Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive Apologies for Absence from Cabinet members. 

Councillors Francis Burkitt, Simon Edwards, Mark Howell and Robert Turner sent Apologies for Absence.

To authorise the Leader to sign the Minutes of the meetings held on 7 February 2018 and 1 March 2018 as a correct record.

Cabinet authorised the Leader to sign, as correct records, the Minutes of the meetings held on 7 February 2018 and 1 March 2018.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no announcements.

One public question has been received.

Chris Van der Walle attended the meeting and asked the following question about Teversham Skate Park (Minute 6):

“Why have SCDC resorted to draconian measures in closing the park rather than working cooperatively with the community and parish council to find a mutually acceptable solution?”

 In reply, the Director for Health and Environmental Services informed those present that a court case about this matter had been listed for Hearing at the end of May 2018.

Mr.Van der Walle referred to the nature of public opinion in Teversham.

The Director for Health and Environmental Services outlined the facts leading up to service of a noise abatement notice. He emphasised that South Cambridgeshire District Council had not closed the skatepark but had simply enforced the Council’s statutory duty to require Teversham Parish Council to address the noise nuisance. The Director for Health and Environmental Services made clear his willingness to engage with all parties in Teversham to help resolve this issue.

Mr. Van der Walle said that Teversham Parish Council had no alternative but to close the skatepark. In reply, the Director for Health and Environmental Services repeated that an abatement notice does not require closure just that the noise nuisance is removed.

The Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development summarised proceedings at the Enforcement Appeal Hearing, and the planning assessment carried out.

The petition organiser is unable to attend the meeting but the Chairman has agreed to exercise his discretion to allow him to submit a written statement.

The local Member for Teversham, Councillor Caroline Hunt, is unable to attend the meeting but the Chairman has agreed to exercise his discretion to allow her to submit a written statement.

Cabinet received and noted a Petition about Teversham Skate Park. The Leader was particularly pleased that young people (the Petition’s organiser was aged ten) were taking an active part in the democratic process.

Cabinet received a statement from the Petition organiser.

Cabinet also received a statement from Councillor Caroline Hunt (local Member), who was unable to attend the meeting.

Cabinet

(a)             Instructed the Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder to inform the Health and Wellbeing Board that South Cambridgeshire District Council endorsed the Partnership Principles and Behaviours set out in Appendix 1 to the report from the Director for Health and Environmental Services, subject to Principle number 3 being amended so as to state as follows:

“We will continue to meet our own statutory obligations. However, in doing so we will seek to share and join-up our resources for the benefit of local residents to prevent ill health rather than deal with crises, just as those residents expect us to do.”

(b)             Agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should sign up to the Living Well Concordat and its principles, subject to any amendments (additional to the one set out in (a) above) agreed at Cambridgeshire County Council’s Health & Wellbeing Board; and

(c)             Delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Health & Wellbeing authority to agree on behalf of Cabinet any such minor amendments agreed at Health & Wellbeing Board.

Cabinet considered a report seeking its agreement for South Cambridgeshire District Council to endorse and commit to the “Living Well” partnership concordat, attached as Appendix 1 to that report.

The Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder highlight

ted Point 4 in Appendix 1 as being particularly important. She proposed a rewording of Point 4 in Appendix 1, and commended the Concordat as providing a great opportunity for change.

In response to questioning by an Opposition member, the Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder said that it was important that local authorities should work together in a balanced way to find solutions. The Leader added that all partner organisations should recognise their respective responsibilities to secure a healthy community.

Cabinet adopted the rewording of the third Principle set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Cabinet members recorded their thanks to the Director for Health and Environmental Services for his contribution towards progressing the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Living Well Concordat.

Cabinet

(a)             Instructed the Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder to inform the Health and Wellbeing Board that South Cambridgeshire District Council endorsed the Partnership Principles and Behaviours set out in Appendix 1 to the report from the Director for Health and Environmental Services, subject to Principle number 3 being amended to state as follows:

“We will continue to meet our own statutory obligations. However, in doing so we will seek to share and join-up our resources for the benefit of residents to prevent ill health rather than deal with crises, just as those residents expect us to do.”

(b)             Agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should sign up to the Living Well Concordat and its principles, subject to any amendments (additional to the one set out in (a) above) agreed at Cambridgeshire County Council’s Health & Wellbeing Board; and

Delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Health & Wellbeing authority to agree on behalf of Cabinet any such minor amendments agreed at Health & Wellbeing Board.

Cabinet

1.     Aproved the business plans for each of the Shared Services listed in Appendix 1 to the report; and

2.     Delegated authority to the Shared Services Management Board to agree final amendments to the business plans in line with comments received from all three partner Councils, including the relevant Cabinet or other lead Member.

Cabinet considered a report seeking its comments about, and approval of, the 2018-19 Business Plans for the Shared Services.

Cabinet received short presentations from the Heads of each of the following:

·        Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service

·        Greater Cambridge Shared Audit

·        Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

·        3C ICT Shared Service

·        3C Legal Shared Services (The Practice)

·        3C Building Control Shared Service

Those present discussed each service In turn.

The Deputy Leader concluded that that the structure of this part of the meeting had provided a useful insight into the operation of Shared Services, and suggested that the exercise should be repeated on an annual basis.

Cabinet

1.     Aproved the business plans for each of the Shared Services listed in Appendix 1 to the report; and

2.     Delegated authority to the Shared Services Management Board to agree final amendments to the business plans in line with comments received from all three partner Councils, including the relevant Cabinet or other lead Member.

To note the dates for Cabinet meetings in 2018-19 as follows:

·         Thursday 28^th June 2018 at 6pm

·         Thursday 13^th September 2018 at 6pm

·         Thursday 22^nd November 2018 at 6pm

·         Thursday 7^th February 2019 at 6pm

·         Thursday 11^th April 2019 at 6pm

Cabinet noted the following dates for its meetings during 2018-19:

·        Thursday 28 June 2018 at 6pm

·        Thursday 13September 2018 at 6pm

·        Thursday 22November 2018 at 6pm

·        Thursday 7February 2019 at 6pm

·        Thursday 11April 2019 at 6pm