Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - South Cambs Hall. View directions

Contact: Ian Senior  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 Dr. Claire Daunton, Dr. Tumi Hawkins, and Dr. Douglas de Lacey sent apologies for absence.

2.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 260 KB

To authorise the Leader to sign the public Minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2020 as a correct record.

Minutes:

Cabinet authorised the Leader to sign, as a correct record, the public version of the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2020, subject to the following:

 

Attendance List

The addition of Councillor Anna Bradnam as having been in attendance.

 

Minute 16 – HRA Revenue and Capital Budget

Clarification that the Decent Homes Standard is set by the Government, rather than by South Cambridgeshire District Council.

4.

Announcements

Minutes:

The Leader announced she and the Chief Executive would be meeting the Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority on Thursday, 5 March 2020

5.

Public Questions

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

6.

Issues arising from the Scrutiny and Overview Committee pdf icon PDF 212 KB

Minutes:

Cabinet received and noted a report from Councillor Grenville Chamberlain, Chairman, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, and Councillor Brian Milnes, Vice-Chairman, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, informing it about the discussions at, and recommendations from the Committee’s meeting held on 13 February 2020.

 

The report related to:

 

·         Proposed Allocation Policy for the distribution of faith/community land at Northstowe

·         2019-20 Quarter Three Performance Report

·         2019-20 Revenue and Budget Proposal for 2020/21

·         Investment Partnerships: Legal Agreements

·         Town Centre Development – Northstowe Phases 1 and 2

 

7.

Proposed Allocation Policy for the distribution of faith/community land in the new Community of Northstowe pdf icon PDF 711 KB

Decision:

 

Cabinet:

 

(a)  Endorsed the proposed policy which has been developed in conjunction with the faith groups to which it will be applied.

(b)  Agreed the application of this policy to growth sites across the district.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report setting out the proposed policy for Faith Land Allocation for Northstowe and inviting Members to consider whether the allocation policy should be applied to all growth sites subsequently. Councillor Neil Gough, Deputy Leader, presented the report and addressed the concerns highlighted from Scrutiny and Overview regarding small faith groups within the district.

 

The Northstowe Healthy New Town Programme Lead officer responded that Councillor Shrobona Bhattacharya’s concerns about the extent to which the Policy addressed the interests of smaller Faith groups had been taken into account at a Faith Strategy meeting held in Northstowe. Councillor Grenville Chamberlain acknowledged Councillor Neil Gough’s statement, and supported the changes to the report.

 

After Members commented on the clarity of the report, Cabinet,

 

(a)          Endorsed the proposed policy which has been developed in conjunction with the faith groups to which it will be applied;

(b)          Agreed the application of this Policy to growth sites across the District, subject to a change in the assessment matrix to reflect the benefit of the applicant faith group to the wider community.

 

8.

2019-20 Quarter 3 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 245 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

 

Cabinet:

 

Reviewed the Operational Key Performance Indicator (OKPI) results and comments at Appendix A to the report.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet received, reviewed and noted a report on the latest performance data across the Council, Councillor Neil Gough (Deputy Leader) commented on the improvement of the Contact Centre’s data, and that for waste collection but also highlighted the figures for Bed and Breakfast usage, staff sickness and the percentage of formal complaints being resolved.

After a short discussion, Cabinet:

 

Noted the Operational Key Performance Indicator (OKPI) results and comments at Appendix A to the report.

9.

2019-2020 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring pdf icon PDF 308 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Cabinet:

 

a)    Acknowledged the 2019/2020 revenue budget position against the approved revenue budget shown in Appendices A, B(1) and B(2), the major variances with reasons for these variances and the action being taken to address the underlying issues;

b)    Acknowledged the latest position in respect of the Capital Programme 2019/2020 to 2023/2024 and the variances as shown in Appendix C.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report which had been prepared to provide the latest monitoring information in respect of the 2019-2020 revenue and capital budgets.

 

Councillor Heather Williams noted the significant underspend across the Council, but Councillor Bridget Smith, the Leader of the Council, requested it to be considered in the context of each department’s budget.

 

 Following further comments, Cabinet:

 

a)    Acknowledged the 2019/2020 revenue budget position against the approved revenue budget shown in Appendices A, B(1) and B(2) to the report, the major variances with reasons for these variances and the action being taken to address the underlying issues;

b)    Acknowledged the latest position in respect of the Capital Programme 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 and the variances as shown in Appendix C.

 

10.

Communal Room Review Project - Decision Required Regarding the Future use of The Limes/Limes Close Sheltered Communal Room pdf icon PDF 108 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

 

Cabinet:

 

Approved the decision to transfer the sheltered community building at The Limes / Limes Close, Bassingbourn to Bassingbourn Parish Council on a long 99-yr full repairing lease with a peppercorn rent for use as a village community hall, with the costs of transfer to be split 50:50 between the district and parish councils, up to a maximum value in total of £18,000 (£9,000 each).

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report on the future use of the Limes/Limes Close sheltered communal room in Bassingbourn. The Leasehold Service Team Leader noted a further meeting had taken place with Bassingbourn Parish Council, which had expressed satisfaction with the final outcome.

 

Councillor Nigel Cathcart, the local Member for Bassingbourn, described the transfer as a long-term benefit for the community, and was pleased with the proposed decision, Councillor Heather Williams endorsed these comments.

 

Councillor Bridget Smith, the Leader of the Council, concluded by thanking officers for their work on this project, and Cabinet:

 

Approved the decision to transfer the building to Bassingbourn Parish Council on a 99-yr full repairing lease at a peppercorn rent for use as a village community hall, with the costs of transfer being split 50:50 between the district and parish councils, up to a maximum value in total of £18,000.

11.

Date of next meeting

Wednesday1 April 2020 at 9.30am

Minutes:

Cabinet noted that its next scheduled meeting would be on Wednesday, 1 April 2020 starting at 9.30am.

 

12.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The law allows Councils to consider a limited range of issues in private session without members of the Press and public being present.  Typically, such issues relate to personal details, financial and business affairs, legal privilege and so on.  In every case, the public interest in excluding the Press and Public from the meeting room must outweigh the public interest in having the information disclosed to them.  The following statement will be proposed, seconded and voted upon. 

 

"I propose that the Press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item numbers 13, 14 and 15 in accordance with Section 100(A) (3) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that, if present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.” (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

If exempt (confidential) information has been provided as part of the agenda, and Cabinet chooses to discuss that information, the Press and public will not be able to view it, or be present while it is being discussed. 

 

There will be an explanation on the website however as to why the information is exempt.

Minutes:

Cabinet agreed by affirmation that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item numbers 13, 14 and 15 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). Paragraph 3 refers to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

13.

Minutes of previous meeting

To authorise the Leader to sign confidential versions of Minutes 20 (Ermine Street Housing Business Plan) and 21 (Third Party Loan)  of the meeting held on 5 February 2020 as a correct record.

Minutes:

Cabinet authorised the Leader to sign, as a correct record, the exempt version of Minute 20 (Ermine Street Business Plan) and Minute 21 (Third Party Loan) of the minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2020.

14.

Investment Partnerships: Legal Agreements

Decision:

 

Cabinet recommended to Full Council:

 

(a)       Approval of the execution of the Members’ Agreements;

(b)       Appoint Councillor Peter McDonald as the Council-nominated Member, and the designated Chief Operating Officer as the Council-nominated Officer, to each Investment Partnership Board;

(c)        Appoint the Head of Commercial Development & Investment as the Officer to represent the Council on each Investment Team; and

 

Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any minor amendments to the Members’ Agreements prior to submission to Full Council.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered an exempt report regarding a Members’ Agreement in respect of two proposed investment partnerships.

 

The Chief Executive responded to comments made by Councillor de Lacey, who had been unable to attend the meeting.

 

After further debate, the Leader of the Council, thanked the Officers for their work on this report, and Cabinet recommended to Full Council:

 

a)    The approval of the execution of the Members’ Agreements as detailed in the exempt report;

b)    The appointment of Councillor Peter McDonald as the Council-nominated Member, and the designated Chief Operating Officer as the Council-nominated Officer, to each Investment Partnership Board; and

c)    The appointment of the Head of Commercial Development & Investment as the Officer to represent the Council on each Investment Team.

 

Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any minor amendments to the Members’ Agreements prior to submission to Full Council.

 

15.

Town Centre Development - Northstowe Phases I and 2

Decision:

 

Cabinet:

 

(a)        Approved South Cambridgeshire District Council as the project manager of the community-based projects listed in the confidential report;

(b)        Requested that officers keep under strict review of the financial position to minimise the exposure to the Council and to present a further report on the matter to a future Cabinet meeting; and

(c)        Recommended to Full Council that a Provision be established as set out in the exempt report.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet received the exempt report relating to the proposal to construct community buildings in Northstowe and the Council role in the process. The Head of New Build introduced the item.

 

Following questions and comments by Members, the Leader of the Council, and the Chief Executive spoke of the importance of these assets to the local communities. 

 

Councillor Bridget Smith concluded the discussion and thanked Officers for their continuing work at Northstowe.

 

Cabinet:

 

a)    Approved the appointment of the Council as the project manager of the community-based projects listed in the exempt report. 

b)    Agreed that the financial position should be kept under strict review to minimise the exposure to the Council and that a further report on the matter be submitted to a future meeting; and

c)    Recommended to Full Council that a Provision be established as set out in the exempt report.