Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 This is your monthly summary of the decisions taken at meetings of the Council, Cabinet, Overview and Scrutiny and other Panels, for the period 27th May to 20th June 2003. Further information on any of the items contained in the Digest can be obtained by contacting the Democratic Services Section - (01480) 388007. Payment of Professional Fees The Employment Panel has looked at the question of membership of professional associations by Council employees, the value to the Council from membership of such associations and the likely cost involved if the Council were to fund such memberships. The Panel has noted that the Council currently pays fees when - ♦ an employee is required to be in membership in order to practice; ♦ an employee is in a post currently designated by the Council for the payment of fees; ♦ an employee is a student member of the Association for which membership is essential in order to study for the examinations of the Association; and ♦ the Council holds the membership and the employee is the Councils representative. It was decided that the existing Council policy for the payment of Professional Fees be retained unchanged. 1 Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 Regional Employer’s Panel East of England Local Government Conference Councillor J W Davies has been appointed by the Employment Panel to serve as the District Council’s representative on the Regional Employer’s Panel: East of England Local Government Conference for the ensuing Municipal Year. Stonely Conservation Area Character Statement The Cabinet approved the Area Character Statement for Stonely as Supplementary Planning Guidance. The Statement is one of sixty-three to be produced by the District Council for each of its Conservation Areas. St Ives Vision A vision report for St Ives Town Centre produced by the Civic Trust Regeneration Unit has been adopted Cabinet as Informal Planning Guidance by the Cabinet. The document will provide a framework for decision making in the town centre over the next ten years. Huntingdon and Godmanchester Market Towns Transport Strategy – Consultation Outcomes The Cabinet has approved the content of the Huntingdon and Godmanchester Transport Strategy which links into the Local Transport Plan. The Strategy provides a programme of integrated transport initiatives up until 2011 based on three fundamental objectives – namely to make travel safer, promote integrated and sustainable transport and manage effective transport networks. In addressing these issues the Strategy aims to maintain and enhance the economic vitality and viability of the towns. 2 Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 Treasury Management Annual Report 2002/03 The outcome of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy in 2002/03 has been noted by the Cabinet Offord Cluny Conservation Area Character Statement The Cabinet has approved the Offord Cluny Conservation Area Character Statement for public consultation. Representation on Organisations The Cabinet has appointed representatives on behalf of the District Council on a variety of organisations, details of which will shortly be circulated separately, in schedule form by the Democratic Services Section. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan – Responses to the Examination in Public Panel – Recommendations and Proposed Modifications to the Structure Plan. Modifications to the draft Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan following an Examination in Public have been reported to the Cabinet. Members were informed that the Panel had supported the District Council’s representations in relation to the balance of housing provision for the District and the needs of rural areas in terms of economic and social regeneration. However, the Panel rejected the Council’s recommendation that RAF Alconbury should be removed from the list of strategic employment sites in the area. In accepting the changes, the Cabinet reiterated the need to address the provision of infrastructure as part of any proposed development in the District. 3 Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 Customer Services Strategy The Corporate Director, Commerce and Technology has addressed both Overview and Scrutiny Panels on proposals to improve customer access to services which include options for developing a contact centre to enhance access for the large percentage of customers who contact the Council by telephone and for improved face-to-face communication with customers. The Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Planning and Finance) have commented on the importance of addressing the needs of all customers who receive services, including those who are disabled in any way and indicated their support for the implementation of a contact centre owned and operated by the District Council using the technology/infrastructure of the County Council’s Cambridgeshire Direct service. The Panel also have supported suggestions for improved face-to-face service provision in terms of one customer service centre initially in Huntingdon. In similarly supporting the provision of a contact centre owned and operated by the District Council, the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Delivery and Resources) has requested that the feasibility of establishing a mobile customer service facility also be investigated. Implementing IEG Statement The Corporate Director, Commerce and Technology has reported on implementing the IEG Statement to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Planning and Finance). Officers are currently in the process of preparing the third statement which will be submitted for consideration by the Panel in September. 4 Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 Best Value Performance Plan 2002/03 The Draft Best Value Performance Plan for 2002/03 has been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels. The Panels have noted that the Draft is to be submitted to the Cabinet meeting on 26th June 2003 in order to meet the Government deadlines for publication. The Panels have recognised that the completed Plan would be a useful tool in assisting the identification of areas of concern and therefore the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Planning and Finance) has requested that the Plan be included on the Agenda for their next meeting. Best Value Review Programme The Overview and Scrutiny Panels have considered the Best Value Review Programme. The ongoing reviews relating to Access to Services and housing to meet external and local need/demand will continue to their conclusion with membership of the existing Working Groups overseeing these Reviews remaining unchanged. However, since the original Best Value Programme was compiled guidance has been received which aims to reconcile it with the new Comprehensive Performance Assessment regime. As a result it has been agreed to commence one Best Value Review in 2003/04. Councillors M G Baker, D Dew and B F C Wallis have been appointed by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Planning and Finance) to the Reducing Pollution Best Value Review Working Party. Because of the difficulty in appointing six members to the Working Party, the Panel have requested other Members of the Council to consider participating in the Best Value Review. 5 Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 St. Ives and Huntingdon Town Centre Environmental Improvements Advisory Groups The Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Planning and Finance) has appointed two Members to each of the Huntingdon and St. Ives Town Centre Environmental Improvements Phase II Advisory Groups. The Groups have been established to consider the design and concept of the two schemes. Overview and Scrutiny – Future Items In relation to ideas for future study areas, the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Planning and Finance) have decided to consider the Development Control Service and housing mix at their future meetings, the latter subject prior to its consideration by Cabinet. Developing A Community Strategy for Huntingdonshire Consideration has been given by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels to the information produced to date as part of the process of developing a draft Community Strategy for Huntingdonshire. The Panels have discussed the strategic objectives which had been identified for inclusion within the draft strategy and the priorities set by the Partnership Executive. The Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Delivery and Resources) was of the opinion that the priority relating to increasing the number of local people with appropriate skills for life and work should include specific references to creating the best place for education, life long learning and schools development, including:- ♦ giving equal emphasis to academic and vocational qualifications; ♦ creating training places for a skilled workforce; ♦ creating apprenticeship places in local businesses for school leavers; and 6 Huntingdonshire District Council - Edition 34 ♦ providing special training leading to career opportunities for young people gifted in sport, the arts or music. The Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Delivery and Resources) also was of the opinion that greater weighting should be given to reducing the fear of crime in the current order of priorities. The Overview and Security Panel (Planning and Finance) similarly commented on the priority relating to increasing the number of local people with appropriate skills for life and work and the need for vocational training and employment opportunities to be available in the District. The Panel have also discussed the need to improve and develop a community spirit and to encourage citizenship