Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 April 2018 were approved.

1.    Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

2.    Other Interests

There were no declarations of interest made.

DECISION:   That the Forward Plan for June 2018 be approved for publication.

The purpose of the report was to inform members of the Council’s overall performance and financial position for the period ended 31st March 2018 (“Fourth Quarter 2017/18”).  The report was considered by the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 6 June 2018.  The position can be summarised as follows:

Options considered:

Detailed Analysis was contained within the main body of the Report.

DECISION:           

1.    That the Fourth Quarter 2017/18 financial, procurement and performance position detailed in Appendices A, B and C and summarised at 3.3 of the covering report be noted.

2.    That the proposed allocation of the surplus on the General Fund Revenue Account to reserves as explained in Appendix A of the report (paragraph 2.9) be noted.

The purpose of the report was to:

·           Provide members with an opportunity to scrutinise the draft Performance Framework and associated targets for 2018/19

·           Present the findings from the Annual Report and how these had influenced the Framework and Corporate Plan refresh

·           Outline the suggested approach and timescale for approval of the 2018/19 Performance Framework.  

The report was considered by the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 6 June 2018.

Options considered:

Members were asked to consider the proposed targets and to make amendments if they considered that they were necessary.

DECISION:           

1.    That the Performance Framework and Annual Report be approved.

2.    That the revised Corporate Plan refresh be recommended to Council for approval.

The purpose of this report is to update the Cabinet on the progress of the Draft Growth Strategy for Staffordshire Moorlands, being developed jointly in partnership between SMDC and SCC.  The report was considered by the Service Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 23 May 2018.

Options considered:

Option 1: Do not agree approval for consultation.  Under this option, the Council would not seek public and stakeholder consultation on draft Growth Strategy. This would mean that there was less opportunity for key partners and residents to influence local strategy.  Not recommended.

Option 2: Agree approval for consultation for opportunity for key partners and residents to influence local strategy. Recommended

DECISION:           

1.    That the Draft Growth Strategy be noted.

2.    That  the Draft Growth Strategy for Staffordshire Moorlands be approved for publication for the purpose of public consultation. 

The Council adopted a Community Right to Bid/Assets of Community Value Policy in December 2012, based on the Council’s experience since that date and the growing body of case law amendments were proposed to the current policy.

Options considered:

§  To approve the revised Community Right to Bid policy (Recommended).

§  To not approve the revised Community Right to Bid policy (Not recommended).

DECISION:           

That the revised Community Right to Bid Policy (contained in Appendix 1 of the report) be approved.

The Council last revised its Safeguarding Policy in 2016. An amended policy was presented to reflect recent legislative and other changes. The report also provided an update to Councillors on the Council’s actions to meet its safeguarding duties.

Options considered:

None.

DECISION:           

1.    That the actions taken by the Council in response to its safeguarding duties be noted.

2.    That the amended Safeguarding Policy be approved.

A Green Infrastructure Strategy has been prepared to support the Local Plan.  The Strategy has been prepared in collaboration with a number of external partners and has been subject to public consultation.  This report sets out the results of the consultation and recommends that the amended GI Strategy is adopted.

Options considered:

There were three options:

Option 1 – Decline to adopt the Staffordshire Moorlands Local Plan: Green Infrastructure Strategy; May 2018.  A GI Strategy for the District was required by national and local planning policy.  Failure to include a GI Strategy with the evidence base supporting the Local Plan risks the plan being found unsound at Examination. Not recommended

Option 2 – Approve the adoption of the Staffordshire Moorlands Local Plan: Green Infrastructure Strategy; May 2018, but subject to fundamental modification of the document.  The May 2018 GI Strategy had been approved by a Steering Group of external partners who have collaborated in its preparation and who would, alongside the Council, be principal partners in its delivery.  Fundamental revision of the Strategy would require further consultation and this may delay preparation of the Strategy such that it could not be submitted alongside the Local Plan.  Not recommended

Option 3 – Adopt the Staffordshire Moorlands Local Plan: Green Infrastructure Strategy; May 2018.  The adoption of the GI Strategy would provide a strategic framework for the development of a network of habitat corridors and linked green spaces in the District that would form part of the evidence base for Local Plan policies, inform the Local Plan Infrastructure Delivery Plan, assist with development management decisions and inform the contributions required from new developments.  Recommended

DECISION:           

1.    The the preparation of a Staffordshire Moorlands Green Infrastructure Strategy, the consultation feedback received and the subsequent action taken be noted and that the adoption of the Strategy be approved.

2.    That the adoption of the strategy be approved to be used as background evidence to support and inform the development of the policies in the Local Plan. 

The Chair to Move:-

“That, pursuant to Section 100A(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that confidential information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act would be disclosed to the public in breach of the obligation of confidence or exempt information as defined in Section 100 I (1) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act would be disclosed to the public by virtue of the Paragraphs indicated.”

RESOLVED -    That, pursuant to Section 100A(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that confidential information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act would be disclosed to the public in breach of the obligation of confidence or exempt information as defined in Section 100 I (1) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act would be disclosed to the public by virtue of the Paragraphs indicated.

The Cabinet approved a report that considered the service financial arrangements, specification, service delivery and performance framework for services to be transferred to Alliance Environmental Service (AES).