Agenda and minutes

Jon Randall, Vicar of Huntingdon to open the meeting with a Prayer.

Jon Randall, Vicar of Huntingdon opened the meeting with a prayer.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 16th October 2024.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on the 16th October 2024  were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

Councillor C H Tevlin declared an Other Registrable Interest under Minute No. 24/51 by virtue of the fact that her employer works in partnership with the Charity – Garden Organic and did not vote on this item.

The Chief Executive, Mrs M Sacks, declared an interest under Minute No. 24/55 by virtue of owning a second property within the District. Although not a decision maker, the interest was declared for transparency purposes.

Councillors S Corney, L Davenport-Ray, I P Taylor, S L Taylor and T D Sanderson declared Disclosable Pecuniary Interests under Minute No. 24/55 by virtue of owning a second property within the District and vacated the room during discussion on this item.

To note the Chair’s engagements since the last Council meeting.

The Chair took the opportunity to remind the Council of his annual Carol Service which would be taking place on Wednesday 18th December at 6pm at All Saints Church in Huntingdon. He encouraged all Members to attend.

The Council noted those engagements attended by the Chair and Vice-Chair since the last meeting (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). In doing so, the Chair reported that he had been unable to attend the Mayor of Sandy’s Carol Service on Sunday 8th December 2024.

To answer any questions submitted by the public in accordance with the Constitution.

The deadline for the receipt of public questions is five days prior to the meeting and must be submitted to the Monitoring Officer.

The Chair reported that that there had been no public questions received by the deadline for consideration by the Council.

Councillor M A Hassall to move –

This Council notes:

The cost-of-living crisis, food shortages, global conflicts, climate change and ongoing pandemic recovery efforts significantly impact food security. It is imperative that our residents have access to an adequate supply of fresh food for their daily needs. This motion is in line with the Joint Administration’s aim to ‘Do, Enable and Facilitate’ within our local communities. It also aligns with, ‘Priority 1: Improving quality of life for local people’, of HDC’s Corporate Plan.

This Council acknowledges:

1.  The increasing need to prioritise residents’ health and well-being in our corporate strategies.

2.  The compelling evidence linking people’s health and well-being to the availability of locally produced, non-ultra-processed, fresh food.

3.  The real hunger resulting from the cost-of-living crisis, emphasising the necessity of affordable, healthy food.

4.  The potential for community-led food cultivation to reduce NHS and social care costs by combating loneliness and promoting well-being.

5.  The existence of underutilised publicly owned land that could serve both community food growing and enhance public spaces.

This Council resolves:

a)  To refer the following options to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environment, Community and Partnerships) and then the Cabinet for consideration -

1. Mapping Council-Owned Land:
   • Identify and create a map of all Council-owned land suitable for community cultivation.
   • Ensure this map is publicly available at no cost to residents and actively promoted across all wards.
   • Consider land suitable for food cultivation or biodiversity unless it contains proven hazards or is slated for development within 24 months.
2. Facilitating Community Cultivation:
   • Make Council-owned land available for cultivation through simple licenses granted to community organisations at no cost.
   • Ensure licence conditions do not create significant barriers for residents in terms of finances or practical requirements.
   • Extend Council public liability coverage to include food-growing projects on public realm land, relieving community groups of this burden.
3. Opportunities for Community Groups:
   • When community groups cultivate public realm land for food growing or wildlife spaces, allow them an opportunity to bid for the land if it becomes available for sale.
   • Provide necessary infrastructure such as water access or water harvesting to enable sustainable cultivation.
4. Allotment Provision:
   • Adhere to the 1969 Thorpe Report’s recommendation of a minimum allotment provision equivalent to 15 plots per 1,000 households.
   • HDC to compile comprehensive statistics on allotment provision and take-up across Huntingdonshire. This data will provide valuable insights for future planning and community engagement.

b)  To actively promote volunteering opportunities to encourage wider community involvement in cultivation.

c)  To take consideration of and be consistent with any ongoing, ‘Foraging Maps’, or similar initiatives within HDC or other Huntingdonshire organisations in the outcomes resulting from this motion.

d)  To write to MPs representing our Council area, urging their support for a national “right to grow” as articulated in Amendment 483 (Community Cultivation Schemes) in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

See Minute No. 24/48 – Members’ Interests.

Councillor M A Hassall moved, and it was duly seconded by Councillor S W Ferguson that -

‘This Council notes:

The cost-of-living crisis, food shortages, global conflicts, climate change and ongoing pandemic recovery efforts significantly impact food security. It is imperative that our residents have access to an adequate supply of fresh food for their daily needs. This motion is in line with the Joint Administration’s aim to ‘Do, Enable and Facilitate’ within our local communities. It also aligns with, ‘Priority 1: Improving quality of life for local people’, of HDC’s Corporate Plan.

This Council acknowledges:

1.  The increasing need to prioritise residents’ health and well-being in our corporate strategies.

2.  The compelling evidence linking people’s health and well-being to the availability of locally produced, non-ultra-processed, fresh food.

3.  The real hunger resulting from the cost-of-living crisis, emphasising the necessity of affordable, healthy food.

4.  The potential for community-led food cultivation to reduce NHS and social care costs by combating loneliness and promoting well-being.

5.  The existence of underutilised publicly owned land that could serve both community food growing and enhance public spaces.

This Council resolves:

a)  To refer the following options to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environment, Community and Partnerships) and then the Cabinet for consideration -

1. Mapping Council-Owned Land:
   • Identify and create a map of all Council-owned land suitable for community cultivation.
   • Ensure this map is publicly available at no cost to residents and actively promoted across all wards.
   • Consider land suitable for food cultivation or biodiversity unless it contains proven hazards or is slated for development within 24 months.
2. Facilitating Community Cultivation:
   • Make Council-owned land available for cultivation through simple licenses granted to community organisations at no cost.
   • Ensure licence conditions do not create significant barriers for residents in terms of finances or practical requirements.
   • Extend Council public liability coverage to include food-growing projects on public realm land, relieving community groups of this burden.
3. Opportunities for Community Groups:
   • When community groups cultivate public realm land for food growing or wildlife spaces, allow them an opportunity to bid for the land if it becomes available for sale.
   • Provide necessary infrastructure such as water access or water harvesting to enable sustainable cultivation.
4. Allotment Provision:
   • Adhere to the 1969 Thorpe Report’s recommendation of a minimum allotment provision equivalent to 15 plots per 1,000 households.
   • HDC to compile comprehensive statistics on allotment provision and take-up across Huntingdonshire. This data will provide valuable insights for future planning and community engagement.

b)  To actively promote volunteering opportunities to encourage wider community involvement in cultivation.

c)  To take consideration of and be consistent with any ongoing, ‘Foraging Maps’, or similar initiatives within HDC or other Huntingdonshire organisations in the outcomes resulting from this motion.

d)  To write to MPs representing our Council area, urging their support for a national “right to grow” as articulated in Amendment 483 (Community Cultivation Schemes) in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.’

In presenting the proposed motion,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

In accordance with the Council Procedure Rules, all questions –

v  Must be relevant to an item which the Council has powers or duties;

v  Must not relate to an item which is included elsewhere on the Agenda

v  Should be limited to obtaining information or pressing for action; and

v  Should not exceed two minutes in duration.

Questions should not divulge or require to be divulged, confidential or exempt information.

With reference to the recent tree planting in St Neots as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy project, Councillor B S Chapman commented on the positive work which had been undertaken in partnership with St Neots Town and Cambridgeshire County Council. Having been urged to visit the area and view the work herself, the Executive Councillor for Open Spaces, Waste and Street Scene Councillor S L Taylor welcomed the collaborative work that had been undertaken and undertook to visit shortly.

Councillor C Gleadow, speaking as the local member for the St Ives South ward sought clarification regarding the steps which were being taken to mitigate against a perceived increase in the numbers of homeless people living in temporary accommodation. In response to which the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Services explained that the statistics were monitored on a quarterly basis as part of the Council’s regular performance monitoring. There were two ways in which the Council attempts to keep numbers down, the first by bringing more affordable houses online whilst the Council’s homelessness team worked hard to prevent homelessness from occurring in the first place. Councillor Ferguson explained that there had been a slight decrease in numbers during the previous quarter, however he undertook to establish the current figures to ensure that if there had been an increase that this was being reacted to in the best possible way. Councillor Ferguson went on to reiterate that homelessness continues to be a financial risk to the Council and for those that found themselves homeless it continued to be an awful situation.

With reference to the recent consultations on the Local Plan, Councillor C A Lowe expressed her concerns regarding the difficulties experienced by residents in completing the online forms which may have deterred individuals from responding to the consultation. She also expressed concerns regarding the volume of information presented as part of the consultation, the absence of any area specific drop-in sessions and the number of consultations being undertaken at one time. In response to which, the Executive Councillor for Planning Councillor T Sanderson explained that it was recognised that there had been some issues with the online forms and feedback had been provided to the company used, who had also been asked to review the lessons learnt from the process. In terms of responses received, the Executive Councillor was pleased to report that a total of 5469 responses had been received, together with 210 emails which were still being processed and 2 petitions. This was significantly more than those received from the consultation on the last stage of the previous Local Plan and a tribute to the Planning Team, local Members and the Town and Parish Councils. With reference to the comments made concerning a requirement for bespoke area specific consultation events, the Executive Councillor explained that the consultation was intended to obtain feedback on the plan for the entire District area.

Having commented on the fact that the increase in responses received might be a reflection of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

The Executive Councillor for Communities, Health and Leisure Councillor B Pitt to present a report on the Community Health and Wealth Strategy and the creation of a Delivery Fund.

With the aid of a report by the Interim Corporate Director (People) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Council considered a report seeking the adoption of a Community Health and Well Strategy and the approval of a Delivery Fund to enable progress to be made with delivery.

In introducing the report, the Executive Leader explained that the Strategy was supported by the Cabinet in September 2024 demonstrating the Council’s commitment to place residents at the heart of service delivery. It also aligned with the Council’s Priority to ‘Improve the Quality of Life for Local People’. Council’s attention was then drawn to the three core themes within the Strategy – economic resilience, social connection and physical and mental health.

The Council were also reminded that the May 2024 Corporate Peer Challenge had identified the need to properly resource the delivery of the Huntingdonshire Futures Strategy, and the fund would enable the Council to do this in part. The Community Health and Wealth Building Strategy directly addressed five themes of that Strategy.

In terms of the proposed new delivery fund, the Council were advised that this had been made possible from in year exceptional income from higher interest rates and that the fund would follow the principles of a sovereign wealth fund, whereby a one-off windfall income was treated as exceptional and is invested for the longer-term benefits of the residents who live there. It was also explained that other partners would be encouraged to contribute to the fund to embed a holistic approach to social success and to support cross partner working. By inviting partners to co-design the process, it was hoped to deliver a health model which they wished to fund on an enduring basis.

Having acknowledged the benefits of co-production in engaging the views of local people as part of the process, the Executive Leader reiterated that the Council were committed to evidencing the impact of the Strategy to ensure it was providing value for money. The Council were also advised that it was proposed to bring further details of the operation of the delivery fund to Overview and Scrutiny for further input and review.

In commenting on the report, Councillor R Martin emphasised the need for a set of clear performance indicators to ensure that the Strategy and its initiatives were having a meaningful impact. He also emphasised the need for such indicators to be regularly provided to ensure transparency and suggested that quarterly reporting through the democratic process would enable the Council to pivot if the Strategy was not delivering what had been promised, whilst also developing public trust.

Whilst acknowledging many of the positive ideas within the Strategy, Councillor J A Gray expressed his concerns at the absence of any detailed proposals regarding the governance of the delivery fund. In response to which, the Executive Councillor for Climate, Transformation and Workforce reinforced the comments outlined within the report that open governance and transparent reporting of both spend and impact would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

At 8.56pm, it was

RESOLVED

  that the meeting stand adjourned.

Upon resumption at 9.07pm

The Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance, Councillor S W Ferguson to present a report regarding Council Tax premiums.

(The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environment, Communities and Partnerships) and the Cabinet at their meetings in November 2024. The Cabinet endorsed the recommendations).

See Minute No. 24/48 – Members’ Interests.

At 9:08pm, Councillors S Corney, L Davenport-Ray, I Taylor, S Taylor and T D Sanderson vacated the room for this item.

Consideration was given to a report by the Revenues and Benefits Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) proposing the implementation of additional Council Tax Premiums in relation to unoccupied properties across the District.

In introducing the report, the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance reported upon the 2021 Census figures which had identified that there were 1.62 million vacant properties in England and Wales. Council was also advised that the number of long-term vacant homes had increase by 10% over the last 5 years which had led to a number of negative of consequences: including a reduced housing supply and increased local prices in the rental market. Neighbourhood decline had been seen in areas where there were large numbers of empty properties, with reduced community cohesion and empty properties becoming targets for vandalism, arson and squatting.

Having been reminded that the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 had previously provided the Authority with several measures to deal with unoccupied properties within the District, the Council were advised that the 2023 Levelling Up and Regeneration Act provided Council’s with new powers to introduce stiffer penalties. The Act enabled the Council to introduce a Council Tax Premium for empty and unfurnished homes after 1 year, rather than the current 2-year period and to also introduce a premium for those with second homes. Both premiums would be charged at 100%, coming into effect from April 2026.

The Council’s attention was also drawn to proposals to adopt a policy setting out exceptions to the premiums in line with any regulations or guidance issued by Central Government which it was proposed to delegate to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance. Following comments made by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environment, Communities and Partnerships) regarding the need to act with compassion in some cases when determining exemption and discounts, the Executive Councillor indicated that he would be accepting the offer from them to help him with the review of this activity.

In reviewing the contents of the report, the Leader of the Opposition Group emphasised the importance of evaluating the impact of the policy to ensure it was both effective and equitable. Whilst any proposals to incentivise the use of empty homes could have a significant positive impact for housing availability and affordability within the District, it’s success would hinge on its thoughtful implementation, its robust monitoring and an approach which considered local context. He also urged the Executive Councillor not to limit any exceptions to the regulations or guidelines issued by Central Government, but to give due consideration to the local factors or specific challenges which were unique to Huntingdonshire. Having welcomed the inclusion of an additional recommendation, requiring a report back to Members 12 months following its implementation, Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

The Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance, Councillor S W Ferguson to present a report reviewing the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2025-26.

(The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environment, Communities and Partnerships) and the Cabinet at their meetings in November 2024. The Cabinet endorsed the recommendations).

A report by the Revenues and Benefits Manager was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) reviewing the Council Tax Support Scheme in accordance with Schedule 1a (5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992,

In introducing the report, Councillor S W Ferguson, the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance reminded Members that one of the Council’s principal objectives was to improve the quality of life of its residents, to prevent people from entering and to help those already in crisis.

The Executive Councillor reported that since the Scheme was revised in April 2024, the number of households receiving 100% support with their Council Tax had increased from 1,307 in March 2024 to 3,893 in August 2024. Furthermore, by the end of August 2024 an additional 708 households also received some support with their Council Tax and the number of Council Tax bills sent to CTS had reduced by 10%. The revised scheme had also resulted in a significant reduction in administrative overheads which included the issue of 615 fewer reminders and 527 fewer court summons by the Revenue and Benefits Team. Whilst the proportion of changes that were now able to be processed automatically had also led to a reduction in the times required to process changes to circumstances.

The Leader of the Opposition Group, Cllr R Martin commented that it was promising to see many of the outcomes following the implementation of the scheme. However, with reference to a specific case within his ward he commented on a problem which had occurred due to the automation of processes and problems with the postal service that might have been avoided with a human element to the process. In response to which, the Executive Councillor undertook to discuss this and issues relating to the receipt of reminders and summonses with the Revenue and Benefits Manager.

In drawing the discussion to a close, the Executive Councillor paid tribute to the Revenues and Benefits Team for their efforts in bringing the revisions to the Scheme to fruition. He drew attention to the positive impact that the scheme had had upon the residents of Huntingdonshire and in reducing the Council’s overheads. Whereupon and having been duly proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED

that the scheme principles for 2025-26 remain unchanged, ensuring that the scheme continues to deliver support to low-income households across the District in line with our Corporate Priority to improve the quality of life for local people.

Councillor N Wells, Chair of the Licensing Committee to present a revised Statement of Principles for the period 2025 to 2028 under the Gambling Act 2005 for adoption.

(The draft Statement was considered and endorsed by the Licensing Committee at their meeting on 16th October 2024).

Consideration was given to a report by (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was attached a revised draft Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005. The Council is required to undertake a review of its Statement every three years, with the last review having taken place in 2021.

Councillor N Wells, Chair of the Licensing Committee explained that the Gambling Act requires the Council to prepare and publish a Statement of Principles outlining the principles which the Council proposes to apply when exercising its functions under the Act. The Council were informed that the current Statement expires on 31st January 2025, and should the Council have failed to adopt a new statement it would be unable to fulfil its statutory duties. The proposed Statement had been the subject of public consultation and had been endorsed by the Licensing Committee at their meeting in October 2024.

It having been duly proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED

that the Gambling Act 2005- Statement of Principles 2025-2028 as appended to the report now submitted be approved to come into effect on 31st January 2025 for a period of three years duration.

The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources Councillor B Mickelburgh to present the Council’s Treasury Management performance for the period 1 April to 30 September 2024.

(The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance and Growth) and the Cabinet at their meetings in November 2024).

Consideration was given to a report by the Council’s Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) providing a six-month update in respect of treasury management activity for the period 1st April to 30th September 2024.

By way of background, the Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources reminded the Council that the 2024/25 Treasury Management Strategy was approved on 21st February 2024. He explained that Treasury Management was the management of the local authority’s borrowing, investments and cash flows, its banking, money market and capital market transactions, the effective control of the risks associated with those activities and the pursuit of optimum performance.

Members were then provided with further details regarding each of the areas of analysis these included a wider economic review, the performance of Council funds, the approach taken to risk management, details of the Council’s non treasury investments and the Treasury Management Indicators used by the Authority. Members were advised that the Council’s Section 151 Officer was content that all treasury management activities undertaken during the first half of the financial year had complied fully with the CIPFA Code of Practice and the approved Treasury Management Strategy.

In considering the contents of the report, Councillor J A Gray commented on the additional return which had been achieved on investment interest return compared to the budgeted position and an explanation was provided for this. A suggestion was also made that when considering the proportionality of investments, a better metric to consider might be what proportion of the Council’s net budget, is the income of the commercial investment portfolio currently making. In response to which, the Executive Councillor agreed that was a point worthy of further consideration. Efforts had been made over the course of the previous two years to improve the reporting of financial information for all members of the Council and he was keen to improve transparency further, including reporting on investment properties. Members also welcomed the fact that the Commercial Investment Strategy had been sufficiently robust to provide a resilient amount of income to the Council and looked forward to its forthcoming review.

With reference to comments which had been made to the proportionality of investments, Councillor P Hodgson-Jones drew attention to the differences between the way in which the Council accounts are presented compared to corporate accounts and the useful measures which could be missed from this type of reporting. He emphasised that when considering the proportionality of investments for example, the focus should be on the return from investment. In general terms the lack of transparency in the way in which public sector accounts were reported contributed to the overall problems with a transparency in local government finance, which meant that there was an absence of appropriate scrutiny in the best way to make investment decisions.

In response to which, the Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources concurred with the need for greater transparency to enable better informed decision making. The Chair of the Overview and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

This item provides an opportunity for District Council Members to ask questions on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority issues.

If Members wish to raise questions or issues requiring a detailed response, it would be helpful if they can provide prior notice so that the necessary information can be obtained in advance of the meeting.

The Council received and noted copies of the decision summaries from recent meetings of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) and Members were advised that any issues could be raised in relation to these meetings.

In response to a question from Councillor M A Hassall regarding the recruitment of District Council employees by the CPCA and whether partners were taking any specific actions to mitigate against this, the Executive Leader was invited to respond. In doing so, she explained that all Public Sector organisations were required to advertise on the open market and that District Council employees were able to look to the market for further employment. She went on to explain that the District Council had benefitted from employees who had moved to partner organisations because of the understanding of the Authority that they take to their new organisation. Similar and reciprocal benefits were seen when individuals moved from other organisations to the District Council. A healthy turnover of staff also provided an opportunity to recruit new employees with new skills and knowledge which could also be of a positive benefit to the organisation. In this regard, she was pleased to report on some positive appointments which had been made recently.

The Executive Leader undertook to respond in writing to the specific question regarding how much the CPCA staffing budget has increased over the previous two years.

With reference to the forthcoming Extraordinary meeting of the CPCA Board to discuss the use of an underspend to fund the cap on bus fares to the end of March 2025, Councillor J Neish outlined his concerns at the long term sustainability and the absence of a longer term strategy. Having referred to a several positive initiatives which had been put in place by the CPCA to promote public transport, he suggested it may better to address some of the areas in Huntingdonshire where few or no routes exist. In response to a question regarding her attendance and her position, the Executive Leader reiterated that the proposal represented expenditure of a time limited underspend and in her opinion supporting the £2 cap was appropriate at this stage. In the longer term, work was continuing at pace around bus routes and franchising and the Board had been advised that the outcome would be available shortly to assist with longer term decision making. Councillor Conboy reiterated that she would continue to promote the needs of the rural areas. She was pleased to report that visual mapping of routes had been possible and would help to identify those areas which had limited services.

In response to the Executive Leader’s remarks, Councillor Neish outlined his additional concerns that the proposal had not been presented to the CPCA’s Overview and Scrutiny committee. The Executive Leader explained that developments had been taking place at pace and the proposal had come through at short notice, missing the Overview and Scrutiny cycle. She urged those with an interest to watch the Board meeting on Friday and reiterated that she  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

An opportunity for Members to raise any issues or ask questions arising from recent meetings of the Council’s Committees and Panels.

A list of meetings held since the last Council meeting is attached for information and Members are requested to address their questions to Committee and Panel Chairs.

A copy of the list of meetings held since the last meeting of the Council held on 16th October 2024 is appended in the Minute Book and Members were advised that any issues or questions could be raised in relation to these meetings.

There were no questions raised.

Group Leaders to report on variations to the Membership of Committees and Panels if necessary.

There were no changes to report.

The meeting ended at 10:12pm.