Agenda Item no _________2________
CABINET
Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3 October 2011 at the Council
Offices, Holt Road, Cromer at 10.00 am.
Members present:
Mrs H Eales (Chairman)
Mr T FitzPatrick
Mrs A Fitch-Tillett
Mr T Ivory
Mr K Johnson
Mr J Lee
Mr W Northam
Also attending:
Mrs S Arnold
Mrs L Brettle
Mrs A Claussen-Reynolds
Ms V Gay
Mr P High
Mr G Jones
Mrs A Moore
Mr P Moore
Mr S Partridge
Mr E Seward
Mr B Smith
Mr G Williams
Officers in attendance:
The Chief Executive, the Deputy Chief Executive, the
Strategic Director – Information, the Strategic Director Development and the Leisure and Cultural Services Manager.
34
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None.
35
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 5 September 2011 were
approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
36
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
None.
37
ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS
None.
38
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None.
Cabinet
1
3 October 2011
39
JOINT STAFF CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
RESOLVED that
the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Staff Consultative Committee held on
13 June 2011 be received.
40
MEMBERS’ TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT GROUP
It was noted that since the District Council elections, the Group had continued
with two of its former Members which gave it continuity. The emphasis was
on Member training and development and it was hoped to attain charter
standard.
a)
RESOLVED that
the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Staff Consultative Committee
held on 26 April 2011 be received.
b)
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MEETING HELD ON 30 AUGUST
2011: MINUTE 6: TERMS OF REFERENCE AND FUTURE
DIRECTION OF GROUP
RESOLVED that
the revised Terms of Reference, subject to the amendments agreed at
the meeting of the Members’ Training, Development and Support
Group on 30 August 2011 be approved.
41
NORTH NORFOLK DISTRICT COUNCIL CORPORATE PLANNING
FRAMEWORK:
CORPORATE PLAN 2011-2015; FINANCIAL PLAN UPDATE 2011/12 –
2014/15
STRATEGIC CONTEXT AND ORGANISATIONAL WORKSTREAMS
The corporate plan was the overarching component of the Council’s policy
framework and this new version would provide strategic direction through to
2015. It was presented as a high level document outlining the priorities for
the authority and the key actions which the organisation would take to
achieve those priorities. It provided the context for the budget and had been
prepared alongside the Council’s anticipated resourcing framework.
Implications for the allocation of financial and other resources, risk,
sustainability, and equalities would stem primarily from the implementation of
actions and delivery of services designed to secure the stated priority
outcomes.
With effect from April 2012, the corporate plan would be supported by an
annual action plan, setting out in greater detail the priority activities planned
for the forthcoming year, a suite of service business plans detailing specific
service level activity across the same period and a revised performance
monitoring and reporting framework.
The Chairman presented the report which she explained was a document to
guide decisions, but not put the Council at risk because of the economic
climate. It was shorter and more concise than previously. Plans would be
Cabinet
2
3 October 2011
prepared annually alongside the budget and it was not intended to look ahead
more than one year at the moment. The plan’s focus was structured around
jobs and the local economy; housing and infrastructure; coast, countryside
and built heritage; localism and delivering the vision. Consultations had been
undertaken through a MORI poll with the public, staff and local stakeholders.
There had also been consultations with staff and management teams. The
Chairman thanked all those who had taken part.
Mr W Northam read out a statement outlining the proposed changes. He
highlighted the forecast financial deficit which the Cabinet was responding to
as well as the consultation document.
RESOLVED to
recommend approval of the Corporate Plan by Full Council at its meeting on
19 October 2011 and note the updated financial forecast for 2011/20122014/2015
42
MATERIAL RECYCLING FACILITY (MRF) CONTRACT PROCUREMENT
This report was deferred.
43
CROMER PAVILION THEATRE – MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
This report sought to provide Cabinet with future options for the management
of the Pavilion Theatre Cromer. The report detailed background information
as to the current arrangement for management of the contract of the Pier
Pavilion Theatre in Cromer. A benchmarking exercise had been carried out
with eleven other theatres around the country and this showed a wide range
of different arrangements in place. The report suggested a range of potential
options each with differing levels of risk outlined.
Mr J Lee, Portfolio Holder and a local Member (Suffield Park), presented the
report. He highlighted the importance of a successful Pier show to tourism in
the District. Openwide Coastal had shown that they could run the end of the
Pier show and adapt to market conditions, which was demonstrated in the
numbers of visitors this year. He congratulated them on the summer season
and added that visitors were receiving good value for money. Mr K Johnson,
a local Member for Cromer Town, concurred and added that visitor numbers
had increased by approximately 10%. Openwide Coastal also supported Folk
on the Pier and the Cromer and Sheringham Operatic Society.
Mr G Jones urged caution, as the previous year he and others had been
critical of how the show was being run. Openwide Coastal had responded to
that and, as a result, had improved the show. He was informed that the
Council would not be complacent.
RESOLVED to
agree to extend the current contract for a further five years.
Cabinet
3
3 October 2011
44
EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
RESOLVED that
under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and
public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the
grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined
in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.
Definition of paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business
affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that
information).
45
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE AUDIT COMMITTEE: 13 SEPTEMBER
2011
Mrs A Moore presented the recommendations of the Audit Committee, who
considered that the Internal Audit contract had made an enormous difference
to the control the Committee had over the Council and that it should continue.
MINUTE 35: EXTENSION TO THE INTERNAL AUDIT CONTRACT
RESOLVED
a)
to extend the Internal Audit contract by two years in line with the
details contained in the report.
b)
that any financial support to South Norfolk in respect of a challenge to
this decision should be limited to the value of the savings achieved as
a result of the contract extension.
The meeting closed at 10.20am.
_________________________
Chairman, 31 October 2011
Cabinet
4
3 October 2011