Agenda item

Report No: OAS/SE/18/015

The Leader of the Council, Councillor John Griffiths presented Report No: OAS/SE/18/015, which outlined the draft West Suffolk Annual Report (2017-2018) which had been written as a joint West Suffolk document and was before the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their comments.

The draft West Suffolk Annual Report (Appendix A) highlighted the key activities and developments that had been achieved over the financial year 2017-2018, with regard to the priorities set out in the West Suffolk Strategic Plan.  The draft report contained a number of case studies and examples from West Suffolk to illustrate the achievements described.  Following a decision by Portfolio Holders, this year’s annual report would be designed typeset document and user friendly. 

The Leader highlighted relevant issues for the attention of the Committee.  In particular he informed the Committee that St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath working together across West Suffolk were at the forefront of transformation change and the envy of other councils.  Both councils had also been praised by the Government and the Secretary of State.

The report also included responses to three specific key questions identified by scrutiny members on areas they wished to be appraised on during the Leader’s annual presentation to the Committee on the Annual Report. 

Members examined the document in detail and comments were made on the following areas of the draft Annual Report:

(1)         Page 29: Historic environment (Corn Exchange in Haverhill): officers agreed to look at rewording this section.

(2)         General comment: It was felt the document was lacking in rural ward emphasis, to which officers agreed to look at rewriting the section on rural issues.

(3)         Annex 1: Community Chest Funding: suggest including “RIGS Funding” to the list of organisations.

Detailed discussions were also held on the following areas of the draft Annual Report to which the Leader of the Council and officers provided comprehensive responses to, as follows:

Right Infrastructure (page 6):  No mention of strategic links from Haverhill to Cambridge.  In response members were informed that the Annual Report was only a summary of activities carried out over the last year and recorded work the council was actually engaged in.  However, the council was continuing talks with various partners over the light rail link.

Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) (page 55): The Leader of the Council shared member’s frustration with the lack of parking enforcement.  However, the council was still pushing for CPE to be implemented by April 2019, but this was optimistic.  He explained the only barrier in implementing CPE was the Parliamentary process.  Until legislation was in place, it was still the responsibility of the police to enforce parking.

In response to a question raised regarding the Anglia Revenues Partnership (page 51 – digital transformation) on how much it costs to produce/mail out a single council tax demand including inserts versus emailing, officers agreed to provide a written response. 

In response to a question raised regarding the operational criteria for Public Space Protection Orders (dog fouling) (page 18), and a particular dog exclusion exemption at a playing pitch during the non-football playing season, to which officers agreed to provide a written response. 

In response to a question raised around better promotion of the Annual Report, members were advised that officers were looking at a number of options using various media outlets.

The Leader wished to thank the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their comments on the draft Annual Report.  He also wished to thank all officers and councillors working together across West Suffolk.

It was then proposed by Councillor Diane Hind, seconded by Councillor Frank Warby and with the vote being unanimous, it was:

          RECOMMENDED

That the Draft West Suffolk Annual Report 2017-2018, as attached at Appendix A to Report No: OAS/SE/18/015 be approved, subject to comments made during the meeting.