Agenda and minutes

To note any changes in membership of the Panel made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3.

The Panel noted the apologies of Mr Wharton, Mrs Topp, Councillor Fitzhenry and Councillor Stevens.   The Panel also noted that Councillor Norris was in attendance as a nominated substitute for Councillor Fitzhenry and that Councillor Thorpe had replaced Councillor Chaloner as a committee member in accordance with Procedure Rule 4.3.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 16^th January 2014 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Committee Meeting on 16^th January 2014 be approved and signed as a correct record.

To move that in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, specifically the Access to Information Procedure Rules contained within the Constitution, the press and public be excluded from the meeting in respect of any consideration of Item 8a.

Item 8a  is confidential, the confidentiality of which is based on category 5 (legal professional privilege) and category 3 (financial and business affairs of the Authority) of paragraph 10.4 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.  It is not in the public interest to disclose this information because the overriding principle in relation to legal professional privilege favours maintaining openness of communication between lawyer and client as a fundamental principle in relation to the administration of justice. Such communications would only be disclosed in very limited circumstances where a strong argument in favour of release outweighed the primary principle of privilege. The release of such privileged advice would undermine the Council’s ability to take timely and appropriate confidential legal advice in the future. The financial information contained in this report is not in the public interest to disclose as it would prejudice the Council’s ability to meet its statutory duties in relation to Best Value if the information was released into the public domain and undermine the Council’s ability to reach appropriate settlement arrangements in due course.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, specifically the Access to Information Procedure Rules contained within the Constitution, the press and public be excluded from the meeting in respect of any consideration of Item 51 (i).

Confidential item 51 (i) contains information deemed to be exempt from general publication based on category 5 (legal professional privilege) and category 3 (financial and business affairs of the Authority) of paragraph 10.4 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.  It is not in the public interest to disclose this information because the overriding principle in relation to legal professional privilege favours maintaining openness of communication between lawyer and client as a fundamental principle in relation to the administration of justice.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive detailing items requested for discussion from the current Forward Plan, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive, detailing items requested for discussion from the current Forward Plan.

RESOLVED

(i)  on consideration of the briefing paper relating to the forthcoming confidential Cabinet Decision “Past Practice in Assessing Contributions for Adult Social Care Non Residential Care”, the Committee put forward four confidential recommendations.

(ii)  on consideration of the briefing paper relating to the forthcoming

  Cabinet Decision “Changes to Housing Allocations Policy”, the

  Committee recommended that :- 

  a)  to improve clarity, the Cabinet Member gives consideration to 

  refining the term “Part of the Family” in paragraph 13 of the

  Cabinet report; and

b)  the Cabinet Member explores options regarding the setting of an income cap within the housing allocations policy.

NOTE:  Councillor Keogh declared a pecuniary interest in item 51 (i), took no part in the discussion and left the Chamber.

Report of the Director, People, providing an update on the progress made in relation to the “Families Matter” programme, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Director, People providing an update on the progress made in relation to the “Family Matters” programme.

RESOLVED:

(i)  that performance information is broken down by criteria and circulated to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee;

(ii)  that the Cabinet member considers prioritising the worklessness criteria for the Families Matter programme in 2014/15;  and

(iii)  that the Families Matter programme is discussed at a future meeting of the Committee when the VFM evaluation has been completed.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive, detailing the actions of the executive and monitoring progress of the recommendations of the Committee, attached.

The Committee received and noted the report of the Assistant Chief Executive, detailing the actions of the Executive and monitoring progress of the recommendations of the Committee.