Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
Democratic Services

Mobile menu icon

Agenda and minutes

Venue: King Edmund Chamber, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich. View directions

Contact: Committee Services 

Items
No. Item

73.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS BY COUNCILLORS

Minutes:

73.1         There were no declarations of interests.

 

74.

MC/19/30 TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 24 OCTOBER 2019 pdf icon PDF 363 KB

Minutes:

It was Resolved:-

 

That subject to the following amendments that the Minutes of the meeting held on the 24 October be confirmed and signed as a true record:

 

Amendment to the minutes from the meeting held on the 26 September 2019, page 8 to read: Paragraph 15.14 Change Climate Emergency Change to Climate Change Emergency

75.

MC/19/31 CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS pdf icon PDF 60 KB

Minutes:

75.1       The Chair referred to Paper MC/19/31, which was for noting.

 

76.

MC/19/32 LEADER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

To follow.

Minutes:

76.1         The Chair invited Councillor Morley, Leader of the Council, to present her updates.

 

76.2          Councillor Morley presented the following updates:

 

Public Realm

 

Just before Christmas Peter Garrett sent out an informative update on what had been done by the Public Realm team and the extensive range of day-to-day activities that the team undertook. He also said that the team would be offering Ward Tours to enable Members to see the team’s work at first hand in their Wards. The things that the team did, had a direct and highly visible effect on the quality of residents’ lives and there was growing interest in the management of our open spaces for well-being and the environment. The Council’s proposals for tree planting and biodiversity corridors would also mean working directly with our communities. Peter also mentioned a new 5-year programme of play site improvements. So please contact Peter to arrange a tour and discuss improvements Members would like to see in your Wards.

 

Equality & Diversity Training

 

Just a reminder that Kate Parnum had sent out an email about the mandatory Equality & Diversity training. There were still some Members who had yet to attend and further dates would be announced soon. This was actually a very good and enlightening session and she recommended it to Members to attend.  Just to re-iterate it was mandatory and being a Suffolk County Council or Parish Councillor did not exempt Members from attending. 

 

She welcomed the discussions held with Councillor Rachel Eburne and Councillor John Field to strengthen working relationships between the groups for the good of residents – they were looking together at how meetings, briefings and reports could be streamlined.

 

The Leader had met with Dr. Dan Poulter last week and was pleased to be able to share the direction of travel and understand in more detail what Government's priorities are likely to be.

 

She was looking forward to informally meeting with fellow Public Sector Leaders tomorrow.

 

The Leader would be attending the District Council Network Conference to represent Mid Suffolk in early February.  

 

 

 

77.

TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULES

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, The Chief Executive will report the receipt of any petitions. There can be no debate or comment upon these matters at the Council meeting.

Minutes:

77.1      None received.

 

78.

QUESTIONS BY THE PUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULES

The Chairs 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 12.

Minutes:

78.1         None received.

 

79.

QUESTIONS BY COUNCILLORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULES

The Chairman of the Council, Chairs 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 13.

Minutes:

79.1         None received.

 

80.

TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM CABINET MEMBERS pdf icon PDF 121 KB

CMU10 – Leader and Cabinet Member for Assets and Investments

CMU11 – Leader, Cabinet Member for Assets and Investments and Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital Transformation & Improvement (Law and Governance)

CMU12 – Cabinet Member for Communities

CMU13 – Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital Transformation & Improvement

CMU14 – Cabinet Member for Economic Growth

CMU15 – Cabinet Member for Environment

CMU16 – Cabinet Member for Finance

CMU17 – Cabinet Member for Housing

CMU18 – Cabinet Member for Planning

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

80.1         Councillor Hadingham, the Chair of the Council, explained that questions had been received prior to the meeting for the Cabinet Members’ Reports and that it was her intention to limit the discussion to thirty minutes. She would therefore draw the questioning to a close after 30 minutes had elapsed, if the item had not already been concluded.

 

80.2          The Chair invited Councillor Morley, the Leader, to introduce the item.

 

80.3          Councillor Morley explained that following discussions with Councillor Eburne and Councillor Field, it had been agreed that going forward Cabinet Members’ reports were to be presented quarterly to Cabinet. The Performance Monitoring reports would also be expanded, as these often held the responses to the questions raised for the Cabinet Members reports.   Therefore, this was the last time that Cabinet Members’ Reports would be presented to Council.

 

80.4          CMU10 Cabinet Member Report for Assets and Investments

 

80.5          Councillor Eburne referred to Report CMU10 in relation to Mid Suffolk Growth Ltd. and asked if the £1M set aside to mitigate for commercial risk was sufficient.

 

80.6          Councillor Whitehead said that funding to mitigate for commercial risk for sites being developed in the District, was prudent until the Council received an income from the borrowing provided to these developments.

 

80.7          The Chair of the Council advised Members that the questioning would follow the tabled papers and asked Councillor Welham to ask his questions.

 

It was Resolved: -

 

That Report CMU10 be noted.

 

 

80.8          CMU11 Cabinet Member Report for Customers, Digital Transformation and Improvements (Law and Governance)

 

80.9          There were no questions for the report.

 

It was Resolved: -

 

That Report CMU11 be noted.

 

 

80.10       CMU12 Cabinet Member Report for Communities

 

Councillor Keith Welham to the Cabinet Member for Communities

 

Could we be given more information on the Active Schools project including:

 

Which schools are taking part?

Which aspects of the project are they involved in?

Is there direct involvement in the project from officers and members?

How is the project funded?

 

Response

Information was provided to you in July of last year shortly after the project was launched, and there is a reference in paragraph 3.9 of my report, but I’m pleased that you have given me the opportunity to provide further detail.

Within Mid Suffolk, Gislingham Primary School has had an initial meeting as have St Botolph’s in Botesdale and Cedars Park Primary. Thorndon have been in touch to express interest. The furthest ahead are Freeman and Abbots Hall Primary schools in Stowupland and Stowmarket who both have action plans in place.

 

The project is focused on helping these schools increase physical activity among their students. Council Officers have contacted schools directly to encourage their involvement and explain the role of Active Suffolk, who have been commissioned to deliver on behalf of the Council. 

 

The project is jointly funded through funding from Public Health and directly from the Council’s Communities budget.

 

In response to Councillor Welham’s further question, Councillor Flatman responded that Active Suffolk had been commissioned by Mid Suffolk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

81.

MC/19/33 OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE REPORT pdf icon PDF 402 KB

Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Minutes:

81.1         Councillor Welham, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee provided a summary of the main points in his report.

 

81.2          Councillor Stringer asked when the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be scrutinising the cost of moving to Endeavour House, specifically the ‘on cost’ for services such as skype.

 

81.3          He further enquired if the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could scrutinise, if there would be 365 days cover by Tree Officers for when trees were being felled, which were not protected by tree protection orders.

 

81.4          Councillor Welham responded to the first question that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee did attempt to scrutinise the cost of the move to Endeavour House, but were advised that it was too complicated to achieved a definitive answer and would not be good use of the Committee’s time. The Committee had not been able to determine whether the move had achieved a saving or not.

 

81.5          In response to the second question, Councillor Welham clarified that cover for Tree Officers was a question for the Cabinet Member to raise at Cabinet and not for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

82.

MC/19/34 BOTESDALE & RICKINGHALL NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 229 KB

Cabinet Member for Planning

Minutes:

82.1         Councillor Burn, Cabinet Member for Planning, introduced report MC/19/34 and summarised the main points of the report and the process undertaken for the referendum.  He referred to paragraph 4, which detailed the referendum and said that the results would be posted on the Council’s website.  He offered his congratulation to all who had been involved in the work for the Botesdale and Rickinghall Neighbourhood Plan and MOVED recommendations 3.1 and 3.2 in the report.

 

82.2         Councillor Fleming SECONDED the recommendations, which was put to Members for the vote, which was UNANIMOUS.

 

It was RESOLVED: -

 

1.1          That the Botesdale & Rickinghall Neighbourhood Plan be formally ‘made’ (adopted) as part of the District Council’s Development Plan and be used to help determine planning applications where relevant.

1.2          That the Decision Statement (Appendix 1) be published with immediate effect.

 

 

 

 

83.

COUNCILLOR APPOINTMENTS pdf icon PDF 83 KB

Minutes:

83.1         The Chair invited the Leader to announce her appointments.

 

83.2          The Leader made the following appointments:

 

Councillor Jessica Fleming and Councillor Gerard Brewster be appointed as substitute on the Shared Revenue Partnership.

 

Councillor Peter Gould be appointed as the Cabinet Member for Assets and Investment.

 

Councillor Harry Richardson be appointed as Cabinet Member Without Portfolio.

 

Councillor James Caston be appointed as a member of Development Control A Planning Committee (to replace Councillor Richardson)

 

The proposals were put to Members for the vote and the vote was CARRIED

 

It was RESOLVED:-

 

1.1           That Councillor Jessica Fleming and Councillor Gerard Brewster be appointed as substitutes on the Shared Revenue Partnership.

 

1.2           That Councillor Peter Gould be appointed as the Cabinet Member for Assets and Investment.

 

1.3           That Councillor Harry Richardson be appointed as Cabinet Member Without Portfolio.

 

1.4           That Councillor James Caston be appointed as a Member of Development Control A Planning Committee.