Agenda and minutes

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 14 February 2017 (copy enclosed). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2017 were signed by the Leader as a correct record.

(Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting and leave the room without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a Councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.)

No interests were declared.

No questions were raised under the Council’s Constitution (Standing Orders).

There were no matters subject to call-in.

Final reports of the Reduction in Printing and Postage Task Group

Consideration was given to the final reports of the Reduction in Printing and Postage Task Group, containing recommendations which had been approved by the Performance Monitoring Panel.

The Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor J Astill, was in attendance to present the reports and the Task Group’s recommendations to the Cabinet.

The Task Group’s reports were welcomed by the Cabinet, and members considered the content and recommendations.  The following points arose: 

·         Members were in favour of the provision of training on the Mod.Gov application.  Improved knowledge of the technology available would encourage greater use by members of electronic devices instead of paper.

·         Members were in favour of recipients of agendas receiving electronic copies, unless they opted into receiving a paper copy.

·         There was a need in some instances to retain hard copies (such as viewing plans in Planning Committee), and a process was required to ensure that substitute members could obtain a hard copy in sufficient time.

·         Members did not support the use of second class postage for agenda dispatch.  Concerns were raised regarding receipt in sufficient time for meetings.

·         The location of display equipment in the Council Chamber should be considered.

·         A delivery plan was needed, together with costed recommendations.

·         Many of the recommendations had links to the Authority’s Moving Forward programme and should be incorporated within this.

·         During the Task Group’s work, a problem had been identified relating to bookings at the South Holland Centre, where users of iPads and iPhones could not access seat plans.  Improved on-line booking facilities should be addressed. 

DECISION:

a)    That the recommendations detailed within each of the three Task Group reports be noted:

b)    That in order to move the Task Group recommendations forward, the following be undertaken:

              i.        Councillors to receive training on the Mod.Gov application;

            ii.        With effect from 1 May 2017, recipients will only receive electronic agenda papers unless they opt-in to receive paper copies;

           iii.        Improved on-line booking facilities at the South Holland Centre to be investigated in order to make bookings available to users of all devices;

           iv.        A delivery plan to be produced in order to cost out recommendations detailed within the Task Group’s final reports; and

            v.        Appropriate recommendations to be incorporated within the Authority’s Moving Forward programme;

c)    That the recommendation to post paper agendas by second class post not be pursued.

 (Other options considered:

·         To approve the Task Group’s Final Reports and recommendations; or

·         Do nothing

Reasons for Recommendation:

·         The costs of printing and postage to the Authority had been identified, and the recommendations in each of the reports aimed to reduce these.)

(The Digital and Customer Access Manager left the meeting following discussion of this item.)

For members to formally designate the Surfleet Neighbourhood Plan Area (report of the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Commercialisation and the Executive Director Commercialisation (S151 Officer) enclosed)

Consideration was given to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Commercialisation, and the Executive Director Commercialisation (S151 Officer), which sought formally to designate the Surfleet Neighbourhood Plan area.

Attached at Appendix A to the report was a map detailing the submitted Surfleet Neighbourhood Plan area boundary.

Members considered the report and commented that Neighbourhood Plans could not overlap.  Currently there were no other Neighbourhood Plans in this area however, it was important that the area detailed on the map was specific as to the area that it covered.  The Executive Manager Growth and Prosperity confirmed that the boundary on the plan was the same as the Parish boundary.

DECISION:

That the Neighbourhood Plan area, as submitted by Surfleet Parish Council, and set out in Appendix A to the report, be confirmed.

(Other options considered:

·         Do nothing

Reasons for Decision

·         As highlighted within the report, it is considered that no issues were raised during the prescribed consultation period that should affect the confirmation of the Neighbourhood Plan area.

·         The alternative option to ‘do nothing’ would prevent the Neighbourhood Plan from moving forward.)

Note:         (i)      No other business is permitted unless by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the Minutes, the Leader is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency. 

(ii)     Any urgent item of business that is a key decision must be dealt with in accordance with the Constitution’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.

There were no other items which the Leader decided were urgent