Agenda and decisions

To receive any apologies for absence.

To confirm as a true and correct record and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 15 July 2024.

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

To receive any announcements from the Leader of the Council.

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.

Questions must be submitted to committee@wiltshire.gov.uk by 12.00 noon on 11 September 2024.

Written notice of a wish to make a statement should also be provided whenever possible.

To receive the report of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Resources and Director of Finance and Procurement (S151 Officer).

Cabinet approved 

1. The transfer of £2.237m to a new High Needs Sustainability Activity reserve. 

Cabinet noted 

2. the current revenue budget is forecast to overspend by £8.284m by the end of the financial year. 

3. the current forecast savings delivery performance for the year. 

4. the forecast overspend on the HRA of £1.042m and the impact on the HRA reserve. 

5. The forecast overspend against Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budgets of £9.893m and the impact on the cumulative DSG deficit. 

6. The transfer from earmarked reserves; 

                     i.        £0.079m from the Adults Programmes reserve to fund temporary roles and LD budget pressures. 

                   ii.         £0.018m from the leisure reserve to fund virtual studios 

                  iii.        £0.026m from leisure reserve to fund pool pods 

                  iv.        £0.007m for Enforcement Activity from the Business Plan Priority reserve 

                   v.         £0.051m drawdown to fund flexible pastoral support for care experienced young people in Families and Children’s 

                  vi.        £0.086m drawdown from the Supporting Families reserve to fund planned Families and Children expenditure 

                vii.         £1.328m drawdown to fund flexible pastoral support in schools in Education & Skills 

               viii.        £0.123m drawdown from the School Improvement reserve to offset savings in Education and Skills 

                  ix.        £0.231m drawdown from the Health & Safety reserve to fund investment in personal safety and other Health and Safety requirements in Assets 

                   x.         £0.204m from the iBCF reserve to fund schemes in 2024/25 in line with the approved plan

Reasons for Proposals

To inform effective decision making and ensure sound financial management as part of the Councils overall control environment. 

To inform Cabinet on the forecast revenue financial position of the Council for the financial year 2024/25 as at quarter one (30 June 2024), including delivery of approved savings for the year.

To receive the report of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Resources and Director of Finance and Procurement (S151 Officer).

Cabinet approved:

a)    the allocation of £0.023m budget for Legal Case Management systems to be added to the ICT applications capital scheme budget line to be funded through revenue contributions;

b)   the virement from Structural Maintenance and Bridges (£1m) and Highways Investment Plan (£1m) to support the reconstruction of the B4069 at Lyneham Banks;

c)    the allocation of £3m of commuted sums to support the reconstruction of the B4069 at Lyneham Banks;

d)   the allocation of £3m to support the construction of a new Integrated Care Centre in Trowbridge from Community Infrastructure Levy;

e)    the virement of budget from the High Needs Provision Capital Allowance capital scheme line of £1.100m to Basic Need (£0.600m) and Schools Maintenance and Modernisation (£0.500m);

Cabinet noted:

f)     The additional budgets added to the programme of £22.218m under Chief Finance Officer delegated powers;

g)   the removal of £0.403m budget (£0.365m in line with 2024/25 grant award; £0.038m completed project budget) under Chief Finance Officer delegated powers;  

h)   the budgets brought forward from future years into the 2024/25 programme totalling £8.055m under Chief Finance Officer delegated powers;  

i)     the budgets reprogrammed from 2024/25 into future years totalling £65.750m under Chief Finance Officer delegated powers;

j)     Budget Movements between Schemes as detailed in Appendix A;

k)    the revised 2024/25 Capital Programme forecast as at quarter one of £225.721m;

l)     the capital spend as of 30 June 2024 of £24.877m;

Reason for Proposals

To inform effective decision making and ensure sound financial management as part of the Councils overall control environment.

To inform Cabinet on the financial position of the Council on the 2024/25 capital programme as at quarter one (30 June 2024).

To receive a report from the Chief Executive.

Cabinet noted 

1)    Performance against the selected measures mapped to the Council’s strategic priorities. 

2)    Progress in transitioning to the new Risk Management Policy. 

Reason for Proposals 

To provide Cabinet with a quarterly update on measures used to monitor progress against the 10 missions laid out in Wiltshire Council’s Business Plan 2022-32, and progress transitioning to the new Risk Management Policy. 

To receive the report from the Corporate Director Place.

Resolved

That Cabinet notes the actions taken in response to the climate emergency following the last update in October 2023, including the council’s annual Greenhouse Gas Report, the KPI scorecard, and the direction of travel for 2025.

Reason for Proposals

To provide Cabinet with an update on the progress made over the past year in response to the climate emergency and progress towards carbon neutrality. To highlight further activities that are being progressed and to outline the areas of focus going forward which will be set out in more detail in the new Climate Delivery Plan due for completion by the end of 2024.

      To receive a report from the Chief Executive.

Resolved

Cabinet Approved:

1)    To commit Better Care Funding of £9,668,777 to the ICB Community Health Contract from 2025-2032 (with a potential for a further 2 years to 2034). See Table 1 Below. 

2)    To delegate authority to Director of Commissioning in consultation with the Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, SENSD, and Inclusion, to approve the revised S.75 agreement and the Collaborative Commissioning agreement that will cover the period of the Community Health Services contract.? 

3)    To delegate authority to the Director of Commissioning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, SENS, and Inclusion, to authorise all activities related to the procurement and to sign the contract for the ICB BSW Community Health Services on behalf of Wiltshire Council. ? 

Table 1

Reasons for the Proposal

To ensure that Community Health Services are provided across BSW, Cabinet is asked to approve the amended financial contribution to be committed from the BCF for the new Community Health Services contract from 1 April 2025, until 31 March 2032, with a possible further 2-year extension.?The contribution of £9,668,776 includes the removal of the HomeFirst service as per above and the addition of £0.310m for the new Wiltshire Health & Care In Reach service.

      To receive a report from the Chief Executive.

Resolved:

Cabinet agreed to:

1)    Approve a budget of £900,000 over a possible five years, for the delivery of Family Group Conferences. The contract will be offered initially for three (3) years with a possible two-year (2) extension. 

2)    Approve that Family Group Conferences is commissioned externally through an open procurement from 1 April 2025.  

3)    To delegate authority to approve and award a new contract and any future extensions and all associated documents to the Director of Commissioning and the Corporate Director responsible for People in consultation with theDeputy Leader and the Cabinet Member responsible for Children’s Services, Education and Skills. 

Reason for Proposals 

To make Family Group Conferences (FGC) available to all families that would benefit from this approach.  

According to results from a study conducted by Coram in June 2023 children whose families were referred for FGC are significantly less likely to go into care or to be taken to court for decisions about their care.  This service not only forms an important intervention to support the well-being of children but also prevents the potential for costlier interventions later. 

The FGC service offers cost effective family focussed support for families. The Coram Report recommends that ‘Local authorities should continue the use of FGCs at pre-proceedings stage where services already exist and consider their introduction in other areas’.   

The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care – Final report by Josh McAllister recommends that more should be done to involve family members and wider networks in the decision about children’s care.

      To receive the report from the Chief Executive.

Resolved:

Cabinet Noted:

1)    The key achievements of the 2020-2024 SEND and Inclusion Strategy 

Cabinet Approved:

2)    The SEND, Inclusion and Alternative Provision Strategy 2024-2029 

Reason for Proposals 

To support the work of the Wiltshire’s Local Area Partnership in the implementation of the strategy 

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