Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cathy Bakewell, Mike Beech, Hayward Burt, Gye Dibben, Sarah Dyke, Anna Groskop, Sam McAllister, Graham Middleton, Tiffany Osborne, Stephen Page, Ric Pallister, Sylvia Seal, Garry Shortland and Alex Parmley (Chief Executive).

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday, 15^th June 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 15^th June 2017, copies of which had been previously circulated, were approved as a correct record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment:

Councillor Paul Maxwell be listed under apologies for absence, not present at the meeting.

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.

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.  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. 

Councillor Nick Weeks declared a personal interest in Agenda item 7: SSDC Street Trading Policy, as a Councillor for Castle Cary Town Council who had submitted a response to the consultation.

Mr Bud Budzynski thanked the Council for providing a bench in the Yeovil Recreation Ground.

The Chairman reminded Members of two workshops to be held the following week.

The list of Chairman’s Engagements was noted.

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning introduced the report and thanked the licensing officers and members of the Scrutiny Task and Finish group who had reviewed the Policy document.  She asked that the delegation to make any minor amendments to the Street Trading Policy to the Licensing Manager in consultation with the Director for Service Delivery also include herself as the Portfolio Holder.  This proposal was seconded. 

Councillor Martin Wale, Chairman of the Scrutiny Task and Finish group, advised that the extended consultation period had resulted in two main changes to the policy relating to carnivals and mobile traders such as ice cream sellers and sandwich delivery rounds requiring street trading consent. 

In response to questions from Members, the Licensing Manager advised that:-

·         The Street Trading Policy would not affect historic markets and fairs.

·         The Task and Finish group did not consider the fees and changes attached to licensing as they were set by the Licensing Committee.

·         The Licensing Committee would be guided by the policy but could take decisions outside the policy on occasions.

Councillor Nick Weeks cited a situation in Castle Cary where a charity event would be adversely affected if charity stallholders had to pay £50 for a 3 hour event.  He suggested that the Town Council could apply for a number of pitches and he offered to work on a pilot project with the licensing team. 

At the conclusion of the debate, Members were content to adopt the revised Street Trading Policy as detailed in Appendix A and confirm the recommendations of the report.

(Voting:  unanimous in favour)

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

The Deputy Leader introduced the report and advised that a cross-party group of councillors had met and agreed to propose that SSDC remain at 60 Councillors.  Some minor additional clarifications had been made to the report which would be submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England the following day.

In response to a question, the Director of Support Services confirmed that once the submission had been accepted by the Boundary Commission, then the review of Ward boundaries (not Parish boundaries) would begin.  

There was no debate and Members unanimously confirmed the recommendation to submit the council size proposal to Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

The report of Executive Decisions was noted.

Councillor Derek Yeomans, Chairman of the Audit Committee, presented the report of the Committee. 

The report of the Audit Committee was noted.

Councillor Sue Steele, Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, presented the report of the Committee.  In response to a question she confirmed that no date had been set for the start of the Rural Allocations Policy Task and Finish group as other Task and Finish group work had taken priority.

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 under Procedure Rule 10.

Members noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Full Council was a reserve date of 17^th August 2017.  Unless there was any urgent business to progress on this date, the next scheduled meeting of the Full Council would take place on Thursday, 21^st September 2017 in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil commencing at 7.30 p.m.