To consider recommendations from the meeting of the Executive, 6 October 2015and answer questions asked under Rule No. 13.1.

 

(1)  Central Bedfordshire’s Five Year Plan 2015 – 2020.

 

(2)  Fees and Charges 2016.

 

(3)  Appointment of Proper Officer under Public Health Legislation.

 

(4)  Plan-making Programme for Central Bedfordshire.

 

(attached pages 15 to 23)

 

 

The Leader announced that item (2) fees and Charges 2016 would be considered prior to item (1)

 

(2) Fees and Charges                     2016

 

The Council considered recommendations from the Executive that proposed the fees and charges for 2016.

 

Additional recommendations were tabled at the meeting as follows:

 

5.      that for car parks where the current charge for up to two hours car parking is 50p, the charge is increased to £1.

 

6.      that until pay on exit technology is introduced, a trial of two hours free parking is implemented once a week in Ashton Square (Dunstable) and Duncombe Drive (Leighton Buzzard) during low footfall periods to support footfall increases in the towns. The timing of free parking in these car parks will be discussed with stakeholders through the Partnership Committee.

 

7.      that an evaluation of the effectiveness of the free parking trial is completed once pay on exit technology is installed, the results of which will inform further discussions on continuation of free parking subject to stakeholder funding.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.         that the Fees and Charges prices for 2016/17 be agreed and introduced with the exception of charges for the Music Service which should be brought back to Council with the 2016/17 Medium Term Financial Plan;

 

2.         that Fairer Charging be brought in line with Residential Care charging, and that charging commence from the point when the care started with effect from 1 January 2016, as set out in paragraphs 11 and 12 in the Executive report;

 

3.         that whilst some statutory charges have been left at the 2015 rate currently, these would be amended to the new charges once the Council had been advised of the rates applicable to 20116;

 

4.         the progress of the Fees and Charges cyclical review process, as set out at Appendix D to the Executive report, be noted;

 

5.         that for car parks where the current charge for up to two hours car parking is 50p, the charge is increased to £1;

 

6.         that until pay on exit technology is introduced, a trial of two hours free parking is implemented once a week in Ashton Square (Dunstable) and Duncombe Drive (Leighton Buzzard) during low footfall periods to support footfall increases in the towns. The timing of free parking in these car parks will be discussed with stakeholders through the Partnership Committee;

 

7.         that an evaluation of the effectiveness of the free parking trial is completed once pay on exit technology is installed, the results of which will inform further discussions on continuation of free parking subject to stakeholder funding.

 

 

With regard to the Sustainable Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee recommendation 2.

 

Charges proposed to be held at zero increase are largely where:

 

·                They are statutory and the Council has not yet been notified of the charges for 2016.  Once notification is received, the charges will be amended accordingly;

 

·                The value of the charge is low, and once rounded a 1% increase would still result in the same charge; and

 

·                The volume of transactions is so low that it is not economically viable to increase the charge in line with inflation.

 

 

(3)Central Bedfordshire’s Five Year Plan 2015-2020

 

The Council considered a recommendation from the Executive concerning the proposed Five Year Plan 2015-2020, following engagement with the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and stakeholders.

 

An amendment was proposed to paragraph 2 on page 9, as follows:

 

“Key components of this will be providing appropriate housing, particularly for the elderly and moving care to focus more on prevention rather than cure, with services and support provided in the right place at the right time.  This will require working closely with the National Health Service, to provide services locally seven days a week.  Social care will continue to be developed to help people to live independently for as long as possible, either in their own homes with support or in specialist accommodation.”

 

RESOLVED

 

that the Five Year Plan 2015-2020 for Central Bedfordshire be approved, subject to the above amendment to the second paragraph on page 9 of the Plan.

 

(3)Appointment of Proper Officer under Public Health Legislation

 

The Council considered a recommendation from the Executive setting out proposals for the appointment of all medical Consultants in Communicable Disease Control and other suitably medically qualified deputising officers in the Public Health East of England area as Proper Officers as required by Public Health legislation.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.         all the Medical Consultants in Communicable Disease Control (CCDCs) and other equivalently medically qualified deputising officers** in Public Health East of England (the Public Health England centre responsible for the East of England area) be designated as Proper Officers under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (as amended)*;

 

2.      Central Bedfordshire Council’s Director of Public Health, or successor  titles, employed by Central Bedfordshire Council with the duty to safeguard public health as a Proper Officer under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (as amended)* be so designated;

 

3.      Central Bedfordshire Council’s Director of Community Services, being the lead officer for Environmental Health employed by Central Bedfordshire Council with the duty to safeguard public health as a Proper Officer under the 1984 Act (as amended)* be so designated; and

 

4.      that the Directors identified in 2 and 3 above, be empowered to authorise officers to carry out particular functions or exercise particular powers for the purpose of safeguarding public health.

 

*        Act amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and regulations made under it and the Public Health Acts of 1936 and 1961.

**       Defined as a person suitably qualified in the field of health protection and registered with an appropriate body such as the Faculty of Public Health, and the Chartered Institute ofEnvironmental Health and/or the Nursing and Midwifery Council or the General Medical Council.

 

(4)  Plan Making Programme for Central Bedfordshire

 

The Council considered a recommendation from the Executive proposing that the authority withdraw the Development Strategy and discontinue legal proceedings.

 

RESOLVED

 

that the Development Strategy be withdrawn and the legal proceedings be discontinued.