Meeting documents

Cabinet
Thursday 1 September 2011 5.30 pm

Date:
Thursday, 1st September, 2011
Time:
5.30pm
Place:
Reception Room, Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
30 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Business for item 30
 
31 TO APPROVE AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 4 AUGUST 2011
 RESOLVED

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
32 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS.
Business for item 32
 
33 CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED CHANGES IN POLICING AND FIRE SERVICE OPERATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Business for item 33
RESOLVED
To respond to both consultations, and specifically to:

a) Give due recognition to the outstanding services provided by both organisations in Nottinghamshire

b) To indicate the Council's opposition to the disproportionate level of budget reductions in Nottinghamshire

c) Call on the Government to reopen discussions on the Nottinghamshire Police Service Settlement

d) Express support for the co-location of Police and Council services and to request that no decisions are taken on the closure of front counter services at Arnold Police Station until a decision on possible co-location had been made
Councillors Clarke and Pulk rejoined the meeting
34 COUNCIL VISION, VALUES, PRIORITIES AND OBJECTIVES
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE
Business for item 34
RESOLVED:
To recommend to the Council that the strapline, vision, values, priorities and draft objectives,as appended to the report,be adopted, subject to the following minor amendment:
Under Recreation priority, reword second objective to read:
Encourage more people to appreciate, enjoy and respect the local environment
35 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION REVIEW OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE
Business for item 35
RESOLVED:

That the Leader of the Council write to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to request that an electoral review of Gedling Borough Council be carried out as soon as possible.
36 BUSINESS RATES CONSULTATION
Business for item 36
RESOLVED:

a) To forward views on the consultation to the Head of Corporate Services;

b) To delegate the authority to formulate the full response to the consultation paper to the Head of Corporate Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Performance.
37 LOCALISING SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL TAX IN ENGLAND
Business for item 37
RESOLVED:

a) That a working group comprising all Cabinet Members be established to look in detail at the implications of the proposals.

b) That the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Performance be delegated to respond to the report and proposals, in consultation with the above working group.The response should include local case histories, and raise Members' concerns about possible discrimination implications arising from the proposals
38 LOCAL AUTHORITY MORTGAGE SCHEME (LAMS)
Business for item 38
RESOLVED:

a) To agree in principle to adopt the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme in accordance with the outline provided in the report.

b) That the Portfolio Holders for Finance and Performance and Health and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Head of Corporate Services and the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, be authorised to finalise the details of the scheme, and subsequently to report back to Cabinet on a final scheme for adoption by Full Council.

c) That,if the scheme proceeds,the Council agrees to indemnify the Monitoring Officer in relation to any opinion or indemnity he/she is required to give as outlined in the report.
39 INDIVIDUAL ELECTORAL REGISTRATION
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE
Business for item 39
RESOLVED:

To delegate responsibility to consider and if appropriate respond to the consultation to the Head of Strategy and Performance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council,seeking the views of Group Leaders in compiling any response.
40 "CONTACTS" EDITORIAL BOARD
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE
Business for item 40
RESOLVED:

To agree to the re-establishment of the Contacts Editorial Board, working to the revised role appended to the report, and to refer nominations to the Contacts Editorial Board to the party Business Managers.
41 HOUSING BENEFIT REFORM - SUPPORTED HOUSING
REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC HOUSING MANAGER
Business for item 41
RESOLVED:

That Members examine the full Consultation paper and forward their responses to the Head of Corporate Services or the Strategic Housing Manager to enable a response to be formulated by the deadline of 9th October 2011.
42 MEMBERS' QUESTIONS TO PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
Business for item 42
 
43 PROGRESS REPORTS FROM PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
Business for item 43
 

Attendance Details

Present:
W.J. Clarke, M.R. Payne, R.D. Allan, S.M. Creamer, P. Feeney, J. Hollingsworth,D.E. Pulk, A.J. Gillam,RF Spencer(Observer)(a)PA Hughes (Observer)
Observers:
Councillor RF Spencer, Councillor PA Hughes

Business

Business
ItemBusiness
30None
32Councillor Clarke declared an interest in item 4 on the Agenda in relation to his membership of Nottinghamshire Police Authority.
33a) Councillor Pulk delivered a presentation as Chair of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Fire Authority setting out details of consultation currently underway on proposed changes to Fire Service operations, following significant reductions in government funding. Councillor Pulk set out the aims of the review and confirmed that he had requested that a copy of the consultation booklet be provided to all members.

Councillor Clarke thanked Councillor Pulk for his presentation and left the meeting. Councillor Payne took the Chair.

b) A presentation was given by Sergeant Dermott Booth, with contributions from Councillor Gilfoyle (Vice-Chair of Nottinghamshire Police Authority) and other Police Service and Police Authority representatives, outlining details of a review of front counter services and Police Stations in Nottinghamshire. He reported that the consultation period would run from 27th July to 12th September.

Councillor Pulk declared an interest in the Fire Service item and left the meeting for discussion of that item.

Councillor Payne proposed that appropriate responses to both consultations are drafted and circulated to Cabinet Members for comments.
34Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Strategy and Performance which set out proposals for a new strapline and revised vision, values, priorities and objectives for the Council.
35Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Strategy and Performance, which sought agreement to invite the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) to carry out a review of Gedling Borough's electoral arrangements.
36Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Corporate Services, which sought Members views on a Government consultation paper on the proposals for Business Rates Retention. This forms part of the Local Government Resource Review.

Members views were asked on the proposals, with specific focus on the three questions set out in section 6 of the report.:
37Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Corporate Services, which sought Members views on Government proposals for Localising support for Council Tax in England,.

Members were informed that the consultation sets out and seeks views on the principles that should underpin the reform and the design of the new localised scheme that will replace Council Tax Benefit from April 2013.

The chair introduced Sarah, a local resident,who described how the proposals would affect her situation.
38Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Corporate Services, which sought Members approval for the establishment of a Local Authority Mortgage Scheme, designed to aid local first time buyers with the purchase of their home. Members were informed that the scheme had been designed to benefit eligible local homebuyers while minimising the financial impact on the local authority, and to work in partnership with a range of experts in the market, i.e. residential mortgage lenders.
39Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Strategy and Performance, which outlined the issues raised in the Government's proposals for Individual Electoral Registration. Members were made aware of the key features of the system, which the Government planned to implement in 2014 in time for the next General Election in 2015.
40Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Strategy and Performance, which set out proposals to re- establish the Contacts Magazine Editorial Board,with a suggested change in role, remit and membership.
41Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Housing Manager, which sought a response from Members to consultation on Housing Benefit reform.

Members received a brief overview of proposals, which aimed more effectively to help those with specialist housing needs who commonly lived in specialist supported or adapted housing.
42No questions were submitted
43Councillor Pulk (Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture) gave an update on the Gedling Show to be held on Saturday and Sunday 3rd and 4th of September, and urged Members to get involved.

Councillor Feeney (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability) informed Members that changes to Car Parking charging arrangements, including the introduction of a free 2 hour parking period,were on track to commence on 3rd October as planned.