Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 13^th February 2014.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 13^th February 2014 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary, non-disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests in relation to any Agenda item.  See Notes below.

No declarations were received.

To receive a report on Hackney Carriage Fares by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

Approved the current table of Hackney Carriage fares appended to the report; delegated approval of future Hackney Carriage fare tables to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, after consultation with the relevant Executive Portfolio holder; and authorised the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, after consultation with the relevant Executive Portfolio Holder, to consider any objections arising from (b) above and to determine the table of fares accordingly.

In accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended) and with the assistance of a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services the Cabinet has considered a table of fares for hackney carriages (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book)

Members were advised that the fares had originally been agreed at a meeting of the Licensing and Protection Panel on 26^th October 2011, however following recent case law the decision was now considered to be an Executive function. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that the current table of Hackney Carriage fares appended to the report now submitted be approved;

(b)  that the approval of future Hackney Carriage fare tables be delegated to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, after consultation with the relevant Executive Portfolio holder; and

(c)  that the Head of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised, after consultation with the relevant Executive Portfolio Holder, to consider any objections arising from (b) above and to determine the table of fares accordingly.

To resolve:-

  that the public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and is likely to reveal the identity of the individuals concerned.

RESOLVED

that the public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of a particular person including the authority that holds that information.

To consider a report by the Estates Officer on options for the continued management of the Creativexchange facility.

Agreed to surrender the lease for the Creativexchange building in St Neots to Longsands Academy and authorised the Strategic Assessment Estates Officer to negotiate a lease for the land which the District Council owns, including the car parking spaces, with Longsands Academy for a peppercorn rent.

With reference to a report by the Estates Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Annex to the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered a number of options for the future use and ownership of the CreativExchange building in St Neots.

The Executive Leader outlined the background to the report and explained that the current arrangements for the management of the building would expire on 31^st March 2014.

In discussing the content of the report, Members’ attention was drawn to the conclusions reached by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being). In that respect and in recognition of the educational and community benefits which would result, the Cabinet concurred with the Panel that the facility should be transferred to Longsands Academy.  Having considered options for the associated car parking land, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

that the lease for the CreativExchange building in St Neots be surrendered and the land with the related car parking spaces, which the District Council owns, be leased to Longsands Academy, on the best achievable terms.