Issue - meetings

Councillor D P Holley, Leader and Chairman of the Cabinet presented the Report of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 13^th October and 3^rd, 10^th and 24^th November 2005.

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In connection with Item No. 61, the Executive Councillor for Finance announced that the Council’s Revenue Support Grant was likely to increase to £10.9m in 2006/07, an increase of 1.4m or 14.7% in comparison with the current year.  He added that the figures would be incorporated, together with other adjustments, in the budget and Medium Term Plan to be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels, Cabinet and Council early in the new year. The Council were commended to read the Annex to Appendix A to the report to understand the approach that would be taken towards the review of the MTP.

On the same subject and in response to a question from Councillor P J Downes regarding the predicted level of Government grant support in 2007/8, the Executive Councillor anticipated that the District Council would receive approximately £11.6m in that financial year.

Whereupon, on being put to the vote, the recommendation contained in Item No. 61 was declared to be CARRIED.

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Upon being put to the vote, the recommendation contained in Item No. 62 was declared to be CARRIED.

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In connection with Item No. 63, the Council agreed to defer consideration of the recommendations contained therein to the penultimate item of business at the meeting.

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In connection with Item No. 76 and for the purposes of clarification, the Executive Councillor for Environment and Transport, Councillor Mrs P J Longford, reported that the Director of Operational Services had been authorised to appoint persons to issue Fixed Penalty Notices under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 after consultation with the relevant Executive Councillor.

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In connection with Item No. 79 and in response to a question from Councillor P J Downes, the Leader confirmed that no response had yet been received to the representations made by the Chief Executive to the Home Secretary for the retention of an existing single police force option in Cambridgeshire but that, in his view, Cambridgeshire Constabulary was unlikely to be retained as a single force.

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In connection with Item No. 82 and in response to a question by Councillor Mrs S A Menczer regarding the implications for the District of the Government’s decision to introduce a free concessionary bus fare scheme for those over 60 years of age from April 2006, the Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy, Councillor N J Guyatt, explained that some recipients would be worse off then previously given that concessionary travel would only be permitted within the boundaries of a District after 9.30 am and that insufficient Government funding had been allocated to maintain the scheme permanently across the county without the need for additional funding which would be considered via a new MTP bid.

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In connection with Item No. 86 and in response to a question from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48

To consider a report by the Director of Commerce & Technology.

  Agreed to defer a decision on the Council’s Financial Strategy until the 22^nd February 2006 and to consider the Strategy in parallel with the budget and 2006/11 Medium Term Plan and a copy of the guidance to Officers on the preparation of the Medium Term Plan be circulated to all Members for information.

Further to Minute No.05/60 and by way of a report by the Director of Commerce and Technology (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book),  the Cabinet were acquainted with issues likely to affect the adoption of the Council’s strategy for managing its finances in the period to 2011/12.

Having regard to the information contained in the report, the uncertainty as to the future levels of Government grant, the implications of possible changes to the grant formula and the ongoing review of the Medium Term Plan, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the Council be requested to defer a decision on the Council’s Financial Strategy until the 22nd February 2006 and to consider the Strategy in parallel with the budget and 2006/11 Medium Term Plan; and

  (b)  that a copy of the guidance to Officers on the preparation of the Medium Term Plan be circulated for information to all Members.