Agenda and minutes

To note the membership of Cabinet following the appointment of the Leader of the Council at Annual Council on 16 May who will then appoint his or her Cabinet.

There were no apologies for absence received and all members of the Cabinet were in attendance.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 4 April 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2017 were presented.

Resolved

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2017.

The meeting considered the following matters:

To confirm the membership of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee

The Leader confirmed that the membership of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee would be the same as the Cabinet as follows:

Councillor Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE, Cllr John Thomson, Cllr Chuck Berry, Cllr Richard Clewer, Cllr Laura Mayes, Cllr Toby Sturgis, Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cllr Philip Whitehead, Cllr Jerry Wickham.

To receive and note the minutes of the Capital Assets Committee held on 14 March 2017.

The meeting considered the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee held on the 14^th March 2017 for information.

Resolved

To note the minutes the meeting of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee held on the 14^th March 2017

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

Prior to the start of the meeting, the Leader invited those in attendance to observe a minutes silence in respect of the incident in Manchester on the 22May 2017.

The Leader welcomed new members of the Cabinet and other Councillors to the meeting.

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 Yamina Rhouati of Democratic Services by 12.00 noon on 17 May 2017. Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement should contact the officer named above.

The Leader outlined her practice in conducting public participation at the meeting.

Brian Warwick, Older People’s Champion, attended the meeting raised concerns about the impact on older and disable people of recent works to the Market Place in Melksham.

Councillor Jon Hubbard, on behalf of Melksham Town Council, similarly raised concerns about the financial estimates provided for the related works.

In response to queries, the Leader asked if officers would arrange a meeting with interested parties to address the concerns, and stated that the Wiltshire Council project to improve the Market Place as part of the wider campus project was on time and on budget.

 Report by Carolyn Godfrey.

Councillor Laura Mayes presented the report which sought approval for proposals for the establishment of the Adoption West Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) as outlined in the report; and recommended that Cabinet delegate authority for approving the detailed implementation plans, including financial, contractual and legal agreements to the Carolyn Godfrey subject to council policies and procedures.

Issues highlighted in the course of the presentation and discussion included: the legislative driver behind the move to a regional model; that there would be three geographic hubs, with one in Wiltshire; how the good standards of the Wiltshire agency would be maintained in the regional model, and the opportunities for learning from best practice across the region; how performance would be managed, and the importance of scrutiny; the financial implications of the move, and how s151 officers had been involved in the development of the model.

In response to a question raised by the Leader, officers responded that the ambition of Wiltshire Council to find families for even the harder to place children would be maintained.

Resolved

1.     To approve proposals for the establishment of the Adoption West Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) as outlined in this report.

2.     To delegate authority for approving the detailed implementation plans, including financial, contractual and legal agreements, to the Corporate Director, subject to council policies and procedures and in consultation with the Monitoring Officer, the s151 Officer and the relevant Cabinet Member responsible for Children’s Services.

3.     That the Corporate Director be asked to work with partners to address the request that Overview & Scrutiny should form part of the governance arrangements of the Regional Adoption Agency.

Reason for Decision:

The development of Regional Adoption Agency proposals is part of the national regionalising adoption agenda as set out in ‘Regionalising Adoption’ (July 2015), and further developed in ‘Adoption; A Vision for Change’ (March 2016).

Proposals are also informed by the Education and Adoption Act 2016, as outlined in the ‘legal implications’ section of this report. Wiltshire Council is a partner in developing Adoption West RAA along with five other Councils and four voluntary adoption agencies. The intention is to transfer a range of Wiltshire Council’s current adoption service functions to Adoption West by April 2018

 Report by Carolyn Godfrey.

Councillor Philip Whitehead presented the report which requested that Cabinet approve the direct award of a contract to Legal & General for the purchase of an ill-health retirement insurance policy on behalf of the Wiltshire Pension Fund scheme employers to mitigate the risks in respect of ill-health early retirement claims.

Following a question from Councillor Ian Thorn, Councillor Whitehead clarified that the scheme would only be utilised by small members of the pension fund scheme, and that members could out of the policy.

Resolved

To agree the direct award for the attached insurance policy quotation and delegate authority to approve the entering into contract until April 2019 to the Associate Director Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance.

 Report by Dr Carlton Brand.

Councillor Bridget Wayman presented the report which sought approval to proceed with a procurement exercise for replacing three current Highway Management Systems with a single Integrated Highway Asset Management System.

Following a short debate, the meeting;

Resolved

That a procurement exercise should be undertaken for Highway Asset Management Software that best meets the Council's requirements, and offers the best value and functionality. It is recommended that the system should be in place for 1 April 2018.

Reason for Decision:

Wiltshire Council is responsible for 4,500km of roads, 1500 bridges and over 40,000 street lights with an estimated replacement value of £5 billion. The local highway network is vital to providing connectivity for businesses and communities. Effective maintenance to ensure its availability is essential to the economic development of an area.

Procurement of a modern Integrated Asset Management System will provide Wiltshire Council with the tools to improve the efficiency of key and statutory services such as major maintenance, highway safety inspections, street lighting repairs, traffic management and road space booking. It will enable the Council to achieve long term improvements in asset condition through improved investment decisions and to deliver an efficient and modern highways service.

There is the opportunity for joint procurement with Oxfordshire County Council which will speed up the process and potentially provide cost savings. The local authorities involved in the procurement process will operate separate contracts after contract award.

The experience of other Authorities who have procured new systems recently has delivered an improved understanding of their assets, improved maintenance decisions and increased efficiency through mobile working and streamlined, user friendly system interfaces.

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 12 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in  paragraphs 3 & 5 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).

Paragraph 5 - Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the following items of business because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would 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 the item in private:

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

Paragraph 5 - Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

No representations have been received as to why this item should not be held in private.

 Report by Dr Carlton Brand.

Councillor Bridget Wayman presented the report, exempt from publication, which notified Cabinet of the decision made by the Corporate Director under emergency powers to sign a number of agreements and contracts for the delivery of waste collection and waste management services and to inform Cabinet of the revised service commencement dates for the new contracts.

The report summarised the history of the procurement process and set out the advice and key issues considered by the Corporate Director in making the decision to enter into agreements and contracts as set out in the proposal contained in the report.

In response to a question, it was agreed that, as with previous matters of a similar nature, a report assessing the process would be provided.

Following an opportunity for those in attendance to ask questions, and following a short debate, the meeting;

Resolved

To approve the recommendations as set out in the report.

Reason for Decision:

To ensure that Cabinet is informed of the actions taken to enable the council to maintain service delivery for residents, to comply with its statutory duties to collect and dispose of waste and to continue to progress towards achieving statutory targets once current contracts expire.

Councillor Bridget Wayman presented a supplementary paper, exempt from publication, which detailed a proposal regarding the purchase of vehicles in respect of Lot 5.

Following an opportunity for those in attendance to ask questions, and following a short debate, the meeting;

Resolved

To approve the recommendations as set out in the report.

Reason for Decision:

To enable the council to maintain service delivery for residents, and secure value for money.