Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies received as all members of the Cabinet were present.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 25 September 2018, previously circulated.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25^th September 2018, were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th September 2018.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no announcements from the Leader.

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. Questions may also be asked by members of the Council.  Written notice of questions or statements should be given to Stuart Figini of Democratic Services by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 3 October 2018. Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement should contact the officer named above.

The Leader reminded those present of the process for public participation at meetings.

1.    Colin Gale asked a number of questions and made a number of comments regarding the Everleigh Household Recycling Centre on behalf of Pewsey Community Area Partnership (PCAP), Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Pewsey Parish Council (PPC). Responses had been previously circulated.

Mr Gale then asked a number of supplementary questions on the same matter.  The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste responded to a number of these questions in the meeting and agreed to have a full set of responses sent to Mr Gale.

2.    Charmian Spickernell, local resident of the Pewsey area, made a number of comments about the Everleigh Household Recycling Centre.

   Report by Corporate Director Terance Herbert

Councillor Laura Mayes presented the report seeking endorsement from Cabinet for the proposed exemption of Wiltshire Care Leavers from Council Tax.

Councillor Mayes reported that following the implementation of the Children and Social Work Act 2017, the Councils duties and responsibilities to care leavers had been extended. Included in the Act was a requirement to publish a Local Offer for care leavers, providing information about services which the local authority offers that may assist care leavers in, or in preparing for, adulthood and independent living.  Following broad consultation and analysis of local need a draft Local Offer has been prepared, and the Council planned to publish this ahead of National Care Leaver Week beginning on 22^nd October 2018. Of the 215 care leavers, 40 would be liable to pay council tax.

The Cabinet noted that The Local Offer had been scrutinised by the Corporate Parenting Panel, a Rapid Scrutiny Working Group and Children’s Select Committee, who have endorsed the core elements included in the Offer.

In response to questions raised by Councillor Ruth Hopkinson, about the number of care leavers housed outside of Wiltshire and whether they would also be included in the arrangements, Councillor Mayes confirmed that they would be included in the Offer.

The Cabinet heard from Councillor Philip Whitehead, reported that the total cost of the scheme would be in the region of £60,000 and shared by the Council, Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire and Dorset Fire and Rescue Authority. He confirmed that the Council’s share would be absorbed within the Collection Fund, and the other two major precepting authorities detailed above had accepted their share of the cost. 

Recommended to Full Council:

That Wiltshire Council Care Leavers are exempted from Council Tax, to include care leavers whom live within and outside the Wiltshire Council boundary, as set out in appendix B to the report.

Reason for Decision:

This proposal will assist care leavers in, or in preparing for, adulthood and independent living and thus support us in delivering our statutory duties.

   Report by Corporate Director Alistair Cunningham  

Councillor Bridget Wayman presented the report which provided an update to Cabinet on the results of the public consultation into the future of Everleigh Household Recycling Centre (HRC) in light of the proposal to close the site to avoid capital investment and save the operating costs of keeping this facility open.

Councillor Wayman reported that Everleigh HRC is one of a network of eleven HRC’s across Wiltshire operated under contracts with the council. The council, including the waste service, has challenging financial savings targets to achieve for 2018-19 and beyond and site survey results show that Everleigh HRC required capital investment in order to continue to remain open. The HRC has fewer users than the other sites and collects less waste and recycling as a consequence.

The Cabinet noted that a public consultation was undertaken between June and September 2018, where residents were invited to comment on a proposal to close the site and identify the implications this might have. A good response was received with a large majority in favour of retaining the HRC at Everleigh. Many of the responses referred to loss of convenience if the site was closed and expressed concern about the risk of an increase in fly tipping.

Councillor Wayman explained that the impacts of closing Everleigh HRC were not sufficient to justify the capital investment required and the loss of the opportunity for revenue savings which the service and council needed to find. Reference was made to the guidance from the Waste Resources Action Programme about the number of HRC’s that should be provided for a given number of residents and the location of these centres in relation to residential developments. It was noted that, if Everleigh HRC was closed, residents would be able to access sites at Marlborough, Devizes or Amesbury within the timescales stated in the guidelines, subject to any traffic delays.

The Leader welcomed the following residents and thanked them for their comments and questions:

·         Colin Gale, local resident representing Pewsey Community Area Partnership, Campaign to Protect Rural England and Pewsey Parish Council.

·         Curly Haskell, local resident and Chair of Pewsey Parish Council

·         Charmian Spickernell, local resident and Campaign to Protect Rural England

·         John Forder, local resident

The Leader referred to the comments in a letter received from Tidworth Town Council expressing concern about the proposed closure of the Everleigh HRC.

Councillors Jerry Kunckler, Stuart Wheeler, local members, commented on: the outstanding work undertaken and meetings attended over many months by Colin Gale on behalf of local residents and organisations in the Pewsey area; historical background of the HRC; outcomes of the consultation; the location of the site and convenience to residents; the ability of residents to travel to other sites further afield; potential for the Ministry of Defence using the site; including commercial waste in the sites waste streams; potential for mothballing the site; the impact on other council services if the site remained open; the preservation of services within financial constraints; increasing the opening times of other local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 289.

Report by Corporate Director Carlton Brand

Councillor Philip Whitehead presented the report which provided an update to Cabinet on the Cloud Navigator Programme proposal and decision made to enter into the contract with both Microsoft and Thoughtonomy.

Councillor Whitehead highlighted that The Microsoft Cloud Navigator programme would deliver a suite of interdependent digital initiatives that would be developed and enhanced to achieve both short and long term outcomes of the Councils digital strategy and the over-arching business plan.  Details of how the programme would enable the Council to achieve these outcomes were detailed in the report.

Resolved: To note that:

i)             The Council entered into the G-Cloud 9 Call-Off Contract with the supplier Microsoft Limited (MCS – Public Sector) on 29 June 2018.

ii)            The Council entered into the G-Cloud 9 Call-Off Contract with the supplier Thoughtonomy Limited on 29 June 2018.

iii)          The decision to enter into the contracts was made by the Corporate Director for Communities, Resources and Digital after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Procurement, ICT and Operational Assets, Corporate Director for Growth, Investment and Place, Corporate Director for Children and Education and the Director of Finance and Procurement.

iv)          The progress of the Microsoft Navigator programme.

Reason for Decision:

The provide an update on the Cloud Navigator Programme proposal and decision made to enter into the contract with both Microsoft and Thoughtonomy

    Report by Corporate Director Alistair Cunningham

Councillor Richard Clewer presented the report seeking Cabinet endorsement of the bid submitted to Homes England for HRA Borrowing approval and for Homes England grant funding.  A successful bid would enable the delivery of 49 new affordable rented council homes and increase the HRA debt cap by £7.5m.

Councillor Clewer reported that the bid for HRA borrowing approval had to balance the competitiveness of the request for borrowing, the amount of HE social housing grant required and deliverability of the proposed developments. A fund of £200m was being made available to local Authorities outside London, that could demonstrate affordability pressures where average private sector rents are £50 a week more than average affordable rents. The bids would be assessed against the three criteria of: value for money, deliverability and affordability. The outcome of the bid was expected in Autumn 2018 and following this revised indebtedness determinations would be made for April 2019.

The Cabinet noted that the bid proposed the delivery of 49 units of accommodation across 16 sites, 14 of which were held in the HRA and two that were held in the Council’s general fund. The bid would increase the HRA debt cap from £127m to £134.5m, with a total scheme costs estimated to be £9.48m. This would be funded from £7.51m borrowing approval, £1.36m RTB receipts and £0.61m Homes England grant funding. All the schemes would pay back within 30 years and peak additional borrowing would be in 2020/21.

In response to a question raised by Councillor Stuart Wheeler about the Council’s ability to borrow funds against housing stocks, Councillor Clewer confirmed that the Council was considering potential opportunities in relation to this.

In response to a question raised by Councillor Ruth Hopkinson about the need for additional affordable housing in the north of the county, Councillor Clewer explained that, apart from the Salisbury area, the Council’s housing stock had been transferred to Housing Association’s and they also had the ability to bid for grant funding and develop the land in their ownership. Councillor Clewer further explained that once the outcome of the bid was known, Councillors would be able to suggest potential sites for development.

Resolved:

i)             To endorse the bid to Homes England for £7.51 million additional borrowing approval and £0.61m Homes England grant funding.

ii)            To endorse the use of £1.36 million Right to buy capital receipts to part fund the overall development, subject to the success of the funding bid.

iii)          To endorse a programme to develop 49 new affordable homes across 16 sites as set out in appendix A to the report, subject to the success of the bid and planning permission.

Reason for Decision:

The bid for funding if successful will deliver additional funding and borrowing approval to deliver 49 affordable homes across the County for people in housing need.

Any other items of business, which the Leader agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.

This is to give further notice in accordance with paragraph 5 (4) and 5 (5) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 of the intention to take the following item in private.

To consider passing the following resolution:

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Item Number 13 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in  paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Reason for taking item in private:

Paragraph 3 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Item Number 9 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Reason for taking item in private:

Paragraph 3 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

   Report by Corporate Director Alistair Cunningham

The meeting considered information about the proposed schemes contained in the exempt report when making their decision as detailed in minute 291 above.