Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 7th November 2011.

(Enclosure)

The minutes of the meeting held on 7th November were agreed as a correct record of the decisions taken.

None declared.

Report HOF175 by Head of Finance.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

To approve the recording of the amounts shown below as the council tax bases for 2012/13, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended).

Considerations/reasons for decision:

(1)       Report number HOF175 by the Head of Finance explaining the legislative provisions that enable a local authority to make its own arrangements for adopting the council tax base;

(2)       The council tax base is used to calculate how much each property will be charged to cover the net costs of the district council and the precepting authorities.  The total net expenditure is divided by the council tax base to give the amount paid by individual households.

(3)       Comments made by Members at the meeting.

Other options considered

None.

Report HOF178 by Head of Finance.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

To approve the proposed set of fees and charges as attached to report HOF178 for appropriate consultation before their inclusion into the proposed budget for 2012/13.

Considerations/reasons for decision:

(1)       Recommendations from the Resources PDG working group on a review of fees and charges and the parallel work undertaken by Deloittes on an income review benchmarking study which compared fees and charges across a number of east midlands councils.

(2)       Fees & charges are compiled as part of the budget setting process.

(3)       Further work being undertaken by both the Resources PDG and the Communities PDG.

(4)       Comments made by Members at the meeting.

(5)       Clarity of the inflation factor used (RPI).

(6)       Comments made by the Head of Finance at the meeting.

Other options considered:

N/A

Report SD001 by Strategic Director Corporate Focus/Section 151 Officer.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

1.     Cabinet recommend to Council participation in the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme (LAMS), initially in partnership with a recognised national provider for £1m; and

2.     Cabinet  recommend  to Council approval of plans to extend the scheme across other lenders as they enter the scheme, or with a recognised national provider, up to a total value of £5m subject a full analysis of impact against priorities of the first £1m;

3.     That the Resources PDG  undertake initial development of a  local policy for the scheme eligibility for Council approval; and

4.     The Strategic Director (corporate services) be given delegated authority to investigate and where required execute the required legal documentation in order to satisfy scheme participants.

Considerations/reasons for decision:

(1)       Report SD001 from the Strategic Director Corporate Focus.

(2)       Sector Treasury Management services have developed a national scheme, initially in conjunction with a recognised national provider, to allow councils to provide support to first time buyers.

(3)       The Housing Act 1985 (as amended) provides the statutory framework for the scheme. The Act allows Local Authorities to “advance money to a person for the purpose of acquiring a house” (section 435 of the act).  Section 442 of the act allows a local authority to grant an indemnity to a lender to enable the lender to give the potential buyer a mortgage.

(4)       Comments made by Members at the meeting concerning the PR of the scheme. It was stressed that the public should not have any misconceptions about the mortgage scheme; the Council were NOT offering mortgages.

Other options considered:

To be considered further in policy development

Report ENV557 by Healthy Environment Portfolio Holder.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

Cabinet recommends to Council the proposed draft byelaw as appended to report ENV557 for:

(1)       Adoption by resolution sections 14 to 17 of Part VIII of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (as amended by the Local Government Act 2003) in their entirety to come into force at a date to be set within the administrative area of SKDC for the proper regulation of persons carrying out the practices of acupuncture, tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing and electrolysis.

(2)       Authorising the making of byelaws regulating the practice of acupuncture under Section 14(7) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as soon as Section 14 of that Act is adopted as in Point 1.1 above within the administrative area of SKDC Authorise the making of byelaws regulating the practices of tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing and electrolysis under Section 15 (7) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as soon as Section 15 of that Act is adopted as in Point 1.1 above within the administrative area of SKDC the Head of Environmental Services be authorized to make the consolidated byelaw attached at Appendix A made under the provisions of Sections 14 (7) and 15(7) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, as amended, and take all necessary steps to secure their confirmation with the Secretary of State and carry them into effect.

(3)    The following to be incorporated in the registration /application process:

·                Details of how records will be kept and what they will include.

·                Parents/carers/guardians should be present at procedures performed on those under 18 years.

Considerations/reasons for decision:

(1)     Report ENV557 by the Healthy Environment Portfolio Holder.

(2)     Recommendations made by the Communities PDG at their meeting on 10th November 2011.

(3)     To bring fully into force the regulatory framework of Part VIII of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (as amended by the Local Government Act 2003) within the South Kesteven District administrative area, including the provision of the making of byelaws for the proper regulation of businesses involved in the five skin piercing activities.

(4)     Comments made by Members at the meeting.

Other options considered:

Consideration has been given to continuing without adoption of the amendments made under the Local Government Act 2003 leaving the skin piercing activities of body piercing and semi-permanent make-up an unregulated activity in SKDC.  This would leave members of the public in SKDC at risk of blood-borne infection from these unregulated activities possibly resulting in increased health costs and decreased quality of living.

Councillor Channell had notified the Leader in writing of her wish to speak to the Cabinet.

Councillor Channell referred to the documentation which she had circulated to all Members about a councillor divisional fund at the end of the last Council meeting.  Members had been canvassed for their views on the subject and 11 responses had been received, six for the proposal, two against and three alright with the proposal subject to alterations.   She appreciated that such an idea would require proper supervision.

Councillor Mrs Neal indicated that the proposal had to be taken into the budget setting process and research was on going.  A response would not be known however, until the budget setting process had been concluded.

Decisions CO34 and CO35 as made on 5th December 2011 can be implemented on 14th December unless subject to call-in by the Scrutiny Committee Chairman of any five members of the Council from any political groups. 

Decisions CO36 and CO37 stand referred to Council.