Agenda item

Report number LDS232 of the Leader of the Council.                   (Enclosure)

Since the Council had last met on 15 June 2017, the Cabinet had met on three occasions. Paperwork related to those meetings was circulated in the agenda pack appended to report number LDS232. The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 7 September 2017 were circulated at the meeting as part of the pack of supplementary documents.

The Leader announced that he was making some changes to Cabinet Members’ remits. Councillor Jacky Smith’s remit would change from Major Development Projects to Heath and Wellbeing and Skills. The Leader explained that he had made the changes because of the increasing importance of the agenda around health and wellbeing, and that he wanted to dedicate time to this area at a senior level. The remit would also include the skills agenda and the cinema aspect of the St. Peter’s Hill development, plus any other special projects allocated by the Leader. This change would lead to consequential changes to the remits of Councillors King and Neilson. Members were informed that they would be sent an e-mail detailing the revised remits and the changes would be formally reported at the Council meeting on 23 November 2017.

Clarification was sought about which Cabinet Member’s remit would include universal credit; the response was given that it would remain within Councillor Neilson’s remit.

During discussion of the Cabinet papers a question was raised in relation to a non-key decision made for a lease renewal. The Deputy Leader, who had made the decision, stated a discrepancy had been identified regarding the outstanding lease during a full review of all of the Council’s assets and properties. He added that he was continuing to work with the relevant officer to complete the review.

The contents and appendices of report number LDS232 were noted.