Please Contact: Emma Denny
Please email: emma.denny@north-norfolk.gov.uk
Please Direct Dial on: 01263 516010
14 February 2011
A meeting of the North Norfolk District Council will be held in the Council Chamber at the
Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer on Wednesday 23 February 2011 at 6.00 p.m.
Tony Ing
Strategic Director - Information
To: All Members of the Council
Members of the Management Team, appropriate Officers, Press and Public.
If you have any special requirements in order
to attend this meeting, please let us know in advance
If you would like any document in large print, audio, Braille, alternative format or in a
different language please contact us
Chief Executive: Philip Burton Strategic Directors: Nick Baker, Steve Blatch, Sheila Oxtoby & Tony Ing
Tel 01263 513811 Fax 01263 515042 Minicom 01263 516005
Email districtcouncil@north-norfolk.gov.uk Web site northnorfolk.org
AGENDA
1.
PRAYER – Revd Simon Wilson, Social & Community Concerns Co-ordinator,
Diocese of Norwich
2.
PRESENTATION – THE CITIZEN’S ADVICE BUREAU
A presentation on the work of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau by Fiona Hunter, Chief
Officer, Citizen’s Advice, North Norfolk.
3.
PRESENTATION OF THE GOLD AWARD FOR THE PUBLIC RELATIONS
CATEGORY AT THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS EAST
ANGLIA PRIDE AWARDS TO PETER BATTRICK, PETER FREW AND ROB
YOUNG
4.
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS
To receive communications from the Chairman, if any.
5.
TO RECEIVE DECLARATION OF INTERESTS FROM MEMBERS
Please indicate whether the interest is a personal one only or one which is also
prejudicial. The declaration of a personal interest should indicate the nature of the
interest and the agenda item to which it relates. In the case of a personal interest,
the member may speak and vote. If it is a prejudicial interest, the member should
withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is discussed.
6.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive apologies for absence, if any.
7.
MINUTES
(attached – page 1)
To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 14 December 2010.
8.
ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS
To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be
considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local
Government Act 1972.
9.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
To consider any questions received from members of the public.
10.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CABINET 10 JANUARY 2011
MINUTE 104: NORTH NORFOLK SITE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS DEVELOPMENT
PLAN AND CONVERSION AND RE-USE OF RURAL BUILDINGS AS
DWELLINGS POLICY REVIEW
RECOMMENDATION TO FULL COUNCIL
That the Site Specific Proposals Development Plan, amended Proposals Map and
Single Policy Review are adopted.
11.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM JOINT STAFF CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE 10
JANUARY 2011
MINUTE 6: ATTENDANCE AND AUTHORISED ABSENCE POLICY AND
PROCEDURE
(Amended policy attached – p 10)
RECOMMENDATION TO FULL COUNCIL
That the revised Attendance and Authorised Absence Policy and Procedure should
be adopted, subject to the amendments agreed at the meeting of Joint Staff
Consultative Committee on 10 January 2011.
AGENDA NOTE
The following amendments were agreed by the Joint Staff Consultative
Committee:
a) Exam leave and requests for time off for training, 9.1 to read: “If you are
studying for a qualification that is supported by the Council and covered by a
training indemnity then you are eligible for one day off to study per examination or
time off to complete a key assignment, subject to a maximum of 3 days per
annum, plus time off for the examination itself.
b) Dealing with long term absence, 7.12: the last sentence should read “An
extension to contractual pay for any period beyond the four weeks has always
been subject to the approval of the Organisational Development Manager.”
c) Medical appointments, 12.3 should read: “Managers should, in consultation with
HR, authorise paid time off (this will be subject to regular review to ensure
continuing eligibility) when specialist, hospital or prolonged treatment is required
and for appointments made as a result of a specific recommendation at an SAR
meeting, for cancer screening, with Occupational Health or in connection with
injuries/sickness that meet the definition in 11.3 or have been specified as work
related on a medical certificate. This will be subject to regular review. In such
cases the manager should seek advice from the HR team in the first instance to
ensure consistency.
12.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CABINET 14 FEBRUARY 2011
AGENDA ITEM 9: 2011/12 BASE BUDGET AND PROJECTIONS FOR 2012/13 TO
2014/15
(The report can be found in the Cabinet Agenda, 14 February 2011, p 17)
RECOMMENDATION TO FULL COUNCIL
a) The 2011/12 revenue account budget as outlined at Appendix A and that the
surplus of £58,064 be allocated to the restructuring reserve;
b) The demand on the Collection Fund, subject to any amendments as a result of
final precepts be:
(i)
£5,736,464 for District purposes
(ii)
£1,447,722 (subject to confirmation of one final precept) for
Parish/Town precepts;
c) The movement on the reserves as detailed at Appendix E;
d) The updated Capital Programme and it’s financing for 2010/11 to 2012/13 as
detailed at Appendix F;
e) The new capital bids as detailed at Appendix G;
f) That Members note the current projections for 2012/13 to 2014/15.
AGENDA ITEM 10: TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY STATEMENT AND
INVESTMENT STRATEGY 2011/12 TO 2013/14
(The report can be found in the Cabinet Agenda, 14 February 2011, p 78)
RECOMMENDATION TO FULL COUNCIL
That the Council be asked to RESOLVE that the Treasury Management Strategy
Statement and Investment Strategy and Prudential Indicators, for 2011/12 to
2013/14, be approved.
13.
COUNCIL TAX 2011/2012
(attached – p 47)
(Appendix A – p 68, Appendix B – p69, Appendix C – p70, Appendix D
– p 73, Appendix E – p77)
Summary:
Conclusions:
Recommendations:
This report presents for approval the budget for 2011/12
and to make statutory calculations in accordance with
the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and to set the
Council Tax for 2011/12. The report also includes the
Chief Financial Officer’s report on the robustness of the
estimates and adequacy of reserves.
It is the opinion of the Council’s Chief Financial Officer
that the budget for 2011/12 has been set within a robust
framework and the impact of this resolution will maintain
an adequate level of financial reserves held by the
Council.
That having considered the Chief Financial Officer’s
report on the robustness of the estimates and the
adequacy of the proposed financial reserves, the
following be approved:
a)
The General Fund Revenue Budget for 2011/12;
b)
The Policy Framework for the Earmarked
Reserves and the Optimum Level of the General
Reserve 2011/12 to 2014/15 (Appendix D);
c)
The level of the General Reserve maintained at a
minimum of £950,000;
d)
The General and Earmarked Reserves are
employed as shown in the Reserves Statement
(Appendix C);
e)
That members undertake the council tax and
statutory calculations set out at section 4, and set
the Council Tax for 2011/12.
Cabinet member(s):
All
Contact Officer, telephone number,
and e-mail:
Ward(s) affected:
All
Sheila Oxtoby, Deputy Chief Executive,
01263
516077,
sheila.oxtoby@northnorfolk.gov.uk
14.
NORTH NORFOLK ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN
Summary:
(attached – p 80)
The Asset Management Plan (AMP) provides the
strategic framework within which the Council manages its
property assets and ensures that decisions taken in
respect of investment, acquisitions and disposals reflect
the Council’s strategic and operational objectives.
Conclusions:
The Asset Management Plan drives the capital
programme and operational activities within the Property
Services Team in order that the work can be planned
and prioritised. It includes a review of activity undertaken
during 20010/11 and outlines the capital projects being
progressed in 2011/12. The AMP identifies key risks and
links these to the corporate risk register.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
1. the Asset Management Plan be approved as the
basis for the strategic framework for asset
management in North Norfolk District Council and
to provide the property input to the Council’s
Capital Strategy; and
2. that Members note the following changes to the
Capital Programme arising from the Asset
Management Plan, recommended in the Budget
Report on this agenda.
Cabinet member(s):
All
Contact Officer, telephone number,
and e-mail:
15.
Ward(s) affected:
All
Jill Fisher 6037
Jill.Fisher@north-norfolk.gov.uk
NEW GOVERNMENT POLICY UPDATE
To receive any update on new Government policy.
16.
TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE UNDERMENTIONED COMMITTEES
(attached – p 146)
To receive the approved minutes of the undermentioned committees:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
Standards Committee – 7 September 2010
Audit Committee – 14 September 2010
Standards Committee – 9 November 2010
Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 17 November 2010
Development Control Committee – 18 November 2010
Licensing and Appeals Committee – 22 November 2010
Cabinet – 29 November 2010
Standards Committee – 6 December 2010
Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 14 December 2010
Development Control Committee – 16 December 2010
Cabinet – 10 January 2011
Development Control Committee – 20 January 2011
17.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL AND PORTFOLIO
HOLDERS (IF ANY)
18.
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ASKED PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER No 23
AND OF PORTFOLIO MEMBERS
From Mr M J M Baker:
During the life of the current LibDem administration £1,158,984 has been spent, to
date, on outside consultants. Whilst I appreciate there will be certain expertise which
falls outside normal staffing arrangements I am sure that Council tax payers will be
shocked at such prolific use of outside consultants. In particular in excess of £1/4
million has been spent on consultants for advice on the Tesco Sheringham planning
application.
Do you not feel that this reflects badly on the decision making process of the LibDem
Administration and the Planning Department, and further what lessons have been
learnt and what changes have been made so that such lengthy and acrimonious
events can be avoided in the future?
The appearance of a further £40,000 under the heading of Planning gives rise to
more concern as to the competence of our Administration. As this is in addition to the
Tesco expenditure please explain the detailed reasons why our staff cannot deal with
the day to day running of the department.
19.
NOTICE(S) OF MOTION
Proposed by Mr H Lanham, Seconded by Mrs L Walker
This Council recognises that under successive Governments North Norfolk has been
poorly served with regard to its transport and communication links.
This in turn has adversely impacted on its economic development and continues to
frustrate the Council's own economic development work. This Council therefore asks
the Government:
1) To give urgent priority to completing the dualling of the A11at Elveden and not
delay the start of the road improvements until possibly 2015.
2) To accept that the transport links into the West of North Norfolk are poor and to
conduct an urgent review into what improvements can be made.
3) That in the investment programme for the rail network that priority is not given
solely to upgrading existing inter city lines to apparently make them quicker but that
attention is given to improving the local rail network. In North Norfolk this means
investment in improved services on the Bittern line from Norwich to Sheringham
when the franchise comes up for renewal in 2013 and restoring a rail link to
Fakenham.
4) That Fast Broadband with full coverage is introduced as a matter of the highest
priority.
The Council also resolves to write to the leading mobile phone companies asking
them to improve the communications infrastructure in North Norfolk.
20.
SEALED DOCUMENTS
Recommendation:
(attached – p 221)
That the list of sealed documents is received by Members.
Contact: Tony Ing 01263 516080
Email: tony.ing@north-norfolk.gov.uk
21.
EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
To pass the following resolution – if necessary:
“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public
be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds
that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in
paragraph(s) _ of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”
22.
PRIVATE BUSINESS
Circulation:
All Members of the Council.
Members of the Management Team and other appropriate Officers.
Press and Public