Minutes for Council meeting, Feb 23 2010, 6.00PM official page

To receive announcements by the Chairman of the Council, if any, and any communication she may desire to lay before the Council.

The Chairman reported on functions and events attended since the last meeting, referring particularly to the Guides ‘Thinking Day’ on 20 February, a Civic Service at Wycombe on 21 February, and the opening of the new Water Rescue unit at Beaconsfield Fire Station on 22 February.

To confirm the Part I minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 19 January 2010.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 19 January were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

With reference to minute 75 and the Pathfinder Support Services Project, the Leader confirmed that as Aylesbury Vale DC, Wycombe DC and the Bucks and MK Fire Authority had all withdrawn, the project had been abandoned since it was not possible to continue with two partners only.

To answer questions (if any) from

(a)       Members of the Council; and

(b)       Members of the public

which have been put under Procedure Rules 9 and 10.

No questions had been duly put under Council Procedure Rules 9 or 10.  The Chief Executive informed the Council of a question submitted by Cllr Mike Thomson, but as this was with insufficient notice and concerned a matter not within the remit of the Council, it was not put.

Part I of the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2010.

(Notes: (1)   Reports referred to in recommendations in the Cabinet minutes were circulated to all members with the agenda for the Cabinet meeting and have not been re-printed/re-circulated.

(2)   A further report of the Leader on Budget and Council Tax [minute 84] will follow.

(3) Copies of the Proposed Submission Core Strategy, as amended, and recommended for approval [minute 87] have been placed in the Members Room.

The Leader, Mr Busby, presented Part I of the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2010.  Each minute of the Cabinet was introduced by the relevant Portfolio Holder respectively. 

With reference minute 84 [Budget and Council Tax report] the Leader introduced this item and presented a further report containing final information from the precepting authorities leading to the total Council Tax for the area which the Council was required to approve at the meeting.  The budget had been prepared against a backdrop of further impending tight constraints on all public expenditure, the full impact of which was unlikely to be known until after the General Election.  All the Council’s sources of revenue were under pressure and the Leader drew particular attention to investment income where the projected total for 2010/11 of £1.05m was 46% lower than the actual total received in 2008/09.  The recommendation was for an increase of 2% in the District Council Tax, making a total Council Tax of £1,486.09 for a Band D property.  The Leader proposed that the budget should be viewed as a ‘work in progress’ in as much as it was hoped to identify in year savings in 2010/11 (as well as for future years) with the object of reducing the proposed call on reserves of £820k in the financial year.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee reported on the discussion of the budget at the meeting held on 1 February, where the views expressed by members were in similar vein to the comments of the Leader.  Particular concern had been expressed about the failure of the Support Services Project, the increase in some of the Portfolio budgets, and the use of reserves required to support the Council tax.  The recommendation for a 2% limit on the rise in District Council Tax was supported.

With reference to minute 87 [Core Strategy Publication Version], the Sustainable Development Portfolio Holder introduced the Core Strategy document now presented for adoption by the Council by outlining the work undertaken over the last two years to bring the Strategy to its current stage.  He emphasised the key principles embodied in the Core Strategy as summarised in the Cabinet minute and added that adoption of the Core Strategy would give a strong steer to the form of new development coming forward, particularly in the opportunity sites identified, and should assist in curbing the rate of development taking place.  The protection of the Green Belt remained of paramount importance and the Portfolio Holder reported the recent receipt of an application for the release of a site in Farnham Royal, which would be rejected.  He also reported on a number of minor amendments and updates being inserted in the Core Strategy prior to its publication.  In accepting the recommendations for approval of the Core Submission Core Strategy, Members recorded their appreciation of the work of the Portfolio Holder and Lead Member, and the officer team, in bringing the Strategy to its current stage.

With reference  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.

Report of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 February 2010.

The report of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 February 2010 was presented.

With reference to minute 44 [Crime and Disorder] the Council noted that the comparison of Community Safety teams across the County showed no direct linkage between the number of staff in a team and the rate and pattern of crime, since there were many other factors at work.  Matters identified to take forward were the process of ‘cocooning’ – where neighbours adjacent to burgled properties would be given crime prevention tools and advice; and a review of the use of CCTV.

Ambulance response times remained an ongoing concern, as referred to in minutes 46 and 48, and the representatives of South Central Ambulance Service had been invited to attend the next meeting.

RESOLVED that the report be received and adopted.

Report of the meeting of the Personnel Committee held on 25 January 2010.

The report of the meeting of the Personnel Committee held on 25 January 2010 was presented.

RESOLVED that the report be received and adopted.

To receive reports from member representatives on outside bodies (annexed separately).

(1)       The Council received an outside body report from Cllr Jennifer Woolveridge presented to the Health and Housing PAG.  Mrs Woolveridge added that she had attended a further meeting of NHS Buckinghamshire earlier that day when matters under consideration had included an improvement in the budget deficit, a worsening of Ambulance response times, and financial difficulties of the Wexham and Heatherwood Hospital Trust.

(2)       Cllr Peter Adams reported (as first related to a recent meeting of Community PAG) on his recent experience of the ‘Inspire Days’ for schools based on the 2012 Olympic Rowing events to be held at Dorney Lake.  He had joined 58 pupils from Dorney School to visit Dorney Lake and its facilities and receive a talk about Olympic Rowing and the plans for staging the event at Dorney.  Following this, the group had travelled by coach to visit the Henley Rowing Museum, experience the training facilities for rowers and take a boat trip along the Henley Regatta course.  The whole day had been very well received by staff and pupils and was a great awareness building exercise for Olympic Rowing.  Exhibits of the day and reaction from school pupils were on display at the meeting.  Local schools from Burnham and Taplow had also enjoyed a similar experience.

The Chairman to move the following resolution:-

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.”

Part II Council minutes – 19 January 2010 – to confirm.

Cabinet report (Part II) – 9 February 2010 – reasons set out in minute 93.

RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act.

To confirm the Part II minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 19 January 2010.

The Part II minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2010 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Part II of report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2010.

The Part II report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2010 was presented.

RESOLVED that the report be received and adopted.