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1 |
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
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2 |
ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN
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3 |
MINUTES
To confirm and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2010 as a correct record. |
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4 |
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting. |
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5 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive apologies for absence. |
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6 |
CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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7 |
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 any petitions. There can be no debate or comment upon this matter at the Council meeting.
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Paper
J208 |
8 |
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
(a) Review of Governance Arrangements (Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee Minute No. 74)
Mr D M Busby, Chairman of the Constitution Review Task Group, presented Paper J208 which outlined the conclusions of the Constitution Review Task Group and to consider its recommendation to progress a move to executive arrangements. The Solicitor to the Council assisted in the presentation of the report and answered any questions by Members.
During consideration of this item, it was agreed that the possibility of a Workshop or Seminar for all Members on this matter would be explored, possibly in conjunction with Members of Mid-Suffolk District Council.
Members agreed that the outcome of the consultation exercise would be reported direct to Council.
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RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL
(1) That the constitutional review should continue with a view to a possible move to executive arrangements.
(2) That in furtherance of the constitutional review, the Council proceeds to undertake the public consultation exercise required pursuant to the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 in the form and manner recommended by the Constitution Review Task Group, and in particular:
· the means of consultation set out at paragraph 5.17 be approved
· the list of key stakeholders to be consulted shown at Appendix 2 be approved
· the period of consultation be fixed at 8 weeks.
(3) That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chairman of the Council to finalise the Consultation Document.
(4) That a sum up to £5,000 be made available from the £25,000 sum allocated for Local Government Review/ Shared Services provision to undertake the consultation exercise.
(5) That following the public consultation exercise further reports from the Constitution Review Task Group be made direct to Council.
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Paper
J218 |
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(b) Indemnities for Members and Officers (Standards Committee)
The Standards Committee considered this matter at its meeting on 7 April and
RECOMMENDS:
That the Council indemnifies each of its Members (including co-opted members) and officers in the Terms set out in Appendix 1 to Paper J218 and the Director of Corporate Services be authorised to make any modifications as may from time to time be necessary.
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Paper
J232 |
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(c) Treasury Management (Strategy Committee)
The Strategy Committee considered this matter at its meeting on 8 April and
RECOMMENDS:
(1) That the 2009 CIPFA Treasury Management in the Public Services: Code of Practice be adopted.
(2) That the Council’s Constitution be updated to reflect the changes to financial regulations as set out in Appendix 3 to Paper J232, including the nomination of the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee to be responsible for the effective scrutiny of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy and Policies. |
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(3) That the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2010/11, including the Policy Statement and the annual investment strategy as set out in Appendix 2 to Paper J232, be approved.
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Paper J223 and J223A |
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(d) Report of the Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council Joint Member Integration and Merger Review Board (Strategy Committee)
The Strategy Committee considered this matter at its meeting on 8 April and
RECOMMENDS:
(1) That value for money for Council Tax payers be confirmed as the paramount objective, and that both Councils seek to achieve through any programme of integration a jointly agreed balance between financial savings and future resilience in all aspects of service delivery.
(2) That the business case to support joint decision-making arising from this review be developed as soon as possible.
(3) That, in parallel with the development of the business case, a clear project plan for the achievement of full managerial and operational merger by April 2011 and for exploring the option of constitutional merger be jointly developed.
(4) That both Councils agree to commit the necessary human resources to support this review; to provide any necessary financial support within the budgetary constraints of each Council, and to explore all possible sources of external funding support for this review, including an application for Improvement East funding as soon as possible.
(5) That a joint strategy and protocol for internal communication with Members and staff be developed immediately.
(6) That a joint approach to media handling be adopted, and that any draft joint statements be agreed with the Chairman of Babergh’s Strategy Committee and Mid Suffolk’s Council Leader and shared with the Joint Board before publication.
(7) That, provided the business case supports operational and managerial integration by April 2011, the provisional aim should be to have a single Chief Executive in place by the beginning of March 2011 through an internal and external recruitment process commencing around October 2010.
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(8) That a Human Resources (HR) work stream for this review be established as soon as possible.
(9) That, to support future joint decision-making, the two Councils work closely together during 2010 to achieve as much constitutional similarity as possible from the constitutional review that each is undertaking.
(10) That the concept of a constitutional merger to create a new single Council be supported in principle and that this option be fully explored with a view to achieving the earliest practicable implementation if this ultimately agreed as the best way forward.
(11) That the need for both internal and external consultation be identified and acted upon as part of planning the various work streams for this review and, in particular, that careful consideration be given to the planning and management of any public consultation arising from recommendations (8) and (9) above to avoid public confusion and to secure as broad an understanding as possible of what the two Councils are seeking to achieve through any proposed changes. |
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9 |
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which notice has been given no later than midday 2 working days before the day of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 14. |
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10 |
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 powers 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). |
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Paper
K2 |
11 |
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE
Report by the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee attached. |
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Paper
K3 |
12 |
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE
Report by the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee attached.
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Paper
K4 |
13 |
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE
Report by the Standards Committee attached. |
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Paper
K5 |
14 |
POLITICAL BALANCE AND COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES
Report by the Director of Corporate Services attached. |
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Paper
K6 |
15 |
APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTITUTES – COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE NO. 5
Report by the Director of Corporate Services attached.
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16 |
ELECTION OF CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES
To elect a Chairman for each of the following Committees:-
Strategy
Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship)
Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services)
Development
Licensing and Appeals
Hadleigh and District Swimming Pool Trust
Note: Standards Committee on 7 April 2010 appointed Mr A George as its Chairman.
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Paper
K7 |
17 |
TASK GROUPS AND PANELS - (A) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS, (B) ANNUAL REPORTS
Report by the Director of Corporate Services attached. |
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Paper
K8 |
18 |
REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES AND PARTNERSHIPS
Report by the Director of Corporate Services attached. |
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Paper
J222 |
19 |
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
Shared Revenues and Benefits Service (Strategy Committee)
The Strategy Committee considered this matter at its meeting on 8 April and
RECOMMENDS:
(1) That the Council continues its collaboration with Ipswich Borough Council, St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Mid Suffolk District Council to form a shared Revenues and Benefits service.
(2) That Option 1 as set out in the Executive Summary of the business case (Paper J222A) be developed into an implementation plan. Further, that it be recognised that there is enough merit in option 1a for this to be considered further if Anglia Revenue Partnership (ARP) and the other partner Councils support the development of that option.
(3) That, in the event that one or more of the partner Councils does not support the preferences set out in the recommendation above, then authority be given to the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Chairman of Strategy Committee, Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, to develop an appropriate implementation plan for a shared Revenues and Benefits service with one or more of the other partner Councils
(4) That Councillors Michael Miller and John Hinton, in conjunction with the Chief Executive, represent the Council on the Members and Chief Executives workstream and at any meetings associated with the development of the implementation plan.
(5) That the development of the implementation plan be overseen by the Procurement Task Group.
(6) That staff be deployed as appropriate to enable the development of an implementation plan in collaboration with staff from partner authorities.
(7) That on completion of the implementation plan the Procurement Task Group be requested to produce a further report to Strategy Committee on 17 June 2010 setting out its recommendations for a final decision on the proposed partnership.
Please see also Agenda Item 21 (below). |
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20 |
EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS)
To consider whether, pursuant to Part 1 of Schedule 12A 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.
The author of the report proposed to be considered in Part II of the Agenda is satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
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PART II
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Paper
J222A(previously
circulated) |
21 |
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
Shared Revenues and Benefit Services (Strategy Committee)
The Detailed Business Case was considered by Members of the Strategy Committee at its meeting on 8 April 2010 and was taken into account before the recommendations in Item 19 above were accepted. |
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For further information on any of the Part 1 items listed above, please contact Steve Ellwood on 01473 825876 or via email at committeeservices@babergh.gov.uk
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