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CABINET Thursday, 16 October 2003 10.00 a.m. Conference Room 1, Council Offices, Spennymoor AGENDA and REPORTS Printed on Recycled Paper CABINET Thursday, 16 October 2003 AGENDA 1. APOLOGIES 2. MINUTES To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 18th September 2003. (Pages 1 - 4) 3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST To notify the Chairman of any items that appear in the agenda and in which you may have an interest. 4. DETERMINATION OF STANDARDS BY THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE Report of Monitoring Officer. (Pages 5 - 12) 5. MEDIA PROTOCOL FOR STANDARDS COMMITTEE MEMBERS Report of Monitoring Officer. (Pages 13 - 16) KEY DECISIONS HOUSING PORTFOLIO 6. SEDGEFIELD BOROUGH COUNCIL HOMELESSNESS REVIEW AND STRATEGY 2004 Report of Director of Housing and Environmental Health. (Pages 17 - 84) 7. REVIEW OF THE ALLOCATIONS POLICY (a) Report of Director of Housing and Environmental Health (Pages 85 - 108) (b) Report of Members of the Review Review Sub-Committee (Pages 109 - 112) REGENERATION PORTFOLIO 8. STATEMENT OF USE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL FUND 2003/04 Report of Regeneration Manager. (Pages 113 - 128) 9. USE OF PLANNING DELIVERY GRANT FUNDS 2003/04 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO 10. INSURANCE ARRANGEMENTS 2003/04 Report of Director of Finance. (Pages 135 - 138) OTHER DECISIONS REGENERATION PORTFOLIO 11. NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL FUND RESIDUAL ALLOCATIONS Report of Regeneration Manager. (Pages 139 - 144) REGENERATION AND SUPPORTING PEOPLE PORTFOLIOS 12. COUNTY DURHAM DRAFT SCHOOL ORGANISATION PLAN 2003 - 2008 CONSULTATION BY DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL Report of Regeneration Manager. (Pages 145 - 152) 13. BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE Report of Regeneration Manager. (Pages 153 - 156) RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO 14. PURCHASE OF A REFUSE COLLECTION VEHICLE AND A ROAD SWEEPER Report of Head of Contract Services. (Pages 157 - 158) 15. COUNCIL TAX, BUDGET AND MEDIUM TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING CONSULTATION Report of Director of Finance. (Pages 159 - 162) 16. PROCUREMENT OF A HUMAN RESOURCES COMPUTER SYSTEM Report of Director of Finance. (Pages 163 - 166) 17. CONFERENCES Report of Chief Executive Officer. (Pages 167 - 168) MINUTES 18. AREA FORUMS To consider the minutes of the following meetings: (a) Area 1 Forum - 1st September 2003 (Pages 169 - 174) (b) Area 2 Forum - 9th September 2004 (Pages 175 - 178) (c) Area 3 Forum - 17th September 2003 (Pages 179 - 184) (d) Area 4 Forum - 23rd September 2003 (Pages 185 - 192) (e) Area 5 Forum - 30th September 2003 (Pages 193 - 196) 19. OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEES To consider the minutes of the following: (a) Overview and Scrutiny Coommittee 2 - 16th September 2003 (Pages 197 - 204) (b) Overview and Scrutiny Committee 3 - 30th September 2003 (Pages 205 - 212) 20. `SEDGEFIELD BOROGH LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BOARD To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd July 2003. (Pages 213 - 216) 21. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Lead Members are requested to inform the Chief Executive Officer or the Head of Democratic Services of any items they might wish to raise under this heading by no later than 12 noon on the day preceding the meeting. This will enable the Officers in consultation with the Chairman to determine whether consideration of the matter by the Cabinet is appropriate. N. Vaulks Chief Executive Officer Council Offices SPENNYMOOR Councillor R.S. Fleming (Chairman) Councillors Mrs. A.M. Armstrong, Mrs. B. Graham, A. Hodgson, M. Iveson, D.A. Newell, K. Noble, J. Robinson J.P and W. Waters ACCESS TO INFORMATION Any person wishing to exercise the right of inspection in relation to this Agenda and associated papers should contact Gillian Garrigan, on Spennymoor 816166 Ext 4240 Item 2 SEDGEFIELD BOROUGH COUNCIL CABINET Conference Room 1, Council Offices, Thursday, Spennymoor. 18th September 2003 Time: 10.00 a.m. Present: Councillor R.S. Fleming (Chairman) and Councillors Mrs. A.M. Armstrong, Mrs. B. Graham, A. Hodgson, M. Iveson, D.A. Newell and K. Noble In Attendance: Councillors Mrs. B.A. Clare, Mrs. J. Croft, A. Gray, G.C. Gray, D.M. Hancock, J.G. Huntington, J.M. Khan, B. Meek, G. Morgan, Mrs. E. Paylor, J.K. Piggott, and A. Smith Apologies: Councillors J. Robinson J.P. and W. Waters CAB.65/03 MINUTES The Minutes of the meeting held on 4th September 2003 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. CAB.66/03 CORPORATE PRIORITIES AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT/INVESTMENT Consideration was given a report of the Chief Executive Officer setting out the results of the internal consultations that had taken place regarding the Council’s priorities and areas for improvement and investment, and recommendations for the prioritisation of recently agreed policy outcomes. (For copy see file of Minutes). RESOLVED: 1. That the priority-based grouping of policy outcomes as set out in paragraph 5.1.1 of the report, be agreed as the basis for a Corporate Planning framework, incorporating a Corporate Plan and supporting Medium Term Financial and Workforce Plans. 2. That the Council agrees to direct its resources in the short-term to improve core services that contribute directly to Group 1 policy outcomes and costcutting services that underpin their achievement. CAB.67/03 CAPITAL PROGRAMME – TENANT LED IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES 2003 - 2004 Consideration was given to a report of the Property Services Manager seeking approval for all Tenant Led Improvement Schemes and Kitchen Unit Replacements for the remainder of the 2003/04 financial D:\moderngov\Data\AgendaItemDocs\1\1\6\AI00003611\Minutes0.doc Page 11 year to be negotiated with Contract Services to take advantage of competitive tenders that had been submitted. (For copy see file of Minutes). RESOLVED: That for the remainder of 2003/04 all Tenant Led Improvement Schemes and Kitchen Unit Replacements be negotiated with Contract Services, as set out in paragraph 3 of the report. CAB.68/03 SERVICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES – HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Housing and Environmental Health seeking approval of a series of recently developed policies and procedures for emergency call out, decoration voucher allowance, void management and recharges to improve service delivery and provide a clear and fair service to all tenants (For copy see file of Minutes). Details of the four policies were outlined at the meeting. With regard to the Decoration Voucher Allowance Policy and Procedure, it was reported that officers were reviewing the list of painting and decorating suppliers that operated the voucher exchange scheme with the Council, to ensure tenants received value for money. RESOLVED: That the Emergency Call Out, Decoration Voucher Allowance, Void Management and Recharge Policies be agreed. CAB.69/03 ANNUAL REVIEW OF TREASURY MANAGEMENT 2002/2003 Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Finance reviewing the performance of the Council’s Treasury Management activities during the 2002/2003 financial year. (For copy see file of Minutes). It was noted that Treasury Management activities undertaken during 2002/2003 had met all of the strategic aims and objectives set by the Council at the beginning of the year. The Council had continued to keep the level of debt broadly similar to the level of the Council’s credit ceiling and had achieved a satisfactory return on its investment during 2002/03 whilst operating within the improved borrowing limits at all times. RESOLVED: That the report on the performance of the Treasury Management activities during 2002/03 be accepted. D:\moderngov\Data\AgendaItemDocs\1\1\6\AI00003611\Minutes0.doc Page2 2 CAB.70/03 SEDGEFIELD BOROUGH COMMUNITY STRATEGY – CONSULTATION PROGRAMME The Leader of the Council presented a report detailing the programme of consultation for the draft Community Strategy. (For copy see file of Minutes). It was explained that the Community Strategy was a key policy document for the Local Strategic Partnership. The purpose of the consultation programme was to ensure that local communities and LSP stakeholders could further refine the key aims and objectives of the Strategy. The consultation exercise would commence in September and conclude at the end of November 2003 with a LSP Conference. RESOLVED: That the Community Strategy Consultation Programme as detailed in the report be agreed. CAB.71/03 RESTRUCTURING – IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS Consideration was given to a report of the Principal Personnel Officer detailing a process of consultation, approval, implementation and appointment of post holders for the second phase of the Council’s re-organisation. (For copy see file of Minutes) RESOLVED: That the process of consultation, approval, implementation and appointment of post holders in the second phase of re-organisation be dealt with as detailed in the report. CAB.72/03 OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 1 Consideration was given to the minutes of Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 held on 2nd September 2003 (For copy see file of Minutes) RESOLVED: That the Committee’s recommendations be noted and appropriate action be taken. _________________________________________________________________________ ACCESS TO INFORMATION Any person wishing to exercise the right to inspection in relation to these Minutes should contact Gillian Garrigan, Spennymoor 816166, Ext. 4237. Published on 19th September 2003. These Minutes contain no key decisions. ------------- Confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman of the meeting held on 16th October 2003 D:\moderngov\Data\AgendaItemDocs\1\1\6\AI00003611\Minutes0.doc Page 33 This page is intentionally left blank Page 4 Item 4 ITEM No. REPORT TO STANDARDS COMMITTEE 4TH NOVEMBER 2003 REPORT OF THE MONITORING OFFICER DETERMINATION OF STANDARDS ALLEGATIONS BY THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE 1. INTRODUCTION The Government has now made the first part of the Section 66 Regulations which will enable the Ethical Standards Officers of the Standards Board for England to refer allegations to the Standards Committee, or a Sub-Committee of the Standards Committee for local determination, once the Ethical Standards Officer has completed an investigation of and report on the allegation.