ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL

Strategic Director

Corporate and Environment Services

County Hall

Newport

Isle of Wight

PO30 1UD

 

8 October 2002

 

To: ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

 

You are hereby summoned to attend a MEETING of the COUNCIL to be held on WEDNESDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2002 in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT commencing at 10.00 am for the transaction of the business set out in the agenda below.

 

AGENDA

 

PRAYERS

 

1.             To approve as a correct record and to sign the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 11 September 2002 (Paper A).

2.             To receive any declarations of interest.

 

3.             To deal with any questions from members of the public.

 

Questions may be asked without notice but to guarantee a full reply at the meeting, the question must be delivered in writing or by electronic mail to Committee Services no later than 10.00 am on Monday, 14 October 2002.

 

4.             To receive any official communications and correspondence submitted by the Chairman.

 

5.             To mark the departure of Mr Charles Waddicor, Strategic Director of Social Services and Housing, who is shortly to take up a new position as Director of Social Services at Oxfordshire County Council.

 

The Chairman to move :

 

THAT the Council place on record its appreciation and most grateful thanks to Mr Charles Waddicor for his hard work and achievements over the last two and half years, in particular the award of two stars in the government’s recent assessment of the country’s social services departments and wishes him much success in his future career.

 

6.             To mark the retirement of Mr Alan Kaye, Head of Paid Service.

 

The Chairman to move :

 

THAT the Council place on record its appreciation and most grateful thanks to Mr Alan Kaye for his long and distinguished service in education both in this country and abroad, and in particular, for his service to the Isle of Wight Council since 1995 as Director of Education and Community Development and since last year as Head of Paid Service, and to express to Mr and Mrs Kaye every good wish for a long and happy retirement.

 

7.             LOCAL DEMOCRACY WEEK AT 11.00AM

 

Students from a number of local schools have been invited to put questions to the Council as part of Local Democracy Week.

 

8.             EXECUTIVE :

 

(a)     To consider the following matters as recommended by the Executive at its meeting on the 10 and 24 September and 8 October

 

(i)                  Military Road - Stabilisation of Afton Down and the Realignment of Carriageway at Shippards Chine

 

The Portfolio Holder reported on the background to the current situation with regard to proposals for the stabilisation of Afton Down and the realignment of Shippards Chine, Military Road, Freshwater.  Following completion of the tendering exercise AMEC had been appointed as the preferred contractor.  Subsequent negotiations had since taken place to discuss the way forward and to endeavour to reduce the original tender figure for the proposed works. Following a series of trials to assess the suitability of the ground and tests on a variant method of ground anchorage, the Council=s consultants High Point Rendel now proposed an alternative design, which included the proposals put forward by AMEC, to enable the works to be undertaken in a more efficient and cost effective way.  The estimate, however, did not include for a number of possible risk items which were currently the subject of discussion, in order to clarify their impact on the final costs of the works.  In addition, details of further savings which could be accrued with regard to the proposed realignment of the Military Road at Shippards Chine were also reported. 

 

In order to reduce the potential risks it was imperative for the stabilisation element of the works to be undertaken as soon as practically possible.  Costs of the work undertaken to date had reduced the remaining 2002/03 capital budget provision to £1,775,000 leaving a shortfall of £1,225,000 which could increase due to possible additional costs for items of risk.  This comprised of £625,000 shortfall on the stabilisation works plus £600,000 for the carriageway realignment at Shippards Chine.  The two local members expressed their support for the proposals.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL :

 

THAT an allocation of £1,225,000 be agreed as a first call from the 2003 - 2004 Highway Capital Budget, to allow for the Afton Down works to start as early as practical.

 

(The report of the Portfolio Holder for Transport as considered by the Executive is attached as Paper B1)

 

(ii)                RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MEETING OF THE LIAISON COMMITTEE HELD ON 20 AUGUST 2002

 

Consideration was given to the recommendation from the Liaison Committee to amend its title to Co-ordinating Committee in order to reflect its role.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL :

 

THAT the title of the Liaison Committee be amended to the

Co-ordinating Committee

 

(iii)               ANNUAL LIBRARY PLAN

 

The Portfolio Holder informed members that the Council was required to submit an Annual Library Plan to the Department of Culture Media and Sport by the end of September each year. The Plan was intended to be a working document that set out how the Council intended to deliver its library services over the next three years, especially in relation to the Government's targets for library services.  The Portfolio Holder and the Select Committee would be addressing the issue of the introduction of the minimum library standards that had been estimated to be as high as £180,000.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL :

 

THAT the Annual Library Plan be adopted

 

(The report of the Portfolio Holder for Education and Lifelong Learning as considered by the Executive is attached as Paper B2)

 

(iv)              THE CORPORATE PLAN 2002 – 2005 ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE THROUGH TEAMWORK

 

The report of the Deputy Leader is due to be considered by the Executive on the 8 October 2002 and is attached as Paper B3. The resolution will be circulated at the meeting.    

 

(v)                BYELAW TO REGULATE THE USE OF SKATEBOARDS

 

The report of the Portfolio Holders for Transport and Fire, Emergency Planning and Consumer Protection is due to be considered by the Executive on the 8 October 2002 is attached as Paper B4. The resolution will be circulated at the meeting.

 

(b)         Portfolio Holders to give an update on major issues and to answer written and oral questions on budget or policy :  

 

(i)            The Leader (Mrs S A Smart)

(ii)           Deputy Leader (Mr P G Harris)

(iii)         Agenda 21 and Countryside Matters (Mrs B Lawson);

(iv)         Economic Development, UK and EU, Regional Issues (Mr H Rees);

(v)          Education and Lifelong Learning (Mrs J L Wareham);

(vi)         Fire, Emergency Planning and Consumer Protection (Mr D J Knowles);

(vii)       Resources (Mr R R Barry);

(viii)      Social Services and Housing (Mr R G Mazillius);

(ix)         Tourism and Leisure (Mrs M A Jarman);

(x)          Transport (Mr E Fox).

 

To guarantee a full reply Members must submit a question in writing or by electronic mail to Committee Services no later than 10.00 am on Tuesday, 15 October 2002. A further period of 7 Minutes will be allowed for oral questions to each Portfolio Holder.

 

9.             To receive a report from the Chairman and to answer any written questions in respect of the following Committees :

 

(a)          Select Committees :

 

(i)            Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services (Mr J H Fleming);

(ii)           Education, Community Development and Lifelong Learning (Mr J F Howe);

(iii)         Environment and Transport (Mrs T M Butchers);

(iv)         Fire and Public Safety (Mr G P Price);

(v)          Resources (Mr G S Kendall);

(vi)         Social Services, Housing and Benefits (Mr I R Stephens).

 

(b)          Regulatory Committees :

 

(i)            Development Control Committee (Mrs M J Miller)

(ii)           Licensing Panel (Mr C B Chapman)

(iii)         Regulatory Appeals Committee (Mrs M J Lloyd)

 

 

Any questions from Members for items 9(a) and 9(b) above must be submitted in writing or by electronic mail to Committee Services by 10.00 am on Tuesday, 15 October 2002.

 

 

 

                                                                                   M J A FISHER

                                                                                Strategic Director

                                                                 Corporate and Environment Services