Agenda, decisions and minutes

With the agreement of the Chair, Councillor A Dale, Councillor M Foster and Councillor P Parkin contributed to the meeting virtually, through the electronic Conference Call system.  They did not participate in the decisions taken by Cabinet at the meeting.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To approve as a correct record and the Leader to sign the attached Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 10 June 2021.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2021 were approved as a true record.

Report of Councillor K Tait, Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee

RESOLVED

(1)            That Cabinet supported the recommendations of the Communities Scrutiny Committee review into Obesity in Younger Residents, as set out in the report.

(2)            That a detailed response to the Committee’s specific recommendations, as set out in the report, be prepared.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To appraise Cabinet of the Communities Scrutiny Committee Review’s findings and respond to its recommendations. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - No other options were considered by Cabinet.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.

Cabinet considered a report of the Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee, Councillor K Tait, on its review of obesity among younger people in North East Derbyshire. Members heard about the scope and purpose of the review. In particular, the Committee had sought to find out just how prevalent childhood obesity was in the District, what the Council and its partners were doing to address the problem and suggest other possible actions that could be taken.

The review identified those measures which the Council had successfully put in place, as well as highlighting those areas where there was room for improvement. In this context, the report set out a number of recommendations on how the District’s network of parks might be improved and used to promote healthy lifestyles among young people.

Cabinet thanked all those who had been involved in the review for their valuable work. Members highlighted the important role which parks can play in encouraging healthy lifestyles among young people and in promoting wellbeing. Cabinet also discussed the different management responsibilities for parks and open spaces within the District. There was a consensus that greater strategic co-ordination of these responsibilities should be explored.

RESOLVED

(1)          That Cabinet supported the recommendations of the Communities Scrutiny Committee review into Obesity in Younger Residents, as set out in the report.

(2)          That a detailed response to the Committee’s specific recommendations, as set out in the report, be prepared.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To appraise Cabinet of the Communities Scrutiny Committee Review’s findings and respond to its recommendations. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - No other options were considered by Cabinet.

Report of Councillor A Hutchinson, Chair of the Growth Scrutiny Committee

RESOLVED

(1)           That Cabinet supported the recommendations of the Growth Scrutiny Commitee review into Tourism Business and non-Business, as set out in the report.

(2)           That a detailed response to the Committee’s specific recommendations, as set out in the report, be prepared.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To appraise Cabinet of the Growth Scrutiny Committee Review’s findings and respond to its recommendations. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - No other options were considered by Cabinet.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.

Cabinet considered a report of the Chair of the Growth Scrutiny Committee, Councillor A Hutchinson, on its review of Tourism, Business and Non Business. Members heard about the scope and purpose of the review. In particular, that the Committee had sought to gauge the progress made towards the Council’s goals of promoting Tourism and the Visitor Economy, determine how businesses in the Visitor Economy could be supported more effectively and especially, how more employment and spending within the Visitor Economy, might be secured.

The review identified those measures which the Council had successfully put in place, as well as those areas where there was room for improvement. In particular, it stressed the importance of a clear ‘brand’ image, in order to raise the profile of the District and so help promote more effectively North East Derbyshire as a tourist destination.

Cabinet thanked all those who had been involved in the review for their valuable work and their recommendations. Cabinet felt that the Scrutiny Committee had highlighted the right issues and in particular, the importance of working in partnership in order to promote Tourism and the Visitor Economy across the District.

RESOLVED

(1)          That Cabinet supported the recommendations of the Growth Scrutiny Committee review into Tourism Business and non-Business, as set out in the report.

(2)          That a detailed response to the Committee’s specific recommendations, as set out in the report, be prepared.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To appraise Cabinet of the Growth Scrutiny Committee Review’s findings and respond to its recommendations. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - No other options were considered by Cabinet.

To consider any other matter which the Leader is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with the provisions of Statutory Instrument 2012 No 2089, Regulation 11.

None.

The Leader to move:-

That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).  [The category of exempt information is stated after each item].

Private Session

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following item(s) of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).  The category of exempt information is stated after each item.

Report of Councillor A Foster, Chair of the Organisation Scrutiny Committee

(Paragraphs 1 & 2)

RESOLVED

(1)      That Cabinet supported the recommendations of the Organisation Scrutiny Commitee review into Health and Wellbeing Working from Home as set out in the report.

(2)            That a detailed response to the Committee’s specific recommendations, as set out in the report, be prepared.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To appraise Organisation Scrutiny Committee Review’s findings and respond to its recommendations. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - No other options were considered by Cabinet.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.

Cabinet considered a report of the Chair of the Organisation Scrutiny Committee, Councillor A Foster, on the Scrutiny Committee’s review of the Health and Wellbeing of Council staff working from home during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Members heard that the review had identified specific measures which had been put into place to support staff during the lockdowns and when Government rules had required them to work from home. It also highlighted those area where there was room for improvement and the lessons which had been learned over this period.

The report suggested that, moving forward, these lessons would be of help in implementing the Council’s ‘Agile Working Policy’. Cabinet was reminded that this Policy would enable employees to work more flexibly, including at home, and not just at their designated workplaces.

Cabinet thanked all those who had been involved in the review for their valuable work.  Members discussed the implementation of the Agile Working Policy. They recognised the importance of keeping this Policy under review and asked that the Scrutiny Committee’s views be taken into account as part of this.

RESOLVED

(1)       That Cabinet supported the recommendations of the Organisation Scrutiny Committee review into Health and Wellbeing Working from Home, as set out in the report.

(2)          That a detailed response to the Committee’s specific recommendations, as set out in the report, be prepared.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To appraise Organisation Scrutiny Committee Review’s findings and respond to its recommendations. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - No other options were considered by Cabinet.

(Paragraphs 1 & 2)

Report of Councillor A Powell, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Communities and Communications

Key Decision                                                                            (Paragraph 3)

RESOLVED 

(1)          That Cabinet agreed to provide grant funding for the housing development scheme using the Commuted Sums as specified in the report

(2).      That Cabinet receives a further report explaining the other Commuted Sums which are currently by the Council.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To provide much needed specialist accommodation in the District and to provide Shared Ownership properties. This would be in line the Council Plan 2019-23 objective to ‘Promote Home Ownership’ within the District.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – The option of not supporting this development was considered but rejected as not in the interests of the District or its residents. It would also mean that sensitive Commuted Sums would be lost. Making effective use of these sums is a key priority for Housing Strategy.

This is a Key Decision.  The call-in period for the decision will run until Monday 19 July 2021

The report to Cabinet sought approval for a financial contribution to help fund a mixed tenure development at Holmewood. This development, it was explained, would include a supported living scheme for people with learning disabilities. The contribution would be met through the use of ‘Commuted Sums’ or payments made to the Council that had to be spent by a certain date.

Cabinet discussed the proposal and especially the valuable contribution which the supported living scheme for people with learning difficulties would make to the District. Members welcomed this as well as the provision of shared ownership properties within the development.

RESOLVED   

(1)          That Cabinet agreed to provide grant funding for the housing development scheme using the Commuted Sums as specified in the report

(2).    That Cabinet receives a further report explaining the other Commuted Sums which are currently by the Council.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To provide much needed specialist accommodation in the District and to provide Shared Ownership properties. This would be in line the Council Plan 2019-23 objective to ‘Promote Home Ownership’ within the District.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – The option of not supporting this development was considered but rejected as not in the interests of the District or its residents. It would also mean that sensitive Commuted Sums would be lost. Making effective use of these sums is a key priority for Housing Strategy.

(Paragraph 3)

(Paragraph 4)

Cabinet received an update on the contingency planning arrangements that were now ongoing at a regional and national level to help combat the outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

(Paragraph 4)

To consider any other matter which the Leader is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with the provisions of Statutory Instrument 2012 No 2089, Regulations 5 and 11.

None.