Use the below search options at the bottom of the page to find information regarding recent decisions that have been taken by the council’s decision making bodies.
Alternatively you can visit the officer decisions page for information on officer delegated decisions that have been taken by council officers.
Decision Maker: Chief Executive
Decision published: 01/12/2020
Effective from: 12/10/2020
Decision:
Details of decision:
The Chief Executive has approved the adoption of a Discretionary Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme for Somerset West & Taunton. The scheme is detailed in Appendix 1.
The discretionary scheme is additional to the standard Test and Trace Support scheme, in respect of which the Government have prescribed the rules.
Test and Trace Support payments are for people on low incomes who have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, and who cannot work from home.
This decision has been taken in accordance with the urgent decisions provision contained in paragraph 5 of the Budget and Policy Framework of the Council’s Constitution because it is not practical to convene a quorate Full Council meeting within the required timeframe.
The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Wren, has been consulted and agrees that this decision is required as a matter of urgency and that it is appropriate for it to be made under the urgency provisions. A report will be made to the next available Full Council meeting to explain the reasons for the urgent decision.
Background:
From 28 September 2020, central Government introduced legislation requiring certain people to self-isolate to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
It has introduced a package of measures to ensure those who need to self-isolate and are on a low-income can get help towards their finances to encourage compliance with the new rules.
From 28 September 2020, certain individuals will be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment (TTSP) of £500 if they meet prescribed criteria.
The scheme will be administered by local councils such as Somerset West and Taunton and, at the present time, will run until 31 January 2021.
Government has also provided SWT with £36k with which to make £500 payments to people who are required to self-isolate but do not meet the criteria within the Government’s standard scheme. This funding will allow us to make a maximum of 73 £500 Local Discretionary Test and Trace Support payments.
In common with other Billing Authorities we are required to develop, publish and implement our local approach to awarding this funding.
Consequently we quickly developed a scheme in collaboration with Sedgemoor District Council and in consultation with the Portfolio Holder (Cllr Henley), and agreed with the Chair of Scrutiny (Cllr Wren) that this scheme could be signed off by the Chief Executive under the urgent decision powers. The Chief Executive’s decision dated 12/10/2020 refers.
Full details of the discretionary criteria are set out in Appendix 1.
Reasons for proposed decision:
The scheme adopted, as detailed in the attached document, provides our approach to awarding the discretionary Test and Trace Support Payments in order to:
§ Provide financial support for those on low incomes in order to practically support their ability to self-isolate, and thereby control the spread of Coronavirus;
§ Ensure the total monies awarded remain within the limited funding made available;
§ Include reasonable safeguards to avoid fraudulent claims;
§ Ensure the scheme is manageable from an administrative perspective;
§ Meet the expectations around purpose and timescale set by Government.
Alternative options considered and rejected:
We believe the approach chosen best targets the limited funding available to meet the objective of supporting those on low incomes to self-isolate, in a transparent, equitable and administratively efficient way. Other approaches were considered, but did not best meet these objectives.
Decision Maker: Taunton Charter Trustees
Made at meeting: 27/08/2020 - Taunton Charter Trustees
Decision published: 20/10/2020
Effective from: 27/08/2020
Decision:
The Mayor of Taunton advised that the Draft Accounting Statements for 2019/2020 had been circulated as part of the Agenda.
RESOLVED to approve the Draft Accounting Statements 2019/2020 for submission to the Charter Trustee’s external Auditors, PKF Littlejohn LLP.
Decision Maker: Taunton Charter Trustees
Made at meeting: 27/08/2020 - Taunton Charter Trustees
Decision published: 20/10/2020
Effective from: 27/08/2020
Decision:
The Clerk advised that the report had been circulated. The Clerk advised that part of the requirements for a Charter Trustee body, which had been established in the Unparished Area the previous year by Statutory Instrument, was an offer to become part of the Small Auditors Appointments Regime (SAAA), which the Charter Trustees had accepted previously to be a part of. Every year the Charter Trustees will need to submit an Annual Governance Statement and Accounting Statements for audit, to ensure that the proper use of public funds is being discharged.
During the discussion of this item, Members made comments and asked questions which included:-
· The Mayor of Taunton affirmed that she would apply the wet signature to the documents the next day if approved, which would then be sent off electronically.
RESOLVED to approve the Annual Governance Statement 2019/2020 for submission to the Taunton Charter Trustees External Auditors, PKF Littlejohn LLP.
Decision Maker: Taunton Charter Trustees
Made at meeting: 27/08/2020 - Taunton Charter Trustees
Decision published: 20/10/2020
Effective from: 27/08/2020
Decision:
(Minutes of the meeting of the Taunton Charter Trustees held on 29th April and 9th June were circulated with the agenda)
RESOLVED that the minutes of the Taunton Charter Trustees held on 29th April and 9th June were confirmed as a correct record.
Decision Maker: Economic Development, Planning and Transportation Portfolio Holder
Decision published: 14/10/2020
Effective from: 22/10/2020
Decision:
The government are seeking views on a package of proposals to reform of the planning system in England.
The document Changes to the current planning system is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/907215/200805_Changes_to_the_current_planning_system_FINAL_version.pdf
Consultation ends on the 1st October 2020.
The Planning White Paper is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-for-the-future/planning-for-the-future). Consultation on this document ends on the 29th October 2020.
SWT will need to prepare and submit a formal response to the questions asked in these documents. The proposed responses are enclosed as Appendix A and B.