To notify the Chairman of any items that appear in the agenda in which you may have an interest.

The following members indicated that they would be declaring a personal interest in Item 5 - Community Safety Service.

Councillor R.S. Fleming - Member of Great Aycliffe Town Council

Councillor M. Iveson -  Leader of Great Aycliffe Town Council

Councillor W. Waters - Member of Spennymoor Town Council

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd February 2006.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd February 2006 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Consideration was given to a report detailing the results of the consultations undertaken in relation to the Council’s initial budget proposals, together with copies of the minutes of the meetings of the Council’s three Overview and Scrutiny Committees held to consider the proposed budget framework.  (For copies see file of Minutes).

Members’ attention was drawn to Appendices 1 and 2 of the report, which detailed the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and feedback from Council Tax Focus Groups respectively.

Appendix 3 to the report summarised the 2006/07 budget recommendations in respect of General Fund, Housing Revenue Account and Capital Programme.

Cabinet noted that there was support from consultees for the initial spending plans and the proposed Council Tax increase for 2006/07.

RESOLVED :      1.      That the recommendations of Overview and

                               Scrutiny Committees 1,2 and 3 be noted

                           2.         In accordance with Paragraph 2(b) of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, Cabinet makes the following recommendations to the Council as its firm proposals for the Budget Framework 2006/07.

                        a.         That insofar as General Fund Services are concerned, the Budget Framework previously agreed by Cabinet on 12^th January 2006 be confirmed and as a consequence it is proposed that:

                           (i)   The net revenue budget is set at £14,045,480 for 2006/07.

                           (ii)   The increase in the Borough Council Tax be 3%, taking the Band D Tax from £175.60 to £180.87p.

                        b.         That insofar as the Housing Revenue Account is concerned, the Budget Framework previously agreed by Cabinet on 12^th January 2006 be confirmed and as a consequence it is proposed that:

                           (i)   A rent increase of 3.2% be applied to all basic and target rents, with effect from 3rd April 2006.

                           (ii)   The Government’s new rent re-structuring proposals are implemented to bring basic rents towards target rents at the maximum level of

                              + £2 per week. This will have the impact of increasing the average rent on the Housing Revenue Account by 5%.

c.      That insofar as the Capital Spending Programmes are concerned, the Budget Framework previously agreed by Cabinet on 12^th January 2006, be confirmed and as a consequence it is proposed that the Capital Programme be set at £15,650,000.

N.B.    In accordance with Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2000 and the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillors R.S. Fleming, M. Iveson and W. Waters declared a personal interest in the above item and remained in the meeting.

The Review of Closed Circuit Television

Consideration was given to a report which set out the main findings of a review had been undertaken in respect of the Closed Circuit Television Service provided by the Borough.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

The report also detailed the actions that had been implemented in the course of the review to address immediate issues facing the service and presented a Service Improvement Plan in Appendix 1, attached to the report, for the medium term.

The Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Community Safety expressed their appreciation of the tremendous amount of work put into the review by D. Scarr, Head of Community Services and the other members of the Review Team.

RESOLVED :            That the findings of the review of the CCTV Service be agreed and the following recommendations be implemented :

1.      The Borough Council includes a programme of  CCTV camera replacement for strategically relevant cameras as part of the Asset Management Plan set out in paragraph 7.5.1.of the report.

2.      All requests for new CCTV cameras should be determined by the Head of Community Services in accordance with the agreed criteria set out in paragraph 7.8.2 of the report.

3.      That the Borough Council retains the in-house provision of CCTV monitoring following the assessment of financial and other strategic issues of alternative options set out set out in paragraph 8.1.5 of the report.

4.      That the proposed charging arrangements for the new cameras set out in paragraph 8.2.2 of the report be implemented.

5.      That the existing maintenance contract be re- tendered for a period of 3 years, including a partnering arrangement in relation to capital works and the contract be extended to include all CCTV camera systems operated by the Borough Council as set out in paragraph 9.3 of the report.

6.      That support for the delivery of the asset management of the CCTV system be provided by the Corporate Asset Management Team as set out in paragraph 9.4 of the report.

7.      That the Lead Member for Community Safety be kept informed of developments.

Community Safety Capital Programme 2005/06 - 2006/07

Consideration was given to a report regarding the above.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

The report set out how the 2005/06 and 2006/07 Community Safety Capital Programmes could contribute to the CCTV Asset Management Plan developed as part of the CCTV Review and highlighted the level of funding necessary to complete the replacement of the CCTV central processor. 

It was pointed out that the programme for 2005/06 totalled £56,000 and the provisional programme for 2006/07 totalled £75,000, which left a shortfall of £62,000.  It was therefore proposed that the balance of costs should be met from Capital Contingencies in 2005/06, with any monies remaining unspent at 31^st March 2006 be carried forward to 2006/07.

RESOLVED :            1. That the Community Safety Capital Programmes for 2005/6 and 2006/07 as detailed in the report be approved.

                        2.            That the balance of costs amounting to £62,000 be met from Capital Contingencies from the 2005/06 Budget with any monies being remaining unspent at 31^st. March 2006 being carried forward to 2006/07. 

Report of Director of Resources.

Consideration was given to a report outlining the strategy to be followed by the Council over the medium term in relation to its Treasury Management activities, which took account of guidance on investment issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

RESOLVED :         That the Council be recommended to approve the Treasury Management Strategy 2006/07, the Investment Strategy 2006/07 and the ‘Authorised Limit’ for borrowing as shown in Appendix A to the report and adopt the Prudential Indicators and Limits 2006/07 to 2008/09.

Report of Director of Neighbourhood Services.

The Lead Member for Regeneration presented a report regarding the procurement of a Document Imaging System for the Planning Service. (For copy see file of Minutes).

It was explained that a Document Imaging System would transform the way the Planning Section managed and retrieved planning application documents.  Documents would be professionally scanned and indexed by an external service and made accessible to officers and the public through the imaging system.

Members’ attention was drawn to paragraph 4, which detailed the resource implications.

RESOLVED :            That the Director of Neighbourhood Services be authorised to enter into negotiation with Anite to procure a Document Imaging System for the Planning Service in accordance with the Council’s procurement procedure rules.

Report of the Review Group.

Councillor R.A. Patchett, Chairman of the Review Group, presented the findings of the review on the impact of the Council’s approach to private sector housing within the context of the regeneration of neighbourhoods.

It was pointed out that the Review Group had sought to examine the particular issues surrounding older private sector housing (principally pre-1919 properties) within the Borough to determine what had been done to date and what could be achieved.

Specific reference was made to the Group’s conclusions and recommendations.

RESOLVED :            That the report be received and the recommendations contained therein adopted.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th January 2006.

Consideration was given to the Minutes of the meeting held on 17^th January 2006.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

RESOLVED :                        That the report be received.

RESOLVED:             That in accordance with Section 100(a)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 7 and 9 of Schedule 12a of the Act.

Joint report of Chief Executive Officer and Director of Resources.

The Leader of the Council presented a report regarding an application received to purchase development land at Green Lane Industrial Estate, Spennymoor.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

RESOLVED :            That the recommendation detailed in the report be adopted.

Published on 17^th February, 2007.

The key decisions contained in these Minutes will be implemented on Monday, 27^th February, 2005 five working days after the date of publication unless they are called in by five Members of the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the call in procedure rules.