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Apologies for absence Minutes: 129.1 There were no apologies received |
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To receive any declarations of pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests by Members Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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MC/17/36 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2018 PDF 244 KB Minutes: 131.1 Subject to Minute 127.34 being amended to read “Councillor Stringer welcomed the opportunity to sit down with the Administration and look at past alternative Green Group submissions and it was for this reason on balance that he would be voting for the recommendations in the report”
It was Resolved: -
That the Minutes be approved as a true record. |
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MC/17/37 Chairman's Announcements PDF 26 KB Minutes: 132.1 The Chairman thanked everybody who had attended the Chairman’s dinner or who had a made a contribution to the fund, which was now approaching £2000 for the evening. |
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MC/17/38 Leader's Announcements PDF 110 KB Minutes: 133.1 The Leader presented his report and invited questions from Members.
133.2 Councillor Otton asked about MYGO in Stowmarket and whether it was under threat, she also raised concerns about the use of plastic bags that she had received her council papers in.
133.3 In response Councillor Gowrley confirmed that MYGO had already finished in Stowmarket. However, the Council was working with the MIX to see if an alternative provision could be provided. Reassurance was also given that the plastic bags were fully bio-degradable.
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To receive notification of petitions in accordance with the Council's Procedure Rule In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, The Chief Executive will report the receipt of the following petition. There can be no debate or comment upon these matters at the Council meeting.
A petition with 85 valid signatures has been received regarding a bus service in Combs Ford. This petition has also been sent to the County Council. Minutes: The Corporate Manager for Democratic Services reported that the Council had received a petition with 85 valid signatures relating to a bus service in Combs Ford. This petition had also been sent to the County Council and the Council was awaiting their response. |
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Questions by the Public The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which notice has been given no later than midday three clear working days before the day of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11. Minutes: 135.1 There were no questions received |
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Questions by Councillors The Chairman of the Council, the Chairman of Committees and Sub-Committees and Portfolio Holders to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12. Minutes: 136.1 The following questions were received in accordance with Council procedure Rule 12 of the Constitution:-
Question 1
Councillor Stringer to Councillor Whybrow Cabinet Member for Planning:
“Given the new Joint Local Plan will include a joint housing number for both Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils – and will equally have a joint five year housing land supply number – how can Mid Suffolk District Council as a sovereign council have authority over the work at Babergh District Council to meet these numbers.”
Response from Councillor Whybrow - Cabinet Member for Planning:
“This remains an issue to be resolved. Working to develop the Joint Local Plan at the same time as the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is being revised does have challenges because officers and Councillors are having to adapt to an evolving policy context. Early documentation emerging from the Government’s White Paper, “Fixing the Broken Housing Market” (early 2017), and the “Right Homes Right Places” consultation (late 2017), described a clear direction towards joint numbers for joint plans so officers had been working on that basis. The recent consultation on the revised NPPF is silent on the matter but the revised Planning Practice Guidance (a technical document) indicates that it will be a matter of choice for authorities working towards joint plans. So the question of whether the two Councils have a joint number or individual numbers remains part of the emerging work.
The cross-party workshops that have been delivered over the past couple of months articulated the anticipated requirement to combine numbers. There was general agreement to this during the discussion, although the implications might not have been discussed at length, and there are workload and timetabling implications to having separate numbers (for example separating out each Councils approach to Spatial Distribution). Current interpretation of guidance indicates that it remains a choice available to the Councils, however, so your officers will be seeking external advice to clarify this point.
Of course, if both Councils choose to have a combined number then the opportunity exists to create a Joint Housing Delivery Board, for example, which could provide a mechanism that would enable each Council to influence the others’ activity to stimulate housing delivery.”
Supplementary Question
Can you categorically on record now say that Mid Suffolk councillors of this Council will have a vote as to whether this is a joint or a separate housing number?
Response from Councillor Whybrow - Cabinet Member for Planning:
In as much as prior to submission of the Reg 19 document, no I can’t because I’m not sure myself whether it will be Cabinet approved to go to consultation or full Council. I might be able to receive some advice on that but very much so both options are still open and I personally wouldn’t want to see a single or a joint number being agreed as the way forward without Members of cross parties agreeing that that was the right thing to do.
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To receive reports from Cabinet Members PDF 436 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: 137.1 The following questions were received for the Cabinet Member reports:
CMU8 - Councillor Gowrley Cabinet Member for Assets and Investment
Question 1:
Councillor Matthissen to Councillor
Gowrley -
Cabinet Member for Assets and
Investment
Response
from Councillor
Gowrley -
Cabinet Member for Assets and
Investment: Options for re-lining and provision of designated parking spaces will be considered as part of the re-modelling of the Ipswich Street car park adjacent to the Regal Theatre. There are opportunities offered through the project to consider afresh, pedestrian access and blue badge parking. I am aware that our partner Stowmarket Town Council has invited representatives of Mid Suffolk Disability Advisory Forum to be involved in the design phase of the project, an invitation that they have accepted
CMU9 - Councillor Flatman - Cabinet Member for Communities
Question 1: Councillor Eburne to Councillor Flatman - Cabinet Member for Communities
With reference to your Council report, I am concerned that we do not currently have full staffing levels in order to support our local communities especially in regards to external funding opportunities. Several staff are off sick and the team are not at full capacity.
Please can you advise?
Response from Councillor Flatman - Cabinet Member for Communities:
The capacity and resilience within the Communities teams is kept under regular review. Communities did indeed have significant levels of sick leave last year, but we now only have one member of staff off sick and that ill health absence is covered by a temporary worker. There are currently 2 vacancies for Communities Officers across the safer and stronger and health and well-being teams, which have just become vacant in the last month as a result of a retirement and an internal secondment. There is also a vacancy for a Business Support post. The managers have taken the opportunity of these vacancies to relook at the skills they require to better respond to the nature of the teams’ work and are currently revising job descriptions, prior to advertising these posts. However, an additional post was established in the team in March and has already been filled. There has been no reduction in capacity with regard to external funding. In fact, recently external funding was added to the job description of a second officer in the team to increase resilience in this important area of work. The development of the Communities Strategy over the next 6 months will also be an appropriate point to carry out a more fundamental review of the skills and capacity required to deliver the priorities in the longer term.
Question 2: Councillor Matthissen to Councillor Flatman - Cabinet Member for Communities
Assets of Community Value (ACV): While welcoming the success with the Redgrave Cross Keys pub, have you lobbied Government regarding the unsatisfactory aspects of the ACV process? Response from Councillor Flatman - Cabinet Member for Communities: No, we haven’t lobbied Government. I have, ... view the full minutes text for item 137. |
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MC/17/39 Overview and Scrutiny Committee Report PDF 63 KB Minutes: 138.1 Councillor Eburne presented the report and informed Council that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee sessions had been covering a lot of different areas of the Council. The Committee had tried to ensure that they were really getting to know what the important matters were out in in the public domain and to also ensure that the Committee added value to those from a Council perspective, improve transparency and to ensure that that any representation to the public is made clear.
138.2 Commenting further she wanted Council to note that following a request with regards to public attendance at meetings this was now being monitored and she also requested that if there were any issues coming up that Councillors would like to scrutinise please could they contact her.
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MC/17/40 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - CIL Expenditure Framework PDF 131 KB David Whybrow – Cabinet Member for Planning Additional documents:
Minutes: 139.1 Councillor Whybrow introduced the report and informed Council that the report and appendices basically encapsulated the thinking around CIL that was contained in the February Cabinet report but also includes now the work from the Joint Member Panel who met after Cabinet in February.
139.3 Councillor Whybrow went on to outline the key outcomes from the Panel meetings and MOVED the recommendations in the report.
139.4 Councillor Guthrie seconded the report and reserved the right to speak.
139.5 Councillor Field queried how money would be allocated where parishes were without a parish council and he sought further explanation on the proposed cap of £100 per existing dwelling if you did not have a neighbourhood plan?
139.6 In response Councillor Whybrow informed Council that where there was no parish council, consultation would be undertaken directly with the community, he felt that this could reasonably be undertaken because the settlement would be very small. Commenting on the cap he stated that this was the cap agreed and this did not roll over.
139.7 Councillor Stringer welcomed the opportunity he had to be on the Working Group and congratulated the team for pulling the report together in a very short time. He also queried how the CIL team would link in with the existing Communities and Grants team as that team already had a lot of inbuilt knowledge about communities.
139.8 In response Councillor Whybrow confirmed that that there was a level of communication that did take place between the two teams to use the knowledge base that existed within the communities teams, he also went onto say that the team was also working and bringing visibility of Section 106 funds and available monies within the same scope as CIL monies. The current software that was being purchased had been trialled internally and was seen to be successful and it was his understanding that the Council was very much a leading authority in terms of bringing together the software that provides visibility in one place for all communities.
139.9 Councillor Otton raised concerns that there would be no public speaking and no appeals process and felt that she would be unable to support the report because of this.
It was Resolved: -
(i) That the detailed CIL Expenditure Framework (including details of implementation and review) forming Appendices A and E to the report and the joint CIL Expenditure Framework Communications Strategy (Appendix B) be approved as recommended by Cabinet. (Appendices C and D comprise the CIL “Regulation 123 lists” and were approved in January 2016 and accompany the other documents for reference purposes only) (ii) That the Joint Member Panel (alongside Overview and Scrutiny) inform the Review of the CIL Expenditure Framework within the timescales contained in the Appendix E to the report. Reason for decision: Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies have been collected since the implementation of CIL in April 2016. There is no prescribed way for Councils to decide upon the spend of money collected through CIL so the Council ... view the full minutes text for item 139. |
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MC/17/41 Statement of Community Involvement Review PDF 100 KB David Whybrow – Cabinet Member for Planning
Additional documents: Minutes: 140.1 Councillor Whybrow introduced the report and informed Council that the Statement of Community Involvement was a joint planning document with Babergh that explained how the Council would engage with the public and other stakeholders in the preparation of planning documents and in determining planning applications. The current version of the joint Statement of Community Involvement for the two Councils was published in March 2014. It had been necessary to update this document to reflect greater use of the Councils’ website and move to Endeavour House and the opening of customer access points in Stowmarket and to reflect the support offered to neighbourhood planning groups in producing a neighbourhood plan and to acknowledge the introduction of CIL and to detail the introduction of a pre application charging service. 2017 planning regulations also introduce the requirement to review the Statement of Community Involvement every 5 years.
140.1 This Statement of Community Involvement draft update would also inform the preparation of the wider communities and communications’ strategies that were being prepared by the Councils. Councillor Whybrow went on to say that it was recommended that a 4 week public consultation be undertaken on this draft update, in May and June. A final version would come back to Council for adoption later in the year.
140.2 Councillor Brewster seconded the report and reserved the right to speak.
140.3 Councillor Mansel queried the table on page 116 and asked if there was some information missing as the table only referred to pre- applications and it did not appear to include the process for minor and other planning related applications.
140.4 In response Councillor Whybrow stated that he would deal with the question outside of the meeting and circulate the answer.
It was Resolved:-
(i) That the draft update to the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Statement of Community Involvement: Planning Issues, which updates the March 2014 adopted version be noted. (ii) That public consultation be undertaken for four weeks during May and June on the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Statement of Community Involvement: Planning Issues (Draft Update, April 2018). (iii) That the Corporate Manager – Spatial Planning Policy be authorised to make minor technical and formatting amendments to the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Statement of Community Involvement: Planning Issues (Draft Update, April 2018) prior to consultation. |
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MC/17/42 Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19 PDF 187 KB Report by the Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) attached. Minutes: 141.1 Councillor Whitehead introduced the report and informed Council that the Chief Executive had produced this Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19 in his formal role as Head of Paid Service. The Localism Act of 2011 requires the Council to publish and approve each year a Pay Policy Statement which sets out the remuneration of its Chief Officers through to its remuneration of its lowest paid employees and the relationships between the two.
141.2 Continuing further Councillor Whitehead asked Council to note the removal of the role of Deputy Chief Executive from the Council’s structure and hence also from this Pay Policy Statement with affect from 1 April 2018. He also said that as Babergh and Mid Suffolk have a single organisational structure with harmonised pay grades and terms and conditions of service a single Pay Policy Statement covered both Councils.
141.3 The lowest paid employees were those on the lowest increment within the Grade 1 pay band. At 31 March 2018 that full time equivalent pay was £16,491. Councillor Whitehead asked Members to note that this pay rate exceeds both the National Minimal Wage and the Living Wage set by the Living Wage Foundation.
141.4 Councillor Whitehead also highlighted a reference to the gender pay gap reporting which is now required by a new 2017 regulation under the Equality Act 2010. Both Councils must report that separately although strictly Babergh actually falls below the 250 employee reporting threshold. They are for both Councils reported along with the combined data which is more meaningful giving the fully integrated nature of the workforce.
141.5 Councillor Otton requested that future reports should actually state the salary of the Chief Executive and asked whether Overview and Scrutiny could look at the gender pay gap within the Council to see whether the Council needs to consider any issues as part of being a good employee.
141.6 In response Councillor Whitehead stated that he would be happy to agree to Overview and Scrutiny examining the gender pay gap. As for the publication of the Chief Executive’s salary in terms of the statutory regulations they were just required to publish the range and the fact that there were five incremental points.
141.7 Councillor Eburne welcomed the report on the gender pay gap and asked why there wasn’t a report with it, detailing what the Council was doing about it. She also asked if the Chief Executive could decide at some point to reinstate the Deputy Chief Executive without seeking Council approval?
141.8 The Chief Executive in response said in terms of the pay equality gap as per the report on line, the Council was currently researching the reasons during this month and next month and so he would hope that by the end of May to be in a position to have published an action plan and would be more than happy to bring that through Scrutiny in advance of it being published to ensure it’s a comprehensive action plan that helps to reduce the current gap. ... view the full minutes text for item 141. |
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Appointments Minutes: 142.1 There were no changes to placings. |
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Resolution to Exclude the Public Recommended Motion
That under section 100(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for item 16 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act in the paragraph registered against the item:
Note:Information is exempt only if: It falls within one of the 7 categories of exempt information in the Act and; In all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information Minutes: RESOLVED
That under Section 100(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public 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 defined in Part 1 of the Schedule 12a of the Act Category 1.
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MC/17/43 BMS Invest - Performance, Risk and Governance Update Report from the Chair MSDC (Suffolk Holdings) LTD attached. Minutes: 144.1 Councillor Field and Councillor Barker both declared a personal non -pecuniary interest.
144.2 Councillor Brewster introduced the report.
It was Resolved:-
That the performance report be noted and agreed as an accurate reflection of Mid-Suffolk District Council’s current performance across its investment portfolio.
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