To discuss the Call In from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Full Council.
Decision:
It was RESOLVED: -
1.1 That after careful consideration of the debate of Full Council on 21 November 2017 and Appendices A and B within report BCa/17/38, Cabinet reconfirms the decisions made by Cabinet on 13 October 2017.
Reason for Decision: To ensure that the two districts were in the best possible position to respond to, and take advantage of, the emerging opportunities and challenges within Local Government and Suffolk.
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: Five different options were considered as detailed in report BCa/17/38 – Option A – Broader Partnership, Option B – Dissolution, Option C – Unitary, Option D – Combined Authority or Option E - Mutual. Options A, C, D and E were considered and rejected.
Any Declarations of Interest declared: None
Any Dispensation Granted: None
Please note this Item is exempt from further Call In Under Part 3 - Scrutiny Procedure Rule 13 of the Constitution.
Minutes:
75.1
75.2
75.3
75.4
75.5
75.6
75.7 |
The Leader of the Council introduced the report BCa/17/38 and read out the resolution made at the Simultaneous Cabinet meeting of the 13 October 2017. She moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor
The Chief Executive set out that Cabinet should consider the revised report which detailed the additional financial information and the engagement process.
If the recommendation was endorsed then the public engagement programme would commence on 11 December 2017 and would run until 5 February 2018. The conclusions from this and the draft business case would be submitted in March 2018 to firstly be considered by a joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee, then both Councils and finally to a Simultaneous Cabinet meeting in April 2018.
Following a conversation with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) it would be unlikely implementation could take place prior to May 2020. Cabinet should consider the issues presented and were not to predetermine the business case.
Following questions as to whether the business case should come first prior to public consultation the Chief Executive explained public engagement would form part of the production of the business case.
Members considered the idea of pooling resources with Mid Suffolk District Council would help the financial position. Public Engagement should take place and then it could be decided from the results how best to move forward. It was considered that a referendum was a blunt instrument whereas a telephone poll would ask detailed probing questions. The questions which were to be asked as part of the telephone poll had been available since the 13 October 2017 and would be from an independent source. The telephone poll was one single element of the whole public engagement process.
The Cabinet were satisfied they had fully looked at the additional financial information as presented in report BCa/17/38 as well as the minutes from previous meetings and the proposed public engagement programme.
By an unanimous vote
It was RESOLVED: -
(1) That after careful consideration of the debate of Full Council on 21 November 2017 and Appendices A and B within report BCa/17/38, Cabinet reconfirms the decisions made by Cabinet on 13 October 2017.
Reason for Decision: To ensure that the two districts were in the best possible position to respond to, and take advantage of, the emerging opportunities and challenges within Local Government and Suffolk.
|
</AI15>
<TRAILER_SECTION>
The business of the meeting was concluded at 7:46pm.
Supporting documents: