Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting Held at the Council Chamber, Woodbridge
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confirmed Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held in the Deben Conference Room, East Suffolk House, Riduna Park, Melton on Tuesday 10 July 2018 at 6.30 pm Members of Cabinet present: R Herring (Leader), A Fryatt, S Gallant, T-J Haworth-Culf, R Kerry, S Lawson, A Smith. Other Members present: C Blundell, A Cooper, P Dunnett, J Fisher, S Harvey. Officers present: S Baker (Chief Executive), K Blair (Head of Operations), K Cook (Democratic Services & Cabinet Business Manager), M Edgerley (Principal Planner), P Gore (Head of Environmental Services & Port Health), T Howarth (Principal Environmental Health Officer), R Jacobs (Port Health Manager), A Jarvis (Strategic Director), Andrea McMillan (Principal Planner), D Reed (Planning Policy & Delivery Manager), P Ridley (Head of Planning & Coastal Management), L Rogers (Finance Manager). 1. Apologies for Absence Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Holdcroft and Councillor Poulter. 2. Declarations of Interest Councillor Herring declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in respect of agenda item 8, Suffolk Coastal District Council Local Plan – First Draft Local Plan. Councillor Herring left the meeting for this item. 3. Minutes It was proposed, seconded and unanimously RESOLVED That the Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held on 5 June 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 4. Announcements Councillor Herring stated that, having declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he had appointed Councillor Kerry to chair the meeting in his absence, for agenda item 8, Suffolk Coastal District Council, First Draft Local Plan. 6 Councillor Smith announced that, on 17 July 2018, he would be attending the House of Lords Select Coittee o ‘egeeratig “easide Tos. 5. Amendment to the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation Cabinet received report CAB 24/18 by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing which set out changes introduced by the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018. The changes would bring smaller properties into the scope of licensing with the potential for a significant increase in the number of licenses issued by the Council. The report set out the reasons behind the changes and reviewed information pertaining to the local situation. Cabinet was advised that delegated authority was sought for the signing and service of licences for Houses in Multiple Occupation to the Principal Environmental Health Officer. Cabinet was further advised that delegated authority was sought to reduce the licence period for Landlords that did not meet the initial deadline of 1 October 2018 for submission of applications. It was recommended that the Principal Environmental Health Officer be granted delegated authority to sign and serve Notices in relation to the imposition of Civil penalties that was the subject of a Cabinet report in September 2017. Cabinet was advised that, working from historic information, rent deposit guarantee information, Council Tax data and information from landlords and lettings agents, the best estimate at this stage was an increase of between 200 and 300 HMO properties across East Suffolk. Promotion of the changes had begun and would continue. Cabinet welcomed the changes introduced by the Order. It was proposed, seconded and unanimously RESOLVED (1) That Cabinet delegates to the Principal Environmental Health Officer (Private Sector Housing) the authority to sign and issue licences under the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018. (2) That Cabinet delegates to the Principal Environmental Health Officer (Private Sector Housing) the authority to sign and serve Civil Penalty Notices under section 249A of the Housing Act 2004 in pursuance of financial penalties and that review of decisions be undertaken by the Head of Service or equivalent. (3) That Cabinet approves the proposal to reduce the licence period from five years to a lesser period of between one and three years where landlords do not meet the deadlines of 1 October 2018 for submission of applications. 6. Public Space Protection Order – Felixstowe Beach Dog Controls Cabinet received report CAB 25/18 by the Cabinet Members with responsibility for Community Health and the Green Environment which advised that in November 2017 Cabinet considered a report on the introduction of a number of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) under the Anti- Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 to deal with dog related matters. Cabinet was advised that one of the draft PSPOs, which was subject to public consultation, related to a dog ban on Felixstowe Beach over the summer months. In response to that consultation Felixstowe Town Council asked for an alternative proposal to be considered and Cabinet agreed a further loal osultatio to test loal opiio o the To Couils alterative proposal. 7 Cabinet was advised that the report provided the results of the consultation and sought Cabinet approval for the adoption of the original draft PSPO attached as Appendix A. At this point the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Community Health reported that he would be proposing a slightly different recommendation to that contained within the report, this followed the advice of the Couils Legal Tea. The Cabinet Member with responsibility for Customers, Communities and Legal stated that she welcomed the report; it was, she said, a good example of where the Council had listened to local people; she thanked those who had responded to the consultation exercise. The Cabinet Member with responsibility for Coastal Management referred to the map that accompanied the Order and stated that there were more up to date maps available; he added that it was important that the current groynes appeared and were referenced. This was agreed. Following a question from Councillor Dunnett, Ward Member for Saxmundham, regarding prosecution, it was confirmed that a breach of a PSPO could be dealt with by way of a Fixed Penalty Notice rather than prosecution which could be time consuming and expensive. Further, a PSPO would remain in force for a period of three years after which it must be reviewed and re-made or it would cease to have effect. RESOLVED That the draft Public Space Protection Order excluding dogs from the designated area of Felixstowe Beach from 1 May to 30 September, as set out in Appendix A to report CAB 25/18, be adopted, subject to the following amendments – Paragraph , last lie, restritios to e reoed ad replaed ith prohiitios. Paragraph 5 to be amended to read – I pursuae of setio of the At, the Couil therefore prohibits dogs in the Restricted Area, as shown on the attached plan, for the period commencing 1st May and ending 30th “epteer ilusie eah ear. The plan to be replaced with a more up to date plan that clearly shows and references the groynes. 7. Financial Year Outturn 2017/2018 Cabinet received report CAB 26/18 by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources which provided an overview of the Couils fiaial perforae for / i respet of the Geeral Fund, Reserves, the Capital Programme and Collection Fund. The Cabinet Member for Resources, after thanking the Finance Team for its hard work and support, stated that for 2017/18 the Council achieved an overall surplus outturn position of £1.389m; £840k from Business Rates income, and £ due to saigs ad additioal ioe o the Couils et epediture. Couillor Laso was pleased to report that this outturn position for 2017/18 placed the Council in a strong position, jointly with Waveney District Council, to be able to address the forecast opening budget gap for the new East Suffolk Council in 2019/20 - £3.592m, as at February 2018. As at 31 March 2 the alae o the Couils Eararked ‘eseres stood at approiatel £, a irease of £3.7m. 8 In response to a question regarding the movement in 2017/18 on the Business Rates Collection Account, it was explained that the Business Rates Collection Fund was the Account whereby the Council recorded the income from Business Rates and the distribution of that income between the District Council, the County Council and Central Government. Due to a timing difference between when the income fell due from business rate payers and when it was recognised under accepted accounting practices, this could create large in-year movements on the Business Rates Collections. The Leader echoed the words of the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources, stating that this was an excellent outturn position; in addition to the surplus there was considerable resource to deliver the services that the Council wished to deliver for its residents. Together with Waveney District Council, this was a very positive position for the two councils going forward. RESOLVED (1) That the details of the draft outturn position for 2017 / 18 together with Reserves and Balances as at 31 March 2018 be noted. (2) That the audited Statement of Accounts will be submitted for approval to the Audit and Governance Committee on 24 July 2018 be noted. (3) That the individual budget carry forward requests in excess of £15,000, as listed in Appendix C, be approved. (4) That £, fro the outtur surplus for / to e set aside for Celeratig “uess of “uffolk Coastal Distrit Couil trasfer fro the I-Year Savings Reserve to the Carry Forward Reserve in 2018/19) be approved. (5) That the use of the Benefits Verification Reserve in 2018/19 to fund costs to the Council associated with the migration of the Revenues and Benefits system for East Suffolk be approved. (6) That up to £100,000 use of the 20% increase in planning fees in 2018/19 to support consultancy costs associated with the Felixstowe Leisure Centre redevelopment project be approved. (7) That use of the In-Year “aigs ‘esere to fud the Couils otriutio to the “uffolk Office of Data and Analytics (SODA) of £20k per annum in 2018/19 and 2019/20 be approved.