Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King's Lynn PE30 5DQ. View directions

Contact: Sam Winter, Democratic Services Manager 01553 616327 

Items
No. Item

CAB61

MINUTES

To approve the Minutes of the Meetings held on 21 August and 18 September 2018 (previously circulated).

 

Decision:

RESOLVED:   The minutes of the meetings held on 21 August and 18 September 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:   The minutes of the meetings held on 21 August and 18 September 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

CAB62

URGENT BUSINESS

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.

 

Decision:

None

Minutes:

None

CAB63

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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.

Decision:

None

Minutes:

None

CAB64

CHAIRMAN'S CORRESPONDENCE

To receive any Chairman’s correspondence.

Decision:

None

Minutes:

None

CAB65

MEMBERS PRESENT UNDER STANDING ORDER 34

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

Decision:

None

Minutes:

None

CAB66

CALLED IN MATTERS

To report on any Cabinet Decisions called in.

Decision:

There were no items called in.

Minutes:

There were no items called in.

CAB67

FORWARD DECISIONS pdf icon PDF 63 KB

A copy of the Forward Decisions List is attached

 

Decision:

The Forward Decisions List was noted.

Minutes:

The Forward Decisions List was noted.

CAB68

MATTERS REFERRED TO CABINET FROM OTHER BODIES pdf icon PDF 46 KB

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

 

Corporate Performance Panel recommendation on Council Tax Discounts 2019/20 – 10 September 2018.

 

Decision:

Corporate Performance Panel recommendation on Council Tax Discounts 2019/20 – 10 September 2018.

 

Minutes:

Corporate Performance Panel recommendation on Council Tax Discounts 2019/20 – 10 September 2018.  This was considered with the item.

 

CAB69

ANIMAL WELFARE CHANGES AND FEE STRUCTURE pdf icon PDF 148 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED:   That the new fee structure for animal welfare licensing be approved.

 

Reason for Decision

The Council has to set reasonable fees based on cost recovery for the service provided.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report which explained that new regulations came into force on 1st October 2018 which changed the way in which animal boarding establishments, dog breeding establishments, pet shops and riding establishments were licensed. In addition to this, a new category of animal licensing would be introduced for the day care of dogs and the responsibility for the licensing of exhibition of animals would move from Norfolk County Council to the Borough Council. The report was to make Members aware of the changes and to approve a new cost recovery based fee structure.

 

Cabinet discussed how the fee structure had changed from the previous set of fees, and the interaction between departments to raise awareness of licenses being issued.  The question of whether planning permission was required for premises boarding dogs was raised, to which it was responded that each case would have to be examined by the planning department.  It was also explained that amongst other things officers had been contacting people offering puppies for sale on line to inform them of the need to be licensed. 

 

RESOLVED:   That the new fee structure for animal welfare licensing be approved.

 

Reason for Decision

The Council has to set reasonable fees based on cost recovery for the service provided.

 

CAB70

COUNCIL TAX DISCOUNTS 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 238 KB

Decision:

RECOMMENDED:  1)       That the proposal to remove the one month 100% discount for empty and unfurnished properties from 1 April 2019 be approved.

 

2)       That the maximum increases to the long term empty property premium starting from 1 April 2019 be approved.

 

3)       That the introduction of the Care Leavers’ local discount from 1 April 2018 on the criteria listed in the report be approved.

 

4)       That the wording for delegated authority for individual applications be amended to ‘Applications will be determined by the Revenues and Benefits Manager in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance and the relevant Ward Member.

 

Reasons for Decisions

 

To ensure council tax discounts are reviewed and updated in  line with recent changes, and to take into account the comments from the Corporate Performance Panel.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report which covered three proposed changes to Council Tax discounts for 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.  The first was a review of the one month, 100% discount for empty and unfurnished properties.  The second was the increased premiums payable for long term empty properties.  The third was the introduction of a 100% discount for care leavers.  The first two changes were proposed to take effect starting from 1 April 2019, with the Care Leavers’ discount starting from 1 April 2018.  The report also covered a change to the delegated authority for considering individual discount applications.

 

The Corporate Performance Panel at its meeting on 10 September 2018 had considered the report and commented that relating to the Care Leavers discount, it indicated that when a carer leaver moved in with a single household who then lost their single resident discount then it might be considered to extend a care leaver discount to that residence and that Cabinet be asked to consider this when determining the decision.  This point had been incorporated into the proposals.

 

In response to questions relating to the potential exclusion of Almshouses with residency criteria which meant the properties may be empty whilst suitable tenants were found, or older properties undergoing renovation which may take longer to carry out than the year permitted under the empty property regime, it was noted that there was a Hardship Fund which individuals could apply to.

 

The recommendation to remove the one month discount, and the high costs in officer time of the administration of the discount were discussed.

 

The Cabinet fully supported the comments from the Corporate Performance Panel regarding the disregarding of care leavers moving into properties.

 

RECOMMENDED:  1)       That the proposal to remove the one month 100% discount for empty and unfurnished properties from 1 April 2019 be approved.

 

2)       That the maximum increases to the long term empty property premium starting from 1 April 2019 be approved.

 

3)       That the introduction of the Care Leavers’ local discount from 1 April 2018 on the criteria listed in the report be approved.

 

4)       That the wording for delegated authority for individual applications be amended to ‘Applications will be determined by the Revenues and Benefits Manager in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance and the relevant Ward Member.

 

Reasons for Decisions

 

To ensure council tax discounts are reviewed and updated in line with recent changes and to take into account the comments from the Corporate Performance Panel.

CAB71

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

 

The Cabinet is asked to consider excluding the public from the meeting under section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 for consideration of the items below on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

           

PRIVATE ITEM

Details of any representations received about why the following reports should be considered in public will be reported at the meeting.

 

 

Decision:

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

 

CAB72

APPEALS AGAINST BUSINESS RATE RELIEF HARDSHIP REVIEW REFUSALS

Decision:

resolved:           That the following 2 appeals against the refusal of Business Rate Hardship Relief be refused and the original decision not to award be upheld:

 

Reference Numbers: 735274x and  7324560

 

Reason for Decision

 

To ensure the decision regarding Hardship Relief is reviewed.  The Hardship Relief guidelines state Cabinet can be asked to reconsider any decision regarding Hardship Relief.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered 2 individual appeals against the refusal to award Business Rates Hardship Relief.  The applicant for case reference 7324560 presented their case to Cabinet and responded to questions.  Cabinet debated the applications.

 

resolved:           That the following appeals against the refusal of Business Rate Hardship Relief be refused and the original decision not to award be upheld:

 

Reference Numbers:735274x and 7324560

 

Reason for Decision

 

To ensure the decision regarding Hardship Relief is reviewed.  The Hardship Relief guidelines state Cabinet can be asked to reconsider any decision regarding Hardship Relief.

 

CAB73

RECYCLING CONTRACT VARIATION

Decision:

 

RESOLVED:That the proposed Deed Variation to the contract between the council and NEWS Ltd be agreed and that officers proceed to implement the decision at the earliest available opportunity.

 

Reason for Decision

The Deed of Variation offers a reasonable settlement of a contract dispute which ensures the continued delivery of the contracted services.

Minutes:

 

Councillor Devereux presented a report which explained amendments to the contract involving the Waste Collection Authorities, Norfolk County Council and NEWS Ltd that processed collected dry recyclables.  All parties had negotiated a mutually acceptable variation to the contract that resolved the dispute.  The dispute related to the amount of non recyclable material being collected in recycling bins and being delivered for sorting and the extra costs involved in removing and treating this excess waste.

 

Cabinet discussed the continued efforts to raise awareness of the effect of and cost of contamination of the recyclable waste.

 

RESOLVED:That the proposed Deed Variation to the contract between the Council and NEWS Ltd be agreed and that officers proceed to implement the decision at the earliest available opportunity.

 

Reason for Decision

The Deed of Variation offers a reasonable settlement of a contract dispute which ensures the continued delivery of the contracted services.