Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were 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.

No interests were declared.

No members of the public had requested to speak at the meeting.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2020.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2020.

It was moved, seconded and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2020be approved as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place
Presented by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Infrastructure

Councillor Robert Ashman presented the report to Cabinet on a request from Diseworth and Long Whatton Parish Council to adopt a revised Village Design Statement for Diseworth as a Supplementary Planning Document. 

It was noted that, following the decision of Cabinet in January 2018, the Diseworth and Long Whatton Parish Council were contacted to advise them of the need to consider reviewing the Village Design Statement (VDS) to be retained. It was agreed with the Parish Council that the revised VDS needed to be the subject of consultation before it could be submitted to the District Council.

The VDS is considered compatible with the adopted Local Council’s Design Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), helping to provide a local dimension that these documents alone cannot do. In terms of governance, formulation of an SPD is an Executive function but adoption is a Council function, which has been delegated to the Local Plan Committee.

Therefore, Cabinet is asked to request that the Local Plan Committee approve that the draft SPD go out to public consultation. Following the public consultation, a further report amending the draft SPD will then need to be brought back to Cabinet with amendments having been made pursuant to the consultation response, recommending that Local Plan Committee approve the revised draft SPD.

Cabinet was advised that the next Local Plan Committee was scheduled for 29 July 2020. Subject to the agreement of Cabinet, a report would be taken to that meeting seeking the approval of the Local Plan Committee to commence consultation as outlined above.

The Leader thanked Councillor Ashman and invited questions and comments from Members.

Members wholeheartedly welcomed the report and supported the recommendation.

The recommendation as set out on page 7 of the report was moved by Councillor Ashman, seconded by Councillor Rushton and subsequently

RESOLVED THAT:

The Local Plan Committee be requested to agree to undertake consultation in respect of the revised Diseworth Village Design Statement subject to being able to comply with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement.

Reason for decision:The preparation of a Supplementary Planning Document is a Cabinet function.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services
Presented by the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Property and Customer Services

Councillor Roger Bayliss presented the report to Cabinet on the issues surrounding the award of a contract in relation to the IT data centre, wide area network, backup and disaster recovery.

He advised that the current contract comes to an end on the 31st of August 2020 and that the award of a new contract is necessary in order to continue and maintain our core IT infrastructure.

The Leader thanked Councillor Bayliss and took questions and comments from Members.  There were none.           

The recommendation as set out on page 23 of the report was moved by Councillor Bayliss, seconded by Councillor Rushton and subsequently

RESOLVED THAT:

The contract for the IT data centre, wide area network, backup and disaster recovery be awarded to Six Degrees Technology Group Ltd.

Reason for decision: The current contract for data centre, wide area network, backup and disaster recovery services, comes to an end on the 31 August. The award of a new contract is necessary to maintain our IT infrastructure, network, backup, systems and applications.  The level of expenditure on this contract exceeds the authority threshold in the scheme of delegation.

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.  Members are reminded that they must have regard to the public interest test and must consider, for each item, whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure outweighs the public interest in making the item available.

It was moved, seconded and subsequently

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.

The Chairman explained that it was necessary to move into confidential session and he thanked those who had joined the meeting for their participation.

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

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Portfolio Holder for Community Services

Councillor Andrew Woodman presented the report to Cabinet on the issues surrounding two recent purchases of new council assets that could not be competitively tendered.

The Leader thanked Councillor Woodman for his report.

The recommendation as set out on page 27 of the report was moved by Councillor Woodman, seconded by Councillor Rushton and subsequently

RESOLVED THAT:

The recommendation as set out on page 27 of the report be approved.

Reason for decision:The council’s Financial and Contract Procedures require that exemptions be reported to Cabinet.