Decisions

RESOLVED:

That District Executive :-

a.

endorsed the principles for Area presence as set out in the report below.  This included disposal of and/or redevelopment of its current Area Offices over the next 2 years in accordance with relevant governance and policies;

b.

noted that Officers will keep Members up to date on progress as specific proposals emerge for each Area.

Reason:

To assess the current needs of the Council’s offices against its future requirements, post Transformation, across the District. 

RESOLVED:

That the District Executive agreed to the making of the Wincanton Neighbourhood Plan.

Reason:

To note the result of the Referendum in relation to the Wincanton Neighbourhood Plan and to confirm that the Plan be ‘made’ (or adopted).

RESOLVED:

That District Executive agreed to:-

a.

note the work undertaken to date;

b.

approve the proposal to investigate further similar opportunities with Key4Life, relevant Officers to progress them, implement where appropriate and report back at the end of this programme.

Reason:

To note the progress made with “in kind” support for the work of Key4Life following a presentation to the Leadership Meeting in September 2017.

RESOLVED:

That the following item be considered in Closed Session by virtue of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A under Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED:

That District Executive agreed to:-

a.

approve an increase in the percentage of relief awarded for 2017/18 under the “Non Domestic Rates Revaluation Support Relief” Scheme from 43% to 55%;

b.

approve the continuation of the “Non Domestic Rates Revaluation Support Relief” Scheme for 2018/19 (Year 2) with revised award levels shown in para 16;

c.

approve the use of the Councils local discretionary powers to extend the Business Rate Relief Scheme for Pubs for the 2018/19 financial year;

d.

approve the use of the Councils local discretionary powers to extend the doubling of the Rural Rate Relief for the 2018/19 financial year;

e.

note that where the Council uses its local discount powers to award the Revaluation Support Scheme, up to the maximum funding amounts given above, and to extend the Pub Relief for 2018/19 and the doubling of Rural Rate relief, the cost will be reimbursed in full by Government.

Reason:

To approve an increase in the level of awards to businesses of “Revaluation Support Relief” for 2017/18.

RESOLVED:

That the District Executive:-

1.

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

·      The SSDC Disposals Policy (revised) – April 2018

·      Private Sector Enforcement and charging policy – May 2018

2.

noted the contents of the Consultation Database as shown at Appendix B, with the following additional consultation:

·         Civil society strategy: have your say

·         Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market

Reason:

The Forward Plan is a statutory document.

RESOLVED:

That District Executive:-

a.

approved the proposed funding allocation of £26,500 to be funded from the District Wide Grants budget and Young People & Play budget proposed for 2018/19 to the following district wide organisations:-

a)    Somerset Rural Youth Project - £8,000

b)    Actiontrack Performance Company - £2,500

c)    Take Art – £10,500

d)    Somerset Arts Week - £3,500

e)    Somerset Film - £2,000

Reason:

To confirm the levels of funding for several district-wide organisations seeking financial support from SSDC in 2018/19.

RESOLVED:

That District Executive agreed to:-

a.

apply an increase in July 2019 based on the CPI inflation rate for the previous 4 years;

b.

thereafter, apply an increase every 4 years based on the CPI inflation rate for the previous 4 years;

c.

recommendation 1 and 2 above shall take effect where the cost of implementing the increase (for example new signage, adaptations to the machines etc.) does not outweigh the expected additional revenue to be generated; and

d.

recommend a full cost review of bench-marked market charges and car park operations as part of the car park strategy update to ensure alignment in the wider market area. This is to be carried out by officers in the financial year 2018/2019 for implementation in July 2019; subject to being approved at District Executive.

Reason:

To consider various car park user improvements and benchmarking as part of an updated car park strategy and to present a longer term charging policy in line with the regulations in force.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to:-

a.

approve the Council Plan, Annual Action Plan and key performance indicators for 2018-19 (Appendix A,B, and D) (as amended);

b.

note the detailed measures, targets and milestones for each Priority Project (Appendix C);

c.

note the monitoring arrangements as set out in section 5.3 of section 5.3 of the report.

Reason:

To approve the South Somerset District Council (SSDC) Council Plan and Annual Action Plan 2018-19, together with a revised set of Key Performance Indicators.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed that the following posts be appointed to act as Proper Officers for the Council and be authorised to execute certain documents under the Council’s seal in addition to the Chief Executive:

·         Director – Strategy & Commissioning

·         Director – Service Delivery

·         Director – Commercial Services

·         Lead Specialist – Legal

Reason:

To appoint certain officers as Proper Officers for the Council and also to ensure that certain documents are executed under the Council’s seal.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council approved the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Investment Strategy for 2018/19 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

Reason:

To approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Investment Strategy for 2018/19. 

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to:-

a.

approve the formal council tax resolutions referred to in paragraphs 6 to 15;

b.

approve the individual tax settings as follows:

   i.    that the Somerset County Council; Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority has stated that amounts shown in paragraphs 9 to 12 respectively of this report in precept issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Act 1992 (as amended), for each of the categories of dwelling:

  ii.    that the total amount of council tax for each band of property in the South Somerset area for 2018/19 be as given in the table below:

NB The above figures exclude all town/parish precepts and assume that the figures provided by Somerset County Council and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue are approved at their full Council meetings on 21^st February and 16^th February 2018 respectively.  If any changes are required they will be reported to the meeting.  Police & Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset approved their figures on the 1^st February 2018

 iii.       that, having calculated the totals of each precepting authority’s amounts (including town and parish precepts), The Council (in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government Act 1992) (as amended) hereby sets the amounts shown at TOTAL in the table shown at Appendix A as the council taxes for the financial year 2018/19 for each category of dwelling.

c.

note that if the formal Council Tax Resolution is approved, the total Band D Council Tax as follows:

Reason:

To approve the final council tax resolutions for 2018/19.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to:-

a.

approve the Net Revenue Budget for 2018/19 of £16.483m, as set out in the Budget Requirement Estimates (paragraph 22, Table 3a) and detailed in Appendix A for the District Executive and four Area Committees;

b.

approve the 2018/19 Council tax increase of £5, increasing the annual Band D basic rate by 3.18% to £162.48; and notes this total basic rate comprises £160.63 for SSDC services and £1.85 for the Somerset Rivers Authority;

c.

approve the transfer of £468k from earmarked reserve balances to assist with the shortfall on the Transformation budget, as detailed in Table 10, paragraphs 52 and 53, and note the remaining balances;

d.

approve the additions to the Capital Programme for new capital bids of £1.987m as shown in Appendix E;

e.

note the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement and Capital Prudential Indicators as attached at Appendix H.

Reason:

To approve the proposed Budget and Council Tax for 2018/19.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council, in accordance with Section 16 (1) Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the duty therein to give effect to the wishes of the political group to which seats on any committee are allocated,  confirmed that:-

1. Councillor Mike Lock be appointed to the Scrutiny Committee.

Reason:

To confirm a change to the Scrutiny Committee appointments following the appointment of Councillors to various committees and working groups at Council on 18^th May 2017.