Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor G Middleton.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 12 July 2016.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 July 2016 were agreed as a correct record.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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

There was no urgent business.

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 were no Members present pursuant to Standing Order 34.

There was no Chairman’s correspondence to report.

Representatives from Stagecoach have been invited to the meeting as requested by the Committee.

AGREED:  This item be deferred to the 5 January 2017.

Paul Donnachie, Capital Programme Manager, Norfolk County Council has been invited to give an overview of the Parish Partnership Scheme to the Committee.

Paul Donnachie, Capital Programme Manager from Norfolk County Council provided an overview of the Parish Partnership Scheme.

The Committee was invited to ask questions, a summary of which is set out below:

Paul Donnachie responded to questions relating to:

·         Ideas for potential bids which included a count-down pedestrian crossing.

·         The unparished areas that could qualify for the Parish Partnership Programme.

·         Road Safety Methods in West Lynn.

·         Poppyfields Campaign – type of crossing.

·         Provisions on new developments.

·         Bringing unadopted roads up to an adoptable standard on new developments and in rural areas.

·         The issue of developers not completing required footpaths, etc and ensuring that a condition for future maintenance was included on planning approvals.

·         Parishes using precept for improvements to roads/footpaths.

·         Way forward/democratic representation for bids.

·         KLACC bids would wish to receive support from County Councillors.

·         Meeting with local highways engineer – Sally Bettinson to receive an overview of bids currently in the pipeline.

The Committee is asked to consider a report on Proposed Changes to the Terms of Reference of the Committee and make any appropriate comments.

The Assistant Director presented the report which set out the proposed changes to the Committee’s Terms of Reference.

In response to comments from Councillor Gourlay, it was explained that KLACC was a public meeting.

The Chairman proposed the additional terms of reference which was agreed by the Committee:

To recommend to Cabinet that the Terms of Reference be amended as follows:

That KLACC’s Terms of Reference be amended to enable the Committee to make recommendations to Cabinet on proposed highway improvement schemes, which have been supported by a business case and are within the unparished areas of King’s Lynn and West Lynn, for match funding through the County Council’s Parish Partnership Programme, or other similar parish funding schemes.

The Committee is asked to consider the above report and make any appropriate recommendations to Cabinet.

The Assistant Director presented the report which set out detailed options for the Committee to consider and make recommendations to Cabinet.

Members’ attention was drawn to Section 1.3 which set out the Special Expenses currently charged for and provided a breakdown of the various areas and how the charges were calculated.

The Assistant Director also advised of the potential additional items for special expenses as set out below:

·         Public Toilets.

·         Bus Shelters.

The Executive Director, Commercial Services and Assistant Director responded to questions relating to:

·         Bus Shelters - further detailed information be presented to KLACC regarding the Borough Council potentially taking over the bus shelters.  The Executive Director advised that there was a list detailing the bus shelters in King’s Lynn which could be circulated to the Committee.

·         Toilet facilities at Gaywood and The Walks.

·         Allotments and the scope to utilise savings previously identified.

·         Maintenance of the Pavillions at Kingsway, River Lane and West Lynn.

·         Dog Bins.

·         Open Spaces

·         Public awareness of what is charged to special expenses.

·         Council Tax setting process.

·         Grass Cutting Review.

·         Footway Lighting.

·         Community Centres.

The Leader, Councillor Long commented that the comments made by the Committee had been useful and added that there was a significant amount of work required relating to the special expense charge for King’s Lynn.  Parish Councils had the opportunity of up to 12 meetings per year to look at the impact of the special expense charge whereby KLACC had fewer meetings.

The Chairman, proposed that a Special Meeting be convened in early December to consider Special Expenses, which was agreed by the Committee.

The Assistant Director informed the Committee that documents would be forwarded in advance of the December meeting to enable Members to debate the special expense charge and make recommendations to Cabinet.

The Leader, Councillor Long commented that he would welcome recommendations from KLACC to meeting the needs of residents.

AGREED: 1) Recommendations 1 to 3 be deferred.  A special meeting be confirmed week commencing 12 December 2016 to consider special expenses.

2) That the Committee recommended that the Council entered discussions with the current owners of the bus shelters within King’s Lynn, with a view to investigating the potential to take these on when the current contract expired.

The Committee will receive an update from the Business Manager.

The Executive Director, Commercial Services circulated a presentation which reviewed the events which had taken place and those which were scheduled for 2016.

The Committee was invited to ask questions.

The Executive Director, Commercial Services responded to questions relating to the following:

·         Borough Council’s net contribution to events.

·         Opportunities for future sponsorship.

·         Increased footfall to the town centre.  King’s Lynn had bucked the National trend.

·         Attracting a new audience to different events.

·         Potential to schedule popular events twice yearly.

·         Impact on car parking.

·         Business Improvement District bid.  If successful, potential to support some events.

·         Feedback on events taken place during 2016.

Councillor Smith congratulated all those involved in organising the events which had proved successful and encouraged more visitors to the town centre.

The Leader, Councillor Long advised that the Government was consulting on business rates and highlighted the importance of growth going forward and attracting inwards investment to make the town centre more vibrant to encourage more people to visit and shop in King’s Lynn.  The Council would look to accommodate requests for events wherever possible.

The Committee is asked to consider future arrangements and appointing additional Members to the Sub-Group.

The Assistant Director invited the Committee to consider the start time of the Planning Sub-Group in order to make it easier for Members to attend and provide an input into the planning process.  It appeared that the general consensus was to hold the sub-group later in the day.

It was noted that the Planning Sub-Group was not politically proportioned.

AGREED: The Assistant Director to draft a schedule of dates with a later start time and arrange appropriate training.                                                                                                                             

The Committee is asked to consider items for a future Work Programme for 2016/2017.

The Committee noted the Work Programme for 2016/2017.

Thursday, 5^th January 2017 in the Committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn.

The next scheduled meeting would take place on Thursday 5 January 2017 in the committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn.

A special meeting would be convened after the 6 December Cabinet meeting to consider Special Expenses.