Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jason Baker, Marcus Barrett, Mike Best, Gye Dibben, Tim Inglefield, Jenny Kenton, Sarah Lindsay, Tiffany Osborne, Garry Shortland and Linda Vijeh.

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday, 18^th August 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18^th August 2016, copies of which had been previously circulated, were approved as a correct record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (adopted July 2012), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also "prejudicial") in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting. A DPI is defined in The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012 No. 1464) and Appendix 3 of the Council’s Code of Conduct. A personal interest is defined in paragraph 2.8 of the Code and a prejudicial interest is defined in paragraph 2.9.

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest.  As a result of the change made to the Code of Conduct by this Council at its meeting on 15th May 2014, where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council.  If you have a prejudicial interest you must comply with paragraphs 2.9(b) and 2.9(c) of the Code.

There were no declarations of interest made.

There were no questions from members of the public present. 

At the commencement of the meeting, the Chairman asked that Councillor David Recardo assist him as Vice Chairman for the meeting.  Members were in agreement with this.

The Chairman reminded Members that the Gold Star Awards were due to be held on 25th October at the Octagon Theatre and he asked that they show their support by attending this very worthwhile and entertaining event.

The Leader of Council advised that since the announcement the previous week by GKN aerospace that over 200 jobs were at risk, he said district council would do all it could to support the GKN workers and their families and help to find them new jobs that kept their skills in the region.  The Yeovil Innovation Centre had been offered as a venue for any jobs fairs at the appropriate time.

Councillor David Recardo advised that Yeovil in Bloom had recently been awarded gold at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) South West in Bloom competition.  Wincanton had been awarded an outstanding It’s Your Neighbourhood award and Milborne Port in Bloom was awarded gold in the In Bloom competition.

He also reminded Councillors of their annual Christmas dinner to be held on 15^th December at Yeovil Golf Club.

The list of Chairman’s Engagements was noted.

(Voting: 30 in favour, 18 against,1 abstention)

The Leader of Council explained that the proposed the new senior leadership team was the result of an all-party working group.  He confirmed the Chief Executive endorsed the proposed structure which would fit in with the Transformation project and there would be no increase in salary for any of the posts.

The Chief Executive advised the proposed changes would be unlike those seen before and SSDC would require different roles to deliver the Transformation project.  He said the proposed structure would meet the needs of the district and realise its future ambitions.

Councillor Martin Wale questioned the need for the post of Deputy Chief Executive.  He said the Council had never had the position of Deputy Chief Executive before and most other Local Authorities did not have one.  He proposed that the post of Deputy Chief Executive be deleted and the saving of £126,485 be added to the savings of £200,537 already listed.  This was seconded by Councillor Mike Beech.

The Leader of Council responded that there was need for a post with strategic responsibility within the proposed senior leadership team to retain capacity at the top of the organisation. To reduce the structure from 8 ½ to 4 Directors would not work.  The Chief Executive had to be given the capacity to deliver.

During discussion, varying views were expressed.  Some Members expressed concern at the pace of implementation of the new senior leadership team, the amount allocated to redundancy payments and the small discrepancy in the salary figures listed within the Agenda report.  Other Members expressed their support for the proposed senior leadership team which they said was the result of many hours of consideration and was fit for purpose. 

At the conclusion of the debate, the proposal to delete the post of Deputy Chief Executive and add the saving of £126,485 to the total was put to the vote, but was declared lost (voting: 19 in favour, 28 against, 1 abstention).  The original recommendations were then proposed and seconded and when put to the vote, were carried (voting: 30 in favour, 18 against, 1 abstention). 

(Voting: 30 in favour, 18 against, 1abstention)

(Voting; unanimous in favour)

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Legal Services advised that following the December 2015 Financial Settlement, under certain circumstances, Local Authorities could use capital receipts for revenue expenditure.  He said agreeing the recommendation would allow SSDC to use its capital more flexibly and he proposed that Members support the recommendation.   

This was seconded by Councillor Jo Roundell Greene. There was no debate and Members unanimously agreed the recommendation as proposed. 

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

(Voting: 48 in favour, 0 against, 2 abstentions)

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Legal Services advised that the Government’s 4-year grant offer was unfair to the electorate in the final year (2019) as it amounted to spending SSDC ratepayers money outside the area.  He said that since the District Executive meeting the previous week, the recommendations had been clarified to highlight the unfairness and he proposed that they be:

That full Council:

a) Agree that that the proposed negative RSG in year four of the settlement, which will distribute £330,000 of South Somerset householders council tax to support services in other council areas is unfair;

b) In recognition of the added certainty it gives to our financial planning, agree to the four year financial settlement with the Government as proposed;

c) Agree that the Leader and Chief Executive continue to make representations to the Government to get a fairer settlement from them in the final year.

This was seconded by Councillor Peter Gubbins.

Councillor Mike Lewis as Leader of the Conservative Group said they had not had sufficient time to consider the proposed recommendations and asked that Council revert to the original recommendation as listed in the Agenda report. 

The Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) advised that the Council agenda had to be published before the District Executive meeting had been held so the original recommendations had remained.

During discussion, Members expressed concern at the Government’s offer but felt they had little choice but to accept it as it provided some financial stability in the short term.  The Leader of Council agreed to revert to the original recommendation as published in the Agenda papers and, at the conclusion of the debate, the majority of Members agreed to accept the 4-year settlement deal and agreed to publish the Efficiency Plan as detailed at Appendix A (voting: 48 in favour, 2 against, 0 abstentions).

 (Voting: 48 in favour, 2 against, 0 abstentions)

This item was deferred until the next meeting of Full Council.  

The report of Executive Decisions was noted.

Councillor Derek Yeomans, Chairman of the Audit Committee, introduced the report and noted that the Auditor had praised the Councils accounts.

There were no questions and the report of the Audit Committee was noted.

Councillor Sue Steele, Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, presented the report and noted that although there were 8 separate Task and Finish Groups currently in operation, there would be capacity to scrutinise the Transformation Project.

There were no questions and the report of the Scrutiny Committee was noted.

There were no Motions submitted by Members.

There were no Motions submitted by Members.

There were no questions submitted under Procedure Rule 10.

There were no questions submitted by Members under Procedure Rule 10.

Members are asked to note that the next scheduled meeting of the Full Council will take place on Thursday, 17^th November 2016 in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil commencing at 7.30 p.m.

Members noted that unless there was any urgent business to conduct in the meantime, the next scheduled meeting of the Full Council due on Thursday, 17^th November 2016 would be cancelled.  

Therefore, unless notified to the contrary, the next scheduled meeting of the Full Council would take place on Thursday 8^th December 2016 in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil commencing at 7.30 p.m.