26 August 2005

TO:      THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL

Dear Sir/Madam

A meeting of the Babergh District Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Corks Lane, Hadleigh on TUESDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 2005 AT 9.30 A.M.

The proceedings will be opened with Prayer.

Yours faithfully

Head of Legal and Administrative Services

Members are requested to bring with them to the meeting the following paper which has been previously circulated to relevant Committee Members and made available on BEN:-

Paper E79

(A copy is enclosed for Members of the Development Committee)

Any Member wishing to be supplied with a hard copy of the above report is asked to contact Committee Services prior to the day of the meeting.

ITEM

BUSINESS

PART I

	1		MINUTES   To confirm and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 July  2005 as a correct record.
	2		DECLARATION OF INTERESTS   Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to  be considered at this meeting.
	3		APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE   To receive apologies for absence.
	4		CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
	5		TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE NO. 13   In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.13, the Chief Executive will report the receipt of petitions as detailed below.  There can be no debate or comment upon these matters at the Council meeting:   Horse and Groom, East Street, Sudbury – variation to existing Licence   Petition signed by approximately 72 residents of Babergh which related to a Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing on 5 August 2005.  The petition could not be considered as it arrived after the deadline for representations.
	6		RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
Paper E79 previously circulated			(a)    Corporate Plan and Financial Strategy  (Strategy Committee Minute No  41)         Geoff Kistner presented the joint report of the Corporate Director and the Corporate Support Manager (Paper E79) asking Members to recommend Council to approve the Corporate Plan for 2005/07 which had been reviewed and linked to the Council’s Financial Strategy.       He informed Members that the Council’s Corporate Priorities had also been reviewed and that the plan included all the performance information necessary to meet the Government’s Best Value requirements.         During the course of the discussion on this item, reference was made to the assumption of a Government grant increase for next year, of 2.5% which was considered by the Committee to be somewhat optimistic in the light of recent information.  Members also identified particular areas which they considered required rewording, and expressed the view that the 2006-07 Plan should be even more focused on priorities and more specific in identifying non priorities.         RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL   That the Corporate Plan for 2005/07 attached to Paper E79 be approved, subject to appropriate amendments to cover the following:-   Page 12 The Babergh District – The Area   Include additional information on the number of parishes having a       population of less than 1000.   Page 17 – Health and Leisure   Deletion of 4th bullet point – ‘[we will] carry out a feasibility study on       Hadleigh Pool’.   Page 25 – Maintain a safe, clean and sustainable environment   Include more detailed information to enable specific areas of higher crime to be identified and targeted.    Page 39 – Priority 5   Paragraph 5 – include reference to effect of 30 – 40 age group returning to the area.
			(b)    Delegation to Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development and Head of Technical Services (Strategy Committee Minute No. 47)   At its meeting on 4 August 2005, the Strategy Committee approved interim arrangements for the operation of the delegation to the Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development whilst that post is vacant.  Members also agreed a minor amendment to the delegation relating to transport matters on a permanent basis.   RECOMMENDED   That the responsibility for transport (other than planning policy and concessionary fares) be delegated to the Head of Technical Services and that the Council's Scheme of Delegation be amended accordingly.
	7		QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC   The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which notice has been given no later than mid-day two working days before the date of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 14.
	8		QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS   The Chairman of the Council and the Chairmen of Committees and Sub-Committees to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has power or duties or which affect the District and which fall within the terms of reference of that Committee or Sub-Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 15. 4 (a) and (b).
	9		EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS)
			To consider whether pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public should be excluded from the meeting for the business specified below, on the grounds that if the public were present during this item, it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item.
			PART II
		10	LICENSING ACT 2003 – STATEMENT OF LICENSING POLICY (Licensing and Appeals Committee – 1 September 2005) (Exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 12 of Part 1)
Paper E121 attached			The Licensing and Appeals Committee will consider Paper E121 at  its meeting on 1 September 2005 and its recommendation will be reported at the meeting.