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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2020

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2020.

It was moved by Councillor T Gillard, seconded by Councillor R Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2020 be confirmed as an accurate record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Planning and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder

Councillor R Ashman presented the report, which outlined the suggested changes to the planning system in the recent Planning for the Future White Paper, and set out the Council’s proposed response to the accompanying consultation.

It was noted that the Local Plan Committee had considered the Council’s response to the consultation the previous week. The Local Plan Committee’s suggested amendments to the responses had been agreed with officers and the minutes of their meeting circulated to Cabinet in the Additional Papers. 

Members spoke in favour of the responses on the basis that the suggested changes to the planning system were in early stages and it was important to strike a balance between meeting the objectives of the government and being receptive to the needs of local needs and concerns.

It was moved by Councillor R Ashman, seconded by Councillor R Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT

Cabinet responds to the consultation in respect of the Planning for the Future White Paper as set in questions 1 to 26 attached at Appendix A of the report, as amended by the minutes of the Local Plan Committee.

Reason for decision: To determine the Council’s response to the consultation.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Planning and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder

Councillor R Ashman presented the report, which outlined a suggested change to Draft Objective 4 (Sustainable Transport) of the Substantive Local Plan Review since it had been considered by Cabinet on 23 July 2020. This was to reflect a change requested by Members of the Local Plan Committee in consultation with officers following their consideration of the Draft Objectives at their meeting on 29 July 2020.

Thanks were expressed to the Local Plan Committee, which in recent years had emerged as a well-run committee capable of constructively engaging with many complex issues.

It was moved by Councillor R Ashman, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT

Cabinet request the Local Plan Committee note the revised wording of Draft Objective 4 at paragraph 1.7 for inclusion in the next public consultation stage of the Substantive Local Plan Review.

Reason for decision: The preparation of the Local Plan is a Cabinet function.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Woodman presented the report, which requested approval for the Food Safety Service Delivery Plan 2020/21 and set out performance against the Delivery Plan for 2019/20.

Members spoke in approval of the various improvements in performance and standards of local establishments as set out in the report and praised the hard work of the Environmental Health team, particularly during the disruption caused by COVID-19.

It was moved by Councillor A Woodman, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT

1)    That the Environmental Health Food Safety Service Delivery Plan 2020/21 appended to the report be approved.

2)    That the performance and achievements in 2019/20 be noted.

Reason for decision: To approve the content of the Food Safety Service Delivery Plan 2020/21 as required by the Food Standards Agency.

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

Councillor N Rushton presented the report setting out a suite of Corporate Governance Policies, which were regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they remained clear and transparent. The Audit and Governance Committee had also reviewed these Policies at their meeting on 22 July 2020 for which the minutes were included as an appendix to the report.

Members believed it was important for transparency that reports setting out these policies were published to set out the work undertaken by the Council in these areas.   

It was moved by Councillor N Rushton, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT

1)    The comments from the Audit and Governance Committee at its meeting on 22 July 2020 be noted.

2)    The Corporate Governance Policies listed in paragraph 2 of the report be approved.

Reason for decision: To ensure that the Council has an up to date suite of governance policies in place reflecting the law and best practice.

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 by Councillor T Gillard, seconded by Councillor N Rushton and

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

Councillor N Rushton presented the report, as the proposal was to award a contract for the provision of payroll and HR services in excess of five years it was required to come to Cabinet for approval.

Members spoke in favour of the proposal to work with another Local Authority partner going forward.

It was moved by Councillor N Rushton, seconded by Councillor R Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT

Cabinet authorises the Award of Contract for the provision of payroll and HR services to MHR International Limited as detailed in the report.

Reason for decision: The Council wishes to award a contract for 5 years and 5 months so that the implementation phase can be initiated in time for an April 2021 ‘go live’ date.