Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to this virtual meeting of Cabinet that was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online and advised that there was the opportunity for the public and press to listen and view proceedings.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager undertook a roll call and gave advice regarding the following:

·                Attendance;

·                Live Streaming;

·                Noise interference;

·                Rules of Debate;

·                Voting.

The Chair, Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb, started the meeting proper.

Audio recording – 8 seconds

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that it was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online. There was also the opportunity for the public and press to listen and view proceedings.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager undertook a roll call of Members and Officers to ensure that they could hear and be heard and gave the following advice.

The meeting was being streamed live on the Council’s You Tube channel and also recorded via Zoom. If live streaming failed the meeting would adjourn. If the live stream could not be restored within a reasonable period then the remaining business would be considered at a later date.

Please stay in view of the camera at all times.

If for any reason the meeting was not quorate an Officer would notify attendees by interjecting the meeting. The meeting would adjourn immediately. Once the meeting was quorate the meeting would resume.  If connection could not be restored within a reasonable period, then the remaining business would be considered at a later date.

If a remote Member lost connection the Chair may adjourn the meeting for a short period to enable connection to be re-established. If the Chair did not adjourn the meeting the Member would be deemed to have left the meeting at the point of failure and be deemed to have returned at the point of re-establishment. Only Members present for the entirety of debate and consideration of an item are entitled to vote.

Mobile phones and other noise emitting devices should be muted and the mute button on tablets and computers should be muted when not speaking.

When requested to vote, voting would be via the Green tick for “Yes”, Red Cross for “No” and Blue Raise Hand for “abstain” functions.

The Chair, Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb, started the meeting proper.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gary Grindal, Sam North, Helen Oliver, Sean Prendergast, Carol Stanier and Kay Tart.

Audio recording – 3 minutes 12 seconds

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gary Grindal, Sam North, Helen Oliver, Sean Prendergast, Carol Stanier and Kay Tart.

Climate Emergency

Members are reminded that this Council has declared a Climate Emergency. This is a serious decision and means that, as this is an emergency, all of us, officers and Members have that in mind as we carry out our various roles and tasks for the benefit of our District.

Declarations of Interest

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)       The Chair welcomed everyone to this meeting of Cabinet;

(2)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy, this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recordings would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC YouTube channel;

(3)       Members were reminded that this Council had declared a Climate Emergency.  This was a serious decision and meant that, as this was an emergency, all of us, officers and Members had that in mind as we carried out our various roles and tasks for the benefit of our District;

(4)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

Audio recording – 3 minutes 32 seconds

(1)       The Chair welcomed everyone to this meeting of Cabinet;

(2)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy, this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recordings would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC YouTube channel;

(3)       Members were reminded that this Council had declared a Climate Emergency.  This was a serious decision and meant that, as this was an emergency, all of us, officers and Members had that in mind as we carried out our various roles and tasks for the benefit of our District;

(4)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

REPORT OF: MANAGING DIRECTOR & SERVICE DIRECTOR - LEGAL & COMMUNITY

The report sets out the proposals for delegation of functions and recommendations on the establishment of a Hertfordshire Growth Board (‘HGB’) Joint Committee and Joint Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the content of the report entitled Hertfordshire Growth Board – Proposed Joint Committees and attached joint cover report Appendix HGB “Hertfordshire Growth Board Integrated Governance Framework” be noted;

(2)       That Cabinet agrees, as per Appendix HGB summary of functions, to the extent that these are Executive Functions, to delegate the exercise of such functions to enable HGB to pursue and achieve the purposes in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of the Terms of Reference, and to undertake any actions necessary, incidental or ancillary to achieving those objectives.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(1)       To confirm the establishment of the Growth Board and Growth Board Scrutiny Joint Committees (to hold their inaugural meetings in January/February 2021 and then HGB Scrutiny aligned to confirmation of securing Government funding in 2021);

(2)       To adopt the Growth Board Integrated Governance Framework into the Councils own constitutional framework;

(3)       To agree the Council’s nominated representatives on the Growth Board as Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb (as Leader of the Council), Deputy Councillor Paul Clark (as Deputy Leader of the Council) and Scrutiny Committee as Councillor David Levett (as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee), Deputy Councillor Kate Aspinwall (as Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee).

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To provide longer term joint place leadership.

Audio recording – 4 minutes 20 seconds

The Leader of the Council presented the report entitled Hertfordshire Growth Board – Proposed Joint Committees together with the following appendix:

·                Appendix HGB - Hertfordshire Growth Board Integrated Governance Framework cover report.

The Service Director – Legal and Community advised that:

·                If it were agreed to establish the committee and the delegations, then Council would be recommended to adopt the Growth Board Governance Framework into the Council’s Constitutional Framework.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

·                Councillor Steve Jarvis;

·                Councillor Paul Clark;

·                Councillor Judi Billing;

·                Councillor Ian Albert.

In response to questions the Managing Director advised that the method of reporting the work of the Growth Board would be through the regular Strategic Planning Matters report.

Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb Proposed, Councillor Paul Clark seconded and it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the content of the report entitled Hertfordshire Growth Board – Proposed Joint Committees and attached joint cover report Appendix HGB “Hertfordshire Growth Board Integrated Governance Framework” be noted;

(2)       That Cabinet agrees, as per Appendix HGB summary of functions, to the extent that these are Executive Functions, to delegate the exercise of such functions to enable HGB to pursue and achieve the purposes in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of the Terms of Reference, and to undertake any actions necessary, incidental or ancillary to achieving those objectives.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(1)       To confirm the establishment of the Growth Board and Growth Board Scrutiny Joint Committees (to hold their inaugural meetings in January/February 2021 and then HGB Scrutiny aligned to confirmation of securing Government funding in 2021);

(2)       To adopt the Growth Board Integrated Governance Framework into the Councils own constitutional framework;

(3)       To agree the Council’s nominated representatives on the Growth Board as Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb (as Leader of the Council), Deputy Councillor Paul Clark (as Deputy Leader of the Council) and Scrutiny Committee as Councillor David Levett (as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee), Deputy Councillor Kate Aspinwall (as Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee).

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To provide longer term joint place leadership.

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES

To determine if the Council wants to be part of a Business Rate Pool for 2021/22. The opportunity for the Council to be part of a Pool will be contingent on: (1) it being determined that a Business Rates pool could provide sufficient financial benefits given the uncertainty over Business Rate income in relation to Covid-19, and (2) that North Hertfordshire is determined to be part of an optimum Pool.

RESOLVED

(1)       That Cabinet approve that the Council is part of a Hertfordshire Business Rates pool in 2021/22;

(2)       That Cabinet delegate to the Service Director: Resources (in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and IT) authority to approve the detailed arrangements in relation to the Pool, such as a Memorandum of Understanding.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: So that the Council could benefit financially from being part of a Business Rates pool.

Audio recording – 21 minutes 27 seconds

The Executive Member for Finance and IT introduced the report entitled Business Rate Pool 2021/22 together with the addendum of the same name.

The Service Director – Resources advised that the report and addendum was being presented under urgency provisions due to the deadline for applications being 23rd October 2020. He then guided Members through the detail of the report and addendum.

The following Members took part in the debate:

·                Councillor Ruth Brown.

Councillor Ian Albert proposed, Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb seconded and it was:

RESOLVED

(1)       That Cabinet approve that the Council is part of a Hertfordshire Business Rates pool in 2021/22;

(2)       That Cabinet delegate to the Service Director: Resources (in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and IT) authority to approve the detailed arrangements in relation to the Pool, such as a Memorandum of Understanding.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: So that the Council could benefit financially from being part of a Business Rates pool.