Agenda and minutes

Key Decisions   Matters defined as 'Key' Decisions and included in the Council's Forward Work Plan are shown as

An apology for absence was received from Cllr John Noeken, Cabinet member for Resources.

There were no announcements.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public. This meeting is open to the public, who may ask a question or make a statement. This meeting has been called by the Leader at short notice due to urgency.

Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement in relation to item 5 below only should contact the officer named above prior to the meeting.

The Leader acknowledged that two members of the public had registered to speak at this meeting on the following item. She also explained that she would be happy for other members of the public present to also participate in the discussion at this meeting.

Proposals on the Creation of Central Devizes Customer Access Point and the Closure of Browfort, Urchfont Manor and Bradley Road Buildings were approved by Cabinet at its meeting on 17 January 2012.

The report and resulting minute can be accessed on the following link of the Council’s website:

http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=5654&Ver=4

Copies are attached for ease of reference at the meeting.

The decision has since been called in by the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Organisation and Resources Select Committee (O & S). A call-in can be made where Councillors consider they have evidence which suggests that the Cabinet did not take the decision in accordance with the principles of decision making in the Constitution

Relevant extracts from the Council’s Constitution on the call-in process and the principles of decision making are attached for information.

The O & S will consider the call-in at an extra-ordinary meeting called for this purpose on Monday 30 January 2012 at 10.30am in the Council Chamber at the Council Offices at Bradley Road, Trowbridge. You can access the agenda for the O & S Committee on the following link to the Council’s website:

 http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=151&MId=6751&Ver=4 

Should the call-in be pursued by the O & S Committee, it may refer the decision back to Cabinet.

This meeting of Cabinet has been called by the Leader of the Council to respond to the call-in should the call-in be pursued by the O & S Committee. Should that Committee resolve not to pursue the call-in, Cabinet will not need to meet.

This meeting of Cabinet has therefore been called on this basis.  

Those wishing to attend this Cabinet meeting, may like to contact Democratic Services on 01225 713018 from 1pm on Monday 30 January following the

O & S Committee for confirmation of whether or not this meeting of Cabinet will be taking place.

Public Participation

The following members of the public addressed Cabinet on this item:

Mr Cairns Langland

Mr David Motram

Cabinet at its meeting on 17 January 2012 agreed the creation of a central Devizes Customer Access Point, the closure of the Council offices at Browfort in Devizes and Bradley Road in Trowbridge and Urchfont Manor.

Since publication of the decisions in relation to this item in the form of the minutes of the meeting on 23 January, the Chairman of the Organisation and Resources Select Committee, Cllr Jeff Osborn gave notice within the prescribed period, that he wished to call-in the decision in so far as it related to the closure and disposal of Urchfont Manor.

Accordingly, a meeting of the Organisation and Resources Select Committee was held earlier today (30 January) to consider the request to call-in the decision. The Committee after hearing representations from Cllr Jeff Osborn, relevant Cabinet members, other Councillors and members of the public resolved as follows:

‘That the Organisation and Resources Select Committee requests that Cabinet reconsider the decision to close Urchfont Manor House in light of inadequate consultation[I1] , as defined within paragraphs 25 and 26 of the Cabinet procedure rules in Part 7 of the Constitution.’

The full report to the Scrutiny Select Committee and subsequent minutes can be accessed on the following link to the Council’s website:

Organisations and Resources Select Committee - 30 January 2012

This meeting of Cabinet had therefore been convened to reconsider its original decisions dated 17 January in light of the Scrutiny Select Committee’s comments.

After hearing from members of the public, and at the invitation of the Leader, Cllr Jeff Osborn was invited to report on his Committee’s decision to refer the matter back to Cabinet for reconsideration.

A report on the outcome of the Scrutiny Select Committee’s deliberations was presented. It was noted that the referral back to Cabinet stemmed from the Select Committee’s concerns over the following main issues:

·         The report to Cabinet did not confirm compliance with the Council’s Consultation Strategy or explain any divergence from it;

·         perceived lack of consultation with all members of the Urchfont Manor College Board of Management which in the opinion of the Select Committee, should have been regarded as an advisory panel for purposes of consultation and

·         no consultation having been undertaken with the relevant Scrutiny Select Committee.

Cllr Jeff Osborn requested that now information concerning the closure of Urchfont Manor was in the public domain, Cabinet should hold the decision to dispose of it in abeyance to allow time to consider the matter in more detail and to engage in meaningful consultation.

The Leader responded to the views from the Scrutiny Select Committee. In relation to the issue of consultation, the Leader drew a distinction between the service and the buildings from which the service is currently provided, in this instance between the decision to review the provision of adult education services and the decision to close and dispose of Urchfont Manor.

In relation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.