AGENDA - COUNCIL
Thursday 21 December 2006 at 2:00 pm in the Council Chamber

1.         Minutes – to approve as a correct record and authorise the Chairman to sign the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 16 November 2006 .

2.         Urgent Business – the Chairman to announce if any item not on the agenda should be considered on the basis that he considers it as a matter of urgency (any such item to be deal with under item 7 below).

3.         Confidential Business – the Chairman to inform the meeting of any confidential item of business.

4.         Exempt Information – to consider whether the consideration of any item of business would be likely to disclose exempt information and if so the category of such exempt information.  

5.         Chairman’s Announcements

6.         Declarations of Interest – Members are invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests, including the nature and extent of such interests, they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting.  

7.         Business Brought Forward by the Chairman – to consider business (if any) brought forward by the Chairman as reported under item 2 above.

8.         Questions – to consider the following questions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.  

From Cllr Cane to Cllr Yonge , Leader of the Council:

(i)         We who live in Brixton have accepted that there will be a Sherford Town within our Parish.  We are anxious that it becomes a quality and prestigious development.  The Leader is aware that within our Parish, there is a brick works that produces some of the finest bricks in the country.  This establishment has in the recent past seen temporary closures for the lack of custom.  Can the Leader assure me that in line with “sustainability” everything will be done by this Council to ensure that local supplies are used wherever possible in the Sherford and other developments?  

From Cllr Brazil to Cllr Yonge, Leader of the Council:  

(ii)        What were the car park takings for 1999/2000 by SHDC and what are the projected takings for 2006/07?  

(iii)       What has been the percentage increase in council tax from 1999 to 2006?  

(iv)       Since 1999 how much money has been transferred from SHDC reserves into the pension fund?  

From Cllr Brazil to Cllr May, Executive Member for the Clean Environment:  

(v)        Since the review in July 2004, what has been the percentage cut in the street cleaning budget per head of population in the South Hams?  

From Cllr O’Connell to Cllr May, Executive Member for the Clean Environment:  

(vi)       Following the complex operation of rescheduling our waste collection, can we please have the figures for our % of recycled waste and our standing relative to other similar councils?  Can he please tell us the amount we would have been fined had we not achieved these figures and the % effect it would have had on the Council Tax.  

From Cllr Brazil to Cllr Barnes, Executive Member for Access to the Council’s Services:  

(vii)      What have been the revenue contributions due to savings and efficiencies of the call centre in respect of the project’s business plan and can you give details?  

From Cllr Brazil to Cllr Steer, Executive Member for Housing:  

(viii)     How many affordable houses have been built in the South Hams since 1999?  

From Cllr Ramsay to Cllr Carson , Chairman of the Council:  

(ix)       Will SHDC join Totnes Town Council and Devon County Council in asking for open discussion about the recently disclosed decision to move Dartington College of Art to Falmouth in two years time?

9.            Presentation by Executive Portfolio Holder:  

            Cllr May – Executive Member for the Clean Environment

10.         Notice of Motion – to consider the following motion received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.1:-  

From Cllrs Brazil and Ramsay:  

“This Council will increase business rate relief to qualifying rural shops, pubs and post offices from the mandatory 50% to 100% from April 2007.”  

11.       Declaration of the Council Tax Base and Individual Tax Bases for Towns & Parishes – 2007 / 2008 – to consider a report which sets out the basis of the approach culminating in the calculation of the Council Tax Base (circulated separately).  

            Report

            Appendix A - Council Tax Base 2007-08

            Appendix B - Estimated number of dwellings subject to Council Tax 2007-08

            Appendix C - Parish & Town Council Tax Bases 2007-08

12.       Amendments to the Constitution – to consider a report of the Head of Corporate Services on the need to revise the Constitution following the Council’s entry into the Devon Building Control Partnership (circulated separately).  

13.       Reports of Bodies – to receive and as may be necessary approve the minutes and recommendations of the under-mentioned Bodies:-  

                 * Indicates minutes containing recommendations to Council.

Members of the public may wish to note that the Council's meeting rooms

are accessible by wheelchairs and have a loop induction hearing system.

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An optional lunch will be available for all Members

in the Dining Room at 12.45 pm

MEMBERS REQUIRING LUNCH

Please inform Mrs S Amos (Ext 1273) by NOON on

Wednesday 20 December 2006

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             MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO SIGN THE ATTENDANCE REGISTER

   THIS AGENDA HAS BEEN PRINTED ON ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PAPER

If you or someone you know would like this publication in a different format, such as large print or a language other than English, please call Richard McDermott on 01803 861247 or by email at: richard.mcdermott@southhams.gov.uk