Agenda item

To hear the Call-In of any decisions made at the Cabinet meeting prior to this meeting or made by Cabinet Members, other Council Committees or a delegated officer and published within five working days of this meeting.

Members should bring their Cabinet agenda to the meeting.

Members should consider any other decisions published in the five working days before this meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is to decide whether to refer back any decision to the decision maker.

Members gave consideration to the Cabinet reports of 26 May 2011 and after careful consideration Members decided not to call-in any decision made by the Cabinet at their meeting.

However further information was requested on the following items:

Cabinet Agenda Item 14 - Authority to Apply to Government for Consent for Change of Use from Green Belt Land to Residential 

Members asked for clarification on the impact this change of use would have on the planning policies for this site. Would it set a precedent and could a bigger development be given planning permission in the future?   

[Subsequent to the meeting, officers provided the following response:

“The Green Belt (London & Home Counties) Act 1938 places restrictions on local authorities ability to dispose of Green belt land as defined by the Act. The Act requires a local authority to obtain Secretary of State approval to a disposal. This does not change the planning designation of the land, merely consent to the authority disposing of land included within the Green Belt Act '38 (Clause 5).”]

Cabinet Agenda Item 15 - Relocation of the Hayes One Stop Shop and Citizen's Advice Bureau into the Botwell Library Site

A Member expressed concern at the co-location of both the One Stop Shop and the CAB into a smaller space at Botwell Library. Reference was made to CAB already having problems in dealing with the numbers of people who attended the premises in Hayes High Street, which would be exacerbated with the relocation to a smaller premise, and would impact on the operation of the Council's One Stop Shop. The Member said he would discuss his concerns with the Leader of the Council.  

[Subsequent to the meeting, officers provided the following response:

“There are 227 square metres of space at the existing One Stop Shop building, compared to 146 square metres of space at Botwell, with the additional ability to share the library staff kitchen. 

Most of the space that is being lost is office space where the CAB staff carry out their research and follow up work.  Meeting rooms and public areas are not going to be drastically reduced in space.  The CAB are being given one back room office and will be expected to hot desk.  They are also considering alternative ways of working that make their own working practices more streamlined and less reliant on desk based space.

Some of the space that is being lost is office space that is used by the Hayes Town Partnership and Cllrs surgeries.  The surgery functions can be accommodated by booking meeting space at Botwell Library as and when needed and the library manager will liaise with Ward Councillors to ensure this is done.  David Brough from the Hayes Town Partnership, will be allocated some dedicated space.”]

RESOLVED -    

1.      That the decisions made by Cabinet at their meeting on 26 May 2011 be endorsed and noted and no call-in be made of any decision. 

      2.   That officers be asked to provide responses to the issues outlined above.