To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 5^th February 2019

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies were received from Councillors Nunn and Stasiak.

None.

The duties to register, disclose and not to participate for the entire consideration of the matter, in respect of any matter in which a Member has a disclosable pecuniary interest are set out in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011.  Members are also required to withdraw from the meeting room as stated in the Standing Orders of this Council.

None.

Councillors Borrett, Darby, Joel, Matthews, Martin, and Wilkinson.

None.

To consider the grants put forward (if any).  

Nothing to report.

Report of Executive Member for People and Information, Councillor Alison Webb.

The Executive Member for People and Information presented a detailed summary of the report which covered the period 1^st October 2018 – 31^st December 2018.

Councillor Darby felt there were a large number of calls abandoned and asked what actions were being taken to rectify the issue.  The Corporate Improvement and Performance Manager said his team had worked closely with the contact centre and was pleased to report the figures of abandonment had improved significantly.  He informed Members that Officers had been trained on specific lines of enquiry, and were now receiving further training to allow Officers to become a generalist and therefore handle more calls.

Members noted the report.

Report of Councillor Sam Chapman-Allen, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Strategy & Investment.

The Executive Member for Corporate Strategy and Investment presented the report and prospectus which sought to articulate clearly to interested parties the opportunities within Breckland, the sites available for future development plans and the support that would be available.  The documents set out to achieve a clear direction and focus for its investment activity and that Breckland was ‘Open for Business’ and prepared to work effectively to drive growth in the District.

The Chief Executive added that the document complemented those also produced by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Norfolk County Council and the Norwich-to-Cambridge Tech Corridor and it was important Members saw the golden thread between those documents.

Reasons for Recommendation

To provide a clear direction of travel for the Council’s economy, to assist in driving growth in Breckland and to maximise the Council’s return on its investments and to provide a clear focus for resource, grant funding and investment activity.

Options

1)     That the Invest in Breckland prospectus and refreshed investment strategy are approved.

2)     That the prospectus and investment strategy are not approved.

RESOLVED that:

1)     The Invest in Breckland prospectus at Appendix A within the report be approved, and delegated authority be given to the Director of Commercialisation and Growth in consultation with the Executive Member for Corporate Strategy and Investment to make final amendments;

2)     The refreshed Investment Strategy at Appendix B within the report be approved.

Report of Councillor Phil Cowen the Executive Member for Finance and Delivery

The Executive Member for Finance and Delivery informed Members that the report proposed an addition to Breckland’s existing guidance on National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) to cover Local Discretionary Rate Relief (LDRR).  He went on to say that the document complemented Breckland’s Investment Strategy and would allow rate relief for anywhere within the district rather than being in a specific employment zone.

Reasons for Recommendation

Adopting a policy which allowed Breckland to award LDRR would allow the Council to maximise opportunities to secure new business investment within the district.  In addition, the proposed policy supported the ambitions of the Invest in Breckland strategy.

Options

1)     That full Council adopts the proposed policy and guidelines to determine applications for LDRR and the determination process, with immediate effect.

2)     Do not adopt and LDRR policy.

3)     That full Council makes changes to the proposed policy and guidelines to determine applications for LDRR and the determination process, and then adopts with immediate effect.

It was RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL: that Council adopts the proposed policy and guidelines to determine applications for Local Discretionary Rate Relief (LDRR) and the determination process, with immediate effect.

Report of Councillor Phil Cowen the Executive Member for Finance and Delivery

The Executive Member for Finance and Delivery was pleased to provide information on the forecast full year financial position of the Council as at 31 December 2018 and progress to date on the Moving Forward Transformation Programme.  He was confident the Council was in a good state to be in and whilst it would be carrying forward a significant sum of money a substantial amount had been allocated for the power upgrade at Snetterton.

Reasons for Recommendation

To provide timely information to Members on the overall financial position of the Council, enabling resource re-allocation to priorities where necessary.

Options

1)     That the report and appendix be noted and that any above budget spend at year end (up to £100,000) which cannot be funded from the General Fund, is funded from the Organisation Development Reserve un-allocated balance.

2)     That the report and appendix be noted and that any above budget spend at year end (up to £100,000) which cannot be funded from the General Fund, is not funded from the Organisation Development Reserve un-allocated balance but is funded from elsewhere.

RESOLVED that:

1)     the Quarter 3 Financial Performance Report 2018-19 and appendix be noted; and,

2)     any above budget spend at year end (up to £100,000) which cannot be funded from the General Fund, be funded from the Organisation Development Reserve un-allocated balance, be approved.

Report of Councillor Mark Robinson the Executive Member for Governance

The Executive Member for Governance presented the report, which sought to update and clarify officer delegations in relation to contracts.  Following a recent internal audit of the Corporate Contracts and Procurement Team it was recommended that the Contract Procedure Rules be amended to show which level of Officer could authorise each level of the procurement process.  Members noted that Cabinet Members still retail decision making powers in respect of contracts and procurement, regardless of delegations.

Reasons for Recommendation

The proposed delegations set out in Appendix A of the report, and the proposed amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules in Appendix B would comply with audit requirements and ensure that Officers were clear as to the level of delegation that applied to each part of the Contracts process.

Options

Cabinet could approve or decline to approve any of the delegations detailed in Appendix A of the report, and any of the proposed amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules set out in Appendix B of the report.

It was RESOLVED that:

1)     the proposed delegations to Officers relating to contracts, detailed in Appendix A of the report, be approved; and,

2)     the proposed amendments to the Contracts Procedure Rules detailed in Appendix B of the report, be approved; and,

RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL that:

3)     The Constitution be amended in accordance with Appendix B of the report.

Report of Councillor Mark Robinson the Executive Member for Governance

The Executive Member of Governance asked Members to consider and approve the Records Management Policy for the Council.

Reasons for Recommendations

The Council were required to have a Records Management Policy and Retention Policy in place in order to show transparency and to comply with Data Protection legislation.

Options

1)     To approve the Records Management Policy with or without delegated authority to make minor amendments to the Policy.

2)     Do nothing

It was RESOLVED that the Records Management Policy be approved, and delegated authority be given to the Executive Manager for Governance in consultation with the Executive Member for Governance to make minor amendments to the policy.

To note that the date of the next meeting of Cabinet will be held on 21^st May 2019 at 9.30am in the Norfolk Room, Elizabeth House, Dereham.

The arrangements for the next meeting on 21 May 2019 at 9.30am in the Norfolk Room, Elizabeth House, Dereham were noted.