CMU1 – Cabinet Member for Assets and Investments
CMU2 – Cabinet Member for Communities
CMU3 – Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital Transformation & Improvement
CMU4 – Cabinet Member for Economic Growth
CMU5 – Cabinet Member for Environment
CMU6 – Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance
CMU7 – Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance (Law and Governance)
CMU8 – Cabinet Member for Housing
CMU9 – Cabinet Member for Planning
Minutes:
8.1 Councillor Ward, the Leader of the Council, made the introduction to Cabinet Members’ Reports and invited Members to direct questions to the respective Cabinet Members.
8.2 CMU1 Cabinet Member for Assets and Investments
There were no questions for this report.
That report CMU1 be noted.
8.3 CMU2 Cabinet Member for Communities
Councillor Hinton asked why there were references to Mid Suffolk District Council in the report and Councillor Davis, Cabinet Member for Communities, responded that the Assistant Director for Communities had been informed and this would be amended in the next report.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU2 be noted.
8.4 CMU3 Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital Transformation and Improvement
There were no questions for this report.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU3 be noted.
8.5 CMU4 Cabinet Member for Economic Growth – Councillor Ward responded on behalf of the Cabinet Member
Councillor Hinton stated that 50% of new homes were built in rural areas and asked how many new jobs were being created as a result of these developments. The Cabinet Member for Economic Growth responded that the answer would be circulated after the meeting.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU4 be noted.
8.6 CMU5 Cabinet Member for Environment
There were no questions for this report.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU5 be noted.
8.7 CMU6 Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance
There were no questions for this report.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU6 be noted.
8.8 CMU7 Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance (Law and Governance)
Councillor Hinton enquired whether recruitment requirements had been fulfilled for the Shared Legal Service, as he thought there was still a backlog of cases being processed.
Arthur Charvonia, Chief Executive, responded that the Shared Legal Service team had been reconfigured since the service had been established and were now fully operating. The service provided legal support for West Suffolk Council, Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils.
Councillor Hinton then asked for clarification on the arrangements for the possible upcoming General Elections and the Chief Executive responded that there would be sufficient ballot boxes for any upcoming elections and that ballot boxes could be compacted using the standard issued Ballot Box Compactor.
In response to Councillor Dawson’s question, the Chief Executive explained that the formal publication of the Electoral Register was prescribed by Central Government and would be published annually on the 1st of December each year.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU7 be noted.
8.9 CMU8 Cabinet Member for Housing
Councillor Hinton referred to paragraph 3.3 in the report and asked how many rough sleepers there were in Babergh District.
Councillor Jan Osborne responded that although the number of rough sleepers was increasing in Suffolk, there were none in Babergh. Recent funding of £209,000 had been made available, some of which provided funding for an Out-reach officer working across the two Districts.
Councillor Maybury enquired if there had been any rough sleepers during the last two months and Councillor Jan Osborne explained that rough sleepers were difficult to record as they often did not engage with council officers.
The Assistant Director for Housing would provide a further response to the question after the meeting.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU8 be noted.
8.10 CMU9 Cabinet Member for Planning
Councillor Arthey, Cabinet Member for Planning, informed Members that there were references to Mid Suffolk District Council in the report, which had been included on purpose for comparison and for the Joint Local Plan. He pointed Members’ attention to the fact that Babergh District Council could now demonstrate a Housing Land Supply of 5.67 years.
Councillor Arthey referred to paragraph 3.4 and that the Monitoring Report stated that there were 579 completions for the year 2018-19.
For paragraph 3.11 Councillor Arthey informed Members that there had been 881 attendances at the drop-in events across the two Districts and for paragraph 3.12 that the Cross-party Steering Group would be meeting next month (October 2019)
There were no questions for this report.
It was RESOLVED: -
That report CMU9 be noted.
Supporting documents: