Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Wendy Vincent, Democratic Services Officer, 01553 616377, email:  wendy.vincent@west-norfolk.gov.uk 

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Items
No. Item

CP205

Welcome and Introduction

Minutes:

The Chair apologised for the delayed start to the meeting.

 

The Chair welcomed those present to the meeting and informed them that the meeting was being streamed live on You Tube.

 

Click here to view the recording of the meeting.

CP206

Appointment of Vice-Chair for the Meeting

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube.

 

RESOLVED: Councillor Dickinson was appointed Vice Chair for the meeting.

CP207

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Manning.

CP208

Minutes pdf icon PDF 296 KB

To approve the minutes from the previous meeting.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record.

CP209

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 any item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

Minutes:

There was none.

CP210

Urgent Business Under Standing Order 7

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.

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube.

 

The Chair provided the Panel with information received the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government which set out how virtual meetings would not be permitted beyond May 6th 2021.  The Chair felt that it was important for the Panel to discuss the consequences of this and the way forward.

 

The Senior Policy and Performance Officer provided additional information on the legislation and explained that officers were currently looking at the way forward and this would be discussed with Members.

 

Councillor Kemp addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and asked the Panel to make strong recommendations to the Government to encourage virtual meetings to continue, as requiring officers and Councillors to come ‘back into the room’ presented many risks.

 

Councillor Ryves addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and stated that he hoped that meetings, either virtually, or in person, would continue to be recorded and available for the public to view online.  Councillor Moriarty stated that this was on the Work Programme for the Panel to consider.

 

Councillor Beal commented that if the necessary precautions were taken, then meetings should be able to resume in person, especially now that vaccinations were being rolled out.

 

Councillor Humphrey stated that he preferred virtual meetings and would be comfortable with virtual meetings extending, but consideration would need to be given to dates of meetings, public participation and venues.

 

Councillor Dickinson reminded those present that not all officers and Members will have had their second vaccination by the time the provision for virtual meetings ended.

 

Councillor Joyce addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  He referred to the statistics available on the amount of people vaccinated, and the risks associated with bringing meetings back ‘in person’.  He suggested that the Council lobby government to say that the provision should be extended, to include statistics and data.  He also explained that if meetings were held back in the room, they would have to be open to the public.

 

Councillor Rust addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and stated that public and Member participation in meetings had increased since they were held virtually.  She also indicated that she would like to see a blended approach to meetings, where some Members were in the room and others could join virtually.  She also made reference to large venues in the Borough which could be used to host meetings.

 

The Leader of the Council Councillor Long explained that officers would be looking at measures to ensure that council meetings were compliant with the Law and accessible.  He explained that his priority was the safety of all of those involved in meetings.

 

The Chair also indicated that he would be calling a special Corporate Performance Panel meeting in due course to discuss further the implications for ‘in person’ meetings.

 

Councillor Morley addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and commented that any response to the government should highlight the amount of Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item CP210

CP211

Members Present Pursuant to Standing Order 34

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.

 

Minutes:

Councillors Holmes, Kemp, Morley, Joyce, Ryves and Rust.

CP212

Chair's Correspondence

Minutes:

There was none.

CP213

Call-In

CP214

Projects under Portfolio Holder for Project Delivery pdf icon PDF 3 MB

Members of the Regeneration and Development Panel have been invited for this item.

 

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item on You Tube.

 

The Assistant Director provided the Panel with an update on Major Projects.  A copy of the presentation is attached.

 

Members of the Regeneration and Development Panel had been invited to the meeting for this item.

 

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director for his presentation and invited questions and comments from those present, as summarised below.

 

Councillor Morley addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and referred to the contract with Lovells and the Assistant Director provided detail of the procurement of the project and the contracts required.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Devereux, the Assistant Director outlined environmental technology, maintenance, and cost of units. 

 

Councillor Beal referred to the Southend Road development and the Assistant Director outlined how the project was in line with the Hemingway report for Hunstanton development.

 

Councillor Ryves addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  He referred to land values and the Assistant Director outlined the profit share mechanisms within the contract.  Councillor Ryves also asked about risk management and the clerk of works and the Assistant Director outlined the role of the clerk of works, which was part of the conditions of the scheme.

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Long provided detail of the commercial developments carried out by the Council, the green spaces made available as part of the development and other additional benefits.

 

Councillor Gidney, the Portfolio Holder for Project Delivery outlined the importance of the Council delivering these types of projects and the benefits to them.

 

Councillor Joyce addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  He made reference to the private rented sector, so that they could be an exemplar landlord.  He also made reference to the type of properties available to rent and covenants.  The Assistant Director provided detail of viability assessments, the properties available and explained that properties were not subsidised, but were made available to local people ‘off plan’, then placed on the open market.

 

Councillor Morley addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and asked about conflicts between the Council being a Local Planning Authority.

 

Councillor Ryves addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and the Assistant Director explained that a lot of other Councils were leading in development.

 

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

 

At 6.42pm the Panel had a five minute comfort break.

 

The Panel reconvened at 6.47pm and the Democratic Services Officer conducted a roll call.

 

CP215

Q3 2020-2021 Corporate Recovery Performance Indicators pdf icon PDF 146 KB

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item.

 

The Senior Policy and Performance Officer presented the report and outlined the indicators which were on target, or underperforming.  He provided details of the indicators which were below target.

 

The Chair thanked the Senior Policy and Performance Officer for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

 

The Chair referred to the recycling targets and the end of the collection of food waste.  He also noted the drop in Lily referrals and the Senior Policy and Performance Officer highlighted the additional support put in place because of the Coronavirus Pandemic and it may be worth the Panel receiving more information on this in the future.

 

Councillor Kemp addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and referred to the food waste targets and asked when food waste collections would continue.  The Senior Policy and Performance Officer agreed to send the Panel further information on this.

 

Councillor Beal made reference to retail and the grants available to them.  The Senior Policy and Performance Officer explained that lots of work and support was available to retail.  The Assistant Director, Property Services explained the system in place for dealing with rent arrears and hardship requests.

 

Councillor Morley addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and made reference to climate change and asked what indicators would be incorporated for this.  He also felt that changes should be made to the financial indicators.  The Senior Policy and Performance Officer explained that a yearly review of indicators was carried out and comments of the Panel would be considered.

 

Councillor Dickinson reminded the Panel that the Audit Committee would carry out budget monitoring.

 

RESOLVED: The Panel reviewed and noted the council’s performance indicators for Q3 of the 2020/2021 financial year.  The Panel noted that the performance against these targets would continue to be reported to the Corporate Performance Panel via periodic update.

CP216

Cabinet Forward Decisions List pdf icon PDF 264 KB

Minutes:

Councillor Dickinson made reference to the Major Projects Board Terms of Reference.

 

RESOLVED: The Cabinet Forward Decisions List was noted.

CP217

Panel Work Programme pdf icon PDF 236 KB

To note the Work Programme for 2021/2022.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: The Panels Work Programme was noted.

CP218

Date of Next Meeting

To note that the date of the next meeting of the Audit Committee will take place on 2 June 2021.

 

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel would take place on 2nd June 2021.

CP219

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider passing the following resolution:

 

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

 

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item.

 

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

CP220

Exempt Report: KLIC Repayment Plan

Minutes:

The Assistant Director, Property and Projects, provided the Panel with an update on the KLIC Repayment Plan and responded to questions from the Panel.

 

RESOLVED: The update was noted.