Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber B, Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil. View directions

Contact: Becky Sanders,Case Services Officer (Support Services) - 01935 462596  Email: becky.sanders@southsomerset.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

146.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 159 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 3 April 2018.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

147.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jason Baker, Dave Bulmer, Tony Lock and Martin Wale.

148.

Declarations of Interest

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (as amended 26 February 2015), 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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

149.

Public question time

Minutes:

There were no members of public present at the meeting.

150.

Issues arising from previous meetings

This is an opportunity for Members to question the progress on issues arising from previous meetings.  However, this does not allow for the re-opening of a debate on any item not forming part of this agenda.

Minutes:

The Specialist (Scrutiny) noted that at the last meeting members had suggested a report on Business Rates Reliefs. She reminded members that a report had been included on the District Executive agenda in March, and noted that additional information had not been sought at that time. She noted an annual report on the performance of the discretionary reliefs was due later in the year.

 

At the last meeting reference had been made to a recent email circulated to members regarding the two starring of major planning applications and the possible referral to Regulation Committee. The Specialist (Scrutiny) advised that she had spoken with the Lead Specialist (Legal) and the Director (Service Delivery), and it had been agreed a briefing note would be circulated to all members which had now been received. Some further planning training was being organised for early June and the matter had been left with the Director (Service Delivery), Lead Specialist (Legal) and the Lead Specialist (Planning).

151.

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

The Chairman made no announcements.

152.

Verbal update on reports considered by District Executive on 5 April 2018 pdf icon PDF 19 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman noted that the Scrutiny comments had been noted and were included in the District Executive minutes which had been circulated.

 

153.

Reports to be considered by District Executive on 3 May 2018 pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Minutes:

Members considered the reports within the District Executive agenda for 3 May 2018 and made comments as detailed below. Responses to all comments and questions were provided at the Scrutiny Committee meeting by the relevant Officer or Portfolio Holder.

 

The South Petherton Neighbourhood Plan Referendum (Agenda item 6)

 

·         The report states that the South Petherton village Conservation Area boundary was due to be reviewed by the District Council in 2017/18.  Has this been completed and if not would it influence the Neighbourhood Plan?

·         Para 17 – Members queried at what stage the increased levy was applicable was it when planning permission is granted or when the development commences?

·         A concern was raised whether SSDC was trying to over influence some of the wishes of the community.

 

Strategic Development and Regeneration in South Somerset District Council (Agenda item 7)

 

·         Members felt that there may be issues regarding public perception within the smaller rural market towns due to the proposal to discontinue the four Area Regeneration Boards

·         Members sought clarification about how smaller scale proposals within other market towns would be brought forward

·         Members sought reassurance on the reporting arrangements, risk management and progress report in order to keep all members informed

·         Scrutiny were generally supportive of the changes proposed to the boards and the governance arrangements however they thought more attention should be given to a risk Management and suggested an additional bullet point to paragraph 6.9 to require production of a risk strategy

·         An additional bullet point under 6.2 was suggested to indicate that the Strategic Development Board should be responsible for manging cumulative impact and risk

·         Some concerns were raised about business continuity for management of large project should membership of a board change.

 

Somerset Homelessness Strategy 2017-19 (Agenda item 8)

 

·         Members acknowledged the information by the Portfolio Holder

·         Members sought the timescale for when the suggested supplementary strategy specific to SSDC would be brought forward?

 

Community Right to Bid Half Year Report – October 2017 to March 2018 (Agenda item 9)

 

Scrutiny made no comments.

 

Draft Responses to Consultations (Agenda item 10)

 

·         Some members raised specific queries to which the Acting Principal Spatial Planner noted and agreed to look into further and liaise with the members concerned.

 

 

District Executive Forward Plan (Agenda item 11)

 

·         It was noted that Transformation Project Progress Reports were scheduled for October 2018 and March 2019 however previously it had been understood that reporting would be quarterly.

 

CONFIDENTIAL – Exclusion of the Press and Public (Agenda item 13)

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the Committee resolved that the press and public be excluded from the following items in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, i.e. “Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Budget for Chard Regeneration Programme and Yeovil Regeneration Programme (Confidential) (Agenda item 14)

 

·         Members made several  ...  view the full minutes text for item 153.

154.

Verbal update on Task and Finish reviews pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the updates provided by the Chairman on each of the Task and Finish Groups currently in progress or commencing in the near future.

 

Homefinder Somerset Plain English Policy – No updates since last meeting.

 

Council Tax Support Scheme 2019 – No updates since the last meeting, but the group would be meeting shortly.

 

Customer Accessibility – This group has yet to meet, but a meeting would be scheduled shortly. Officers were collating lots of data on options previously discussed.

155.

Update on matters of interest pdf icon PDF 19 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman had no updates.

156.

Scrutiny Work Programme pdf icon PDF 95 KB

Minutes:

There was a short discussion during which it was noted that a Task and Finish Group had done a lot of work last year regarding the Local Discretionary (Business Rates) Relief Scheme, and it was noted that one year on a follow-up report would be welcome.

157.

Date of next meeting pdf icon PDF 17 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for 10.00am on Tuesday 5 June 2018 at 10.00am in the Main Committee Room, Brympton Way, Yeovil.