Agenda and minutes

to approve as a correct record and authorise the Chairman to sign the minutes of the Panel held on 17 March 2016;

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 17 March 2016 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

As a point of clarity arising from the Performance report (Minute O&S.91/15 refers), the Head of Paid Service confirmed that he would ensure that the measures used to illustrate performance in the Customer Contact Centre would be revisited.

Members are invited to declare any personal or disclosable pecuniary interests, including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting;

Members and officers were invited to declare any interests in the items of business to be considered during the course of the meeting, but there were none made.

 to consider the following resolution to exclude the public and press:-

“That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business in order to avoid the likely disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”;         

The following resolution was PROPOSED, SECONDED and on being put to the vote declared CARRIED:

RESOLVED

That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the Act is involved.

             to consider an exempt report that seeks to recommend approval of an unconditional bid for an area of land located in the South Hams;

An exempt report was considered that sought to gain approval to lodge an unconditional bid for the purchase of a site in the South Hams.

In discussion, the following points were raised:-

(a)   A number of Members expressed their support for the proposals, which were felt to be the first steps towards the Council becoming a more commercially minded authority;

(b)   Some Members emphasised the importance of any development sites maximising their percentage of affordable housing contributions.

It was then:

            to consider an exempt report that presents a number of income generation proposals.

An exempt report was considered that provided an update on income generation proposals.

During discussion, reference was made to:-

(a)             the annual budget setting process.  Disappointment was expressed that approval to add a new member of staff to the establishment was being sought so soon after the budget for 2016/17 had been approved by the Council;

(b)          proposed recommendation 3.   in light of some concerns over the wording of proposed recommendation 3 and the wish to recognise the importance of both local consultation and the role of Members, the following amended recommendations were PROPOSED, SECONDED and when put to the vote declared CARRIED:-

‘3. That the income generation and efficiency proposals (as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the presented agenda report) be progressed to the stage of business case sign-off; and

4.  That individual business cases will be subject to a consultation exercise with relevant stakeholders and these will ultimately be presented back to Members for a decision.’

It was then: