Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on 28 June 2017.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 28 June 2017 were approved as a correct record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

To receive and record any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no matters the Chairman wished to report.

RECOMMENDED that the following Delegated Decisions and Minutes of Meetings be noted:

(1)          Minutes of the Meeting of the Portchester Crematorium Joint Management Committee held on 26 June 2017.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Portchester Crematorium Joint Management Committee be noted.

In the absence of the Scrutiny Lead, Councillor Pike presented a report to Cabinet setting out the findings and recommendations of the Economy and Planning Scrutiny Panel following its review of the Council’s role in relation to economic development in the Borough.

In response to Cabinet members’ concerns, an assurance was given that any review of the CIL rate would also look at any potential impact on infrastructure and affordable housing delivery as part of the wider picture around future development in the Borough.

RESOLVED that:

(1)          the recent officers’ review of the Council’s economic development service be endorsed and that role of the service in the future to provide a clear project focus and deliver the outcomes as set out in the report be agreed;

(2)          the service concentrates on high impact projects and puts minimum resources into the current legacy activities such as market contract management until the impact of new aims and objectives of the economic development service can be evaluated;

(3)          the economic development service being provided to the Council by EHDC via a Section 101 Agreement be agreed;

(4)          the Council’s current policy of updating CIL rate relative to changing construction costs and inflation be reconsidered to ensure that CIL does not detrimentally affect the economic viability of developments; and

(5)          a workshop be held to establish what the housing economic climate in the Borough should be and to rethink the Council’s strategy for housing delivery in this climate.

Councillor Turner presented a report seeking approval of a revised policy in relation to Safeguarding.

In considering a recommendation that training for Councillors be mandatory, the Cabinet was advised that there was no provision for sanctions to be applied for non-attendance.  That being the case, the Deputy Leader, with the support of the Cabinet, undertook to write to members of his political group requiring their attendance at the training and to write to other political group Leaders to encourage a similar course of action.  Cabinet was given an assurance that alternative dates and times for training sessions would be offered to Councillors.

Cabinet was given a further assurance that its contract procedures reflected the need for contractors to be aware of, and compliant with, the Council’s safeguarding policy.

RESOLVED that

(1)          the new policy in relation to Safeguarding as set out in Appendix A to the report be approved; and

(2)               safeguarding training be undertaken by all Councillors.

Councillor Turner presented a report to Cabinet setting out a proposal to re-shape the provision of advice services across the Borough, moving from grant funding to commissioning these services.

RESOLVED that

(1)          the timescale for commissioning services from the private sector be noted;

(2)          the change of delivery through commissioning of advice services from 2018/19 as outlined in section 3 of the report be noted, for a service up to the value of £114,300;

(3)          Havant’s Citizen’s Advice be issued with a 6 month formal notice to terminate the current Service Level Agreement (SLA) as good practice; and

(4)               Authority be delegated to the Head of Housing and Community Engagement to oversee the process in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Communities and Housing.

Councillor Pike presented a report to Cabinet seeking approval of the new Local Business Rate Relief scheme that sought to mitigate the financial implications for those small and medium sized businesses most impacted by recent changes to business rates.

Councillor Pike advised that the wording of the Scheme as set out in the Appendix to the report should be amended as follows:

“Process

…

A revised Business Rate bill will be sent to the ratepayer together with a covering letter detailing the relief, explaining that the relief is for one year and requesting confirmation from the ratepayer where the granting of relief would not comply with EU Law on State Aid.”

RESOLVED that the new Local Business Rate Relief Scheme, as amended, be approved.