Meeting documents

SCC Scrutiny for Policies and Place Committee
Tuesday, 10th January, 2023 10.00 am

Venue: Luttrell Room, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY

Contact: Sarah Wright on 01823 357628 or Email: sarah.wright@somerset.gov.uk or  Jamie Jackson on Email: jajackson@somerset.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

10.

Declarations of Interest

Details of all Members’ interests in District, Town and Parish Councils can be viewed on the Council Website at

County Councillors membership of Town, City, Parish or District Councils and this will be displayed in the meeting room (Where relevant).

 

The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via request to the Democratic Service Team.

 

Minutes:

Cllr Osborne declared a personal interest in relation to item 5 – A358 Southfield to Taunton, in that she is the Division Member for Ilminster which covers some of the affected parishes and communities.

 

11.

Minutes from the previous meeting held on 6 December 2022 pdf icon PDF 151 KB

The Committee is asked to confirm the minutes are accurate. Minutes to follow.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meetings held on 6 December were presented for approval. A Councillor noted that these were published late. The Chair stated that this was due to the Christmas break and Officer leave. The Chair stated that the approval of these minutes could be deferred to the next  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Public Question Time

The Chair will allow members of the public to ask a question or make a statement about any matter on the agenda for this meeting. These questions may be taken during the meeting, when the relevant agenda item is considered, at the Chair’s discretion.  

Minutes:

There were two public questions, statements or petitions received.

 

·       Mr Keith Read – West Hatch Parish Council Chair, explained that a group of 15 parishes adjacent to the A358 have been working together as the Community of Parishes (CoP) to mitigate aspects of the National Hhighways A358 Development Plan. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

A358 Southfields to Taunton pdf icon PDF 2 MB

To receive and consider the presentation.

Minutes:

The Chair invited Strategic Manager – Infrastructure Programmes Group, Andy Coupe to give his presentation.

 

·       Infrastructure Programme Team have extensive experience in DCO process from Hinckley Point C and A303 Sparkford. A358 project will bea DCO.

·       Project part of overall corridor approach taken by Road Investment Strategy Process following extensive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Council Tax Exceptional Hardship Scheme pdf icon PDF 370 KB

To consider and comment on the report and policy.

 

Minutes:

The Committee received a report from the Assistant Director – Customer, Somerset West and Taunton Council Richard Sealy as Lead Officer for the transition to unitary from April 2023 in relation to revenues and benefits. The paper on the Council Tax Exceptional Hardship Scheme was presented.

 The following points were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Housing Benefit War Pension Disregard Policy pdf icon PDF 332 KB

To consider and comment on the report and policy.

Minutes:

The Committee received a second report from the Assistant Director – Customer, Somerset West and Taunton Council Richard Sealy as Lead Officer for the transition to unitary from April 2023 in relation to revenues and benefits. The paper on Housing Benefit War Pension Disregard was presented.

 

 The following points were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Libraries Update pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To comment on and note the report.

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Strategic Manager – Library and Registration Services, Sue Crowley and congratulated Sue on the recent award of her MBE.

The following points were highlighted from the report and presentation:

·       Range of services offered in additional to the core service of book lending, which allow access to skills  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To consider passing a resolution having been duly proposed and seconded under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972 that the press and public be excluded during the remainder of the meeting on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information of the following description:

 

         Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Minutes:

To consider passing a resolution having been duly proposed and seconded under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 197 that the press and public be excluded during the remainder of the meeting on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Insurance Policy Contract Award pdf icon PDF 278 KB

To consider and comment on the report. Report to follow.

Minutes:

See - CONFIDENTIAL MINUTE

 

19.

Scrutiny for Policies and Place Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 47 KB

To receive an update from the Governance Manager, Scrutiny and discuss any items for the work programme. To assist the discussion, attached are:

·       The Committee’s work programme

·       The Executive’s forward plan

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair informed the Committee that the following items would be considered on the agenda for the next meeting on 7 February:

-       Income and Arrears Management Policy;

-       Award of Professional Services Contract for Place Services (core highways, transport and wider place services);

-       Budget Monitoring Report – Month  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Any other urgent items of business

The Chair may raise any items of urgent business.

Minutes:

There were no other items of business.