NOTICE OF
MEETING
BOARD
DAY/DATE:
THURSDAY, 20TH SEPTEMBER 2007
TIME:
3.00 PM
VENUE:
WEST COMMITTEE ROOM
MUNICIPAL
BUILDINGS
EARLE
STREET
CREWE
Despatch date:
12th September 2007
Enquiries
to: Joanne
Smith Tel:
01270 537032
Fax:
01270 537605
Board
Leader: Councillor B G
Silvester Tel: 01270 567757
Fax: 01270 567757
E-mail: cllr.brian.silvester@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk
To: Board
Members (for attendance)
All other Members of the Borough Council
Management Team
Local Press and Radio
Notes for Members
of the Public
The Board consists of 10
elected Members and Councillor Brian Silvester, the Council Leader,
is the Chairman.
The Borough Council welcomes and
encourages members of the public to attend its Board, Committee and
Council meetings.
If you plan to attend, please report
to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be
provided with a Visitor’s Pass.
Car parking is not available at the
Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car
parks. There is a disabled access to the rear of the
Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door
on Vernon Way. Please press the button for attention, and
someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception
area.
You are asked to remain quiet whilst
the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting
room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as
possible. Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or
pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.
You are not allowed to have drinks or
food in the meeting rooms, nor in the Public Gallery. A “No
Smoking” policy operates in the Municipal Buildings.
Fire Evacuation
If the fire alarm rings, you should
make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly
as possible, and leave the building. Please follow any
instructions from staff about evacuation routes.
Copies of the agenda will be available
if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and
can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for
details.
On occasions, members of the press and
public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be
transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with
individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other
parties.
If you require any further
information, please contact Joanne Smith (details on front
page).
Agenda Information
Items on the agenda have been grouped
together in 3 categories:
Category “A”
Key issues; constitutional matters; matters
having a strategic or significant community impact; new policy or
changes to existing policy
Category “B”
Performance Management issues
Category “C”
Organisational and other matters
The reports in
“Category “A” reflect the priorities identified in
the current Corporate Strategy which the Borough Council has set
itself to achieve continuous improvement in the environmental,
economic and social well being of the Borough of Crewe and
Nantwich. The Council’s four corporate priority areas are
underpinned by the following statements:-
Growing
Prosperity
Sufficient jobs available
locally to meet the demands of population growth and which are of
particular quality and resilient to economic downturn
Safer & Stronger
Communities
To ensure that no-one is
disadvantaged by where they live.
To lead public agencies in
providing an integrated service at neighbourhood levels.
To achieve a significant
improvement in the inequality index for the Borough and reduce
levels of anti-social behaviour and crime.
Community
Leadership
A Council which organises
itself and conducts its business so as to maximise benefit and
value to the people it serves and represents
To achieve a significant
improvement in overall satisfaction levels
Making our Borough
Cleaner and Greener
A noticeable uplift in the
appearance of the Borough complemented by the enhancement of
some key locations and with a particular focus on tackling
climate change issues.
AGENDA
1.
Declarations of Interest
1.1
Any Members present (including non-Committee Members) to declare
any personal or prejudicial interest, and the nature of those
interests, which they have in any item of business on the agenda
and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that
item.
1.2
Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors, are
reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item
which directly concerns the business of the appropriate
authority.
1.3
Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.
Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its
interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the
responsibility of the Member, based on the particular
circumstances.
2. Board
Decisions
2.1
To receive the Statement of Decisions made by the Board at its
meeting held on 26th July 2007. (Distributed in
the Record of Meetings issued on 30th July 2007)
3. Reconsideration
of Decisions
3.1
In accordance with Rule 14 of the Performance and Overview
Procedure Rules and Rule 2 of the Executive Procedure Rules
contained within the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to
reconsider any decisions referred back to the Board.
4. Consideration
of any Scrutiny CommitteeReports and
Recommendations
4.1
To consider comments/observations from the Scrutiny Committees on
reports that fall within their remit.
5. Risk
Management – Annual Report
5.1
Report of Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, Portfolio Holder for Human
Resources.
5.2 The
Council approved a Risk Management Strategy in December 2003
and the strategy was audited in 2003/04. In the
Auditor’s Annual Management letter they recorded the need to
further embed risk management in the processes of the Council.
The Annual Report monitors how the Council is meeting this
challenge.
5.3 The
Board is asked to approve:
(a) That risk
management should be a core element of the Member Development
Programme;
(b) That
the progress in embedding risk management be noted;
(c) That the
monitoring procedures be amended to those outlined in paragraph 1.6
of the report and the Risk Management Strategy be amended
accordingly; and
(d) That the Local
Strategic Partnership be asked to review the risks listed on the
register, update them as necessary and maintain processes and
systems for the effective management of those
risks.
5.4
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
6. Licensing Act
2003 : Statement of Licensing Policy
6.1
Report of Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer
Communities.
6.2 The
Council approved, at its meeting held on 5th January
2005, the Statement of Licensing Policy. Under the terms of
the Licensing Act 2003 the Council must review and renew the policy
document at intervals of no more than three years.
6.3 The report
outlines the proposed replacement Licensing Policy and the Board is
asked to approve the draft Statement of Licensing Policy for the
purposes of statutory consultation.
The draft Statement of Licensing Policy has
been provided for Board Members, Scrutiny Committee Chairs and
Group Leaders only. A copy is available in the Members’ Room
and will be published on the Council’s website.
6.4 Scrutiny
Committee – Community.
7.
Local
Development Framework : Core Strategy Issues
and Options
7.1 Report of
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
7.2 The second
review of the Local Development Scheme came into force on
30th April 2007. This sets out the programme for
the production of Local Development documents over the next three
years. The first document to be produced in the Local Development
Framework is the Core Strategy.
7.3 The report
details the Core Strategy: Issues and Options paper and the Board
is asked to approve the paper for the purposes of consultation.
The draft Core Strategy: Issues and Options
paper has been provided for Board Members, Scrutiny Committee
Chairs and Group Leaders only. A copy is available in the
Members’ Room and will be published on the Council’s website.
7.4 Scrutiny
Committee – Local Economy and Environment.
8.
Consultation on Housing
Green Paper
8.1 Report of
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
8.2 The
Government has issued a Green Paper ‘Homes for the Future: More
Affordable, More Sustainable’ in July 2007 and has asked for
comments by 14th October 2007. The document
proposes measures to increase the supply of homes built and
to make homes more affordable.
8.3 The paper
asks local authorities for general comments and specifically
poses a number of questions. The Board is asked to approve the
Council’s response to the Consultation Paper.
8.4 Scrutiny
Committee – Local Economy and Environment and Community.
9.
Revision of
Allocations Policy
9.1 Report of
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
9.2 The Council has
a legal duty to have an allocations scheme including policy
and procedure for the allocation of housing, and to allocate
housing in accordance with this scheme. Wulvern Housing acts as the
Council’s agent in dealing with Housing Allocations.
9.3 Wulvern Housing
has made changes to its Allocations Policy and it is recommended
that the Council’s present Allocations Policy is revised
accordingly. The Board is asked to recommend that the existing
Policy be revised as detailed in the report; that the revised
Policy be the subject of consultation with the relevant
stakeholders; and that delegated authority be granted to the
relevant Director in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Planning to agree any further amendments to the Policy required as
a result of the
consultation.
9.4 Scrutiny
Committee – Community.
10.
Polling District
Review
10.1 Report
of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.
10.2 The
Electoral Administration Act 2006 requires the Council to
conduct a review of its Parliamentary Polling Districts and Polling
Places. The Board is invited to approve the review process
for consultation.
10.3
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
11.
Public
Art Strategy
11.1 Report
of Councillor Bill McGinnis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure.
11.2 The
Cultural Department has secured external funding from Arts
Council England North West to commission an external
consultant to develop a Public Art Strategy for Crewe and
Nantwich Borough Council. The strategy outlines the opportunities
for public art as part of the major re-development of the
Borough.
11.3 The
report details the draft Public Art Strategy and the Board is asked
to recommend that Council approve its adoption and
implementation.
The draft Public Art Strategy has been
provided for Board Members, Scrutiny Committee Chairs and Group
Leaders only. A copy is available in the Members’ Room and
will be published on the Council’s
website.
11.4
Scrutiny Committee – Local Economy and Environment.
CATEGORY C
Organisational
Matters
12.
2008/09 Budget Preparation Timetable
12.1 Report
of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for Finance.
12.2 The
report presents the planned timetable for 2008/09 revenue and
capital budget preparations.
12.3 The
Board is invited to approve the 2008/09 Budget Preparation
Timetable.
12.4
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
13.
Concessionary
Travel
13.1 Report
of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder
for Neighbourhoods.
13.2 The report
provides details of the new statutory concessionary bus travel
scheme commencing April 2008 and seeks Members' views on the
current local enhancements to the scheme.
13.3 The
Board is asked to formally approve collaborative working
and to consider whether it wishes to extend the current
local enhancements to the new scheme.
13.4
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
14.
Community
Transport Strategy : Consultation
14.1 Report
of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder
for Neighbourhoods.
14.2 The Borough
Council has been invited to respond to a consultation questionnaire
published by Cheshire County Council which seeks views on a draft
Community Transport Strategy for the County.
14.3 The
Board is invited to approve the suggested responses to the
consultation questionnaire.
14.4
Scrutiny Committee – Community.
15.
Grants – Community Grant
Application
15.1 Report
of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder
for Neighbourhoods.
15.2 The report
details an application from Wistaston Green Partnership for
start up costs to provide administration support to enable
this group to become established.
15.3
Councillor Westwood has declared a personal and prejudicial
interest in this application and the application has, therefore
been referred to Board for a decision.
15.4
Scrutiny Committee – Community.
16.
Comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy
16.1 Report
of Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, Portfolio Holder for Human
Resources.
16.2 The
Comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy is an over-
arching strategic document, which aims to review and achieve
a change in the Council’s practice. It is one of the key
requirements for Level 1 of the Equality Standard for
Local Government that local authorities formulate and adopt a
comprehensive equality policy. The Comprehensive Equality and
Diversity Policy is replacing the former Crewe and Nantwich
Scheme for Equality.
16.3 The
Board is asked to recommend to Council the approval of the
Comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy 2007-2011.
16.4
Scrutiny Committees – All.
17.
Early
Termination Policy – Discretionary Compensatory
Payments
17.1 Report
of Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, Portfolio Holder for Human
Resources.
17.2 The Local Government
(Early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary
Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 came into
effect on 29th November 2006 but have
retrospective effect from 1st October 2006. The
Regulations require the Council to adopt and publish a policy
outlining how it will exercise discretion over the payment of
compensation to employees whose contract
is terminated early on the grounds of redundancy.
17.3 The
draft Early Termination Policy is appended to the report and the
Board is asked to approve the draft policy for Trade Union
consultation.
17.4
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
18.
Establishment
of a Children’s Trust
18.1 Report
of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for
Neighbourhoods.
18.2 The Children Act
2004 requires local authorities to establish Children’s Trust
arrangements by 2008. Local authorities will lead the
establishment of Children’s Trusts with local partners. The
Children and Young People’s Partnership is in the process of
developing governance arrangements for the new trust and it is
hoped a shadow Children’s Trust will be formed by October 2007.
18.3 The Board is
invited to comment on the draft Governance arrangements and to
grant delegated authority to the Assistant Chief Executive
(Community Development & Social Policy) in consultation with
the Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods to endorse/sign up to the
finalised governance documents.
18.4
Scrutiny Committee – Community.
19.
Local
Government Re-organisation (Report to Follow)
19.1 Report
of Councillor Brian Silvester, Leader of the Council.
19.2 The
current consideration of Local Government Re-organisation has
provided opportunities to develop closer working relationships with
Congleton Borough Council, which can be beneficial
in providing a basis for improved two-tier working.
19.3 The
report outlines proposals for closer collaborative links with
Congleton Borough Council and the Board is invited to endorse this
approach.
19.4
Scrutiny Committees – All.
20.
Post Office
Closures
20.1 Report
of Councillor Brian Silvester, Leader of the Council.
20.2 The
threat of closure of a significant number of post offices across
the UK has been anticipated for some time. It is understood
that an announcement of the proposals affecting Cheshire can be
anticipated shortly, with a response to consultation being sought
ahead of the next scheduled Board meeting.
20.3 The
report contains recommendations in respect of any
proposed consultation on Post Office
closures.
20.4
Scrutiny Committees – Community.
21.
Maintenance of
Closed Churchyard, St Boniface’s Church,
Bunbury
21.1 Report
of Councillor John Hammond, Portfolio Holder for Local
Environment.
21.2The report seeks a
supplementary capital budget of £60,000 to carry out essential
repairs to the Churchyard Wall at St Boniface’s Church,
Bunbury.
21.3
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
22. Exclusion of Press
and Public
22.1 The
reports relating to the remaining items on the agenda have been
withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section
100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that
these matters may be determined with the press and public
excluded.
22.2 The
Board may decide that the press and public be excluded from the
meeting during consideration of the following matters pursuant to
Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds
that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as
defined in paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as
amended) of the Act.
(Paragraph 2 Information that is likely
to reveal the identity of an individual.)
(Paragraph 3 Information
relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular
person (including the authority holding that information.)
23. Discretionary Rate
Relief Appeal (Paragraph
3)
23.1
Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for
Finance.
23.2 The
report provides details of an appeal received following
a change made to the Council’s Rate Relief Policy.
23.3
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
24. Application for
Voluntary Redundancy (Paragraph 2)
24.1
Report of Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, Portfolio Holder
for Human Resources.
24.2
The report presents an application for voluntary redundancy for
Board consideration.
24.3
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
25. Staffing Structure
(Paragraph 2)
25.1
Report of Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, Portfolio Holder
for Human Resources.
25.2
The report addresses the need to develop the staffing
structure to enable delivery of the Council’s Corporate
Objectives, taking into account changed circumstances.
The Board is asked to recommend to Council the adoption of the
revised staffing structure.
25.3
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
NOTE:
In accordance with the Health and Safety at
Work Act, the Council is required to notify those attending
meetings of the fire evacuation procedures. A copy has
previously been distributed to Members and instructions are located
in all rooms within the Civic Suite.
This agenda can be made
available in larger text on
request