NOTICE OF MEETING
BOARD
DAY/DATE: THURSDAY,
31st MAY 2007
TIME: 6.00
PM
VENUE: COUNCIL
CHAMBER
MUNICIPAL
BUILDINGS
EARLE
STREET
CREWE
Despatch date: 22nd May 2007
Enquiries to: Joanne Smith
Tel: 01270 537032
Fax: 01270 537605
Email: agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk
Board Leader: Councillor B G
Silvester
Tel : 01270 567757
Fax: 01270 567757
Email: 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
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC
ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING
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 5th April 2007. (Distributed in the
Record of Meetings issued on 11th April 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 Performance and Overview
Committee Reports and Recommendations
To consider comments/observations from the
Performance and Overview Committees on reports that fall within
their remit.
CATEGORY A Key Issues
5. Designated
Public Places Order (Alcohol Exclusion Zones)
5.1 Report of
Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities.
5.2 On
1st November 2006 Council approved the procedural
framework for making Designated Public Places Orders. The
Police have since requested that a wider ban than the
specific areas
initially identified be
introduced.
5.3 The report
presents the evidence for areas to be considered for designation
and the Board is asked to determine the wards which should be
recommended to Council as being suitable for
designation.
5.4
Performance and Overview Committee – Community.
DPPO Board
Report - details
DPPO Board
Report Appendices - details
6.
Proposed
Off-Street Parking Places Order (Railway Street Car Park, Crewe):
Consideration of the Outcome of Statutory
Consultation
6.1 Report of
Councillor John Hammond, Portfolio Holder for Local
Environment.
6.2 Notice of
the proposal to make an Off-Street Parking Places Order to alter
the charging system for parking at Railway Street Car Park, Crewe
has been advertised in accordance with statutory requirements.
6.3 No
objections to the proposal have been received and the Board is
asked to authorise the making of the proposed Off-Street Parking
Places Order in respect of Railway Street Car Park,
Crewe.
6.4
Performance and Overview Committee – Local Economy and
Environment.
7.
Proposed
Off-Street Parking Places Order (Wood Street East Car Park, Crewe):
Consideration of the outcome of Statutory
Consultation
7.1 Report of
Councillor John Hammond, Portfolio Holder for Local
Environment.
7.2 Notice of
the proposal to make an Off-Street Parking Places Order to alter
the charging system for parking at Wood Street (East) Car Park,
Crewe has been advertised in accordance with statutory
requirements.
7.3 No
objections to the proposal have been received and the Board is
asked to authorise the making of the proposed Off-Street Parking
Places Order in respect of Wood Street (East) Car Park,
Crewe.
7.4
Performance and Overview Committee – Local Economy and
Environment.
CATEGORY B Performance Management
8.
Best Value
Performance Indicators – Progress Report for
Out-turn
2006/07
8.1 Report of
Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, Portfolio Holder for Human
Resources.
8.2 The report
refers to a basket of performance indicators which the
Board identified as their key priority areas for
monitoring purposes. The report also presents the
target forecasts for the
period 2007-2011.
8.3 The Board is
invited to approve the key basket of performance indicators for
2006/07 together with the target forecasts for the period
2007-2011.
8.4 Performance and
Overview Committees – All.
Out-Turn
Targets 2006-07 - details
CATEGORY C
Organisational Matters
9.
Enforcement of
Smoke-Free Legislation
9.1 Report of
Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities.
9.2 The Health Act
2006 Part 1 Chapter 1 introduces new powers in relation to
smoke-free premises, places and vehicles. The Smoke-free (Premises
and Enforcement) Regulations 2006 define the enforcement authority
for Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Health Act. Regulation 3(1)(b)
designates district councils as enforcement authorities.
9.3 The Board is
asked to recommend to Council that delegated authority be granted
to the Head of Environmental Health to enforce the provisions of
the Health Act 2006 Part 1 Chapter 1 and regulations made
under it. In particular to authorise Officers to act for the
Council in matters arising under the Act and to instigate
proceedings for offences under that Act and regulations made under
it.
9.4 Performance and
Overview Committee – Community.
10. Provision
of Affordable Housing - details of report
10.1
Revised/Updated - Affordable Housing
Information Sheet
Appendix 2 -
Affordable Homes Provided Since 2003
10.1 Report
of Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
10.2 The
report contains details of proposals for combining funds available
from commuted sums and the North West Housing Pot to provide an
enabling fund for the development of affordable housing. It also
details proposals for guidance for landowners and developers and
also covers disposal of Council owned land or sites which are
appropriate for affordable housing.
10.3 The
Board is asked to approve :
(A) The provision of
an enabling fund for the development of affordable housing and
grant delegated authority to the relevant Portfolio Holder to agree
grant payments from this fund;
(B) The provision of
more detailed guidance for landowners and developers particularly
for sites in rural areas; and
(C) In special
circumstances land consideration will be given to selling Council
owned land at a lower than market price in return for a higher
percentage of affordable homes to rent being provided.
10.4
Performance and Overview Committee – Local Economy and
Environment
11.
Housing Act 2004 – Delegated
Powers
11.1 Report
of Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
11.2The Council’s
Constitution authorises the Council’s Officers to enforce Housing
functions within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985 and other
housing legislation. The Housing Act 2004 has since been introduced
and the report requests an amendment to the Council’s Constitution
to incorporate the new Act.
11.3The Board is asked to
recommend to Council that delegated authority be granted to the
Head of Housing to enforce the functions contained in the Housing
Act 2004 and (in consultation with the Borough Solicitor)
authorise legal proceedings on behalf of the Authority in
accordance with the provisions of the Act.
11.4
Performance and Overview Committee – Community.
12.
Wulvern Housing –
Governance Review
12.1 Report
of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder
for Customers.
12.2 The report
provides details of proposals by Wulvern Housing to carry out
amendments to its rules following a review of its governance
arrangements. Wulvern Board has recommended a change to its
rules to allow a reduction in the Board membership from 15 to a
maximum of 12 and the Borough Council is being consulted on these
changes.
12.3 The
Board is asked to approve:
(A) That the number of Local Authority members
of Wulvern Housing Board be reduced to 3, with the option of one of
these 3 being a Local Authority nominee; and
(B) That Wulvern Housing be advised that this
Local Authority has no objection to a remuneration policy being
introduced in favour of Independent Members of its Board.
12.4
Performance and Overview Committee – Organisation.
13.
Appointment to Portfolio Holders Working Groups
Portfolio Holder Advisory Group
Assignments as of 20th Feb 2007
13.1 The
Board is invited to review appointments to, and membership, various
advisory groups which were set up during the last Municipal
Year.
13.2
Portfolio Holders are asked to inform the Democratic Services
Manager of any advisory groups which they set up, or re-constitute,
during the year.
14. Post
Office Closures
14.1 On
17th May 2007 the Government announced its strategy in
respect of the national post office network which included
proposals to close up to 2,500 Post Offices. The Board is
invited to consider if it wishes to make a response to these
proposals.
15. Report of
the Executive Director, Direct Services (For
Information)
15.1 In
accordance with contract regulations, the Executive Director,
Direct Services reports on tenders that have recently been invited
and received. See report
16. Exclusion of Press
and Public
16.1 The
reports relating to the remaining item on the agenda has been
withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section
100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that this
matter may be determined with the press and public excluded.
16.2 The
Board may decide that the press and public be excluded from the
meeting during consideration of the following matter pursuant to
Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds
that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as
defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of
the Act.
(Paragraph 3 Information
relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular
person (including the authority holding that information.)
17. Request to Waive
Regulations as to Contracts in respect of the
Homelessness Contract (Paragraph
3)
17.1 Report of
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
17.2 The Board is
asked to approve that the Council’s Regulations as to Contracts be
waived in respect of the contract for homelessness
services.
17.3 Performance
and Overview Committee – Community.
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