Councillors B Coleman and Plant declared a Personal Interest in the item relating to Arts, Culture and Heritage Investment but were allowed to speak and vote on the item.

Councillors Williamson and B Coleman declared a Personal Interest in the item relating to the St Georges Theatre Trust in their capacity as Members of SeaChange Arts but were allowed to speak and vote on the item.

There were no apologies for absence.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 11th November 2015 were confirmed.

Cabinet considered the Group Manager (Growth's) report in respect of the Local Plan - Core Strategy Adoption.

The Group Manager (Growth) reported that Core Strategy is the first document of the new Local Plan which sets out the overarching Development Strategy and Core Planning Policies for the Borough to 2030. It also allocates two key strategic sites, one in the heart of Great Yarmouth on the riverside and one at land south of Bradwell. The Local Core Plan Strategy has been published for several rounds of Consultation with the Public and Statutory Consultees which have informed the content of the Plan. The Council had submitted the Local Plan Core Strategy to the Secretary of State in April 2014 for an examination in public. A number of changes called the main modifications were recommended by the Inspector following the hearing sessions and were published with public consultation from the 11th May to 23rd June 2015. On the 30th November 2015 the Council received the Planning Inspector's final report on the Local Plan Core Stratergy.

RESOLVED :-

(1) That Council be recommended to note Appendix 1, the Conclusions of the Planning Inspectors final report and accept all the recommendations as detailed in Appendix 1.

(2) That Council be recommended to adopt the Local Plan Core Strategy (Appendix 2) which incorporates all the "main modifications" as recommended by the Planning Inspector and all the "additional (minor) modifications" (listed in Appendix 3) and, further delegates to Officers prior to the publication of the Local Plan Core Strategy, the correction of any further grammatical errors together with any improvements from a presentational perspective. 

Cabinet considered the Director of Customer Services report which identified and outlined the potential savings in delivering a hybrid service throughout the Northern Parish Public Toilet and North Drive for the 2016/17 season. The Cabinet Secretary advised Cabinet that this matter would be subject to the Call In Procedure.

RESOLVED :

That approval be given to the management solutions for the operation of the Northern Parish Toilets and North Drive for the 2016/17 financial year as detailed in the Director of Customer Service's report. 

Cabinet considered the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood's report which asked Members to consider the current investment in Arts, Culture and Heritage and also recommended approval of a further one year's grant to St Georges Theatre for 2016/17.

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods reported that the St Georges Theatre Trust was requesting a grant from the Council of £40,000 for a further year. The Arts Council for England had expressed and interest in match funding Council investment in the Theatre through a bid in Grants for the Arts Programme and a commitment from the Borough Council would enable a discussion about the level and type of support that they are able to provide. The Arts Council expertise would help to support St George's in developing into a more sustainable business model.

Cabinet also discussed the Council's representation on the St George's Theatre Trust which was currently restricted to one Member appointment. Cabinet discussed the possibility of the Trust increasing the number of representatives allowed to sit on the Trust from the Borough Council. Members were advised that this would be a matter for the Trust to determine themselves.

RESOLVED :

(1) That the current investment profile for Arts, Culture and Heritage within the Council's Budget as detailed in the Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods report be noted.

(2) That Council be recommended to agree to a further year's grant of £40,000 for the St Georges Theatre Trust to support the development of a Business Plan and that this be included in the Council's Budget for 2016/17, and that £32,000 of the funding to be drawn from the savings on Northern Parish Public Toilets with a further £8000 of saving being sought from within the Service, subject to the following conditions :-

• A bid to Arts Council England is submitted but the Business Plan must ensure that the Theatre Trust can financially break even by 2017/18 at the latest and no further funding is required from the Council, and the Arts Council must not compromise this aim with conditions associated with the type of "offer" the venue can provide.
• That the Board of Trustees secures external support in reviewing their own effectiveness and ensuring they have the right mix of skills and experience moving forward.
• That the Board of Trustees explore all possible avenues to secure future funding including more commercial uses for the assets (e.g. through franchises or similar).

Cabinet considered the Revenues Manager's report with regard to the Council Tax - Tax Base.

Members were advised that the Council Tax Base is a technical calculation that has to be formally set each year and is the first stage of the Council Tax setting process that will be finalised once the budget has been agreed. The report asked Cabinet to approve the calculation of the 2016/17 Tax Base totalling £26,722. This is the total number of Domestic Properties in the Borough using Band D as the average property band.

The Cabinet Secretary advised Members that this matter would be subject to the Call In Procedure.

RESOLVED :

That the estimated Tax Bases for the Borough and for each Parish as detailed in the Revenue Managers report be approved.

Cabinet was asked to recommend to Council that Councillor Malcolm Bird be appointed as Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for the Municipal Year 2016/17.

RESOLVED :

That Council be recommended to approve that Councillor Malcolm Bird be appointed as Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for the Municipal Year 2016/17.

RESOLVED :

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12(A) of the said Act.

There is a confidential Minute on this item.

Cabinet was asked to consider the report from the County Council's Director of Community and Environmental Services with regard to the proposed new Constitution and Terms of Reference for the Great Yarmouth Transport Steering Group (formally the Car Parking Strategy Steering Group). The Cabinet Secretary advised Members that this matter would be subject to the Call In Procedure. Members were also advised that appointments to the Steering Group would be a matter for Council to determine.

RESOLVED :

That the Constitution and Terms of Reference for the Great Yarmouth Transport Steering Group (formally the Car Parking Strategy Steering Group) be agreed, as detailed in the County Council's Director of Community and Environmental Services report.

Cabinet was reminded that at its meeting on the 12th August 2015 Members had considered and approved a reference from the Car Parking Strategy Steering Group to agree in principle to Norse taking over part of the Beaconsfield Road car park. At the meeting in August the representative from GYB Services had reported in detail on the proposal of GYB services to utilise part of the Beaconsfield Road car park and on the issue of the surfacing that would be used at this location.

Members expressed their concern that it had been understood that GYB Services would be undertaking a consultation with local residents in this area prior to any work commencing on site. It was understood that GYB Services had not carried out the consultation separately but Members were advised that a pre planning application consultation could be carried out on this matter. The Director of Customer Services also confirmed that the area to be used by GYB Services was that as detailed at the meeting on the 12th August.