Agenda and minutes

To provide Cabinet with an update on progress of demolition application for dilapidated structure at rear of 24 High St, Wisbech and to seek approval to progress with demolition with associated costs.

Cabinet considered the report on the dilapidated structure at the rear of 24 High Street, Wisbech presented by Councillor Seaton.

Cabinet AGREED to approve the recommendation to demolish the rear building to no 24 and approve the expenditure of the predicted costs contained in the report. 

To provide Cabinet with an analysis of reserves to inform future consideration of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Cabinet considered the Council Reserves update report presented by Councillor Boden. He stated that this was a very useful and interesting report and thanked the officers who worked on it. 

Cabinet AGREED to note the analysis of reserves provided as part of the report. 

Each year the Council is required to review its Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme. This report is to receive the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel’s consideration of the progress of the 2019 annual review and the resultant proposals for consultation for changes to the CTS scheme to take effect from April 2020.

Councillor Boden stated that due to an unfortunate miscommunication, no member of Cabinet was present when the Overview and Scrutiny Panel were called to consider the Council Tax Support Scheme. This report will therefore need to be presented to the next meeting of Overview and Scrutiny in early September. 

Councillor Boden asked members if it could be recommended that the Overview and Scrutiny Panel consider these proposals at their meeting on 2 September for consideration of the changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme that takes effect from April 2020, but would also ask that they deliberate whether, in the longer term, further reform of the Council Tax Support Scheme is appropriate to be investigated in line with the scheme which is currently operating in the Peterborough Unitary Authority or elsewhere. He suggested this because whilst we do have a small amendment which is being proposed for this year, there are some more fundamental questions which we may care to consider. However, it is going to be difficult to consider those in isolation within Fenland District Council because of the disproportionate effect that has within other precept authorities, primarily the County Council, and it is only in cooperation with the County Council that some changes may be appropriate.

Cabinet AGREED that the Overview and Scrutiny Panel consider these proposals at their meeting on 2 September 2019 for consultation for the changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme to take effect from April 2020, and for them to consider whether in the longer term further reform of the Council Tax Support Scheme, in line with that operating in Peterborough Unitary Authority or elsewhere, may be usefully investigated. 

To report to Cabinet on the audit of the disposal of single use plastics in line with Items 1 and 2 of Motion 1, ‘Single Use Plastics’, agreed by Council on 23 May 2019. 

Members considered the Single Use Plastics Audit update report presented by Councillor Tierney. 

Cabinet AGREED to note:

·       The content of the audit and work completed to date.

·       The assurance from the Council’s contractor, Amey LG Ltd that the single use plastics the Council disposes of should not be entering our seas or oceans.

·       The delivery of a further update report this calendar year evaluating our success or otherwise in adhering to the 3Rs principles – Reduce, Reuse or Recycle and covering points 3, 4 & 5 of the Council motion.

To report to Cabinet in relation to the Motion tabled at Council on 23 May 2019 in relation to the Council’s Waste Service.

Cabinet considered the Waste & Recycling Motion update report presented by Councillor Tierney. The motion had been brought at Council on 23 May 2019.  

Cabinet AGREED the recommendations:

·       That within the Council’s forthcoming budgetary plans, there should be a staged review of waste collection services for consideration in keeping with the Government’s evolving Waste and Resources Strategy objectives and timeline. 

·       Given the integrated nature of waste collection and the potential impact on partner authorities, that any changes to waste collection services should be made, where practicable, in cooperation with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Partnership (Recap) partners, including the County Council. 

·       That Cabinet note the existing commitment within the Council’s Business Plan to deliver an updated Waste Strategy for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough through the Recap Partnership.  

Further to a recent motion at Council on 23 May 2019, Cabinet is asked to consider the Council's approach to play areas within our open spaces.

Members considered the Open Spaces – Play Area Equipment report in response to a motion at Council on 23 May 2019, presented by Councillor Tierney on behalf of Councillor Murphy.

Councillor Boden stated that the report did not quite comply with what the original motion from Council which was to list the areas containing play equipment throughout the district. 

Councillor Mrs French proposed an amendment to the motion:

1.     To request a complete list to be submitted to the September Cabinet meeting of areas where FDC owns and/or maintains play equipment, to be listed by FDC ward and to include a very brief summary of the equipment at each site and its state of repair/maintenance.

2.     Apart from those works referred to in the resolution 3 below, to suspend all capital spend, programmed works and further improvements until the September Cabinet Meeting can consider that list of play equipment to fulfil the requirements of the resolution of Full Council on 23^rd May 2019.

3.     To proceed, regardless of the aforementioned suspension, with those projects which are in procurement where an order has already been placed, thus contractually obliging us to continue, or where a temporary suspension of any project would imperil receipt of Section 106 monies.

Councillor Benney seconded the amendment to the original motion.

Councillor Hoy commented that the amendment was useful as she was expecting the report to provide a breakdown of the play areas within the wards and the types of play equipment in those wards. The point of the original motion was that some areas did not have equipment and the report in September will show this. 

Councillor Boden said that the exceptions stated by Councillor French were very important so as not to delay those proposals that are currently moving forward.

Councillor asked Councillor Tierney if he accepted the amendments put forward by Councillor French, and he agreed he was happy with these.  

Councillor Boden asked for a show of hands to see if Cabinet accepted the amendments and these were agreed unanimously. 

Cabinet AGREED to the amended Motion and to:

·       Note the report recognising that the Council manages many play areas, maintains them safely and is continuing to invest in replacement play areas as and when suitable funding is available.

For information purposes.

Councillor Boden presented the draft Cabinet Forward Plan for information, noting that there will be two additions for the meeting on 18 September 2019, namely:

·       Cabinet will need to reconsider the representations made from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee about the Council Tax Support Scheme

·       As a result of the resolution just passed in Agenda Item 9 (Play Equipment), there will need to be a further agenda item about play equipment. 

To confirm and sign the minutes of 27 June 2019.

CONFIDENTIAL - ITEMS COMPRISING EXEMPT INFORMATION

To exclude the public (including the press) from a meeting of a committee it is necessary for the following proposition to be moved and adopted: "that the public be excluded from the meeting for Items which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) as indicated."

To confirm and sign the confidential minutes of 27 June 2019

The public minutes of 27 June 2019 were agreed and signed.

(Members resolved to exclude the public from the meeting for this item of business on the grounds that the minutes contained a confidential item involving the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act (as amended).

The confidential minutes of 27 June 2019 were agreed and signed.