Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members present in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2009 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2009, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 19, 16 and 17 respectively.

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence, or of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:

RESOLVED:  That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items for the reasons set out below:

Report of the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing.

The Sub-Committee received a confidential report of the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing, which detailed an application under the Local Government (Early Termination) (Discretionary Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

The officer introduced the report and explained that it was the last of the posts affected by a significant restructuring of the relevant department.

In response to a question, it was noted that the lump sum was in accordance with the Local Government Pension Scheme and that the table on page 9 of the report would be amended accordingly.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the postholder was a suitable case for consideration under Regulation 4 of the Local Government (Early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006; and

(2)  having determined that the application met the criteria for consideration under Regulation 4, discretion under Regulations 5 and 6 of the Local Government (Early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 be agreed as set out in the report..

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance.

Consideration was given to an application by an employee under Regulation 30 of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Benefits, Memberships and Contributions) Regulations 2007 requesting early release of the deferred pension benefit.

The Sub-Committee was advised that the employee had recently left the employment of the Council and had subsequently requested the early release of the deferred pension benefit.  The application met the criteria under the Council’s current policy that the early release of pension benefits in the case of a deferred pensioner could only be agreed where there was no strain on the pension fund.

The officer confirmed that similar future applications would be included in a report to the next meeting of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee.  It would be recommended that, in cases where Councillors had little or no discretionary power, officers deal with the matter.

In response to a question, the officer stated that the employee had spoken to the Pensions Service and Council officers and was fully aware that the annual reduction in benefits was for life.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the postholder was a suitable case for consideration under Regulation 30 of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Benefits, Membership and Contributions) Regulations 2007; and

(2)  having determined that the application met the criteria determined at the General Purposes and Licensing Committee on 4 March 2003, the early retirement under Regulation 30 for a former employee of the Council with a deferred pension benefit entitlement be agreed.