THE “CALL IN”PERIOD FOR THESE DECISIONS EXPIRES AT 5.00 PM ON FRIDAY, 3 JANUARY 2003.  NONE OF THE DECISIONS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL AFTER THAT DATE.

 

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON TUESDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

 

Present :

 

Mrs S A Smart (Chairman), Mr R R Barry, Mr E Fox, Mr P G Harris, Mrs M A Jarman Mr D J Knowles, Mrs B Lawson, Mr R G Mazillius, Mr H Rees, Mrs J L Wareham

 

Also present non-voting :

 

Mr A C Bartlett, Mr B C Buckle, Mr J H Fleming, Mr A J Mundy, Mr D G Williams

 

 

 

 


160.        MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 3 December 2002 be confirmed

 

161.        DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

Mrs S A Smart and Mr H Rees declared a personal interest in Minute 166 (a)  -Accommodation Review Phase III: Purchase and Disposal of Capital Assets as both were Directors of the Riverside Centre

 

Mr R R Barry declared a personal interest in Minute 166 (a) - Accommodation Review Phase III: Purchase and Disposal of Capital Assets because he was acquainted with a person carrying on a business affected by the decision

 

162.        REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR AGENDA 21 AND COUNTRYSIDE MATTERS

 

Preparing for The Impacts of Climate Change

 

Members received a video presentation on the Impacts of Climate Change.

 

The Executive considered a report recommending the adoption by the Council of the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change.  The declaration had been prepared by the South East Climate Change Partnership as a means of committing the various agencies to work together to acknowledge, and then help tackle, problems caused by Climate Change. The work already undertaken by the Council in this area was detailed.  The Executive also supported an Action Plan which was hoped would assist in mitigating against climate change impacts on the Isle of Wight.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)                 THAT the Nottingham Declaration on climate change be signed by the Council. 

 

(ii)               THAT the initial Summary Action Plan be developed into a more comprehensive policy statement and Action Plan drawing in the full range of Council activities.

 

(iii)             THAT climate change initiatives to be progressed as far as possible taking advantage of networks, information exchange and through government and EU funding programmes

 

(iv)              THAT the progress made to date on the range of climate change mitigation measures be welcomed

 

(v)                THAT the Environment and Transport Select Committee be invited to scrutinise progress on the climate change initiatives during the next financial year

 

163.        REPORT OF THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

 

Northwood House Trust – Appointment of Trustee

 

The Executive considered the appointment of a Trustee to the Northwood House Trust following the resignation of Mr R Barry CC, which would take effect 20 December 2002.  The Leader informed members that she had been approached by a non- Executive member who would be willing to act as a Trustee.  Although the Trust was not a major strategic partner, it had the potential to engage with the Local Authority (and perhaps Wight Leisure upon externalisation), as landlord and as client for services and therefore, the Executive believed that a Member of the Executive would best placed to deliver the benefits to the Trust of having a Council nominated Trustee.

 

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT  Mr Roger Mazillius CC be appointed as a Trustee of the Northwood House Trust

 

164.        REPORTS OF THE DEPUTY LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

 

(a)               Risk Management

 

Earlier in the year, the Council had commission a Strategic Risk Profile of services and activities. The Directors Group had met on several occasions to analyse the report and had developed an Action Plan for addressing the high profile risks facing the Council. A Copy of the action was attached as an appendix to the report considered by the Executive. A number of targets against the Action Plan had also been agreed and the Deputy Leader (as the Member Risk Champion) would form part of a Strategic Risk Group to ensure that the Action Plan was implemented within the targets agreed.

 

The Deputy Leader explained the importance of effective risk management within the Council and that this report had been brought to the Executive as part of a continual information process.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the content of the report and action plan being delivered to address risk management issues be noted

 

(b)               Issues Raised at Executive on 10 September 2002

 

Following the meeting of the Executive held on 10 September when a number of detailed points of concern about the Council’s Pension Fund were expressed, the Deputy Leader presented a report that explained the matters raised.  A number of issues were discussed including the need to take a long-term view and the performance of some of the fund’s largest holdings

 

REOLVED :

 

THAT the report be noted.

 

165.        REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

 

(a)               Alterations to the School Year

 

The Portfolio Holder for Education and Life Long Learning presented her report setting out the outcome of the research that had been commissioned by the Executive on 21 May 2002 concerning the Local Government Association (LGA) proposals for a Standard Term Year (six terms a year). An extensive two-phase consultation process had been undertaken involving all the stakeholders. The first consultation focused on the principle of 6 school terms a year whilst the second on the more controversial issue of reducing the length of the summer holiday to 5 weeks. Whilst the outcome of the first consultation was broadly supportive the opposite was true on the issue of the length of the summer holiday. However it was explained that there was some flexibility in the LGA proposals to allow acceptance of the principle of the six-term year but with a longer summer holiday and a shorter break in late October

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the LGA proposals for the Standard Term Year be adopted as from the academic year 2004-05 but that the in-built local flexibility days be utilised to maintain the existing length of the summer holiday

 

(b)               Hampshire and Isle of Wight Learning and Skills Council Review of Post 14 Education and Training on the Isle of Wight

 

At its meeting on 26 February 2002 the Executive had established a Tertiary Strategy Group with the Local Learning and Skills Council to take forward the proposed collaborative and integrated approach for planning and resourcing Post 14 education and training in the Isle of Wight. 

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)           THAT the work of the Tertiary Strategic Group in achieving enhanced collaboration and integration of provision for post 16 education and training be supported

 

(ii)         THAT consultation on the KPMG options in the LLSC review be deferred

 

166.        REPORTS OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR RESOURCES

 

(a)               Accommodation Review Phase III: Purchase and Disposal of Capital Assets

 

(Mrs S A Smart declared a prejudicial interest as a Director of the Riverside Centre and vacated the Chair and left the room for discussion of this item. The Deputy Leader, Mr P Harris, took the Chair).

 

(Mr H Rees declared a prejudicial interest as a Director of the Riverside Centre and left the room for the discussion of the item).

 

Members received a short presentation detailing the premises contained in Phase III of the accommodation review.  The Executive considered the report setting out a series of recommendation to ensure the implementation of the Review of Accommodation as recommended by the Resources Select Committee.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)           THAT the freehold of 4 and 5 Mariners Way, Somerton, Cowes, be acquired on the terms set out in the report

 

(ii)         THAT 4 and 5 Mariners Way be developed for the Library HQ and primary store at a cost capped at £150,000

 

(iii)       THAT freehold of the properties named in the report be sold and surrenders the occupation of those premises currently leased

 

(iv)        THAT officers to enter into negotiations with the Riverside Centre Limited for the disposal of Quay House, subject to the Council’s own special purchaser rules, and the review of the existing lease with a further report to come back to the Executive with a full option appraisal including the outcome of negotiations

 

 

 

(b)               Fairway Park, Sandown – Financial Assistance to the Parish Council

 

The Executive considered a report recommending that Lake Parish Council be assisted in its purchase of Fairway Park by the loan of £20,000 and by the Isle of Wight Council paying the legal costs up to £2,000 (plus VAT). It was noted that the cost of providing this support was lower than the costs that had been set aside to allow the Isle of Wight Council to proceed with a Compulsory Purchase Order for the land in question.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)           THAT a sum of up to £20,000 be loaned to Lake Parish Council on condition that the Parish Council take all steps necessary to secure an alternative source of loan funding in the medium to long-term (on reasonable terms to be agreed between the Parish Council, the Strategic Director for Finance and Information and the Portfolio Holder)

 

(ii)         THAT the Isle of Wight Council will pay the legal costs of purchase, this should not exceed £2,000 plus VAT (including the Counsel’s opinion already purchased)

 

(The Chairman resumed the Chair)

 

167.        MEMBERS’ QUESTION TIME

 

Questions were put to the Chairman as follows :

 

Mr J Effemey asked a question concerning Northwood House (MQ 95/02)

 

Mr B Buckle asked a question relating to public transport (MQ 96/02)

 

Copies of the questions and replies given are contained in the Members' Question Register.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN