Agenda, decisions and minutes

With the agreement of the Chair, Councillor K Rouse contributed to the meeting virtually through the electronic Conference Call system. She 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.

None.

To approve as a correct record and the Leader to sign the attached Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 21 September 2023.

RESOLVED - That the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2023 were approved.

Report of Councillor J Barry, Portfolio Holder for Growth and Assets.

RESOLVED –

(1)            That Cabinet approved and adopted the Equality Plan and objectives for 2023-2027.

(2)            That Cabinet noted the achievements and progress made under the last two years of the previous plan (2019-2023).

REASONS FOR DECISION – To put into place the proposed Equality Plan and objectives 2023-2027, which will provide the framework for implementing the Council’s obligations regarding the general and specific equality duties. The proposed Equality Plan and objectives have received broad support.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – Not applicable as the Council is required under the Public Sector Equality Duty to set equality objectives every four years.

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

Cabinet considered proposals to adopt the draft Equality Plan 2023-2027 and to note the achievements and progress made under the last two years of the previous plan (2019-2023). Appendix 2 to the report included a review of the previous plan and set out the specific objectives which had been achieved.

Members heard that the Council was required under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) to set equality objectives every four years. The new objectives had been set following extensive consultation with Members of the Council, the Citizens’ Panel and the public. Email subscriber groups, the British Deaf Association (BDA) and other stakeholders had also been consulted.

Cabinet discussed the report. Members felt that the Council had made significant progress towards achieving its Equality Objectives in recent years. There was a consensus that the proposed new plan would build further on this success and that it should be supported.

RESOLVED –

(1)            That Cabinet approved and adopted the Equality Plan and objectives for 2023-2027.

(2)            That Cabinet noted the achievements and progress made under the last two years of the previous plan (2019-2023).

REASONS FOR DECISION – To put into place the proposed Equality Plan and objectives 2023-2027, which will provide the framework for implementing the Council’s obligations regarding the general and specific equality duties. The proposed Equality Plan and objectives have received broad support.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – Not applicable as the Council is required under the Public Sector Equality Duty to set equality objectives every four years.

Report of Councillor N Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance.

RESOLVED – That Cabinet approved and adopted the final draft of the Derbyshire-wide policy (Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, Protecting Children and Adults at Risk).

REASONS FOR DECISION – The Derbyshire-wide policy will subsequently replace the current Adult and Child Safeguarding policies. The Policy complies with legislation and provides a framework for Safeguarding.

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

The report to Cabinet proposed that the final draft of the Derbyshire-wide Safeguarding Policy (Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, Protecting Children and Adults at Risk) should be adopted. This policy, it was explained, would replace the Council’s existing Adult and Child Safeguarding policies.

Cabinet heard how the Derbyshire Safeguarding Leads Group had agreed that a Safeguarding Policy should be developed by all District and Borough Councils across Derbyshire together. This would, they argued, help to ensure consistency of the service offered in the County and help the Councils respond to new challenges, in what was an evolving Safeguarding environment.

Cabinet discussed the report. Members believed that Safeguarding was an important issue for the District, which would becoming increasingly significant over time.  They felt that the proposed Derbyshire-wide policy was precisely what was needed to help meet the challenges that the Districts and Borough Councils would face.

The Managing Director wished to place on record the Council’s gratitude towards the Housing Policy and Intelligence Officer in developing the proposed policies.

RESOLVED – That Cabinet approved and adopted the final draft of the Derbyshire-wide policy (Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, Protecting Children and Adults at Risk).

REASONS FOR DECISION – The Derbyshire-wide policy will subsequently replace the current Adult and Child Safeguarding policies. The Policy complies with legislation and provides a framework for Safeguarding.

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 of the Council 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 items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of  Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

Report of Councill N Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance.

Key Decision                                                                       (Paragraph 3)

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.