Agenda and minutes

Before the start of the meeting the Leader advised that it was the Head of Planning and Infrastructure’s last Cabinet meeting. He stated that he had made a major contribution to the authority and thanked him for all his hard work over the past 3 years.

There were no apologies received.

Under the Code of Conduct members are reminded that in declaring disclosable interests you should make clear the nature of that interest and whether it is pecuniary or non-pecuniary.

There were no interests declared.

There were no questions received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2018

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2018.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2018 be approved by the Chairman as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder

The Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He highlighted that the 12 week consultation period had been extended after new evidence was published, that Members and the public had had opportunity to input in to the response and that the response was summarised in section 3 of the report. He advised that Councillor S Sheahan had made a comment in relation to the National Forest Line which would be noted and taken into account.

Councillor N J Rushton stated that he had been contacted by some residents who travel from the district to Leicester using the A511, and are inconvenienced by delays at the Flying Horse Roundabout. He asked that consideration of improvement to the junction be included in the response as this road link was pivotal to the growth of the district.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that he was happy to include consideration to the roundabout in the response.

It was moved by Councillor T J Pendleton, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT:

The suggested response to the consultation as detailed at section 3 of the report, with the inclusion of the Flying Horse Roundabout as an area to be considered for infrastructure improvement, be endorsed.

Reason for decision:To respond to the Leicester & Leicestershire Draft Joint Strategic Growth Plan Consultation.

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members.

He advised that the Council was already a member of the Local Government Association and that it was originally established as an unincorporated association. He informed Members that for financial reasons and business efficacy the association was to change its status to an unlimited company and the Council was being asked to sign up to the new organisation.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

The Council joining the new LGA unlimited company be agreed.

Reason for decision: The Constitution required Cabinet to make decisions about the Council joining an unlimited company.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder

The Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He highlighted that the NPPF consolidated various Planning Policy Guidance, ministerial statements and other Government guidance from 2011 and since then various details had been tested and clarified by the Courts. He advised that the Housing White Paper included several changes which required the NPPF to be amended. He stated that the key features were summarised at section 2 of the report and that the suggested responses to the consultation questions were detailed in the appendix.

It was moved by Councillor T J Pendleton, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.            The proposed response to the consultation, as detailed at appendix 1, be endorsed; and

2.            The Strategic Director of Place be delegated to send the response to the MHCLG

Reason for Decision: To respond to the consultation.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members.

He advised Members that the report outlined the updated and improved approach to risk management and that it was more important than ever that the Council preserved its ability to provide its diverse range of essential services. He highlighted that the current strategy was approved in July 2014 and that as part of the 2016/17 annual governance statement a commitment was made to review the approach to risk management. He informed Members that the Audit & Governance Committee had agreed the policy at its meeting on 21 March 2018.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The updated Risk Management Policy be formally adopted.

2.    The updated Risk Management Framework be approved.

Reason for decision: The Risk Management Policy is required to be reviewed and updated on a periodic basis and to obtain support from Members for the updated risk management framework.

The officers consider that the press and public should be excluded during consideration of the following items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 as publicity would be likely to result in disclosure of exempt or confidential information.

RESOLVED THAT:

In pursuance of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the business to be transacted involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Reason for decision: To enable the consideration of exempt information.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He advised that the current finance system required to be replaced due to its age and issues with functionality and that in order to have the existing system in place until a new system had been procured, the exemption had been granted on the basis that only one supplier could provide the service. He informed Members that the 2 year contract was valued at £120,000 and that the funding for the replacement system had been agreed in the 2018/19 budget.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

The grant of an exemption to the Council’s Contract Procedure rule 6.4 to allow the award of a contract for support and maintenance of its existing finance system on the grounds that only one supplier was available for technical reasons be noted.

Reason for decision: To ensure the contract for the Council’s finance system is compliant.