Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs C Bower and Mrs S Collop.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED: The Minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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.

Those 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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

There was none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

There was none.

If any.

There was none.

The Group Accountant provided the Panel with information on how a local lottery scheme could operate in West Norfolk.  A copy of his presentation is attached.  He provided detail on how the scheme could work and that it could cost £1 a ticket and people could enter online.  The £1 ticket price would be distributed as set out in the report.  50% of the ticket price would go to a good cause and 10% to a general fund.   Good causes would need to apply to join the scheme and the Council would be required to determine the criteria that they would need to meet to be eligible.

The Group Accountant drew attention to the report which set out the costs to set up the lottery and how it would be managed.  He explained that it would take approximately six months’ to set up.

The Panel’s attention was drawn to the recommendations as set out in the report.

The Chairman thanked the Group Accountant and the Executive Director for the information and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Long informed the Panel that he had brought the proposals forward, following conversations with other Local Authorities.  He reminded those present that finances were constrained and in the future it may be harder to support good causes through the Council’s finances.  He felt that the local lottery proposals would counteract the reductions in the Council’s ability to help.  He informed those present that King’s Lynn previously had a local lottery, but this had ended when the National Lottery was introduced.  He explained that not all small organisations would be able to get National Lottery funding as it was a very complex process.  A local lottery could make funding easier to access for smaller organisations.  The Leader of the Council accepted that some people did not agree with gambling, and if they wanted to support a local charity or organisation they could do so independently.

The Leader of the Council stated that he had met with lots of charities and local organisations and many of them would be in favour of the additional funding that the local lottery could potentially provide.  He informed the Panel that the proposals for the local lottery scheme would be presented to Cabinet for consideration.

In response to a question from Councillor Pope, the Group Accountant agreed to check how many big winners there had been in other Local Authority areas.  Councillor Pope commented that the scheme would be good if local organisations would benefit and they could promote the lottery and invite people to support their charity or organisation.  It was confirmed that the Council would determine the criteria for which organisations and charities would be eligible.

Councillor Smith asked for clarification on the breakeven cost and what safeguards would be in place to protect children.  The Group Accountant explained that there would be a cost to the Council to set up the website and then the ticket  ...  view the full minutes text for item EC87:

Representatives from the Outside Bodies were invited to present their report and respond to questions as set out below:

Councillor Smith explained that the College/Council Liaison Board would be holding their next meeting next week.  He therefore asked if he could defer his update to a future meeting.

RESOLVED: That the update be added to the agenda for the next meeting.

Councillor Tyler explained that he felt the meetings were really useful and usually consisted of the following:

·         Scrutinising Proposals

·         Reports from the Museums

·         Staff concerns

·         Attendance figures

·         Opening hours and charges

The Panel was informed that people could now purchase joint tickets which were valid for the Customs House, Stories of Lynn and Lynn Museum.

The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health, Councillor Mrs Nockolds informed those present that the Area Museums Committee had originally been established to scrutinise the Service Level Agreement with Norfolk Museums Service.  She explained that the Committee received various reports and updates from museums around the Borough and received an annual report on Tourism.  She felt that the Partnership arrangements worked really well and the Norfolk Museums Service worked with all Local Authorities in Norfolk.

The Vice Chairman, Councillor Bambridge commented that she was pleased to see that Lynn Museum and Stories of Lynn were currently opening on a Sunday.  The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health explained that this was because of the Heritage Lottery Fund Activity Plan.

Councillor Mrs Westrop provided the update.  She explained that the Panel were carrying out interesting work as set out in her report.  She explained that they were focussing on Prevent and the County Lines Strategy.

Councillor Mrs Westrop suggested that it would be beneficial for Members to receive a briefing on Prevent and she requested that this be added to the Panel’s Work Programme.

Members attention was drawn to the report as included in the agenda.  Councillor Smith, who was the substitute Member on the Committee informed the Panel that he would attend a future meeting with Councillor Young.

Councillor McGuinness asked if the Committee had been involved in the Sustainability Transformation Plan.  The Chief Executive informed the Panel that he had a structure chart of all the bodies involved in the Sustainability Transformation Plan and agreed to circulate this to the Panel.

The Panel was reminded that they would continue to be kept up to date and representatives from the Clinical Commissioning Group would be coming back to the Panel on 24^th May 2017 to provide a further update.  It was suggested that a pre-council briefing be arranged so that all Members could be updated.

Councillor Fraser presented her report.  She explained that a new General Manager would be in post shortly.  West Norfolk Community Transport had recently changed their branding and vehicle livery and Councillor Fraser felt that this had been an improvement and appeared more user friendly.

The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health explained that dial-a-bus and West Norfolk Community Transport had a very good reputation and was available for people who could not use public transport.  She explained that West Norfolk Community Transport had their own bus stop outside St James Multi Storey Car Park which made access to Shop Mobility easy.

Councillor Bubb presented his report.  He explained that he was frustrated as he felt that the suggestions of the Forum were often not acted upon.  He felt that the future operation of the Forum needed to be investigated.

The Chairman, Councillor Sampson informed the Panel that suggestions made by the Forum regarding the Railway Station had been acted upon.

Members discussed the operation of the West Norfolk Disability Forum and suggestions on how it could operate in the future.  It was suggested that an Informal Working Group be established to look at the future of the Forum.

RESOLVED: (i) That an Informal Working Group be established to review the operation of the West Norfolk Disability Forum.

(ii) The following Members to sit on the Working Group:

                        Councillor Bubb

                        Councillor Fraser

                        Councillor Squire

                        Councillor Westrop

(iii) That the Informal Working Group report back to the Environment and Community Panel at their meeting on 4^th July 2017

Members of the Panel were reminded that an eform was available on the intranet which could be completed and submitted if Members had items which they would like to be considered for addition to the Work Programme.

RESOLVED: The Work Programme was noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 26^th April 2017 at 6.00pm in the Education Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel would be held on Wednesday 26^th April 2017 at 6.00pm in the Education Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.