4th August 2005 - Agenda

To All Members of the Strategy Committee

Mr A C Bavington

Mr N A Bennett

Mr M P Booth

Mrs S P Clarke

Mr D J Read

Mr N A Ridley

Mr C M Spence

Mr H N Todd

Mrs S M Wigglesworth

Mr L H Young

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 23 June 2005 as a correct record.

4

PETITIONS

The Head of Legal and Administrative Services to report in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.13, the receipt of any petition 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 (OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY RULES 33 AND 34)

None received.

Paper E52
previously
circulated

7

RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee Minute No. 18 and Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee Minute No. 16 - Youth Strategy

Both Committees received the report (Paper E52) of the Head of Leisure and Community Services, summarising the actions achieved in 2004/05 with regard to young people and setting out an action plan for 2005/06.  It was suggested that in future the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee should be the lead Committee for the Youth Strategy, and this was agreed.

Stuart Everett, Sports Development Officer, and Greg Cooper, Leisure Inclusion Officer, made representations to both meetings on their work with young people.  They were thanked for their presentations and for their hard work in promoting sport and leisure throughout the District.  During the course of their talks and in the discussion on Paper E52, the following were among the points noted by both Committees:-

Copies of the brochure being sent out to young people entitled ‘South Suffolk Summer’ were available for Members.

Ms Susie Tyrell, the new Arts and Community Development Officer, takes up her post on 8 August  and will work closely with the Sports Development Officer and the Leisure Inclusion Officer.

Babergh’s team came second in the Youth Games on 10 July.

Marketing is seen as a key element in the promotion of sports.  A new youth website will soon be in existence to help publicise what Babergh is doing for young people.  A brief presentation to Council was suggested.

Other points were noted as follows:-

It was recognised that for some young people transport is a difficulty. The County Council discount card for public transport had run into legal difficulties so its future is under discussion.  (Community Services)

The development of a Leisure Services database. (Community Services)

Both Committees accepted the recommendations contained in paragraph 2 of Paper E52 and agreed to recommend to Strategy Committee as follows:-

RECOMMENDED

That the proposed Youth Strategy Action Plan as set out in Appendix B to Paper E52 be approved. 
 

Paper E87

8

WORK PLAN

Report by the Head of Legal and Administrative Services attached.

Paper E79

9

CORPORATE PLAN AND FINANCIAL STRATEGY

Joint report by Geoff Kistner, Corporate Director and the Corporate Support Manager attached.

Paper E80

10

BABERGH LEISURE NON-PROFIT DISTRIBUTION ORGANISATION (NPDO)

Report by the Procurement Task Group attached.

Paper E81

11

HADLEIGH SWIMMING POOL

Report by the Head of Leisure and Community Services attached.

Paper E82

12

CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL BUS PASS SCHEME – FREE TRAVEL FOR OLDER AND DISABLED PEOPLE

Report by the Head of Customer and Office Services attached.

Paper E83

13

CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL – VOUCHER SCHEME

Report by the Head of Customer and Office Services attached.

Paper E84

14

PARKING IMPROVEMENTS AT CORKS LANE HADLEIGH

Report by the Head of Technical Services attached.

15

DELEGATION TO HEAD OF PLANNING POLICY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HEAD OF TECHNICAL SERVICES

The Head of Legal and Administrative Services to report that the Council at its meeting on 24 February 2005 adopted a General Delegation.

The Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development (and in his/her absence a Corporate Director) was given authority to deal with the following areas of responsibility:-

 §            Planning policy

§            Conservation

§            Countryside management

§            Economic development and regeneration

§            Graphic design

§            Transport (other than concessionary fares)

It is recommended

(1)   That whilst the post of Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development is vacant, the Development Plan Manager and in his absence the Economic Development Manager, be authorised to deal with the above areas of responsibility subject to  

(a)  the requirements of the General Delegation, and

    (b) the exclusion of the delegation in respect of transport matters other than those related to planning policy.

(2) That responsibility for transport (other than planning policy and concessionary fares) be delegated to the Head of Technical Services and that the Council’s Scheme of Delegation be amended accordingly.

Paper E85

16

REVENUES DIVISION – AUTHORISATION OF SERVICE MANAGERS TO ISSUE LEGAL NOTICE IN RESPECT OF UNPAID RENT

Report by the Head of Revenues attached.

17

CONTRACTS PROCEDURE RULE NO 2(a) -ACQUISITION OF SOFTWARE FOR IBS OPEN SYSTEM (REVENUES)

The Head of Revenues to report that the E-government Steering Group has a project to introduce Document Image Processing (DIP)/Workflow software in Revenues by extending the functionality of the IBS Open system for which the Council has entered into a contract.

The Council’s Draft IT Strategy proposes that where possible and appropriate, the Council purchases new software modules from our existing supplier(s) in order to avoid the overhead costs associated with interfacing different systems.  Contracts Procedure Rules recognise this type of situation by including provision for an exemption to be made by the Head of Legal and Administrative Services (Schedule 1 – Exemptions to CPRs 3,4,5 and 6) from the need for more than one tender to be invited if the goods/services to be supplied are required in the interests of standardisation for maintenance or for other special reasons.  IBS, the existing supplier in this case, can supply the DIP software and associated services for an estimated cost which is in accordance with the IBS standard pricing schedule.

The Committee is therefore recommended in accordance with Contracts Procedure Rule No 2 (a) to approve an exemption to CPR No 3 – Invitation of Tenderers – to enable an order to be placed with IBS Open Systems plc for the supply of Document Image Processing/Workflow software and associated services without seeking competitive tenders in the interests of standardisation.

18

EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC (WHICH TERM INCLUDES THE PRESS)

To consider whether, pursuant to Section 100A(4) 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 during this item, it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item.

PART II

Paper E78

19

CAST – (Exempt information by virtue of Paragraphs 8 and 9 of Part 1)

Report by the Head of Organisational Development attached.