Agenda item

(i)        To consider the report of the Director of Resources (copy enclosed).

Please note: Where appropriate this report contains links to the relevant Committee agenda, reports and Minutes.

(ii)       Minutes of meetings of Committees

To note that since the last meeting of the Council, up until Tuesday 28 March 2017 (Council agenda dispatch) the following Committees have met, and to receive any questions in accordance with Council and Committee Procedure Rule 6 (2).

Minutes NOT finalised for publication:

* Please see item (i) above as these Minutes contain recommendations to the Council.

(a)       Report of the Chief Executive

The Council considered the report of the Chief Executive presenting recommendations of Committees to the Council. 

Joint Standards Committee (23 February 2017):

Minute 1019 – Constitutional and Operating Arrangements for the Joint Standards Committee

Members discussed the proposed changes to the constitutional and operational arrangements of the Joint Standards Committee and a number of concerns were raised.

In response to a question regarding whether a person being investigated could request the matter be dealt with in a public session, the Deputy Monitoring Officer advised that this was not a straightforward matter and suggested he provide a written response to Members outside of the meeting.  This was noted.

Councillor A S Fluker raised concern regarding the proposed response to hearings within 28 days.  He felt this period of time could cause further stresses to persons involved.  Councillor Fluker proposed that the proposed changes be sent to the Corporate Governance Working Group for them to review.  This proposal was duly seconded.  Some concern was raised regarding the appropriateness of sending the work done by a Committee to a Working Group.

In response to the proposal, Councillor Mrs M E Thompson, Chairman of the Joint Standards Committee, advised that her understanding was that notification of whether an investigation was to proceed or not would be provided to the relevant person within five days of the Committee taking place.  She felt that reviewing the proposed changes should be a Standards matter and dealt with by that Committee in open session to which all Members would be invited.

In light of the discussion, Councillor Fluker withdrew his earlier proposition and proposed that the matter be referred back to the Joint Standards Committee for further review. 

Further debate ensued and in response to comments made regarding a recent matter considered by the Committee Councillor Mrs Thompson provided further clarification.  It was agreed that the Committee’s recommendation be not accepted and the revisions to the constitutional and operating arrangements of the Joint Standards Committee be referred back to the Committee for further review.

RESOLVED

(i)             that the revisions to the constitutional and operating arrangements of the Joint Standards Committee not be agreed but referred back to the Committee for further review.

Community Services Committee (28 February 2017):

Minute 1036 – Project Update – Maldon Health Hub

RESOLVED

(ii)           that the Community Hospital Working Group is dissolved.

(iii)     that a standing item be included on the Community Services Agenda on the Maldon Health Hub Project.

Minute 1038 – Community Led Housing Programme

In response to a question, Councillor R Pratt, Chairman of the Community Services Committee, advised that the seminar referred to in recommendation (ii) of the report had already taken place, but he was unable to provide a reasoning as to why it had pre-empted this recommendation.  The Leader of the Council provided Members with further information and requested that the presentation received at the seminar be given to the newly formed Strategic Housing Group and an invitation to this be extended to all Members of the Council.

RESOLVED

(iv)      that the draft programme for the Council’s Community Led Housing (CLH) as detailed in Appendix 3 to the Minutes of the Community Services Committee, be approved;

(v)        that it be noted a seminar had been held for community groups to promote the concept of CLH and consult on the Council’s draft programme;

(vi)      that the Strategic Housing Group receives the presentation to promote the concept of CLH given at the recent seminar for community groups and an invitation to this be extended to all Members of the Council.

Minute 1041 – Burnham Sailing Club Lease

RESOLVED

(vii)    That the Council agrees to offer to the trustees of Burnham-on-Crouch Sailing Club a new 21 year lease with 10 and 15 year break clauses with 12 months’ notice of determination on either side, with a rent review every five years and subject to annual RPI increases.

Planning and Licensing Committee (2 March 2017):

Minute 1050 – Economic Development Update

In response to a question regarding reference to the type of support referred to in the recommendation, Councillor A K M St Joseph, Vice-Chairman of the Planning and Licensing Committee (in the chair for this meeting), advised that this was considered to relate to writing a letter or support to other institutions.  He confirmed that it was non-financial support.

RESOLVED

(viii)          That the Council provides, in principle, support to the heritage marine foundation’s maritime apprenticeship project, subject to all necessary planning and environmental requirements being met.

Finance and Corporate Services Committee (2 March 2017):

Minute 1080 – Pay Policy Statement

RESOLVED

(ix)              That the pay policy statement attached as Appendix 4 to the Minutes of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee is adopted for the financial year 2017 / 18.

Minute 1086 – Urgent Business: Planning Application Fees – An Offer from Government

RESOLVED

(x)        That the Government’s offer to increase planning fees by 20% from July 2017 is accepted, with a commitment to invest this additional fee income directly into the planning service.

(b)       Minutes of meetings of Committees

The Council noted the list of Committees that had met before and since the last meeting of the Council, up until Tuesday 28 March 2017 for which Minutes had been published.