Agenda item

Councillor I C Bates, Leader and Chairman of the Cabinet presented the Report of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 15th December 2005, 12th January, 2nd and 10th February 2006.

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In connection with Item Nos. 88 and 89 it was noted that the recommendations had previously been considered under Minute No. 60 ante.

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Upon being put to the vote, the recommendation contained in Item No. 90 was declared to be CARRIED.

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In connection with Item No. 91, the Council deferred consideration of the recommendations contained therein to the penultimate item of business at the meeting.

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In connection with Item No. 98 and in response to a question from Councillor R Powell regarding the loss of car parking spaces as a result of the proposed redevelopment of the Grand Cinema in Ramsey and the potential use of a site in Mews Close as an alternative, the Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy, Councillor N J Guyatt, replied that the future of the Grand Cinema site would be influenced by the outcome of consultation on the development brief but that given recent proliferation of car parking in Ramsey it might be necessary to consider the re-introduction of car parking charges and the enforcement of parking restrictions in the town as part of a proposed review of the car parking strategy.

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(Councillors M G Baker, Mrs M Banerjee, P L E Bucknell and J E Garner declared a personal interest in the following item by virtue of their appointment as District Council representatives on the Board of Huntingdonshire Housing Partnership).

In connection with Item No. 99 and in response to a question from Councillor J J Dutton, the Executive Councillor for Housing and Public Health, Councillor Mrs D C Reynolds confirmed that funds accrued from the sale of land at Oxmoor for development and via any associated Section 106 Agreement would continue to be targeted towards projects to regenerate the Oxmoor area.

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In connection with Item No. 102 and in response to a question from Councillor P J Downes, the Executive Councillor for Finance, Councillor T V Rogers undertook to respond to the questioner, in writing, regarding the duties and responsibilities of the Member Champion for risk management.

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In connection with Item No. 103 and in response to a question from Councillor J J Dutton regarding the responsibilities of the District Council in monitoring the completion of development at Oxmoor by Huntingdonshire Housing Partnership, the Leader, Councillor I C Bates indicated that the Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy.  Councillor N J Guyatt and the Director of Operational Services would be investigating the matter.

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In connection with Item No. 106 and in response to questions from Councillor D A Giles, regarding the relocation of the public conveniences at South Street, St. Neots, the Executive Councillor for Environment and Transport, Councillor Mrs P J Longford replied that an alternative site had yet to be secured and that she would respond, in writing, to the questioner on the question of redundancy payments to those staff currently employed by St. Neots Town Council on public convenience maintenance.

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(Councillors I C Bates, Mrs B E Boddington, P J Downes, J J Dutton, J A P Eddy, D Harty and C R Hyams declared personal interests in the following item by virtue of their membership of Cambridgeshire County Council).

In connection with Item No. 108 and in response to a question from Councillor P J Downes, the Executive Councillor for Resources and Policy, Councillor A Hansard confirmed that the District Council had a significant involvement in the proposed structure for the delivery of services for children and young people in Huntingdonshire and as far as he was aware, sufficient resources had been allocated by the County Council to achieve the new strategy.

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In connection with Item No. 116 and in response to concern expressed by Councillor P J Downes regarding the potential proliferation of bureaucracy associated with the Local Area Agreement for Cambridgeshire, the Leader, Councillor I C Bates confirmed that he shared the questioners view and that he would be monitoring carefully the development of the Agreement.

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In connection with Item No. 120 and in response to a question from Councillor G S E Thorpe regarding the proposal to retain a PR/Communications consultant, in connection with the development of the Council’s Headquarters and Other Accommodation, the Executive Councillor for Office Accommodation and Other Special Projects, Councillor D P Holley, explained that the consultant would ensure that proposals for a new headquarters and for the relocation of the depot were communicated effectively to the public and the Councils partners and stakeholders in accordance with a communications strategy to be prepared.

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In connection with Item No. 118 and in response to a question from Councillor Mrs M Banerjee regarding the implications of membership of Cambridgeshire Horizons Ltd, the Executive Councillor for Office Accommodation and Other Special Projects, Councillor D P Holley, advised that the Company would seek to deliver an agreed development strategy for the sub-region and that Huntingdonshire might have been disadvantaged if the Council had not joined the organisation.

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Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

  that, with the exception of Item No. 91 and subject to the foregoing paragraphs, the Report of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 15th December 2005, 12th January, 2nd and 10th February 2006 be received and adopted.