portfolio Holder for Governance and Regulatory, drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet, which included summarising progress made against the 2022 to 2023 plan; the key challenges identified that would affect the implementation of the 2024 to 2025 plan, and how resourcing of the team was a key factor to the successful implementation of the plan, as set out in sections 2.1, 3.1 and 5.1 of the report respectively.

The Cabinet supported approval of the plan and acknowledged the extensive amount of work undertaken by officers in this service area.

Resolved:

That the Food Safety and Health and Safety Service Plan 2024 to 2025, as contained in Appendix A to Report number: CAB/WS/24/017, be approved.

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

Report number:     CAB/WS/24/018

Leader of the Council: Councillor Cliff Waterman

Lead officer: Ian Gallin

(Report number CAB/WS/24/018)

The Cabinet considered this report which was the Cabinet Decisions Plan covering the period 1 March 2024 to 31 May 2024.

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

Report number:     CAB/WS/24/019

Portfolio holder: Councillor Diane Hind

Lead officer: Rachael Mann

Resolved:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report number: CAB/WS/24/019, be approved, as follows:

1.       Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £24,604.84

2.       Exempt Appendix 2: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling £25,713.11

3.       Exempt Appendix 3: Sundry Debt of £9,439.63

(Report number CAB/WS/24/019)

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 Diane Hind, Portfolio Holder for Resources, 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.

Members noted that there was an extensive and supportive recovery process prior to the engagement of an enforcement agency. The Council currently used the services of the ARP Enforcement Agency to assist in the collection of business rates and council tax and also had online tracing facilities.

In response to a question, the Cabinet was informed that every effort was made to recover a debt before reaching the point of seeking approval to write it off. In the event that a written-off debt became recoverable, the amount was written back on, and enforcement procedures would be re-established. Debt recovery rates were improving considerably.

Recognition was given to the extensive amount of work undertaken by officers in this service area and to the Anglia Revenues Partnership as a whole.

Resolved:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report number: CAB/WS/24/019, be approved, as follows:

1.       Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £24,604.84

2.       Exempt Appendix 2: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling £25,713.11

3.       Exempt Appendix 3: Sundry Debt of £9,439.63

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.

See minute number 568. below.

Exempt appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report number: CAB/WS/24/019

Portfolio holder: Councillor Diane Hind

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.)

(Exempt appendices 1, 2 and 3 to Report number CAB/WS/24/019)

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.