To All Members of the Strategy Committee

Mr N A Bennett
Mr M P Booth
Dr M R Miller
Mr J J Quinlan
Mr D J Read

Mr N A Ridley
Mr C M Spence
Mr H N Todd
Mrs S M Wigglesworth
Mr L H Young

To All Members of the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) and (Community Services) Committees – FOR INFORMATION

Members are asked to bring with them to the meeting Paper F103 previously circulated.

ITEM

BUSINESS

1

SUBSTITUTES AND APOLOGIES

Any Member attending as an approved substitute to report giving his/her name and the name of the Member being substituted.

To receive apologies for absence.

2

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.

3

MINUTES

To confirm and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2006 as a correct record.

4

PETITIONS

The Head of Corporate Services to report, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 13, the receipt of any petitions submitted to the Chief Executive.

5

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS

The Chairman to answer any questions on 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 the Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.15.4 (a) and (b).

6

ISSUES ARISING FROM OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEES

None received.

7

RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

Review of Call-in Procedures (Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee Min No. 41 and Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee Minute No. 32)

Paper F103 
previously circulated

Paper F117

Paper F103 (the report of the Working Group to review Call-in Procedures) was presented to Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee at its meeting on 10 October 2006 by Mrs S Carpendale and to Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee on 17 October 2006 by the Committee Services Manager. Members of both Committees were aware of the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the review and the questions set out in Appendix 1 to Paper F103 which had provided the framework for that review.

The Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee discussed the report at length and expressed reservations about the proposed new protocol set out in Appendix 5 to the report, suggesting that further work might be needed to ensure that the protocol did not contradict the procedures set out in the Constitution. The Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee endorsed this view and noted that it might be necessary for the Working Group to meet again before the next Strategy meeting to consider this and any other outstanding matters. Both Committees accepted recommendations 2.1 to 2.3 and 2.5 to 2.9 of Paper F103 but concurred in recommending that 2.4 be amended so that the Chairman of the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee in consultation with the Head of Corporate Services and the Monitoring Officer should consider the validity of a Call-in request.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committees therefore recommended to Strategy Committee and Council

(1) That recommendations 2.1 to 2.3 and 2.5 to 2.9 be approved as set out in Paper

F103.

(2) That recommendation 2.4 of Paper F103 be amended to read

“That the Chairman of the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in consultation with the Head of Corporate Services and the Monitoring Officer, considers the validity of a Call-in request, having regard to any agreed protocol. The Chief Executive and Corporate Directors are to maintain an overview of the procedures, be notified of a Call-in request and be consulted if necessary”.

Following the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, the Members for the Working Group were consulted on possible amendments to Appendix 5, a revised version of which is now attached as Paper F117 for consideration by the Strategy Committee in connection with the recommendations set out above. The Committee is therefore asked to RECOMMEND (1) TO (9) BELOW TO THE COUNCIL:-

(Note: The paragraph numbers in square brackets [] refer to the recommendations in Paper F103. The recommendations are set out in full for clarity).

(1) That a minimum of any five Members of either Overview and Scrutiny Committee be needed to sign a call-in request [2.1].

(2) That the Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees be excluded from signing call-in requests [2.2].

(3) That a call-in request form be introduced as set out in Appendix 3 to Paper F103 and that requests received by fax or e-mail be acceptable [2.3].

(4) That the Head of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and the Chairmen of both Overview and Scrutiny Committees, should decide which would be the most appropriate (having regard to the terms of reference of the Committees) Overview and Scrutiny Committee to deal with a matter the subject of a call-in [2.5].

(5) That any Member making a request for call-in has the right to attend and speak at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee considering the matter [2.6].

(6) That Babergh’s procedures be streamlined so that the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee can either refer a called-in matter back to the Strategy Committee, or refer the matter to Council. Further that the Council makes the final decision or refers the matter back to the Strategy Committee [2.7].

(7) That the Chairman of the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee in consultation with the Head of Corporate Services and the Monitoring Officer considers the validity of a call-in request having regard to the protocol set out in the revised Appendix 5 to Paper F103 (circulated as Paper F117). Further that, the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors maintain an overview of the procedures, be notified of a call-in request and be consulted if necessary [2.4 as amended].

(8) That the Head of Corporate Services be authorised to make appropriate amendments to the Constitution in relation to recommendations (1) to (7) above.

(9) That the new procedures be implemented with immediate effect and reviewed after one year.

Paper F118

8

RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM TASK GROUPS/PANELS

Options for the Future of Stour House

Report from the Housing Panel attached.

Paper F119

9

WORKPLAN

Report by the Head of Corporate Services attached.

Paper F120

10

EFFICIENCIES UPDATE

Report by the Head of Finance attached.

Paper F121

11

PROPOSED NEW EDUCATION CENTRE FOR 16 – 19 YEAR OLDS SERVING SOUTH SUFFOLK, SOUTH AND WEST IPSWICH

Report by Mike Hammond, Corporate Director attached.

Paper F122

12

DISTRICT AND PARISH/TOWN COUNCIL ELECTIONS: SCALE OF FEES

Report by the Head of Corporate Services attached.

Paper F123

13

BABERGH STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: ADOPTION

Report by the Head of Natural and Built Environment attached.

14

EXEMPTIONS TO CONTRACT PROCEDURE RULES NOS. 3, 4, 5 AND 6

To note that the Head of Corporate Services acting in accordance with Contracts Procedure Rule 2 and Schedule 1, has exempted the following contracts from competitive tender on the grounds indicated.

(a)     Upgrade Telephone System and Provision of Software

Purchase of software upgrade and equipment from Siemens, which provided and maintains the Council’s telephone system (supply of parts of existing machinery/plant and in the interests of standardisation for maintenance).

(b)     Anglia Estate Art Project – Granite Engraving/Sandblasting.

Appointment of H L Perfitt Ltd, specialist stone mason (no genuine competition on account of the specialised nature of the works).

Paper F125

15

ACTION OUT OF MEETING – JOINT PROCUREMENT OF REFUSE COLLECTION SERVICES

Report attached.

16

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS)

To consider whether, pursuant to Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the public should be excluded from the meeting for the business specified below on the grounds that if the public were present for this item it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item.

The author of the report proposed to be considered in Part II of the Agenda is satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

PART II

Paper F124

17

PROCUREMENT OF JOINT REFUSE COLLECTION CONTRACT – APPOINTMENT OF TENDERER (Exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1)

Report from the Procurement Task Group attached.

Note: A buffet lunch will be provided for Members in Committee Room 1.

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