Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Swansley Room, Ground Floor

Contact: Victoria Wallace  03450 450 500 Email: democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence from Cabinet members. 

Minutes:

Councillors Francis Burkitt, Sue Ellington and Tim Wotherspoon sent Apologies for Absence.

2.

Exclusion of Press and Public

Minutes:

The Leader withdrew this item from the agenda, preferring instead to consider the confidential element of the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2017 at the end of the meeting.

3.

Minutes of Previous Meetings pdf icon PDF 139 KB

To authorise the Leader to sign the Minutes of the meetings held on 13 July and 15 August 2017, as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet authorised the Leader to sign, as a correct record, the public version of the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2017, subject to the following:

 

Minute 9(b) - Cambridge Ice Arena: Loan to Cambridge Leisure and Ice Centre (CLIC)

In the second line of the final paragraph before the resolution, between the words “…might result in…” and “…financial consequences…”, insert the word “negative”.

 

Cabinet considered a confidential Minute from this meeting at Minute 12c below.

 

The Cabinet authorised the Leader to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 August 2017.

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

5.

Announcements

Minutes:

There were no announcements.

6.

Public Questions

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

7.

2017-18 Quarter 1 Position Statement on Finance, Performance and Risk pdf icon PDF 234 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Cabinet

 

1.     Noted the Council’s provisional financial position (Appendix C of the report)  together with the performance (Appendices A-B) and risk matters (Appendices D-E) and contextual information set out in the report,

 

2.     endorsed the suite of Key Performance Indicators previously approved by the Executive Management Team, and attached at Appendix B, and

 

3.     approved the Strategic Risk Register and Risk Matrix set out in Appendices D-E.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report providing an integrated statement of the Council’s position with regard to its General Fund, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital budgets, corporate objectives, performance indicators and strategic risks, thus allowing examination of any areas of concern.

 

Those present engaged in discussion about various aspects of the report.At the Leader’s request, officers undertook to check the status of Risk Reference STR 25.

 

Cabinet

 

1.     Noted the Council’s provisional financial position (Appendix C of the report)  together with the performance (Appendices A-B) and risk matters (Appendices D-E) and contextual information set out in the report,

 

2.     endorsed the suite of Key Performance Indicators previously approved by the Executive Management Team, and attached at Appendix B, and

 

3.     approved the Strategic Risk Register and Risk Matrix set out in Appendices D-E.

8.

Shared Waste Service - SCDC Recycling Options pdf icon PDF 422 KB

Decision:

Cabinet

 

a)    Agreed to the implementation of Option 2: a change to a co-mingled service for the collection of all South Cambridgeshire District Council kerbside recycling material to replace the current two stream (paper out) collection service, at the earliest practical opportunity within the current financial year. And

 

b)    Delegated authority to implement the new service, including any resulting staffing changes, to the Director Health & Environmental Services in consultation with the Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report detailing options for the kerbside collection of recycling material for the next seven years and, in particular, proposing a change to co-mingled collection signalling the end of separate paper collection across South Cambridgeshire.

 

In response to a question from Councillor John Williams, Councillor Mark Howell confirmed that households were entitled to a second blue bin (for dry recyclables) free of charge.

 

In response to comments from Councillor Anna Bradnam, Councillor Howell said that he did not envisage any adverse impact on the Council’s recycling rates from discontinuing ‘paper out’ collections via paper caddies. A comprehensive communications plan would be implemented to ensure a smooth transition to the new co-mingled system, if approved.

 

Councillor Howell led a short discussion about the main factors behind the proposal, namely the need to replace the Council’s fleet of refuse vehicles, and recognition that South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council were now part of a shared waste service and currently operated different collection systems.

 

With regard to the communications plan, Councillor Cicely Murfitt reminded Cabinet about the value of the South Cambs Magazine.

 

Cabinet

 

a)    Agreed to the implementation of Option 2: a change to a co-mingled service for the collection of all South Cambridgeshire District Council kerbside recycling material to replace the current two stream (paper out) collection service, at the earliest practical opportunity within the current financial year. And

 

b)    Delegated authority to implement the new service, including any resulting staffing changes, to the Director Health & Environmental Services in consultation with the Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

9.

Neighbourhood Planning pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Decision:

Cabinet

 

a)    Noted the progress being made on Neighbourhood Planning across the district set out in paragraphs 5-11 of this report;

 

b)    Agreed to consult parishes on the draft Neighbourhood Planning Guidance arising out of the work of the Task and Finish Group as detailed in paragraphs 12-14 of this report;

 

c)     Agreed the draft standard support offer to parishes (or groups of parishes) preparing a Neighbourhood Plan as set out in Appendix 2,  forming part of the Guidance for consultation in b), including the specific elements highlighted at paragraphs 15-17 of this report; and

 

d)    Agreed that the resource and budgetary implications of Neighbourhood Planning be reviewed annually when preparing the Service Plan and during preparation of the budget and that if temporary additional resources are otherwise justified, these can be bought-in subject to existing budgets.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report reviewing progress with Neighbourhood Planning in South Cambridgeshire, outlining the work of the Neighbourhood Planning Task and Finish Group (NPTFG), and making recommendations for the future.

 

Councillor Robert Turner highlighted the list, in paragraph 6, of Neighbourhood Areas designated so far within the District, and paid tribute to those officers involved. Councillor Lynda Harford, speaking as a local Member for Cottenham, added her gratitude on behalf of Cottenham residents.

 

The Leader highlighted paragraph 15.

 

Councillor John Williams expressed concern about available resources and capacity at South Cambridgeshire District Council. He also sought to identify the average cost of a Neighbourhood Plan. Councillor Turner acknowledged that introduction of the Neighbourhood Plan concept had led to substantial interest from Parish Councils, resulting in a relatively high number of applications being received in a short space of time. It was now the case though that Parish Councils that were already well advanced with the process were beginning to help and advise other Parish Councils just starting out. Capacity in the Planning Policy Team had been boosted and, as the report stated, officers would monitor demand, and seek to balance such demand with district resources and capacity. The cost of neighbourhood plans would vary significantly, depending on content, but a figure of £13,000 nationally was often quoted. 

 

Councillor Anna Bradnam said there was some concern regarding the lack of guidance about Neighbourhood Plans, and access to officers. She cited the complexity involved in pursuing a Neighbourhood Plan for Waterbeach. Councillor Turner was not aware that any such problems existed, and commented that the work of the Member Task and Finish Group had culminated in the preparation of extensive guidance on neighbourhood planning, upon which public consultation would take place for six weeks starting on 18 September 2017.

 

Responding to a comment from Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins, the Deputy Leader said that South Cambridgeshire District Council had never discouraged the aspirations of Parish Councils but, in the beginning, had invited them to submit their proposals as part of the process involved in agreeing its district-wide Local Plan.

 

Cabinet

 

a)    Noted the progress being made on Neighbourhood Planning across the district, as set out in paragraphs 5-11 of this report;

 

b)    Agreed to consult parishes on the draft Neighbourhood Planning Guidance arising out of the work of the Task and Finish Group as detailed in paragraphs 12-14 of this report;

 

c)     Agreed the draft standard support offer to parishes (or groups of parishes) preparing a Neighbourhood Plan as set out in Appendix 2,  forming part of the Guidance for consultation in b), including the specific elements highlighted at paragraphs 15-17 of this report; and

 

d)    Agreed that the resource and budgetary implications of Neighbourhood Planning be reviewed annually when preparing the Service Plan and during preparation of the budget and that if temporary additional resources are otherwise justified, these can be bought-in subject to existing budgets.

10.

'Mind the Gap' in support and provision between schools and mental health services pdf icon PDF 299 KB

Decision:

Cabinet deferred this item until the meeting on 16 November 2017. This would allow further time for discussion to take place between officers at South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council to ensure that there was no duplication of effort, and clarify other matters. Cabinet would then be better placed to consider the matter in the context of corporate planning for 2018-19 onwards.

Minutes:

Cabinet deferred this item until the meeting on 16 November 2017. This would allow further time for discussion to take place between officers at South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council to ensure that there was no duplication of effort, and clarify other matters. Cabinet would then be better placed to consider the matter in the context of corporate planning for 2018-19 onwards.

11.

Sale of land off Station Road, Foxton

Feedback from the call-in of the Cabinet decision regarding the sale of land off Station Road, Foxton.

Minutes:

The Leader announced that, at its meeting on 7 September 2017, the Scrutiny and Overview Committee had considered the call-in of this matter, and had determined that no further action was needed. Therefore, the decision made by Cabinet on 15 August 2017 was confirmed.

12a

Exclusion of Press and Public

Minutes:

Cabinet agreed that the Press and Public, and those Council officers not directly involved with the subject matter, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of items 12b and 12c in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) (exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act). 

12b

Orchard Park Feasibility Study

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a restricted report seeking its approval to undertake feasibility work to make a business case for the potential acquisition and development of a Build to Rent scheme at Orchard Park.

 

The Executive Director informed Cabinet about the financial aspects.

 

The Deputy Leader supported the feasibility study in principle, subject to due diligence.

 

The Development Officer (Growth) said that officers from South Cambridgeshire District Council would facilitate the work required, and report back to Cabinet in due course.

 

Councillor Lynda Harford said that there was a clear demand for the kind of development being investigated, and that the initiative would be beneficial. Councillor Harford also expressed support for the feasibility study in principle, subject to due diligence.

 

Councillor Robert Turner welcomed this imaginative idea.

 

Councillor Mark Howell referred to paragraph 14 of the report.

 

Councillor Simon Edwards said that an appropriate clause would be included in the Agreement.

 

The Development Officer (Growth) responded to questions arising out of the debate.

 

Cabinet

 

1.     approved the undertaking of feasibility work at Orchard Park, as outlined in the report from the Executive Director; and

                                                                             

2.     Noted that a detailed report and business case would be presented to Cabinet once this work had been completed to agree the next stage.

12c

Restricted Minute from the meeting held on 13 July 2017

Minutes:

13.

Date of the next meeting

Thursday 16 November 2017 at 2pm.

Minutes:

Cabinet noted that its next scheduled meeting was on Thursday 16 November 2017, starting at the earlier time of 2.00pm.