Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 11^th January 2007.

Subject to the deletion of Councillor N J Guyatt’s name in the list of those present and his inclusion in the list of apologies, the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 11th January 2007 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive Members’ declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda Item.  Please see notes 1 and 2 below.

No declarations were received.

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Financial Services to consider the 2007/08 Budget and Medium Term Plan.

Recommend to full Council that the proposed budget, Medium Term Plan and financial strategy appended to the report be approved and that a Tax increase of 4.99%, representing the level of £109.91 for Band D properties be set

Further to Minute No. 06/109 and by way of a report by the Head of Financial Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were acquainted with a number of variations to assumptions made previously for the purpose of preparing the draft financial strategy, Medium Term Plan (MTP), the budget and associated level of Council Tax for 2007/08, together with the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny (Corporate & Strategic Framework) thereon.

In reviewing the issues involved, Members were advised of a recent decision by the Government to restrict the funding of housing improvement grants from the revenue budget and expressed their concern as to the likely impact this would place on District Council budgets for the foreseeable future.

Reference having been made to the outcome of consultation with the business community on expenditure proposals and in noting amendments to the housing benefits figures summarised in the capital budget table on page 6, the Cabinet

RECOMMENDED

  (a)  that the proposed budget, Medium Term Plan and financial strategy appended to the report now submitted be approved; and

  (b)  that a Council Tax increase of 4.99%, representing a level of £109.91 for Band D properties, be approved for 2007/2008.

To consider a report by the Head of Financial Services containing a proposed Treasury Management Strategy, which is required under the Council’s Code of Financial Management.

Recommend to Council that the 2007/08 Treasury Management Strategy be approved.

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Financial Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) and having considered a proposed Treasury Management Strategy 2007/08, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the Council be invited to approve the 2007/08 Treasury Management Strategy as appended to the report now

  submitted.

To consider a report by the Head of Revenue Services summarising the debts written-off during the quarter ended 31^st December 2006.

Noted the debts which had been written off during October – December 2006 as irrecoverable.

The Cabinet received and noted a report by the Head of Revenue Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) summarising debts which had been written off during October – December 2006 as irrecoverable.

To consider a report by the Head of Technical Services regarding the development of a draft Environment Strategy for Huntingdonshire.

Approved the draft environment strategy for consultation purposes with Members, organisations and

Businesses,  noted the intention to seek approval for a public consultation draft in April 2007; authorised the Head of Technical Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Environment, to publish a leaflet on the development of the Environment Strategy, agreed to establish an Environment Strategy Members’ Working Group to assist with the development and delivery of the strategy comprising of the Leader of the Council and Councillors M G Baker, D B Dew, J A Gray, R G Tuplin and the relevant Executive Councillor in relation to the matter to be discussed and  reserved responsibility for matters associated with the Environment Strategy to the Leader.

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Technical Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was attached a draft copy of a suggested Environment Strategy for Huntingdonshire designed to identify areas of action to create more sustainable communities to reduce adverse environmental impacts and to ensure the continuation of a good quality of life in the District.

Having considered the development of the strategy through a comprehensive consultation process to include the involvement of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Corporate and Strategic Framework) and in noting that appropriate governance arrangements would need to be established to ensure the planning, implementation, review and reporting of the strategy’s delivery, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  that the draft environment strategy as submitted be approved for consultation with Members, external

organisations, partners and businesses;

  (b)  that the intention to seek approval for a public consultation draft in April 2007 be noted;

(c)  that the Head of Technical Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Environment, be authorised to publish a leaflet on the development of the Environment Strategy;

(d)  that an Environment Strategy Members’ Working Group comprising the Leader of the Council and Councillors M G Baker, D B Dew, J A Gray, R G Tuplin and the relevant Executive Councillor in relation to the matter to be discussed, be established to assist with the development and delivery of the strategy; and

(e)  that responsibility for matters associated with the Environment Strategy be reserved to the Leader.

To consider a report by the Community Initiatives Manager regarding progress of the Neighbourhood Management Initiative within the District.

Agreed to develop the Ramsey Area as a neighbourhood management initiative and noted progress of the overall approach in Eynesbury and Oxmoor.  Also agreed to recommend to the Huntingdonshire Strategic Partnership Board at its meeting on 14th February 2007 that the management model appended to the report be approved.

Further to Minute No. 06/71 and by way of a report by the Community Development Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were updated on progress with the introduction of neighbourhood management initiatives in Eynesbury and Huntingdon North (Oxmoor).

In considering a proposal to extend the approach to the market town of Ramsey, Executive Councillors expressed concern about the long term implications of the initiative in terms of cost, governance arrangements, partnership working and accountability.  Having been acquainted with the key priorities for the localities identified by significant service providers, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  that the area of Ramsey be developed as a neighbourhood management initiative; 

(b)  that the progress of the approach be noted and the management model appended to the report now submitted recommended to the Huntingdonshire Strategic Partnership Board at its meeting on 14th February 2007; and

(c)  that a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet outlining the longer term implications of the initiative.

To consider a report by the Head of Housing on the development of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Cambridge Choice Based Lettings Scheme.

Authorised the Director of Central Services to sign and seal the Memorandum of Understanding for the Cambridge Choice-Based Lettings Scheme.

(a)  Memorandum of Understanding

By way of a report by the Head of Housing Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were acquainted with the background to a memorandum of understanding for the Cambridge Choice-Based Lettings Scheme.  Having noted details of the District Council’s involvement and the allocation of the funding involved, it was

RESOLVED

  that the Director of Central Services be authorised to complete the Memorandum of Understanding for the Cambridge Choice-Based Lettings Scheme on behalf of the Council.

(b)  Consultation Lettings Policy

Further to Minute No. 06/91 and by way of a report by the Head of Housing Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were invited to consider the content of a draft consultation document on a new lettings policy for Huntingdonshire as part of the wider Cambridge Sub-Regional Choice Based lettings scheme.

Having been reminded of the background to the policy, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the contents of the draft Huntingdonshire District Council Lettings Policy document be approved as a basis for

  consultation.

By way of a report by the Head of Administration to consider a request for the release of funds for the introduction of changes to various electoral processes which must be in place for the elections 2007.

Approved a budget transfer of £8,000 in 2007/08 and subsequent years towards the cost of changes to the electoral process, subject to further investigations being made into the ongoing maintenance costs and agreed that appropriate representations on the cost of the changes being introduced be made to the Local Government Association and Solace.

By way of a report by the Head of Administration (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered a request for the release of funding for the acquisition of the computer hardware and software equipment required in order to discharge new duties to verify information submitted by postal voters, thereby reducing the risk of personation at elections.

While expressing concern about the broad order cost for the maintenance of the software equipment and the implications of funding the changes, particularly given the restraints on service budgets, the Cabinet recognised that few, if any, alternative courses were available in which to put into place the necessary arrangements for the discharge of this new legislative requirement before the forthcoming District and Town/Parish Council elections in May 2007 and, accordingly, it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that a budget transfer of £8,000 in 2007/08 be approved and appropriate financial provision made in subsequent years in respect of the cost of changes to the electoral process as outlined in the report now submitted; and

(b)  that further enquiries be made into the ongoing software maintenance costs and appropriate representations made to the Local Government Association and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.