Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Video-conference using Zoom meeting software

Contact: Angela Cox, Democratic Services Specialist - 01935 462148  Email: angela.cox@southsomerset.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

124.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the District Executive meeting held on 5th March 2020.

Minutes:

The minutes of previous meeting held on 5 March 2020 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

125.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.  It was noted that Councillor Peter Seib joined the meeting at 10.10am.

126.

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.

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. 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

127.

Public Question Time

Minutes:

There were no members of the public present at the meeting.

128.

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

The Chairman thanked all staff for their dedication in continuing to work at home in difficult circumstances.  She said that many messages of thanks had been received from the public.  She also thanked the District Executive for their work in continuing to meet via video conferencing.

 

The Chief Executive provided a comprehensive presentation on the work of the District Council during the coronavirus pandemic.  He advised that a formal report on the initial impact would be presented to the Executive in June 2020.  In response to a question, the Chief Executive advised that the Council’s financial situation would be re-assessed and it was likely that a revised budget and financial strategy would have to be agreed as early as possible.

 

The Chairman thanked the Chief Executive for explaining the varied support work which officers had been carrying out for the community during the previous 6 weeks.

129.

Allowenshay Mains Water Project pdf icon PDF 96 KB

Decision:

This item was deferred to a future meeting of the Committee.

Minutes:

The Chairman confirmed that this item was deferred to a future meeting of the Committee until the financial situation of the Council could be assessed and also to explore other sources of funding for the project. 

130.

Access for All - Closure pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Decision:

 

RESOLVED:

That District Executive agreed to:-

 

a.

note the wind down of Access for All which should be complete by the end of June 2020;

 

 

b.

a review of the outcomes required from specialist disability advice provision and to commission an appropriate solution. 

 

Reason:

To note the closure of Access for All, to seek alternative use of their grant and to consider options for obtaining specialist access advice in the future.

 

Minutes:

The Specialist for Strategic Planning introduced the report and reminded Members that funding had not been allocated to them at the January meeting of the Executive as their future had been uncertain at that time.  He said the organisation had become financially unsustainable and was closing down by the end of June 2020.  He said it left the Council without an organisation to conduct access reviews for individuals with disabilities on their behalf.  He noted that the report proposed a number of options to be explored to cover the public sector equality duty.

 

Members expressed their disappointment as the advice from the organisation had been invaluable for the regeneration schemes across the district and welcomed a review to seek an appropriate solution.

 

The recommendations were proposed and seconded and unanimously agreed by Members.

 

RESOLVED:

That District Executive agreed to:-

 

a.

note the wind down of Access for All which should be complete by the end of June 2020;

 

 

b.

a review of the outcomes required from specialist disability advice provision and to commission an appropriate solution. 

 

Reason:

To note the closure of Access for All, to seek alternative use of their grant and to consider options for obtaining specialist access advice in the future.

 

131.

Proposed joining of Yeovilton Parish Council and Limington Parish Meeting - Community Governance Review pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

 

RESOLVED:

That District Executive recommend that Full Council agree to:-

 

a.

note the receipt of the request and its validity (under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007) from Yeovilton Parish Council and Limington Parish Meeting to merge to form one Parish Council;

 

 

b.

agree to undertake a Community Governance Review of the Parishes of Yeovilton and Limington;

 

 

c.

agree the Terms of Reference of the review as detailed in Appendix A, including the timetable and arrangements for public consultation;

 

 

d.

agree that the review will be carried out by the Democratic Services Specialist, in consultation with Ward Members and the Area East Committee;

 

 

e.

note that further reports will be brought to Council in order that decisions may be made in respect of draft proposals and final recommendations of the Review.

 

Reason:

To confirm the receipt of a request (under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007) from Yeovilton Parish Council and Limington Parish Meeting to merge to form one Parish Council

 

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Legal Services advised that a valid request had been made by both Yeovilton Parish Council and Limmington Parish Meeting and it was for SSDC to conduct the review on their behalf.  He proposed the recommendations be agreed and this was seconded and unanimously agreed by Members

 

RESOLVED:

That District Executive recommend that Full Council agree to:-

 

a.

note the receipt of the request and its validity (under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007) from Yeovilton Parish Council and Limington Parish Meeting to merge to form one Parish Council;

 

 

b.

agree to undertake a Community Governance Review of the Parishes of Yeovilton and Limington;

 

 

c.

agree the Terms of Reference of the review as detailed in Appendix A, including the timetable and arrangements for public consultation;

 

 

d.

agree that the review will be carried out by the Democratic Services Specialist, in consultation with Ward Members and the Area East Committee;

 

 

e.

note that further reports will be brought to Council in order that decisions may be made in respect of draft proposals and final recommendations of the Review.

 

Reason:

To confirm the receipt of a request (under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007) from Yeovilton Parish Council and Limington Parish Meeting to merge to form one Parish Council

 

132.

District Executive Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

The following additions and amendments to the Forward Plan were noted:

  • Performance Monitoring report to be incorporated into the Covid 19 update report
  • Digital Strategy report to replace Transformation update

·         Recycle More report (due in September) likely to be delayed

 

RESOLVED:

That the District Executive:-

 

1.

approved the updated Executive Forward Plan for publication as attached at Appendix A, with the following amendments;

·         Performance Monitoring report to be incorporated into the Covid 19 update report (June)

·         Digital Strategy report to replace Transformation update

  • Recycle More report (due in September) likely to be delayed

 

2.

noted the contents of the Consultation Database as shown at Appendix B.

 

Minutes:

The following additions and amendments to the Forward Plan were noted:

  • Performance Monitoring report to be incorporated into the Covid 19 update report – Financial and Service impact – June 2020
  • Digital Strategy report to incorporate an update on Transformation June 2020
  • Amendments to the Investment Strategy and Council Plan – July 2020

·         Recycle More report (due in September) likely to be delayed

 

During discussion it was noted that the garden waste collection service would resume the following week and the household waste recycling centres would reopen.

 

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee expressed concern at the number of reports coming forward in June and hoped there would be sufficient time for all to be fully debated.  He thanked the Chief Executive for his earlier presentation which, he said had answered many of the Committee’s concerns.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Area East Committee asked that individuals respond to the consultation regarding the Public Works Loans Board as Councils needed secure financing to plan to go forward in the future.

 

RESOLVED:

That the District Executive:-

 

1.

approved the updated Executive Forward Plan for publication as attached at Appendix A, with the following amendments;

·         Performance Monitoring report to be incorporated into the Covid 19 update report (June)

·         Digital Strategy report to replace Transformation update

  • Recycle More report (due in September) likely to be delayed

 

2.

noted the contents of the Consultation Database as shown at Appendix B.

Reason:

The Forward Plan is a statutory document.

 

133.

Date of Next Meeting pdf icon PDF 38 KB

Minutes:

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chairman thanked all Councillors for attending the on-line meeting. 

 

Members noted that the next scheduled meeting of the District Executive would take place on Thursday 4th June 2020 as a virtual meeting via Zoom meeting software commencing at 9.30 a.m.