Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 26^th April 2007.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26^th April 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.

To appoint Members to hold responsibility for executive powers and duties determined by the Leader.

The following portfolios were approved by the Cabinet in May 2006-

¨  Finance;

¨  Planning Strategy;

¨  Environment and Transport;

¨  Leisure;

¨  Resources and Policy;

¨  Housing and Public Health; and

¨  Headquarters and Information Technology

¨  Operations

Those Members appointed as Executive Councillors for Planning Strategy and Resources and Policy were also appointed ex-officio Members respectively of the Development Control Panel and Licensing and Protection Panel/Licensing Committee.

The Leader was appointed ex-officio Member of the Employment Panel.

RESOLVED

(a)  that executive responsibilities for the Municipal Year 2007/08 be allocated as follows –

(b)  that the Leader of the Council be appointed to serve as ex-officio Member of the Employment Panel; and

(c)  that Executive Councillors be appointed to serve as ex-officio Members of Panels as follows –

To appoint Members to serve on the following Leisure Centre Management Committees-

¨  Huntingdon Leisure Centre Management Committee (6)

¨  St Neots Leisure Centre Management Committee (5)

¨  St Ivo Leisure Centre Management Committee (6)

¨  Ramsey Leisure Centre Management Committee (5)

¨  Sawtry Leisure Centre Management Committee (5)

The Local Government Act, 2000 requires the appointment of a minimum of one Cabinet Member to Leisure Centre Management Committees. Any non-Cabinet Members appointed are required to represent wards within the catchment area of the relevant Centre. The political balance requirements do not apply.

RESOLVED

that for the Municipal Year 2007/08, Members be appointed to serve on the Leisure Centre Management Committees as follows –

·  Huntingdon Leisure Centre Management Committee

Councillors K Baker, J J Dutton, J D Fell, Miss S Kemp, D J Priestman and L M Simpson

·  St Neots Leisure Centre Management Committee

Councillors R W D Bailey, R W Eaton, B Farrer, A Hansard and R J West

St Ivo Leisure Centre Management Committee

Councillors J D Ablewhite, J T Bell, S J Criswell, J W Davies, T V Rogers and C J Stephens

·  Ramsey Leisure Centre Management Committee

Councillors P L E Bucknell, E R Butler, I R Muir, R Powell and P A Swales

·  Sawtry Leisure Centre Management Committee

Councillors Mrs M Banerjee, J E Garner, C R Hyams, P G Mitchell and J S Watt

To appoint four Members to serve on the Countryside Joint Group.

RESOLVED

that Councillors M Baker, Mrs M Banerjee, J D Fell and C R Hyams be appointed to serve on the Hinchingbrooke Country Park Joint Group for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint six Members to serve on the Huntingdonshire Environment and Transport Area Joint Committee.

The 2000 Act requires the appointment of a minimum of one Cabinet Member to the Joint Committee. Other Members may be appointed to the Joint Committee but the political balance requirements do not apply.

RESOLVED

that Councillors M Baker, P L E Bucknell, R S Farrer, M F Newman, K Reynolds and T D Sanderson be appointed to serve on the Huntingdonshire Traffic Management Area Joint Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint seven Members to serve on the Advisory Group.

A Sub-Group of the Cabinet that is exercising any decision-making powers delegated to it by the Cabinet must include only Cabinet Members.  Those whose terms of reference are merely advisory non-Cabinet Members.  Proportionality requirements do not apply to any Sub-Groups or Committees to which the Cabinet may appoint.

RESOLVED

that Councillors P L E Bucknell, S J Criswell, P J Downes, K Reynolds, T V Rogers, L M Simpson and G S E Thorpe be appointed to serve on the Customer First and Accommodation Advisory Group for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint four Members to serve on the Advisory Group.

RESOLVED

  that the Members’ Advisory Group for Public Conveniences remain in abeyance pro temps.

To appoint seven members to serve on the Development Plan Policy Advisory Group.

RESOLVED

that Councillors I C Bates, P L E Bucknell, P J Downes, P G Mitchell, J M Sadler, P A Swales and G S E Thorpe be appointed to serve on Development Plan Policy Advisory Group for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint five Members to serve on the Advisory Group.

RESOLVED

that Councillors J W Davies, A Hansard, Mrs P A Jordan, K Reynolds and L M Simpson be appointed to serve on the Safety Advisory Group for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint six members to serve on the Working Group.

RESOLVED

that Councillors M G Baker, I C Bates, P L E Bucknell, D B Dew, J A Gray and R G Tuplin be appointed to serve on the Environment Strategy Working Group for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint seven members to the Working Group.

RESOLVED

that Councillors P L E Bucknell, K J Churchill, J E Garner, C R Hyams, D J Priestman, K Reynolds and J M Sadler be appointed to serve on the Members’ Car Parking Working Group for the ensuing Municipal Year.

By way of a report by the Head of Financial Services to consider requests for the release of funding for various projects.

Agreed to release the relevant funding for the following schemes and projects within the Council’s Medium Term  Plan –

Crime and Disorder – lighting improvements

CCTV digital services

Local Transport Plan

Safe cycle routes

Huntingdon Transport Strategy

Bus shelters – extra provision

Huntingdon Bus Station

St Ives town centre II

A J C small scale improvements

  Environmental improvements village residential areas

Street naming

Accessibility improvements; and

Affordable housing social housing grant.

Approved the release of £170,000 of capital funding for new public conveniences and the associated revenue costs, with the exception of work at South Street, St Neots and approved the release of £464,000 of capital funding for essential repairs to the swimming pool roof at St Neots Leisure Centre and associated refurbishment work to the building’s interior and authorised the Director of Central Services, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, to approve the final costings of the scheme and negotiations with the County Council and report back thereon to a future meeting.

(The Chairman announced that he proposed to include within the following item a proposal to release funds for an element of the Leisure Centres’ Condition Survey 2007-11 in accordance with Section 100B(4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972 given the need to make urgent repairs to the swimming pool roof at St Neots Leisure Centre.)

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Financial Services requesting the release of funding for various schemes included in the Medium Term Plan.  (Copies of the report and associated justifications are appended in the Minute Book).

With regard to the scheme to improve the appearance and safety of public conveniences in Huntingdon, St Ives and St Neots, Members were of the opinion that the proposal to refurbish the public conveniences on South Street, St Neots should be deferred to enable officers to investigate further issues relating to design and location.  Members also sought information on the proportion of County Council funding on a number of partnership schemes and requested that the justifications for the release of schemes should be more detailed in future.

Members were informed that as a result of heavy rainfall on the evening of 15th May, water had penetrated the roof of the swimming pool at St. Neots Leisure Centre, causing the building to have to be evacuated and closed.  Although the pool had been re-opened, it was suggested that the situation was likely to recur in the event of another rain storm.  It was pointed out that provision had been made in the current 5 year condition survey for leisure centre maintenance and in the MTP for the repair of the roof.  However this had not been brought forward for the release of funds while negotiations were ongoing with the County Council for them to bear a proportion of the costs.

The Cabinet were informed that, in preparing the condition survey, consultants had estimated that the replacement of the pool roof would take 24 weeks and that it would be advisable for all of the other internal refurbishment/maintenance at the pool to be undertaken while the pool was closed to minimise the loss of income.

Members were concerned to ensure that the County Council contributed to the cost of the work, especially since the District Council had met the whole of the cost of replacing the pool roof at Ramsey Leisure Centre some years previously.

RESOLVED

(a)  that the relevant funding be released for the following schemes and projects within the Council’s Medium Term  Plan –

·  Crime and Disorder – lighting improvements

·  CCTV digital services

·  Local Transport Plan

·  Safe cycle routes

·  Huntingdon Transport Strategy

·  Bus shelters – extra provision

·  Huntingdon Bus Station

·  St Ives town centre Phase II

·  A J C small scale improvements

·  Environmental improvements – village residential areas

·  Street naming

·  Accessibility improvements; and

·  Affordable housing social housing grant.

(b)  that £170,000 of capital funding be released for new public conveniences and the associated revenue costs, with the exception of work at South Street,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

To note a summary by the Head of Financial Services of debts written-off during the quarter ended 31st March 2007.

Noted those debts which had been written off during January – March 2007 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 January – March 2007 as irrecoverable.

To consider a report by the Head of Operations seeking approval to enter into an agreement with the Environment Agency for the Agency’s river inspectors to take action when necessary to ensure that craft using the councils short stay moorings do not overstay the time periods allowed.

Approved arrangements with the Environment Agency for the Agency’s river inspectors to take action when necessary to ensure craft using the District Council’s short stay moorings do not overstay the time period allowed and authorised the Head of Operations, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Operations, Parks and Countryside to determine the period of the agreement.

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking approval to enter into an agreement with the Environment Agency for the Agency’s river inspectors to take action when necessary, to ensure that boats using the District Council’s short stay moorings did not overstay the time period allowed.

Members were advised that some boat owners had been abusing the short stay period and reminded of the likely demand for temporary moorings for the forthcoming Inland Waterways Festival in St Ives in August.  Having been advised that the Council did not have the necessary resources to regulate moorings on the river, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

that arrangements for the District Council to enter into an agreement for the Environment Agency to enforce the terms and conditions of the Council’s short stay river moorings be approved and the Head of Operations, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Operations, Parks and Countryside, be authorised to determine the period of the agreement.

To receive a report by the Head of Operations regarding the funding of waste initiatives by RECAP (Recycling Cambridge and Peterborough) Waste Partnership aimed at increasing the level of recycling undertaken by businesses in the partnership area.

Approved arrangements for the District Council to plan and manage a pilot project to provide recycling facilities to small and medium sized shops and businesses in the market towns.

With the aid of a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered a proposal by the Recycling Cambridge and Peterborough Waste Partnership (RECAP) to introduce a pilot project to provide recycling facilities for small and medium sized shops and businesses in the market towns in Huntingdonshire, Fenland and East and South Cambridgeshire Districts.

Having noted that funding of £71,000 had been secured from DEFRA’s business resource efficiency and waste funding to finance the project, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the arrangements proposed for the District Council to host the pilot project for recycling waste generated by small and medium-sized businesses be approved.

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Technical Services to consider the contents of the second draft of the Environment Strategy for Huntingdonshire.

( a copy of the Strategy will be sent out under separate cover)

Approved the second draft of an Environment Strategy for Huntingdonshire for consultation purposes and engagement and consultation proposals and authorised the .Head of Technical Services, after consultation with the Environment Strategy Working Group, to agree the form of the base line survey.

Further to Minute No. 06/147 and by way of a report by the Head of Technical Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet was invited to consider the contents of the second draft of the proposed Environment Strategy for Huntingdonshire.

In discussing the content of the Strategy, Executive Councillors suggested that references should be included in the document to the possible development of eco-friendly housing in the District and to issues relating to the Waterways in Huntingdonshire including the risks of contamination.  Having noted the timetable for consultation with the public, parish and town councils and other interested bodies, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  that the draft Environment Strategy be approved for consultation purposes;

(b)  that the engagement and consultation proposals as detailed in section 2 of the report now submitted be approved; and

(c)  that the Head of Technical Services, after consultation with the Environment Strategy Working Group, be authorised to agree the form of the base line survey.

To consider a report by the Audit and Risk Manager.

Noted progress being made in developing risk management and approved the proposed actions appended to the report and the resulting level of mitigated risks.

By way of a report by the Audit and Risk Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were reminded of the development of a Risk Register to identify corporate risks.  This had included a number of very high or ‘red’ residual risks which the Risk Management Strategy required the Cabinet to address further.  The Executive Councillor for Finance explained that of the 8 risks identified, action had been taken that had reduced the likelihood of 3 risks occurring, of the 5 remaining, it was suggested that all practical measures possible were being undertaken to manage the risks to reduce their likelihood and severity.

RESOLVED

(a)  that the progress being made in developing risk management be noted; and

(b)  that the actions proposed in the report now submitted and the resulting level of mitigated risks be approved as being acceptable.