ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL

Head of Paid Service

County Hall

Newport

Isle of Wight

PO30 1UD

 

11 February 2003

 

To: ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

 

You are hereby summoned to attend a MEETING of the COUNCIL to be held on WEDNESDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2003 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 22 January 2003 (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, 17 February 2003.

 

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

 

5.            To consider the Council’s budget and Treasury Strategy for 2003/04 (Please bring with you to the meeting Papers C1, C2 and C3 as submitted to the Executive on 12 February 2003). The recommendations of the Executive will be circulated (via the Bulletin) as soon as they are available.

 

[Note: Immediately after the Council has reached this item the Strategic Director of Finance and Information and County Treasurer will be invited to make a presentation to the Council on the Budget.

 

It is also likely that the Chairman will invite the Council to suspend Procedure Rule No 15(4) to allow the Leaders of each of the Political Groups to speak for 15 minutes during the debate on the Budget.]

 

6.             EXECUTIVE :

 

(a)         To consider the following matter as recommended by the Executive at its meeting on the 29 January 2003:

 

Great Access to Great Services

 

Consideration was given to the above named report and its recommendations, which had arisen from extensive consultation within the Council and, as part of the Best Value project ‘Connecting with the Public’, with a wide range of people and bodies external to the Council.  The report and its recommendations had been reviewed by an external consultant and were commended to the Council.  Members were informed that there would be significant financial implications. The estimated costs of implementing electronic government were put at around £31 million over 10 years.  The Programme Board, the subject of one of the report’s recommendations, would be given authority to commit expenditure only within the budget approved by the Council. Due to these costs, external advice would be taken before further investment was contemplated.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL:

 

THAT recommendations (a) to (e) inclusive on Page 7 of the attached report, ‘Great Access to Great Services’ be agreed.

 

(The report of the Deputy Leader as considered by the Executive is attached as Paper D1)

 

(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)

(i)            Deputy Leader (Mr P G Harris)

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

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

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

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

(vi)        Resources (Mr R R Barry);

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

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

(ix)        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, 18 February 2003. A further period of 7 Minutes will be allowed for oral questions to each Portfolio Holder.

 

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

 

(a)          Select Committees :

 

(i)                 Co-Ordinating Committee (Mr G Kendall)

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

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

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

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

(vi)              Resources (Mr G S Kendall);

(vii)            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 7(a) and 7(b) above must be submitted in writing or by electronic mail to Committee Services by 10.00 am on Tuesday, 18 February 2003.

                                                                                              

 

 

                                                                                  M J A FISHER

                                                                            Head of Paid Service