Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meetings held on 1 and 9 August 2017 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED:           The Minutes of Meetings held on 1 and 9 August 2017 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

RESOLVED:           The minutes of Meetings held on 1 and 9 August 2017 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To consider any business, which by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept, under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

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Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

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To receive any Chairman’s correspondence.

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To note the names of any Councillors who wish to address the meeting under Standing Order 34.

Councillor T Bubb attended for the Disability Forum item.

Councillor J Moriarty attended for the Local Lottery item

Councillor T Bubb attended for the Disability Forum item.

Councillor J Moriarty attended for the Local Lottery item.

To report on any Cabinet Decisions called in.

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A copy of the Forward Decisions List is attached

The Forward Decisions List was noted.

The Forward Decisions List was noted.

To receive any comments and recommendations from other Council bodies which meet after the dispatch of this agenda. 

The Comments from the Environment and Community Panel on the Disability Forum item had been included within the report.

The comment from the Environment and Community Panel on the local lottery were distributed at the meeting.

The Comments from the Environment and Community Panel on the Disability Forum item had been included within the report.

RECOMMENDED:   1)       That the West Norfolk Disability Forum be disbanded.

RESOLVED:1)       That the Leader appoint a Disabilities Champion in due course and terms of reference for the role be prepared.

2)       That the Environment and Community Panel is requesting the opportunity to look at the Borough Council’s Equality Policy which is due for review be noted.

3)       That the Environment and Community Panel will request an update on the Equalities Policy on an annual basis be noted.

4)       That ways to promote Equality on the Corporate Agenda be investigated.

5)       That a page be created on the website to promote the Disabilities Champion.  An e-form to be created so that members of the public can report issues direct to the Champion.

6)       That access to the Disability Awareness e-learning package currently available for staff be extended to Elected Members, funded from the Member Development budget.

7)       That the Disabilities Champion be encouraged to hold open forums with members of the public as required.

8)       The Disabilities Champion to report to the Environment and Community Panel on an annual basis.

9)       That the Opportunity Awards and other events hosted by the Forum be incorporated into other events already organised by the Borough Council.

Reason for Decision

To address concerns from Members of the West Norfolk Disability Forum that the Forum is not productive in its current format and no longer delivered its objectives as set out in its Constitution.  The Environment and Community Panel feel that the recommendations will result in an improvement in service.

The role is changed from the Disabilities and Equalities Champion to Disabilities Champion as it was felt that the equalities element was a different subject matter.

The Democratic Services Manager presented a report which explained that on 15^th March 2017, the Environment and Community Panel received a report on the work of the West Norfolk Disability Forum which raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Forum.  The Panel decided to set up an Informal Working Group to look at the future operation of the Forum.  The Informal Working Group presented its recommendations to the Environment and Community Panel on 4^th July 2017.

Feedback from Members who sat on the West Norfolk Disability Forum included concerns that the Forum was not productive in its current format, the size of the forum, lack of attendance at meetings, managing expectations of external attendees and that the Forum had become a ‘talking shop’ and no longer delivered its objectives, as set out in its Constitution. 

The Environment and Community Panel recommended to Cabinet that the West Norfolk Disability Forum be disbanded.  The Panel recommended alternative ways of working so that Members of the public could continue to have a route to report any issues within the Borough Council’s control.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Bubb, a Member of the Informal Working Group addressed the Cabinet in support of proposals from the Panel.  He considered that so much information was now available for people on the web that they considered the Forum defunct.

Councillor Long stated that he considered the proposed Champion should be Disabilities and not Disabilities and Equalities which would allow focus on the one issue.  This was supported by Cabinet.  The Leader explained that he would appoint the “Champion” in due course, but he proposed setting out some detail on the terms of reference for the role, which was supported so ensuring the role would be effective and accountable.

RECOMMENDED:   1)       That the West Norfolk Disability Forum be disbanded.

RESOLVED:1)       That the Leader appoint a Disabilities Champion in due course and terms of reference for the role be prepared.

2)       That the Environment and Community Panel is requesting the opportunity to look at the Borough Council’s Equality Policy which is due for review be noted.

3)       That the Environment and Community Panel will request an update on the Equalities Policy on an annual basis be noted.

4)       That ways to promote Equality on the Corporate Agenda be investigated.

5)       That a page be created on the website to promote the Disabilities Champion.  An e-form to be created so that members of the public can report issues direct to the Champion.

6)       That access to the Disability Awareness e-learning package currently available for staff be extended to Elected Members, funded from the Member Development budget.

7)       That the Disabilities Champion be encouraged to hold open forums with members of the public as required.

8)       The Disabilities Champion to report to the Environment and Community Panel on an annual basis.

9)       That the Opportunity Awards and other events hosted by the Forum be incorporated into other events already organised by the Borough Council.

Reason for Decision  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB62

RESOLVED:   That the Norfolk Strategic Framework be supported.

Reason for Decision

To ensure that the Council discharges its legal duty to co-operate with neighbouring authorities in relation to strategically important land use issues which cross administrative boundaries.  The result of such co-operation is expected to be better planning outcomes.

Councillor Blunt presented a report which explained that the Norfolk Strategic Framework being presented in the report was not a policy document and if approved it would not comprise part of the development plan.  As such it did not include planning policies or proposals, rather it was intended to document areas of agreement that the Norfolk local planning authorities had reached and which they would follow when they prepared their individual local plans.  It had been prepared by an officer team drawn from all of the Norfolk Authorities supported by others from organisations such as the Environment Agency, Anglian Water and the New Anglia LEP (the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership had also endorsed it).  The document included:

·       A high level vision for the future development of the County over the next 20-30 years.

·       Four topic-based high level objectives covering the economy, housing, the environment, and infrastructure.

·       20 separate draft agreements that each Council was being asked to sign up to.

In addition the document described the spatial characteristics of the County drawing on a range of previously published, and specifically prepared, evidence.

Councillor Nockolds drew attention to the importance of the Public Health Protocol which would ensure that the health requirements for the area were included in proposals for developments.  This point was supported by Cabinet, and it was noted that the Local Plan Task Group had previously been speaking to the CCG on this subject and would continue to do so.

Councillor Devereux drew attention to the £50 habitat levy being charged for the applications which had received a lot of interest from other authorities.

The Chief Executive referred to the importance of Cabinet noting that Agreement 16 referred to the fact that the quantity of new homes planned would be increased by not less than 10% which meant that the authority would be signing up to a document which aimed slightly higher to get to where it needed to be. It was noted that the Local Plan Task Group was already considering this.

RESOLVED:That the Norfolk Strategic Framework be supported.

Reason for Decision

To ensure that the Council discharges its legal duty to co-operate with neighbouring authorities in relation to strategically important land use issues which cross administrative boundaries.  The result of such co-operation is expected to be better planning outcomes.

RESOLVED:   1)         That the draft 2018/2019 Council Tax Support Scheme, as shown at Appendix B to the report, be agreed as the scheme to go to public consultation

2)         That the consultation responses from Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner be noted.

3)         That a public consultation period running online over a six week period from 7 September 2017 to 18 October 2017 be agreed.

4)         That a further report detailing the proposed final Council Tax Support scheme for 2018/2019 will be presented to Cabinet, for recommendation to Council, before 31 January 2018 be noted.

5)         That the cost of the Council Tax Support scheme and the impact on the taxbase be monitored and an update report made available for Members in Autumn 2018.

Reason for Decision

To ensure a Council Tax Support scheme for 2018/2019 is agreed by full Council by 31 January 2018

Councillor Long reminded Members that each financial year it was a requirement that the Council review, consult upon and agree its Council Tax Support scheme. 

The Executive Director – Finance presented the report which explained that the process included consulting with major preceptors, publishing a draft Council Tax Support scheme and then consulting with interested parties before the final Council Tax Support scheme was approved. 

The report detailed the recommended draft 2018/2019 Council Tax Support scheme to go to public consultation.

There had been very few welfare reform changes since the 2017/2018 CTS scheme was implemented, so the amendments for 2018/2019 were  minor technical changes to keep the scheme in line with Housing Benefit rules.

Those proposed changes for 2018/2019 were:

·                  Bereavement Support payments were now fully disregarded

·                  Payments from WLMEF would be disregarded in full

·                  LET payments will be disregarded in full

·                  The authority would retain discretion to disregard information from the data hub as necessary

·                  The authority may treat information received from the DWP with regards to Universal Credit as a claim for CTS

There were no changes proposed to the Protected Groups and these remained as before, i.e.:

The scheme would not contain any transitional provisions however a Discretionary Hardship fund of £10,000 would continue to assist any person in receipt of CTS who was experiencing hardship and having difficulty paying their Council Tax bill.  The hardship provisions form part of the Council Tax Discretionary Reliefs policy agreed by Members in 2014.

RESOLVED:   1)         That the draft 2018/2019 Council Tax Support Scheme, as shown at Appendix B to the report, be agreed as the scheme to go to public consultation

2)         That the consultation responses from Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner be noted.

3)         That a public consultation period running online over a six week period from 7 September 2017 to 18 October 2017 be agreed.

4)         That a further report detailing the proposed final Council Tax Support scheme for 2018/2019 will be presented to Cabinet, for recommendation to Council, before 31 January 2018 be noted.

5)         That the cost of the Council Tax Support scheme and the impact on the taxbase be monitored and an update report made available for Members in Autumn 2018.

Reason for Decision

To ensure a Council Tax Support scheme for 2018/2019 is agreed by full Council by 31 January 2018

RECOMMENDED: 

1)              That a local lottery is established and operated by an External Lottery Manager.

2)              That a competitive selection be carried out with the providers in the local authority market to act as its External Lottery Manager.

3)              That the selection process be delegated to the Executive Director – Finance Services (S151 Officer) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture Heritage and Health and the Monitoring Officer to sign the necessary agreements to enter into the local lottery with the successful company and secure any necessary gambling licences and budgets.

4)              That the criteria for selecting the good causes which can become part of the local lottery detailed at Appendix 2 to the report be adopted. 

5)              The monitoring and review of applications from good causes to be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health, and the Executive Director – Finance Services.  In addition Norfolk Community Foundation to provide an independent due diligence review of these arrangements. 

6)              All monies raised through the local lottery which are not linked to a specific good cause will be distributed through the existing small grants financial assistance application process.  Any uncommitted balance at the end of each financial year to be donated to the Mayors charity.

Reasons for Decision

To establish a local authority lottery for the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.

To take into account the comments of the Environment and Community Panel on 5 September 2017.

Councillor Mrs Nockolds presented a report which explained that a local authority lottery was a concept that had been introduced by a number of local authorities across the country with many more exploring the concept.  At a time when there were increasing pressures on funding available to the voluntary and community sector they are being seen as a way of providing support to bring in additional funding.

The Gambling Act 2005 included as a permitted category of a lottery, a ‘local authority lottery’. Local authority lotteries were promoted by the local authority and must be licenced by the Gambling Commission. Authorities may use the net proceeds of such lotteries for any purpose for which they have power to incur expenditure.

The report set out the options for running a local authority lottery which were to include running it in-house, or to partner with an External Lottery Manager (ELM). To run a lottery in-house would require staffing, including a lottery manager and the purchase and running of software systems. The costs of this had not been explored in detail by officers but other local authorities had found them to be significant.  If the Council were to partner with an ELM, other than small initial start-up costs and the on-going gambling licence with The Gambling Commission and membership of The Lottery Council, the operation of the lottery would be fully funded through the ticket proceeds and would bring in the skills and expertise to run all elements of the lottery process.

It was noted that Aylesbury Vale District Council was the first to launch an online local authority lottery in November 2015. This was run in partnership with Gatherwell Ltd, an External Lottery Manager (ELM). Since then 14 other Local Government bodies had gone live, with 18 more planning to be live by Christmas 2017 and 30-40 more at the development stage.

Councillor Mrs Nockolds drew attention to the notes from the meeting of the Environment and Community Panel the previous evening which had been published.  The Panel had supported the proposals but recommended a tender exercise be carried out for the appointment of the External Lottery Manager.  Following consideration of the comments from the Panel it was proposed that the recommendations be amended as set out below.  Cabinet agreed to the amended wording.

Councillor Long drew attention to the exempt information discussed the previous evening and reminded Councillors of the Exclusion requirements if they discussed that information.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor J Moriarty addressed the Cabinet expressing satisfaction that the minute from the Panel meeting was available at such short notice which meant Cabinet could see the amendments to the recommendations requested by the Panel.  He also supported the proposed amendments by Councillor Nockolds.

Councillor Beales drew attention to the need to keep the scheme under review because at this stage it wasn’t known how much would be raised.  He drew attention to £93,000 Heritage Lottery grant recently awarded for Lynnsport and the requirements of the Lottery that the Borough  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB65