Council Minutes - 21 July 2005

Present:

Cl/29 Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R H Fisher, A K Morgan, H Sawrey-Cookson and Mrs M Robinson.

Cl/30 Declarations of Interest

Councillor A P Richardson declared a personal interest in item 8 on the agenda (Capital Strategy 2005) as he is a member of Cumbria County Council.

Cl/31 Chairman's Announcements

The Chairman made the following announcements:

Councillor Mrs Langan at the end of June had been invited to Lowick Hall, Ulverston, to meet the High Sheriff of Cumbria and his wife. In July she attended a service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving at Greystoke church following an invitation from Councillor Roy Fisher. Mrs Langan also attended the AGM of Eden Community Homes at Roundthorn Hotel.

In June Mrs Langan had the opportunity to support and attend the official opening of the new Melmerby and Fellside Village shop and Post Office. She wished Nigel Holmes, the store manager every success with this business, which is a fine example of a community pulling together to provide local amenities with support from various agencies and authorities. Mrs Langan also in June attended the Opening ceremony for a new viaducts footpath between Merrigill and Podgill in Kirkby Stephen.

Recently the Town Hall played host to the awards ceremony for the new Eden Design Awards and Eden Build Quality Awards. These new initiatives were established by the Council's Planning Services team earlier this year. They aim to recognise the excellent work that is being done by owners, agents and contractors on a wide range of developments within the district. The awards are an important part of the continuing process of encouraging and promoting better standards of design in the built environment and an opportunity to reward builders for excellent construction techniques linked with customer satisfaction.     

On the 16 August Mrs Langan is looking forward to seeing the array of street entertainment the council is providing for the Special Summer market in Penrith.

Cl/32 Minutes

Minutes Cl/18 to Cl/28 of the meeting of the Council held on 23 June 2005 were approved as a correct record of those proceedings.

Cl/33 Contact Centre

The Council considered report CLS46/05 with the addendum reports CLS63/05 and CLS64/05 of the Director of Corporate and Legal Services updating Members upon the developments in relation to the contact centre proposal. Members also received Unison's response to the consultation for consideration. Members approval was sought for the implementation of the project.

Motion by Councillor D I A Nattrass

Seconded by Councillor C Nineham

that:

1. CGI be appointed to undertake the delivery of the Contact Centre infrastructure on the terms and conditions to be negotiated and determined by the Director of Corporate and Legal Services;
2. the revised staffing structure in appendix 3 - 35Kb   be approved;
3. the posts identified in appendix 4 - 13Kb , appendix 4 - 34Kb be deleted once the contact centre is implemented;
4. the recruitment protocol in appendix 6 - 24Kb , appendix 6 - 42Kb 6 be adopted
5. the first phase of the contact centre proposal as identified in paragraph 2.16.2 of the report be approved
6. the Chief Executive and the Director of Corporate and Legal Services be authorised to negotiate and conclude a Service Level Agreement with Cumbria County Council to enable County services to be provided through the Contact Centre;
7. the installation of the Contact Centre at a capital cost of £540,000 at the Town Hall and the development of six initial activities be approved;
8. the annual additional revenue costs for the implementation of the contact centre estimated at £22,210 be approved and these costs be funded from second homes moneys;
9. the capital funding offer from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister be accepted;
10. the use of ODPM funding for the purposes proposed in the report be approved;
11. the use of the Council's capital contribution and the use of the budget for the purposes proposed for the contact centre in this report be approved; and
12. a further report be submitted on progress in relation to the second and subsequent phases of the contact centre proposal.
13. The Chief Executive and the Director of Corporate and Legal Services be authorised in consultation with the Chairman of the Establishment Committee to increase the number in the pool of staff in the Contact Centre to 8, if appropriate, and that the annual additional revenue cost of £3587 be approved in principle to be funded from the second homes moneys.

A recorded vote was taken when there were

For the Motion  - 18

Councillors Ms J Brook, R A Brunskill, G Collingwood, Mrs E M Cook, H H Cook, M Davidson, I Graham, N Hughes, T C Ladhams, Mrs E Langan, B Metz, D I A Nattrass, J Nicholson, C Nineham, K Phillips, G R Savage, J M Smith, R V Turner

Against it - 13

Councillors Mrs M J Herbert, J M Holliday, P B Huddleston, W J Lancaster, Mrs J Lowis, J C Lynch, M T Metcalfe-Gibson, G Nicolson, W Patterson, A P Richardson, S J Simpson, J G Thompson, H W Threlkeld,

Abstentions - 1

Councillor A R Bewley

the motion was carried and it was RESOLVED accordingly.

Reasons for decision

To pursue the Contact Eden Project and develop a contact centre within the Council's offices.

Other options considered

None

Cl/34 Capital Strategy 2005

The Council considered report F59/05 of the Director of Finance setting out the Council's updated Capital Strategy for approval. The Strategy ensured that the Council's capital expenditure was clearly linked to its corporate objectives and that the capital expenditure is planned and monitored on an appropriate basis.

RESOLVED that the Capital Strategy for 2005 be approved.

Cl/35 Attendance at Local Government Association (LGA) Meetings: Appointees of a Political Group on the LGA

The Council considered report F60/05 of the Director of Finance inviting Members to consider if they would like to make attendance at LGA meetings an Approved Duty if a Member is attending as an appointee of a political group on the LGA.

Motion by Councillor C Nineham

Seconded by Councillor J M Smith

And RESOLVED that no further action be taken.

Cl/36 Electronic Tendering pilot

The Council considered report F62/05 of the Director of Finance detailing proposals to introduce a pilot to assess how electronic tendering might benefit the Council.

RESOLVED that

1. the electronic tendering pilot in the manner set out in the appendix to the report be adopted to operate alongside the Council's existing Contract Procedure rules until15 December 2005.
2. the Director of Technical Services and Finance be authorised to choose which tenders would be most useful to include in the pilot.

Cl/37 Appointment of New Members to the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP)

The Council considered report F61/05 of the Director of Finance inviting Members to approve the renewal of part of the Council's Independent Remuneration Panel.

RESOLVED that

1. Mr Wooff and Mr Callaghan be replaced by new members following a nomination and selection process with the selection being undertaken at Council on 20 October 2005 and Mr Wooff and Mr Callaghan's appointments being extended until the new appointments are made.
2. Mr Smillie's term of office be extended until 30 April 2007
3. the Eden Economic Forum be asked to nominate one or more members of the business community for consideration as a member of the IRP
4. if nominees are willing for their names to be put forward, they be asked to submit brief details (based on a pro forma) for Members to consider as part of the selection
5. selection be made by Council in the public part of the agenda to demonstrate transparency
6. the appointment of the IRP member with a business background be made for four years and that of the member with a voluntary sector background be made for six years: all future appointments to the Panel to be made for six years.

Cl/38 Statement of Accounts for the Year ending 31 March 2005

The Council considered report F63/05 of the Director of Finance seeking Members approval for the draft Statement of Accounts, subject to audit, for the financial year ending 31 March 2005.

RESOLVED that

1. the draft Statement of Accounts, as set out in (Appendix A) - 634Kb , (Appendix A) - 888Kb  be approved, subject to audit, for the year ending 31 March 2005
2. the variances outlined at (Appendix B) - 35Kb , (Appendix B) - 141Kb RTF be noted.

Cl/39 Electronic Distribution of Agenda and Minutes

The Council considered report CLS61/05 of the Director of Corporate and Legal Services advising Members of the results of the trial upon the electronic distribution of agenda and minutes. The report also informed Members as to the proposals to enhance the use of electronic reports and to consider the continuation of the trial until December 2005.

Motion by Councillor J M Holliday

Seconded by Councillor M Davidson

that the questionnaire be sent out again to Members requesting a response

A vote was taken when there were:

 <

For the motion - 3

Against it - 29

Motion by Councillor C Nineham

Seconded by Councillor R V Turner

that the original recommendations be approved

RESOLVED that the Director of Corporate and Legal Services be authorised

1. to distribute copies of all minutes to Members electronically;
2. to distribute the agenda for the Community and Economy Committee, the Scrutiny Committee and the Standards Committee electronically to Members unless he or she is a member of the Committee concerned, a standing deputy for that Committee or a person who requests access to documents in a paper format;
3. to add a further committee or committees to those for which agenda are distributed electronically in consultation with the member e-champion
4. to review the trial during its progress and at the end of December 2005 and report thereon to the Council
5. to transmit the agenda and reports of Committees which are included within the trial on both word and pdf formats.

Cl/40 Joint working between the Council and Carlisle City Council: Proposals for the future

The Council considered report PP45/05 of the Chief Executive which informed Members of the consideration of the Carlisle and Eden Joint Committee on future joint working between the two districts

RESOLVED that

1. the current Eden/Carlisle LSP be developed into two separate LSPs for each district
2. a Community Conference be organised on an annual basis to bring the two LSPs together
3. the Chief Executive in consultation with the current joint chairman of the Carlisle and Eden LSP, Councillor Nineham, be authorised to progress the setting up of an Eden only LSP utilising the funding set aside in the existing LSP budget.
4. any joint work currently undertaken by the Eden/Carlisle LSP be taken forward by the Carlisle and Eden Joint Committee

Cl/41 Member Training Programme 2005-2006

The Council considered report CLS58/05 of the Director of Corporate and Legal Services inviting Members to consider the Member Training Programme for 2005-2006

RESOLVED that

1. the Member training programme for 2005-2006 concentrate on corporate/statutory areas and be as interactive as possible.
2. the Member training programme as detailed in sections 2.7, 2.8, and 2.9 of the report be approved
3. the Director of Corporate and Legal Services be authorised to make the necessary arrangements to carry out the approved Member Training Programme

Cl/42 Late Item; Appointment to the Standards Committee

The Council considered report CLS62/05 of the Director of Corporate and Legal Services which informed Members of the nominations which have been made on behalf of the Parish Councils to the vacant place upon the Standards Committee

RESOLVED that Ms Jill Hay on behalf of Cumbria Association of Local Councils be appointed to the Standards Committee and Ms Nancy Armstrong be appointed as a Standing Deputy for the Cumbria Association of Local Councils in place of Mrs S M Haughey

The meeting closed at 8.43pm