Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Laura Mayes and Jerry Wickham who were attending other meetings.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 July 2016, previously circulated.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2016 were presented.

Resolved

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2016.

To receive and note the minutes of the Capital Assets Committee held on 19 July 2016.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee held on the 19 July 2016 were presented for information.

Resolved

To receive and note the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 July 2016

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

There were no Leader’s announcements.

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 Will Oulton of Democratic Services by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 7 September 2016. Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement should contact the officer named above.

It was noted that no requests for public participation had been received. The Leader did however explain that, as usual at meetings of Cabinet, she would be more than happy to hear from any member of the public present on any of the items on the agenda.

Report by Dr Carlton Brand, Corporate Director.

 Councillor Toby Sturgis presented an update to Cabinet on the response to the consultation on the Draft Revised Community Infrastructure Levy Regulation 123 List (February 2016), Draft Revised Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (February 2016) and Draft Updated Infrastructure Delivery Plan (February 2016). He recommended that the Revised Community Infrastructure Levy Regulation 123 List be adopted by Cabinet and the Revised Supplementary Planning Document be adopted by Council.

In response to a question from Councillor Glenis Ansell, Councillor Toby Sturgis explained that where house prices are lower, and the Council wants to stimulate growth, the CIL contribution level is lower. It was also noted that the CIL level could be lower for different categories of development.

In response to a question from Councillor Bridget Wayman, Councillor Toby Sturgis stated that the inclusion of Household Recycling Centres had not been included during the consultation period. Furthermore, in response to the issue raised, the Leader stated that the issue of depot sites was being considered as a wider issue.

Resolved

(i)            To note the response to the consultation on the Draft Revised Community Infrastructure Levy Regulation 123 List, Draft Revised Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document and Updated Infrastructure Delivery Plan, set out in Appendix 2.

(ii)          To adopt the Revised CIL Regulation 123 List as amended in Appendix 3.

(iii)         To recommend to Council that it adopts the proposed Revised Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 4).

(iv)         That subject to approval of Council, to agree that the Associate Director for Economic Development and Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Operational Property and Waste undertakes the final stages associated with the formal adoption of the Supplementary Planning Document, including any minor textual changes in the interest of clarity and accuracy.

(v)          To note proposals for the process for prioritisation of spending and future reviews of the Regulation 123 List by February 2017.

Reason for Decision: To assist with the effective operation of CIL and ensure appropriate infrastructure is secured as part of development proposals.

Report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director.

Councillor Dick Tonge presented the report which advised members of the revenue budget monitoring position as at the end of period 4 (end of July 2016) for the financial year 2016/2017 with suggested actions as appropriate.

Issues highlighted in the course of the presentation and discussion included: the projected overspend and the management action to be taken to address this; the adjustments taken in the course of the first quarter; the specific action to seek to reduce the number of children in residential care; the impact of packages of care and passenger transport for SEN clients; and that it was forecast that a balanced budget would be achieved by the end of the year.

In response to a question from Councillor Glenis Ansell the Chair of Financial Planning Task Group, the Leader stated that the report identified projected overspends and that action would be taken to address these. Furthermore, the s151 officer, Michael Hudson, stated that the Council had projected overspends at this stage in the previous years.

Carolyn Godfrey confirmed that the Task Group had had an opportunity to review the reports prior to Cabinet and welcomed the good challenge that the Task Group provided.

Resolved

To note the outcome of the period 4 (end of July) budget monitoring and to approve all budget amendments outlined in the report presented.

Reason for Decision:

To inform effective decision making and ensure a sound financial control environment.

Report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director.

Councillor Dick Tonge presented the report which summarised the quarterly performance against the agreed Treasury Management Strategy. In giving his presentation, Councillor Tonge highlighted: that the performance was in line with the strategy; what the limited exposure to the Lender option borrower option (LOBO) loans and Icelandic banks was; and that the Capital Programme would be reviewed for affordability.

In response to a question from Councillor Glenis Ansell the Chair of Financial Planning Task Group, the s151 officer, Michael Hudson stated that the Council had been able to recover slightly more money from the Icelandic banks than expected, but was not much more than projected.

The Leader acknowledged the significant role played by the Local Government Association in supporting Councils in pursing their investments from Icelandic banks through the courts.

Resolved

To note that the contents of this report are in line with the Treasury Management Strategy.

Reason for Decision:

To give members an opportunity to consider the performance of the Council in the period to the end of the quarter against the parameters set out in the approved Treasury Management Strategy for 2016-17.

Report by Dr Carlton Brand, Corporate Director.

Councillor Dick Tonge presented the report which provided a quarter four update on outturns against the measures and activities compiled and reported through the council’s website via the Citizens’ Dashboard and other key measures, as well as latest outturns on the council’s strategic risk register.

Issues highlighted in the course of the presentation and discussion included: the good performance in relation to reduced JSA claimants and increase in employment rates; the improved performance in schools; the close monitoring of young people not in employment, education or training; that local performance information would be disseminated to Community Areas as part of the Joint Strategic Assessments for that area; and the work being undertaken to encourage businesses to provide broadband services to rural communities.

Resolved

To note the updates and outturns:

1.         Against the measures and activities ascribed against the council’s key outcomes; and

2.         In relation to the strategic risk register.

Reason for Decision:

The performance framework compiles and monitors outturns in relation to the outcomes laid out in the Business Plan. The framework is distilled from individual services’ delivery plans. In doing so, it captures the main focus of activities of the council against each outcome.

The strategic risk register captures and monitors significant risks facing the council: in relation to significant in-service risks facing individual areas, in managing its business across the authority generally and in assuring our preparedness should a national risk event occur.