Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Blyth, Collins, Cutting, Hanton, Mavroudis, Rodwell, C Smith, Stenhouse and Williamson.

Councillor B Coleman declared a personal interest in relation to the item regarding the Arts, Culture and Heritage Investment 2015/16 in his capacity as Chairman of St Georges Theatre Trust, and Councillor Plant declared his personal interest in item 5 similarly in his capacity as a Member of the Trust.

Council considered the Group Manager – Growth’s report on the Local Plan – Core Strategy Adoption.  

Members were advised that the 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 along the riverside and one at land south of Bradwell.  The Local Plan Core 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 submitted the Local Plan Core Strategy to the Secretary of State in April 2014 and a number of changes, called the main modifications, were recommended by the inspector following the hearing sessions and were published for public consultation from the 11 May to 23 June 2015.

On 30 November 2015 the Council received the Planning Inspector’s final report on the Local Plan Core Strategy.

In relation to Policy CS4 – Delivering Affordable Housing, Councillor Sutton requested that Ward Councillors should be informed of discussions that take place with regard to affordable housing that affect their particular wards.

Proposer: Councillor Plant
Seconder: Councillor B Coleman

(i) That the Council notes (Appendix 1) the conclusion of the Planning Inspector’s final report and accepts all the recommendations (Appendix 1A).
(ii) That the Council adopts 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.

CARRIED

Council considered the Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods’ report which asked Members to consider the current investment in Arts, Culture and Heritage and was recommended to approve a further one year’s grant to St Georges Theatre Trust for 2016/17.

Councillor T Wainwright reported that as the Borough Council only currently nominates one representative to serve on the Theatre Trust, the Trust should now be requested to increase the Borough Council’s representation to three Members.  In response, the Leader stated that if the Trust was minded to increase the Borough Council’s representation then this would need the approval of the Charity Commission.

In response to a question from Councillor Sutton as to the reason why a sum of £57,059 had been included in the budget for St Georges, the Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods reported that £17,000 of this sum was for repairs and maintenance at the Theatre.  Councillor Myers also raised the issue of what liability the Council has in respect of the St Georges Theatre building.

Proposer: Councillor Plant
Seconder: Councillor Reynolds

(i) That the current investment profile for Arts, Culture and Heritage within the Council’s budget be noted.
(ii) That approval be given to include a further year’s grant of £40,000 for St Georges Theatre Trust to support the development of a business plan in the Council’s budget for 2016/17, and that the £32,000 saving from the changes to the management of the public conveniences will be a permanent saving and as such should be included within the base budget as an ongoing saving year on year, and the request for £40,000 to support the St Georges Theatre Trust will be a one off cost and will therefore be met in year from reserves.
(iii) That the St Georges Theatre Trust be requested to give their written assent that they will seek the approval of the Charity Commission that the Borough Council’s representation on the Trust is increased to three representatives before the grant of £40,000 is released.

CARRIED

Following the Council’s decision at its November meeting to change its form of governance from Leader and Cabinet to committee system, as provided for under the Local Government Act 2000, Council considered the Interim Chief Executive Officer’s report with regard to the appointment of a Governance Committee with the specific task of drawing up the necessary structural arrangements for the committee system.  Members were advised that the Governance Committee would be politically balanced.

In order to implement the Council’s decision by the chosen date of the 16 May 2016, Council would need to resolve upon its proposed committee structure, number of committees, membership numbers and terms of reference.  Under the Act the Authority must draw up proposals for the change which must include a timetable with respect to the implementation of the proposals and details of any transitional arrangements which are necessary for the implementation of the proposals.  Details of the proposed terms of reference for the Governance Committee were considered and endorsed.

Proposer: Councillor Plant
Seconder: Councillor Walker

(i) To approve the creation of a Governance Committee as detailed in the Interim Chief Executive Officer’s report, comprising Councillors, Annison, Carpenter, Grey, Myers, Plant, Thirtle, T Wainwright, Walker and Williamson.
(ii) To agree the terms of reference of the Governance Committee as detailed in the Interim Chief Executive Officer’s report.
(iii) To approve the proposed budget for the change in governance.
(iv) To require the Governance Committee to formulate proposals, which are as far as possible, cost neutral, without compromising on the efficiency of the decision making of the Council.

CARRIED

Proposer: Councillor Grey
Seconder: Councillor Jones

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

CARRIED

(a) Great Yarmouth Transport Steering Group (formerly Car Parking Strategy Steering Group)

Proposer: Councillor Plant
Seconder: Councillor Jeal

That Councillors Grey, Plant and Sutton be appointed to serve on the Great Yarmouth Transport Steering Group.

CARRIED

(b) Great Yarmouth Municipal Charities

Proposer: Councillor T Wainwright
Seconder: Councillor B Coleman

That Councillor Jeal replace Councillor Davis on the Great Yarmouth Municipal Charities.

The Chairman had not been advised of any other business.

Proposer: Councillor Plant
Seconder: Councillor Reynolds

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 involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the said Act on the grounds that the report contains confidential commercial contract terms.

CARRIED

There is a confidential Minute on this item.

Mr D Johnson (nplaw) advised Members on the details of the rules of procedure as detailed in the Council’s Constitution.

The Leader reported that as the County Council would not be holding their Budget Council meeting until the 22 February 2016, it would be necessary for the Borough Council to change its Budget Council meeting date from the 16 February to the 24 February 2016.

Councillor Sutton requested that Members should be provided with a line by line account of the budget for consideration at the Budget Council meeting, and the Interim Chief Executive Officer gave an assurance that these details would be provided.

Proposer: Councillor Plant
Seconder: Councillor Thirtle

That Budget Council be held on Wednesday 24 February 2016 at 7:00pm.

CARRIED