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DECLARATION OF INTERESTS BY COUNCILLORS Minutes: There were no declarations of interests made by Councillors. |
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BCa/22/24 TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5 SEPTEMBER 2022 PDF 101 KB Minutes: It was RESOLVED:-
That with the following amendment the minutes of the meeting be confirmed and signed as a correct record:
Paragraph 42.5: replace ensure with assured
Paragraph 46.6 replace Cabinet Member for Environment with Cabinet Member for Environments, Biodiversity and Sustainable Travel.
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TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL'S PETITION SCHEME Minutes: None received. |
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QUESTIONS BY COUNCILLORS Minutes: None received. |
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MATTERS REFERRED BY THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY OR JOINT AUDIT AND STANDARDS COMMITTEES The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Minutes: 51.1 The Chair, Councillor Ward invited the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Hinton to provide an update of the recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.
51.2 Councillor Hinton referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommendations to Cabinet, as detailed in the tabled papers and provided an update from the recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting including concerns over the uncertainty in predicting parking capacity. Queries were also raised over the governance of the parking strategy implementation and a request that the business case for the implementation plan be made available for scrutiny at an appropriate time. The Committee had also asked that Information Bulletins were provided at key stages of the implementation phase.
51.3 Further, that the Parking Strategy needed to encourage implementation of proposals to discourage car use by providing opportunities for journeys to be undertaken by other means and queried why a heat map to identify problem areas in relation to enforcement had not been produced. The Committee was concerned that data had been collected before the sharp increase in fuel prices and the cost-of-living crisis.
51.4 On street parking, and parking for vehicle sharing and lorry parking for the A14 corridor and elsewhere and the limited scope of the Strategy due to carparks being under the control of others, including Suffolk County Council, were also raised as concern of the Committee.
51.5 Councillor Hinton responded to questions, including parking on verges, open spaces, on-street parking and lorry parking issues. |
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FORTHCOMING DECISIONS LIST Please note the most up to date version can be found via the website:
Forthcoming Decisions List » Babergh
Minutes: There were no comments made for the Forthcoming Decisions List. |
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BCa/22/25 BABERGH AND MID SUFFOLKS PARKING STRATEGY 2022-2042 PDF 201 KB Cabinet Member for Environment. Additional documents:
Decision: It was RESOLVED: -
1.1 Note the background evidence reports provided to support the new parking strategy. 1.2 Approve the new parking strategy for Babergh and its proposed recommendations, accepting that some recommendations may require full business cases to be approved by Cabinet at a later date. 1.3 Agree delegated authority for the Director of Economic Growth and Climate Change in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment to deliver proposed recommendations through the creation of a focused implementation plan, subject to any business case approvals required as part of 3.2 above.
REASON FOR DECISION To set out the councils’ ambitions for parking for the short, medium and long term, by helping to shape the future growth of the district, enhance the quality of the local environment, and provide a prospectus for investment. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: To continue without a parking strategy – this option was not taken up due to the previous Cabinet decision in August 2021 to pursue a clear and joined-up parking strategy that looks at all elements of parking which is everything from on-street and off-street, through to the economic, environmental, and community impacts. Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None Any Dispensation Granted: None
Minutes: 53.1 The Chair, Councillor Ward introduced the report, as the Cabinet Member for Environment had forwarded her apologies for the meeting.
53.2 Councillor Ward moved recommendations 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3, as detailed in the report, which was seconded by the Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital Transformation and Improvements, Councillor McCraw.
53.3 Councillor Osborne raised the issues surrounding the relocation of the lorry park in Sudbury and that this needed to be addressed. She also stated that parking on open spaces and verges were ongoing problems.
53.4 The Director for Economic Growth and Climate Change responded that to address the immediate issues for lorry parking, meetings were being set up with Suffolk County Council (SCC) to address these issues.
53.5 The Parking Service Manager advised Members that SCC was reviewed lorry parking across the County, which would lead to further work being undertaken in this matter between the two Councils. SCC would keep the Council informed of any progress made on their behalf.
53.6 The Service Improvement Advisor addressed the questions relating to parking on Open Space land and advised Members that the Strategy summery had been updated and further work would be undertaken with parish, town councils and members to identify problem areas across the District for the Implementation Plan.
53.7 Councillor McLaren queried whether the Virtual High Street had impacted on the foot fall in the high street. The Director for Economic Growth and Climate Change responded that as the Virtual High Street was a complementary enterprise, she did not anticipate that the Virtual High Street would have an impact on parking spaces in Sudbury and Hadleigh.
53.8 In response to Councillors’ questions, the Director for Economic Growth and Environment advised that the Strategy would not update every year. However, the Implementation Plan would be the next stage, and this would be a working document consisting of both small and easily implemented projects and bigger projects, which would require further consideration. The Parking Strategy was required now and was prepared on the evidence which was collected from a vast number of sources.
53.9 Adam Bunce from 2020 Consultancy, detailed how the data had been collected both during and after the Covid pandemic and how this data was analysed. In addition, he responded to further questions relating to parking on verges, which he stated was a relatively easy to determine and mitigate.
53.10 The Service Improvement Advisor informed Members that the Parking strategy was interlinked with the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and other strategies for walking, cycling, coach parking, car clubs, parking for motorcycle and bikes.
53.11 In response to Members’ questions relating to planning, the Director for Economic Growth and Environment advised that the Parking Strategy would be applied to planning application similarly to the LCWIP.
53.12 During the debated Members considered the issues relating to the Parking Strategy including alternative uses of the car parking areas, that parking on opens spaces need to be addressed, the Implementation Plan and whether implementation of the Parking Strategy ... view the full minutes text for item 53.
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BCa/22/26 EXEMPTION OF RIGHT TO BUY RECEIPTS FOR NEW COUNCIL HOUSING FROM POOLING PDF 131 KB Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Investments. Decision: It was RESOLVED: -
That application for exemption from pooling for all Right to Buy receipts from the sale of existing council homes built or acquired since July 2008 and homes built or acquired by the Council going forwards is approved.
REASON FOR DECISION Exemption from pooling for the sale of these homes would mean that the Council retains more flexibility in how it uses these capital receipts and can apply them to any Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital expenditure or to repay debt without time restrictions. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: There are no other available options. Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None Any Dispensation Granted: None
Minutes: 54.1 The Chair, Councillor Ward invited the Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Investments, Councillor Busby to introduce the report.
54.2 Councillor Busby provided an introduction and moved recommendation 3.1 as detailed in the report.
54.3 Councillor Osborne seconded the recommendations and asked whether there would be a retrospect payment of the receipts going back to 2008.
54.4 The Corporate Manager for Finance Operations advised Members that this was the case and that the retrospect payments were not restricted to be used for a one-to-one basis.
It was RESOLVED: -
That application for exemption from pooling for all Right to Buy receipts from the sale of existing council homes built or acquired since July 2008 and homes built or acquired by the Council going forward was approved.
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BCa/22/27 COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION (WORKING AGE) SCHEME 2023/24 - CONSULTATION PDF 199 KB Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Investments. Additional documents: Decision: It was RESOLVED: -
1.1 To consult on Option 3 as set out in Appendix B of this report as the basis for a revised (Working Age) Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24. 1.2 To authorise the Director for Corporate Resources following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance to initiate the formal consultation on the proposed revision to the Babergh District Council (Working Age) Council Tax Reduction Local Scheme. REASON FOR DECISION 1.1 To increase the maximum reduction available to 100% and reduce the number of customers undergoing recovery processes. 1.2 To avoid unnecessary means testing and provide equitable access to CTR for all customers who receive welfare benefits. 1.3 To reduce the requirement for recalculation of awards for customers on UC with fluctuating earnings. 1.4 To ensure that no customer is disadvantaged on the introduction of the new CTR Scheme 1.5 To meet the statutory consultation requirements and inform future decision making Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: 1.1 Option 1 Renew the existing Working Age LCTR Scheme to allow an up to
100% maximum reduction for all households. 1.2 Option 2 Renew the existing Working Age LCTR Scheme to allow an up to 100% maximum reduction for all legacy benefit households and introduce a simplified scheme for UC customers that will allow ‘passported’ claims to be automated based on the UC financial data without additional verification.
1.3 Option 3 Renew the existing Working Age LCTR Scheme to allow an up to 100% maximum reduction for all legacy benefit households and introduce a simplified scheme for UC customers that will allow ‘passported’ claims to be automated based on the UC financial data without additional verification. Create a transitional protection scheme to support those households who would be worse off under the simplified UC scheme.
1.4 Option 4 Continue with the existing Working Age LCTR Scheme of up to 95% maximum reduction for all households
Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None Any Dispensation Granted: None
Minutes: 55.1 The Chair, Councillor Ward invited the Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Investments to introduce the report.
55.2 Councillor Busby provided a brief introduction and proposed the recommendations as detailed in the report.
55.3 Councillor Osborne seconded the recommendations and stated that she was supported option 3. However, she queried if there were any groups, who were not included in this scheme.
55.4 The Director for Corporate Resources responded that the Shared Revenue Partnership (SRP) would bring a report to Cabinet in due course on this matter.
55.5 During the debate Members considered the consultation process, that the SRP Cost was actually a saving to the Council and the benefits of working with other agencies.
It was RESOLVED: -
1.1 To consult on Option 3 as set out in Appendix B of this report as the basis for a revised (Working Age) Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24. 1.2 To authorise the Director for Corporate Resources following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance to initiate the formal consultation on the proposed revision to the Babergh District Council (Working Age) Council Tax Reduction Local Scheme.
At the end of the meeting the Leader Councillor Ward thanked the Director for Law and Governance Emily Yule for her time with Babergh District Council and stated that she had been an excellent Monitoring Officer.
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