Agenda item

Report No: COU/SA/19/005

The Shadow Council considered the Referrals Report of Recommendations from the Shadow Executive (Cabinet), as contained within Report No: COU/SA/19/005.

(A)    Referral from Extraordinary Shadow Executive (Cabinet):

          8 January 2019

1.       West Suffolk Statement of Licensing Policy 2019-2022

Approval was sought for a new West Suffolk Statement of Licensing Policy to cover the period 2019-2022.

All councils were required to have a Statement of Licensing Policy and to update it at least every five years. Forest Heath’s Statement of Licensing Policy was last renewed in December 2018; St Edmundsbury’s was last updated in December 2017. The policy content of both documents was identical.

The Shadow Council needed to adopt a Statement of Licensing Policy for West Suffolk Council before 1 April 2019. The document attached at Appendix A to Report No: EXC/SA/19/002, contained the same wording as the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury Council documents, but with proposed changes, as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the Shadow Council report.

Councillor Lance Stanbury, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Council, including that in order to abide by the requirement for Statements of Licensing Policy to be renewed every five years, West Suffolk Council would need to adopt a new policy by December 2022. This would be preceded by consultation, allowing consultees in St Edmundsbury the opportunity to give comments and feedback within five years of the previous policy covering the area being adopted.

Attention was also drawn to the revised guidance, adoption and publication of the two Cumulative Impact Assessments in West Suffolk, namely Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds, which were required to be renewed every three years.The Bury St Edmunds Cumulative Impact Assessment was adopted in December 2017, and would therefore require renewal in December 2020.

Whilst supportive of the Policy itself, Councillor David Nettleton expressed his concern regarding the adoption of the Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) for Bury St Edmunds, which he considered was ineffective and discriminated against businesses wishing to operate within the CIA area. Other Members spoke in support of the CIAs, specifically the CIA in Newmarket, which had been particularly effective since its introduction.  Upon review of each CIA at the appropriate time, evidence would be required to warrant its renewal to ensure it remained effective.

On the motion of Councillor Stanbury, seconded by Councillor Susan Glossop, and duly carried, it was

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the West Suffolk Statement of Licensing Policy 2019-2022, attached at Appendix A to Report No: EXC/SA/19/002, be adopted; and

(2)     the Cumulative Impact Assessments for Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds as contained within the West Suffolk Statement of Licensing Policy, be adopted.

(B)    Referrals from Shadow Executive (Cabinet): 5 February 2019

1.       Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2019-2020 and Treasury Management Code of Practice

Approval was sought for the Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2019-2020 and Treasury Management Code of Practice.

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management required that, prior to the start of the financial year that Council formally approved an Annual Treasury Management and Investment Strategy, setting out the Council’s treasury management policy and strategy statements for the forthcoming year.

The proposed Treasury Management Policy Statement and Investment Strategy 2019-2020 for West Suffolk Council, was attached as Appendix 1 to Report No: TMS/SE/19/002 and PAS/FH/19/007, with the Code of Practice attached as Appendix 2. 

Councillor Ian Houlder, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Council.

On the motion of Councillor Houlder, seconded by Councillor Stephen Edwards, and duly carried, it was

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2019-2020, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report Nos: TMS/SE/19/002  / PAS/FH/19/007, be approved;  and

(2)     the Treasury Management Code of Practice, as set out in Appendix 2 to Report Nos: TMS/SE/19/002  / PAS/FH/19/007, be approved.

2.       Budget and Council Tax Setting 2019/2020 and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019-2023

Members noted that the recommendations emanating from this report would be considered separately under Agenda Item 9 (see minute 75 below.)