Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 19^th July 2007.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 19th July 2007 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Vice-Chairman.

To receive from 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 consider a report by the Head of Financial Services.

Noted the contents of the report and agreed that in considering the financial forecast for the period ending 2017/2018 full Council’s attention be drawn to –

¨  past successes in controlling spending and obtaining additional grant funding, the continuation of which it is hoped will form important elements in reducing future spending;

¨  the development of five-year visions which it is anticipated will contribute towards additional spending reductions and help prioritise proposals for service developments; and

¨  the major uncertainty over future grant levels and the consequent inability to develop accurate plans until the three year grant levels are known in December.

Further to Minute No. 07/21 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 financial forecast for the period up to 2017/18 in terms of three assumed scenarios.  The outcome of deliberations by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Corporate and Strategic Framework) on the matter also were noted.

Having regard to information contained in the report, the uncertainty as to the future levels of Government grant, the implications of possible changes to the concessionary fares scheme and the upcoming review of schemes in the Medium Term Plan, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the contents of the report be noted; and

  (b)  that in considering the financial forecast for the period ending 2017/2018 full Council’s attention be drawn to –

¨  past successes in controlling spending and obtaining additional grant funding, the continuation of which it is hoped will form important elements in reducing future spending;

¨  the development of five-year visions which it is anticipated will contribute towards additional spending reductions and help prioritise proposals for service developments; and

¨  the major uncertainty over future grant levels and the consequent inability to develop accurate plans until the three year grant levels are known in December.

To consider a report by the Director of Operational Services detailing changes to the membership of the Great Fen Project Partnership.

Welcomed the request by Middle Level Commissioners to become full partners of the Great Fen Project and authorised the Director of Operational Services to sign the resulting revised Memorandum of Agreement and to sign any future changes to the Memorandum of Agreement, which accord with Council Policy and do not prejudice the fundamental objectives of the Project, after consultation with the Executive Member for Planning Strategy, Environment and Transport.

Further to Minute No. 07/48 and by way of a report by the Director of Operational Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) Members considered a request by the Middle Level Commissioners to become a partner of the Great Fen Project alongside the District Council, the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Wildlife Trust for Cambridgeshire

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the request by Middle Level Commissioners to become full partners of the Great Fen Project be welcomed and that the Director of Operational Services be authorised to sign the resulting revised Memorandum of Agreement; and

  (b)  that the Director of Operational Services, after consultation with the Executive Member for Planning Strategy, Environment and Transport, be authorised to sign any future changes to the Memorandum of Agreement, which accord with Council Policy and do not prejudice the fundamental objectives of the Project.