PLEASE NOTE CHANGE FROM USUAL DAY

Dear Sir/Madam

A meeting of the Babergh District Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Corks Lane, Hadleigh on MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2007 AT 9.30 A.M.

The proceedings will be opened with Prayer.

Yours faithfully

Andrew Hunkin

Head of Corporate Services

Members are asked to bring with them to the meeting the following papers which have been previously circulated to relevant Committee Members and made available on BEN:-

Papers F144, F180 and F181.

Any Member wishing to be supplied with a hard copy of the above reports is asked to contact Committee Services prior to the day of the meeting.

ITEM

BUSINESS

PART I

	1	MINUTES To confirm and sign the Minutes of the meetings held on 19 December 2006 and 11 January 2007 as correct records.
	2	DECLARATION OF INTERESTS Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.
	3	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive apologies for absence.
	4	CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
	5	TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE NO. 13 In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 13, the Chief Executive will report the receipt of a petition as detailed below. There can be no debate or comment upon this matter at the Council meeting.
		Request to reconsider decision to demolish pavilion on Calais Street, Hadleigh Petition signed by approximately 56 residents asking for consideration to be given to using the building as a youth facility. Receipt of the petition, which will be dealt with by the Head of Community Development, was reported to the Strategy Committee on 8 February 2007.
Paper F144 previously circulated	6	RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES (a)     LAMP Phase 2 (Strategy Committee Minute No. 76 (b)) Prior to consideration of this item it was agreed that, due to the large sum of money involved in the project, any decision taken by Strategy Committee should be a recommendation to Council. Dr M R Miller, from the e-Government Steering Group, presented this item and referred to Paper F144 which outlined the background to the Local Authority Modernisation Programme (LAMP) which is a national initiative designed to improve the management of land and property information, particularly with respect to providing automatic responses to land charge searches. It was noted that the first phase of LAMP had been undertaken, and this identifies the steps that are needed to be taken to improve the Council’s systems and the underlying information. It also identifies the cost and savings associated with the system changes that should be put in place.
		RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL That, subject to budgetary provision being made, the Council’s land and property systems be upgraded as identified in Paper F144.
Paper F180 previously circulated		(b)     Corporate Plan (Strategy Committee Minute No. 94(a)) Mr N A Ridley, as Chairman of the Corporate Plan Working Group, presented a report (Paper F180) outlining a draft Corporate Plan for 2007/08 (attached as an appendix to the report). To assist in the continuity of focused, prioritised service delivery following the May 2007 elections, the Corporate Plan has been revised to highlight the key actions necessary during 2007/08 to deliver the Council’s currently agreed corporate priorities. This is intended to assist the new Council in maintaining momentum on agreed priorities in its first year, whilst at the same time it reviews the Corporate Plan for 2008/09 onwards and determines medium and longer term targets in respect of agreed priorities. During the course of discussion of this item, a number of minor amendments to the text to the draft Corporate Plan were discussed and agreed by the Committee. It was proposed and seconded that the Council’s priorities be split into an A list and B list. Upon being put to the vote this proposal was lost. THE STRATEGY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL That the revised Corporate Plan for 2007/08, attached as an appendix to Paper F180, be approved subject to the inclusion of the amendments discussed at the meeting.
Paper F189		The Head of Corporate Services has prepared the further amendments (referred to above) to the Corporate Plan document for 2007/08 and a Schedule detailing those amendments is contained in Paper F189 attached. It is therefore recommended that the revised Corporate Plan for 2007/08 attached as an Appendix to Paper F180 be amended in accordance with Paper F189 and that the Plan as amended be approved.
Paper F181 previously circulated		(c)     The Redevelopment of Stour House (Strategy Committee Minute No. 94(b)) Mrs S M Wigglesworth, as Chairman of the Housing Panel, presented Paper F181 which outlined the results of the assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the three short listed options for the future of Stour House that had been agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 16 November 2006. RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL (1) That approval be given to the transfer of Stour House to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partner at a discount of up to 100% for the delivery of affordable housing for the homeless subject to:- (a) the RSL to develop and make available in perpetuity a range of self-contained units of accommodation for general homeless use and also a supported housing scheme for homeless single people with multiple needs in accordance with the Council’s Homelessness Strategy. (b) Babergh to enter into an agreement to have full nomination rights for homeless households to all the vacant units of accommodation. (c) appropriate terms and conditions to protect the interests of the Council to be agreed by the Head of Contract and Asset Management. (2) That the Head of Community Development in consultation with the Housing Panel be authorised to:- (a) undertake the selection of the successful RSL in line with existing procedures, as previously agreed by the Strategy Committee. (b) agree the timetable for the project implementation and monitor its progress.
Paper F190	7	REVIEW OF MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES SCHEME 2007 – REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL Report by the Head of Corporate Services (Paper F190) attached. The report sets out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) together with their financial implications and other relevant information. Dr A Lower, Chairman of the IRP, will attend the meeting to present the report of the Panel, which is attached to Paper F190 as Appendix 1. Appendix 2 to Paper F190 comprises information available to the Panel when reviewing the Allowances Scheme.
Paper F191	8	BUDGET 2007/08 Report by the Head of Finance attached (Paper F191), together with the Budget document. The Council is asked to pass the necessary resolutions in relation to the Budget and for the making and collection of Council Tax as set out in Paper F191 and the relevant Appendices to that report.
	9	QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which notice has been given prior to the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 14.
	10	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS The Chairman of the Council and the Chairmen of Committees and Sub-Committee to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties, or which affect the District and which fall within the terms of reference of that Committee or Sub-Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 54(a) and (b).
Paper F192	11	SCHEME OF DELEGATION Report by the Chief Executive attached.

A buffet lunch will be provided for Members, in the Courtyard Restaurant.

For further information on any of the Part 1 items listed above, please contact Linda Sheppard on 01473 826610 or via email at committeeservices@babergh.gov.uk