Agenda and minutes

1. To receive declarations of interest from Members on items included in this agenda

There were no declarations of interest given.

To agree as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 24 August and 28 September, 2011

Resolved:-   That the minutes of the meetings held on 24 August and 28 September 2011 be agreed as a correct record.

To receive a verbal update on Broadband provision in the Borough by the Council’s Elections and Licensing Manager

The Council’s Elections and Licensing Manager updated Members on the current position regarding the Working Group.  A further meeting had been arranged for 6 December at which a representative from BT would be in attendance.

The County Council were carrying out an exercise for the whole County and these results would be available at the end of December.  This Committee could then examine those statistics.  There was a dedicated Project Officer at the County who could be contacted for more information.

Resolved:-   (a)       That the information be received.

                        (b)       That the County be approached for more information.

To receive a verbal update on High Speed 2 Ltd by the Council’s Elections and Licensing Manager

The Council’s Elections and Licensing Manager updated Members on the current situation.  The Government’s decision as to whether or not to proceed would not be made until December and therefore it would be advisable to await the decision before progressing further.

Some concerns were raised regarding the re-opening of old lines especially where country parks or residential developments had been established.

Resolved:-   That the information be received and the comments noted.

Further information is awaited on this item and therefore officers have nothing further to report.  The item will be brought to a future meeting of this committee.

Members were advised that there was nothing further to report on this item.

Resolved:-   That the comments be noted.

To receive an update on the Economic Development Strategy and amendments recommended by the Cabinet.

Members were advised that there was nothing further to report on this item.

The Document was said to be easy to understand and needed a few minor amendments with regular reviews.

The Council’s Regeneration and Economic Development Manager would report back to the February meeting of this Committee.

Resolved:-   That the information be received.

To consider items contained within the Forward Plan which are relevant to this Committee

Consideration was given to a report on items contained within the Forward Plan which were relevant to this Committee

The Chair had been approached by the Council’s Head of Housing requesting that this Committee scrutinise the Strategic Tenancy Policy and the Housing Allocations Policy.

The Chair to Transformation and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee had asked if the Staffordshire Strategic Assets Review and the Assets Management Strategy 2012/13 to 2014/15 fell under the remit of this Committee.  Members agreed that this was the case and requested that Scrutiny Briefs be brought to an extra meeting of this Committee to be held on 4 January 2012.

Resolved:-   (a)       That the information be received.

                        (b)       That the Strategic Tenancy Policy and Housing Allocations Policy be scrutinised by the Committee in February 2012.

                        (c)        That Scrutiny briefs be requested on the Staffordshire Strategic Assets Review and the Assets Management Strategy and be brought to the January meeting of this Committee.

To consider any business which is urgent within the meaning of Section 100B(4) of  the Local Government Act 1972