Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer, NR27 9EN

Contact: Emma Denny  Email: emma.denny@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

181.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 216 KB

To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 29 November 2021

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 29th November were approved subject to the following amendment on page 4, paragraph 4:

 

Cllr Seward ‘said that there had been some data relating to usage of  nine of the Council’s toilets’

 

 

182.

Public Questions and Statements

To receive questions and statements from the public, if any.

Minutes:

None received.

183.

Items of Urgent Business

To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972

Minutes:

None received.

184.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 233 KB

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda. The Code of Conduct for Members requries that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (see attached guidance and flowchart)

Minutes:

None.

185.

Members' Questions

To receive oral questions from Members, if any

Minutes:

The Chairman advised members that they could ask questions as matters arose during the meeting.

186.

Recommendations from Overview & Scrutiny Committee

There were no formal recommendations to Cabinet from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 08 December 2021.

Minutes:

The Chairman informed members that there were no recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee to Cabinet.

187.

Support in Safe Accommodation Strategy for Norfolk 2021-2024 pdf icon PDF 146 KB

Summary:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options considered:

 

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 includes new duties on tier 1 local authorities in England relating to the provision of support for victims and their children residing within relevant safe accommodation to assess the need for safe accommodation and support and develop a strategy to meet these needs.

 

Tier 2 local authorities have a duty to co-operate as a

key stakeholder and partner in undertaking the needs

assessment and developing and implementing the

strategy.

 

No other options have been considered.

 

Conclusions:

 

 

This draft strategy is being presented to Cabinet to

seek endorsement for this partnership strategy and to

acknowledge our role in its continued development and

implementation to reflect the importance the Council has

placed on the need to support survivors of domestic

abuse.

 

Recommendations:

 

 

Reasons for

Recommendations:

 

 

To endorse the Support in Safe Accommodation Strategy for Norfolk 2021-2024.

 

Endorsing the strategy demonstrates acknowledgement of our role in developing and implementing the strategy and reflect the importance of the need to support survivors of domestic abuse.

 

 

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS AS REQUIRED BY LAW

(Papers relied on to write the report, which do not contain exempt information and which are not published elsewhere)

 

 

none

 

 

               

Cabinet Member(s)

Cllr W Fredericks

 

Ward(s) affected – all

Contact Officer, telephone number and email:

Karen Hill, Assistant Director of People Services, 01263 516183, karen.hill@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Decision

RESOLVED

 

To endorse the Support in Safe Accommodation Strategy for Norfolk 2021-2024.

 

Reason for decision:

 

Endorsing the strategy demonstrates acknowledgement of our role in developing and implementing the strategy and reflect the importance of the need to support survivors of domestic abuse.

 

 

Minutes:

Cllr W Fredericks, Portfolio Holder for Housing, introduced this item. She said that she endorsed the strategy, as required,  but added that officers at NNDC provided a lot more support to survivors of domestic abuse and this should be acknowledged and recognised.

 

The Chairman invited the Assistant Director for People Services to speak. She explained that the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 included new duties for Tier 1 authorities in England regarding the provision of support for victims and their children residing within relevant safe accommodation to assess the need for safe accommodation and support and to develop a strategy to meet these needs. The District Council, as a Tier 2 authority, had a duty to co-operate as a key stakeholder and partner in undertaking the needs assessment and then developing and implementing the strategy.  She added that the remit of the strategy was narrow as it related to the provision of support for survivors of domestic abuse and their children and also only to those residing in safe accommodation (which had a very specific definition).  She went on to explain that only a small number of people were placed in safe accommodation and that the Council tended to place domestic abuse victims in a wider range of accommodation types. In addition, it was important to note that the strategy document did not refer to the services provided by other agencies and she referenced the launch of a new service - the Norfolk Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (NIDAS) which would see a consortium of specialist support services working together with victims and their children across the county, ensuring people have access to a full range of help and guidance regardless of where they live. The service would work with victims of domestic abuse aged 16 and above of any gender.

 

In conclusion, the Assistant Director for People Services said that whilst the Council recognised the shortcomings of the strategy, it had been developed in partnership and would develop further in the future as dialogue with the Government continued.

 

Cllr V Gay reiterated that the Council was only required to endorse the strategy. She reiterated that the Council was already undertaking a substantial amount of additional work to support survivors of domestic abuse.

 

It was proposed by Cllr W Fredericks, seconded by Cllr V Gay and

 

RESOLVED

 

To endorse the Support in Safe Accommodation Strategy for Norfolk 2021-2024.

 

Reason for decision:

 

Endorsing the strategy demonstrates acknowledgement of our role in developing and implementing the strategy and reflect the importance of the need to support survivors of domestic abuse.

 

 

188.

Lease Proposal at D, E and F Hornbeam Road pdf icon PDF 128 KB

Summary:

 

 

 

 

 

Options considered:

The Council has received a lease proposal from a national operator to rent commercial premises at Hornbeam Road, North Walsham. The proposal represents a market rent/terms and initial due diligence indicate the tenant is of good covenant strength.

 

 

The alternative option would be not to accept the lease proposal from the national operator for all three units and continue to market the two remaining units. However, the property was acquired for investment purposes and the proposed offer would facilitate a strong financial return.

 

Conclusions:

 

Having marketed the remaining units to let, Officers have gained a lease proposal to rent all three adjoining units, which would be for a trade counter facility with storage.

 

The proposed tenant is of a good covenant strength and the rental terms negotiated, represents a good market rental offer. The proposal provides a good level of investment return in accordance with the Asset Management Plan.

 

Recommendations:

 

 

 

 

 

Reasons for Recommendations:

 

 

Recommendations:

 

It is recommended that Cabinet should resolve:

A.    To withdraw from the current proposed lease, which is not yet legallycompleted

B.    To approve the lease terms as described in AppendixA

 

Principally to support the financial sustainability and growth of the Council by leasing the premises and generating rental income that is used to support Council services.

 

To approve the lease terms as stated in the appendix to move forwards with the proposal.

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Decision

RESOLVED

 

A.    To withdraw from the current proposed lease, which is not yet legallycompleted

B.    To approve the lease terms as described in AppendixA

 

Reason for the decision:

 

Principally to support the financial sustainability and growth of the Council by leasing the premises and generating rental income that is used to support Council services.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman reminded Members that there were exempt appendices to the report and that if they wished to discuss the contents of these then the meeting would need to go into private business.

 

Cllr E Seward, Portfolio Holder for Assets, introduced the report. He explained that 12 months previously the Council had acquired three industrial units at Hornbeam Road, North Walsham for investment purposes. An offer had now been received from a national operator to lease all three units for 15 years. This was compliant with the current planning permission for the site and was a sound and attractive offer which met the Council’s agreed policies around return on investments made on commercial property.

 

He concluded by saying that two other expressions of interest in the site had been received to date but neither had resulted in the lease being taken up.

 

RESOLVED

 

A.    To withdraw from the current proposed lease, which is not yet legallycompleted

B.    To approve the lease terms as described in AppendixA

 

Reason for the decision:

 

Principally to support the financial sustainability and growth of the Council by leasing the premises and generating rental income that is used to support Council services.

 

189.

Statement from the Leader

Minutes:

Before closing the meeting, the Leader said that she wanted to make a short statement. She began by saying that over the last two years, Covid had caused turmoil and it had been hard for many people for many different reasons – including those who had worked tirelessly to provide support (including Council staff) local businesses which had been put on hold and young people. She said that it had been particularly hard for those who had lost loved ones, friends and family. She said that in the last year she had lost both her parents and now her husband was seriously ill. For this reason she was no longer able to give the time and dedication required to fulfil her role as Leader of the Council. She said that she was therefore, giving notice of her intention to resign as Leader of the Council as soon a new leader could be elected by the Liberal Democrat Group and then Full Council. Until then she would remain in office and continue to complete her duties.

Cllr Butikofer concluded by saying that it had been an immense honour and privilege to have led the council for the last three years and to have been the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group for the last 5 and a half.years.

 

190.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To pass the following resolution:

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs _ of Part I ofSchedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”

191.

Private Business