Agenda, decisions and minutes

None. 

The Leader is asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 19 February 2010 as a correct record.

The Leader signed the minutes of 19 February 2010 as a correct record.

Matter Arising

Paul Howes agreed to check with the Partnerships Manager about the Connections Bus Project Funding (minute 20, Grant Funding to Voluntary Organisations).

Subject to the amendments made at the meeting, the Leader APPROVED the Partnerships element of the 2010/11 Service and Improvement Plans for Community and Customer Services.

The Corporate Manager (Community and Customer Services) explained that there had been no significant changes to the draft service plan received earlier in the year, and that the improvement plan was ambitious and comprehensive.

The following amendments were made:

·                      Page 16 – Service Objectives – replace “empower” with “support”;

·                      References to the number of villages should state “more than 100”; and

·                      Page 32 – SX048 % of customers seen within 10 minutes of their appointment at Cambourne Reception – reduced target to “within 5 minutes”

The Corporate Manager confirmed that sufficient resources were available for monitoring the targets throughout the year, and that the Performance Information Officer was entering the details into CorVu so all service areas could input their data regularly.

Subject to the amendments made at the meeting, the Leader APPROVED the Partnerships element of the 2010/11 Service and Improvement Plans for Community and Customer Services.

The Leader AGREED that:

(a)               the Council's continuing membership of the Local Government Association (LGA) in 2010/11 be confirmed,

(b)               the requisite one year’s notice be given of the Council’s intention to leave the LGA on 1 April 2011;

(c)               the Local Government Association's invitation to hold a meeting to outline the benefits of membership, received after the publication of the Agenda and tabled at the meeting, be accepted; and

(d)               the Council retain the right to rescind its notice to quit at any time before 31 March 2011 if it is considered that the benefits of membership justify its continuing subscription in light of the meeting referred to in (3) and any other material evidence or change of circumstances.

The Leader considered whether the Council’s continued membership of the Local Government Association (LGA) brought sufficient benefit to the authority for the annual subscription of £12,850.  It was a legal requirement to give one year’s notice of intention to leave the LGA, therefore, if the Council chose to renew its subscription for 2010/11, the earliest it could leave would be April 2012.

Mr Daniel Mason of the LGA had contacted the Council asking for a meeting with the Leader to demonstrate the value of membership, and the Leader asked that an additional portfolio meeting be scheduled, with all members and Mr Mason invited, at which on-going membership would be considered.  Although it was noted that withdrawing from the LGA could give rise to the perception that the Council was isolated and not part of the local government ‘family’, notice of intention to cease membership from April 2011 would be given to the LGA, with the Council retaining the right to rescind this notice at any time during the next civic year if the Leader were persuaded that the LGA provided good value for money for the authority.

The Leader AGREED that:

(a)               the Council's continuing membership of the Local Government Association (LGA) in 2010/11 be confirmed,

(b)               the requisite one year’s notice be given of the Council’s intention to leave the LGA on 1 April 2011;

(c)               the Local Government Association's invitation to hold a meeting to outline the benefits of membership, received after the publication of the Agenda and tabled at the meeting, be accepted; and

(d)               the Council retain the right to rescind its notice to quit at any time before 31 March 2011 if it is considered that the benefits of membership justify its continuing subscription in light of the meeting referred to in (3) and any other material evidence or change of circumstances.

The Principal Accountant (General Fund and Costing) introduced the financial monitoring reports which demonstrated that 93% of the budget had been spent, and that it was likely all the relevant areas were on target to spend their budgets by year-end.  No overspends were anticipated.

Paul Howes agreed to investigate progress with the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) grant made towards A1307 improvements.

The Leader NOTED the financial monitoring report. 

The Portfolio Holder will maintain, for agreement at each meeting, a Forward Plan identifying all matters relevant to the Portfolio which it is believed are likely to be the subject of consideration and / or decision by the Portfolio Holder, or recommendation to, or referral by, the Portfolio Holder to Cabinet, Council, or any other constituent part of the Council.   The plan will be updated as necessary.  The Portfolio Holder will be responsible for the content and accuracy of the forward plan.

A new meeting, on a date yet to be determined, was added to the Forward Plan to enable consideration of the LGA membership review with an LGA representative present to answer questions.

Subject to this addition, the Forward Plan was APPROVED.

The Leader is asked to note the date of the next meeting as Thursday 13 May 2010. 

An additional meeting would be scheduled as soon as possible to enable the Leader and other members to meet with a Local Government Association (LGA) representative to review the decision to terminate the Council’s LGA membership as of April 2011.