NOTICE OF MEETING
BOARD
DAY/DATE:
THURSDAY, 21st FEBRUARY 2008
TIME:
6.00 PM
VENUE:
COUNCIL CHAMBER
MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS
EARLE STREET
CREWE
Despatch
date:
13th February 2008
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 3rd January 2008. (Distributed in
the Record of Meetings issued on 15th January 2008)
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 Committee
Reports and Recommendations
4.1
To consider comments/observations from the Scrutiny Committees on
reports that fall within their remit.
5. Budget and Council
Tax 2008/09
5.1
Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for
Finance.
5.2
The report asks the Board to recommend to Council at its meeting on
27th February 2008 approval of the Capital Programme and
the setting of a sustainable Revenue Budget and Council Tax for
2008/09, along with proposed amendments to the Scales of Fees and
Charges.
5.3
Scrutiny Committees – All.
This report refers to the document
entitled “Consultation Draft Budget 2008-2009 and Budget Prospects
2008-2012” together with the supplementary papers issued. Members
are asked to bring their own copy to the meeting.
6.
Capital
Finance: Prudential Indicators and Treasury
Management
6.1
Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for
Finance.
6.2
The report covers the various requirements of both the Prudential
Code for Capital Finance and the Code of Practice for Treasury
Management. It also meets the requirements of anticipated new
guidance in respect of the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP), being
an annual charge to the Revenue Account relating to debt.
6.3
The Board is asked to recommend to Council the Prudential
Indicators for 2008/09; the Policy set out in the Annual Minimum
Revenue Statement 2008/09; the Treasury Management Strategy for
2008/09 and the revised list of approved organisations for
investment purposes.
6.4
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
7.
2007/08 Financial Monitoring Report – to 31st December
2007
7.1
Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for
Finance.
7.2
The report provides Members with information in relation
to actual expenditure and income in the current financial
year 2007/08 up until 31st December 2007, compared
to profiled budgets and also summarises the projected out-turn
for the 2007/08 year.
7.3
The Board is asked to receive the report.
7.4 Scrutiny
Committees – All.
8
Crewe and
Nantwich Borough Council – Scheme of Members’ Allowances
2008/09 (REPORT TO FOLLOW)
8.1 Report
of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.
8.2
In accordance with the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances)
(England) Regulations 2003, the Council is required to appoint an
Independent Remuneration Panel every four years to carry out a
comprehensive review of Members’ Allowances.
8.3
Following its appointment in September 2007, the current
Independent Remuneration Panel met on five occasions to consider
the structure and content of the 2008/09 Scheme of Members’
Allowances. The report provides details of the final report of
the Independent Remuneration Panel together with the draft scheme
incorporating the changes proposed and the Board is invited to make
a recommendation to Council.
8.4
Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.
9.
Eco-Towns (REPORT TO
FOLLOW)
9.1
Report of Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for
Planning.
9.2
In July 2007 the Government issued an Eco-Towns Prospectus and the
report provides an outline of the initiative. The Prospectus has
resulted in a bid for a scheme within the Borough of Crewe &
Nantwich. The Government has not yet published its shortlist of
preferred sites and therefore it is not yet known if the bid will
be shortlisted.
9.3
The Board is invited to consider the proposals and preliminary
views were sought.
9.4 Scrutiny
Committee – Local Economy & Environment.
10. Report of the Executive
Director, Direct Services
(For Information)
In accordance with contract regulations, the
Executive Director, Direct Services reports on tenders that
have recently been invited and received.
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.
If you require this document or a
summary version in large print, Braille, audiotape, CD or in
another language, please contact:
Equality & Diversity
Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, Municipal
Buildings
Earle Street, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1
2JZ
Tel. 01270 537565
Email. petra.dexterduskova@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk