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 Wednesday 13 December 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 reported to the last meeting and now published:		Minute Numbers
Joint Standards Committee	19 October	410 - 415

 

Minutes published:		Minute Numbers
North Western Area Planning Committee	30 October	416 – 427
South Eastern Area Planning Committee	6 November	445 - 454
Overview and Scrutiny Committee (acting as the Crime and Disorder Committee)	8 November	455 – 459
Central Area Planning Committee	15 November	460 – 463
Planning and Licensing Committee	16 November	464 – 472
Community Services Committee	21 November	473 - 481
North Western Area Planning Committee	27 November	488 - 493

 

 

Minutes NOT finalised for publication:
Overview and Scrutiny Committee	22 November
Finance and Corporate Services Committee *	28 November
South Eastern Area Planning Committee	4 December
Audit Committee	7 December

 

* 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. 

 

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to an addendum which had been circulated prior to the meeting.

 

Planning and Licensing Committee – 16 November 2017

 

Minute 590 - Taxi and Private Hire Criminal Convictions Policy, Licensing Conditions and Scheme of Delegation

 

Councillor Mrs P A Channer, Chairman of the Planning and Licensing Committee advised that in response to the last paragraph of this Minute, discussions between herself, the Council’s Legal Advisor and Environmental Health Officer had taken place and appropriate wording agreed.  She explained that in respect of the policy and conditions the Chief Executive in consultation with legal and herself would ensure that they were appropriately worded particularly in relation to the phrase ‘reasonable period’ along with cross referencing where necessary.

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)                  that the policy for the taxi and private hire trade in relation to the suitability of new applicants and current licence holders with criminal convictions be endorsed;

 

(ii)                that the licensing conditions and scheme of delegation be updated and changed to reflect the policy.

 

Minute 591 – Taxi and Private Hire Medical Exemption Policy

 

RESOLVED

 

(iii)               that the policy for the exemption of taxi and private hire drivers from the duties placed upon them by the Equality Act 2010 be endorsed;

 

(iv)              that the amendments to the taxi and private hire licensing conditions (as detailed below) be agreed.

 

‘The driver shall carry a disabled person’s dog (e.g. guide or hearing dogs) and allow it to remain with that person or, if a driver of a designated wheelchair accessible vehicle, wheelchair passengers, at no additional cost, as specified in sections 165 and 168 of the Equality Act 2010, unless exempted by the Council on medical grounds.’

 

Minute 594 – Brownfield Land Register

 

RESOLVED

 

(v)                That the publication of the Brownfield Land Register on the Council’s website be approved.

 

Minute 597 – Code of Good Practice and Guidance on the Conduct of Planning Matters

 

An addendum circulated at the meeting detailed a revision to recommendation (ii) which was agreed.

 

RESOLVED

 

(vi)              that the Code of Practice and Guidance on the Conduct of Planning Matters be endorsed and adopted as an annexe to the Constitution;

 

(vii)             that the changes to constitutional arrangements as set out below, be agreed.

 

Procedure Rule 13 – Voting

 

Add to (1) – If a Member has not been present at the meeting for the whole of the consideration of a planning application or related matter, or has not undergone fundamental induction training once such a programme has been introduced he/she shall not vote on the matter.

 

Minute 588 – Councillor Engagement in Pre-Application Discussions and Local Development Plan Discussions (Developer Meetings)

 

An addendum circulated at the meeting advised that this Minute, although shown as a resolved, should be a recommendation to the Council and Members were therefore being asked to consider it tonight.

 

In response to a question regarding the number of strategically important major development criteria for residential dwellings, Councillor Mrs Channer advised that she would clarify this figure and advise Members accordingly outside of the meeting.

 

RESOLVED

 

(viii)           That the Councillor Engagement in Pre-Application Discussions and Local Development Plan Discussions (Developer meetings) be amended as set out in Appendix B to the addendum.

 

 

Finance and Corporate Services Committee – 28 November 2017

 

Councillor D M Sismey, Chairman of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee reported that budget proposals were a resolution of the Committee at its last meeting and that proposals regarding capital would be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee.

 

Minute 638 – Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme and Approval of Annual Rural Settlement List

 

RESOLVED

 

(ix)              that the proposed Discretionary Non Domestic Rate Relief Scheme be approved.

 

Minute 639 – Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2018 / 19

 

RESOLVED

 

(x)                that a cost of living increase in line with the Department for Work and Pensions schemes be included in the Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) for 2018 / 19 for Pensioners only;

 

(xi)              that any legislative changes being introduced to the Housing Benefit Scheme for 2018 / 19 are mirrored in the Councils LCTS scheme to ensure consistency;

 

(xii)             that a disregard of  low value income changes notified electronically by the Department of Work and Pensions be allowed for;

 

(xiii)           that in all other respects the Local Council Tax Support Scheme and Hardship Scheme remain unchanged, and that this decision has been made following Members’ careful reading of, and regard to the Equality Impact Assessment.

 

Minute 640 – Annual Review of Financial Regulations

 

It was noted from the Addendum to the report that there was a minor amendment to the Minute extract detailed.

 

In response to a question regarding the time limit of previous debts Members were advised that this would be in perpetuity.

 

RESOLVED

 

(xiv)           that subject to the above amendment, the Financial Regulations be approved.

 

Minute 642 – Replacement Commissioning and Procurement Strategy and contract Procedure Rules

 

RESOLVED

 

(xv)            That the updated Commissioning and Procurement Strategy and Contract Procedure Rules be agreed.

 

Minute 648 – Council Tax Base 2018 / 19

 

RESOLVED

 

That in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 2012 the amount calculated by the Maldon District Council as its Council Tax Base for the year 2018 / 19 shall be set at 24,193.2.

 

In accordance with his earlier declaration, Councillor Sismey left the chamber at this point.

 

Councillor A S Fluker presented the following recommendation of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee to the Council.

 

Minute 645 – Half Yearly Treasury Management Update

 

RESOLVED

 

(xvi)           that the proposed amendment to the Treasury Management Strategy 2017 / 18 relating to Prudential Indicators for an Operational Boundary for External debt and an Authorised limit for External debt, be approved;

 

(xvii)         that the proposed amendments in relation to investment strategy be approved.

 

Councillor Sismey returned to the chamber at this point.

 

(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 Wednesday 13 December 2017 for which Minutes had been published.