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

Members had no interests to declare.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 21^st September 2006.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 21^st September 2006 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

Report of Director of Neighbourhood Services.

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

It was explained that the Local Development Scheme (LDS) was a public statement of the Council’s programme for the production of Local Development Documents (LDDs), which would form part of the Local Development Framework.  It set out the documents, which the Council intended to prepare and the timetable for their preparation. 

Members noted that although the Local Development Scheme would not be subject to public comment or independent examination, the Planning Inspectorate would be consulted on the draft LDS and it would be submitted to the Government Office for the North East for scrutiny and approval before the Council could adopt it.

RESOLVED :   That the Local Development Scheme be endorsed and formally submitted to the Secretary of State (represented by Government Office for the North East) for approval and at the same time to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) to enter into a Service Level Agreement.

Report of Director of Neighbourhood Services.

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

It was explained that the Local Development Framework would contain a Major Allocations Development Plan Document, which would set out the location of all major housing and employment development across the Borough to 2021. 

The draft Search Sequence and Detailed Assessment had been developed to assess all potential housing sites against the aims of the Local Development Framework. It would identify all major constraints and opportunities that may apply to each of the potential housing sites.  If there were any significant adverse impacts that could be satisfactorily overcome or alleviated, then the particular site would be deemed unsuitable for residential development.  To date the Council had received 112 representations for sites to be considered for housing development. 

Members noted that an informal consultation exercise on the draft Search Sequence and Detailed Assessment would be undertaken to ensure that the statutory consultation bodies and development industry were given the opportunity to fully engage in the location of future development and were able to suggest additional criteria.

RESOLVED :         That the Draft Search Sequence and Detailed Assessment be endorsed and published for consultation.

Report of Head of Organisational Development.

The Leader of the Council presented a report regarding the above Plan.  (For copy see file of Minutes).   

It was explained that the Organisational Development Plan had been developed via a series of focus groups, interviews and discussions with directors, managers, elected members, officers and trade union representatives. It drew together the development of the Council’s employees and elected members and assisted in matching human resources with the demands placed upon the Council through the Community Strategy and Corporate Plan ambitions.

The Plan incorporated key national and local issues and drivers, a summary of findings against 5 key themes and identified actions to address the findings. The five key themes were: Management Development, Planning, Performance Management, Communication and Member Development.  Each theme had an identified Lead, drawn from the four Directors and the Chief Executive.  Strategic responsibility for the Plan at elected member level, would be provided by the Leader of the Council, within the Strategic Leadership portfolio.

Members noted that the budget for organisational and member development for 2006/07 was £40,000 and £20,000 respectively.

RESOLVED                 1.   That approval be given to the assignment of a Lead Director for each theme and for the actions contained within the five themes to be implemented.

                                       2.   That the Organisational Development Plan be cascaded appropriately by Heads of Service to other managers within their departments to promote awareness and responsibility for ensuring its implementation and success.

                                       3.   That resources be allocated via departmental Training and Development budgets to ensure the Organisational Development Plan succeeds in raising the capacity of the Council’s workforce to meet its corporate priorities.

                                       4.   That the Resources Plan (Appendix 7 of the Organisational Development Plan) be used as a tool within all Service Improvement Plans to inform workforce analysis and decision making, succession planning and emerging business development opportunities impacting on the required skills, competencies, composition and structure of departments.

Report of Chief Executive.

The Leader of the Council presented a report setting out details of the new framework for District Council Comprehensive Performance Assessment from 2006 through to 2008.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

It was explained that under the new CPA framework, re-categorisation of District Councils would only be considered if Councils could demonstrate that performance was significantly better than that identified in the original Corporate Assessment or where there was evidence of significant deterioration in either service or corporate performance

Decisions on whether or not to undertake re-categorisation activity would be made regionally by Audit Commission panels, which would include council peer representatives and out of region Audit Commission staff.

It was noted that priority would be given in the first instance to those Councils where there was evidence of deteriorating performance.  Priority would subsequently be given to Councils in the poor or weak categories where there was evidence of significant improvement and where requests had been made for re-categorisation.

Members noted that although the Council had improved its performance since its CPA assessment in 2003 when it scored ’good’, it was difficult given the above priorities to seek re-categorisation as an ‘excellent’ authority. 

RESOLVED :            1.            That the Council builds the CPA Performance Indicators into its performance management system and reports progress against those CPA indicators to each Strategic Working Group.

                        2.            That CPA Performance Indicators activity be addressed via the Heads of Service Group to ensure that service performance information was effectively co-ordinated and managed at Head of Service level.

                        3.            That a Direction of Travel statement be completed to reflect and report on the progress the Council had made against its key ambitions.

                        4.            That clear links be maintained (through the Council’s Direction of Travel and Use of Resources work) between the Council’s priorities/ambitions and the delivery of efficiency/value for money arrangements.

Cabinet response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Group.

Consideration was given to a schedule detailing the Cabinet’s response to the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Review Group and the proposed actions.  (For copy see file of Minutes)

RESOLVED :   That the schedule be agreed.

To consider the Minutes of the following:

Consideration was given to the Minutes of the following :

Area 1 Forum          -         4^th September 2006

Area 2 Forum         -         5^th September 2006

Area 3 Forum         -         13^th September 2006

(For copies see file of Minutes).

RESOLVED :         That the reports 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 items of business on the grounds that they may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1,2 and 9 of Schedule 12a of the Act.

Report of Chief Executive.

The Lead Member for Learning and Employment presented a report outlining proposals for restructuring the Council’s Training and Employment Services Section.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

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

Joint report of Chief Executive and Director of Neighbourhood Services.

Consideration was given to a report outlining proposals for revising the staffing structure of the Council’s Development Control Team.  (For copy see file of Minutes).

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

Report of Solicitor to the Council.

Consideration was given to a report, which gave an update on changes to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act legislation and any amendments that would affect the Council as a result.  (For copy see file of Minutes)

The report also outlined the conclusions of the second triennial inspection and gave details of the introduction of a revised draft Code of Practice for the Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data.

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

Published on 6^th October 2006.

Any key decisions contained in these Minutes will be implemented on Monday 16^th October 2006 five working days after the date of publication unless they are called in by three Members of the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the call in procedure rules.