STATEMENT OF DECISIONS MADE AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
BOARD HELD ON 27TH JUNE
2007
PRESENT:
Councillor Brian
Silvester
(Leader of the Council in the Chair)
Councillor David
Brickhill
(Portfolio Holder for Economic Development)
Councillor John
Dwyer
(Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities)
Councillor John
Hatfield
(Portfolio Holder for Finance)
Councillor John
Hammond
(Portfolio Holder for the Local Environment)
Councillor Bill
McGinnis
(Portfolio Holder for Leisure)
Councillor Margaret
Simon
(Portfolio Holder for Customers)
Councillor Ray
Westwood
(Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods)
Councillor Jacquie
Weatherill (Portfolio
Holder for Human Resources)
NON-BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Councillor A Richardson
OFFICERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Paul
Ancell
(Chief Executive)
Lisa
Carr
(Policy & Performance Officer)
Paul
Goodwin
(Assistant Director Accountancy)
David
Marren
(Executive Director, Direct Services)
Gareth Roberts
(Economic Development and Estates Manager)
Joanne
Smith
(Democratic Services Officer)
NOTE: The following Decisions should be read in
conjunction with the corresponding reports which accompanied the
Board Agenda issued on 19th June 2007 and the
subsequent letter sent on 22nd June 2007. The
agenda and reports are available on the Council's Internet
Website. http://www.crewe-nantwich.gov.uk/
18. DECLARATIONS
OF INTEREST
No Member made any declaration of interest in any item of
business on the agenda.
19. BOARD
DECISIONS 31st MAY 2007
The Board received the Statement of Decisions made at a
meeting held on 31st May 2007.
20. FINANCIAL OUT-TURN
AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2006/07
The Board considered the report of Councillor John Hatfield,
Portfolio Holder for Finance.
The report contained a summary of out-turn against revised
estimates for each portfolio together with a brief narrative on the
main variances for 2006/07. The report also included the
Statement of Accounts 2006/07, for recommendation for approval by
Council on 27th June 2007, prior to the audit of the
Accounts in July August 2007.
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL:
(A)
That the Statement of
Accounts 2006/07 be approved; and
(B)
That the receipt of the
Auditor's Communication of Audit Matters (ISA 260)
report be delegated to the Audit Committee.
Alternative Options:
None considered.
Reasons for the Decision:
(a)
The Statement of Accounts 2006/07 requires approval by Council
before 30th June 2007 in accordance with Regulation
10(3)(a) and 10(5) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations
2003.
(b)
The Statement of Accounts 2006/07 has been prepared in accordance
with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the
United Kingdom A Statement of Recommended Practice 2006 (the
SORP).
(c)
The Out-turn Report and the Statement of Accounts informs Members
of the recent financial performance of the authority and how it
contributes to forward planning.
21. STATEMENT ON
INTERNAL CONTROL
The Board considered the report of Councillor John Hatfield,
Portfolio Holder for Finance.
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 had established
requirements relating to systems of internal control and the review
and reporting of those systems. It was required that a
Statement on Internal Control, prepared in accordance with proper
practices, be published with the Statement of Accounts. The report
presented the Statement on Internal Control for approval.
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL:
That the Statement on Internal Control be
approved.
Alternative Options:
None considered.
Reasons for the Decision:
(a) It is
a requirement of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 that
a Statement on Internal Control is published with the
Statement of Accounts.
(b)
The Statement on
Internal Control has been prepared in accordance with best
accounting practice.
(c)
Internal Control involves prevention
and detection of error and fraud.
22. BEST VALUE
PERFORMANCE PLAN 2007/08
The Board considered the report of Councillor Brian Silvester,
Leader of the Council.
The report presented the Best Value Performance Plan 2007/08
and satisfied the statutory requirement to set out the way in which
the Council intended to deliver its key policy priorities and its
proposals for continual improvement in its standards of
performance.
An addendum to the report which detailed a number of minor
technical changes to the Plan was distributed at the meeting.
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL:
(A) That the content of
the Best Value Performance Plan 2007/08 be
approved; and
(B) That delegated
authority be granted to the Chief Executive to make any
further technical amendments to the document prior
to publication on 30th June 2007.
Alternative Options:
None considered.
Reasons for the Decision:
The Council has a statutory requirement as prescribed by the
Local Government Act 1999: Part 1 Best Value and Performance
Improvement to produce and publish by 30th June each
year a 'Best Value Performance Plan'.
23. EXCLUSION OF PRESS
AND PUBLIC
RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from
the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to
Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds
that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as
defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of
the Act.
24. SITE AT WESTON
ROAD/FOURTH AVENUE, CREWE (PARAGRAPH 3)
The Board considered the report of Councillor David Brickhill,
Portfolio Holder for Economic Development.
The report detailed proposals in respect of a lease for a site
occupied by Air Products off Weston Road, Crewe.
DECISION:
That approval be granted to the surrender of the
existing lease by Air Products for the consideration of £68,000 and
the grant of a new 125 year lease to ProLogis for a single premium
of £3,400,000 and on other such terms as shall be agreed by
the Borough Solicitor and the Economic Development and Estates
Manager to protect the interests of the Council.
Alternative Option:
As detailed in the report.
Reasons for the Decision:
(a) It is
considered that the re-development of the site will increase levels
of employment and that the re-development will enhance the site
aesthetically.
(b) If the
lease is not surrendered this may result in the site, which forms a
large proportion of Crewe Gates Farm Industrial Estate, remaining
undeveloped which may have an adverse effect on neighbouring
businesses and the industrial estates generally.
................................................................Signed