Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies.

To confirm as a true and correct record and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 13 June 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2023 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2023.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements from the Leader of the Council.

The Leader provided an update on Salisbury City Hall and clarified the Council’s commitment to reopen venue for live entertainment. He explained that conversations were continuing with council officers about re-opening the venue once it was safe to do so and in a condition that was befitting for Salisbury and complemented the wider cultural offer the city provided.  He urged decision makers in the city to work with Wiltshire Council on this matter.

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 submitted to Stuart Figini of Democratic Services stuart.figini@wiltshire.gov.uk/  01225 718221 by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 5 July 2023. Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement should contact the officer named above.

General questions were submitted from the following members of public:

•                Dave Yearsley – Self-volunteering and improvements to data systems

•                Colin Gale – Maintaining roads and footways

Cllr Clewer, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for MCI, Economic Development, Heritage, Arts, Tourism and Health & Wellbeing explained that the questions had received written responses which were published on the Council’s website prior to the meeting in the agenda supplement, which can be accessed here.

Supplementary questions were received from:

·       Dave Yearsley asked a further question about the potential timescales for linking a database for volunteering to the integrated management system – Cllr Caroline Thomas confirmed that a written response would be provided.

·       Colin Gale asked further questions in relation to timescales for the bank retention to be replaced and confirmation of the options being considered for a permanent solution for the bank retention. Cllr Caroline Thomas reported that these matters will be monitored, although a written response will be provided.

Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Finance, Development Management and Strategic Planning presented a report which provided detail about the final year end position for the financial year 2022/23 for revenue with the necessary approvals and with suggested actions.

The Cabinet noted that the report provided details of variances against budgets following the quarter three budget monitoring reported to Cabinet on 31 January 2023. That report forecast an overspend of £5.037m for the financial year although the final position has improved during the last quarter to a final overspend position of £1.839m. The report detailed a number of requests to transfer £25.836m, of which some relate to government grants, into specific earmarked reserves to support planned activity in 2023/24 and future years. 

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Street Scene, and Flooding reported specifically on the allocation of funding from the Business Plan Priority Reserve to fund for two years for litter enforcement on rural and urban roads, fly posting enforcement, additional litter prevention, cleaning and collection initiatives and awareness campaigns to ensure behaviour change.

Cllr Pip Ridout, Chair of the Financial Planning Task Group, confirmed that the report had been considered by the Task Group at its meeting on 7 July 2023. The Task Group were broadly satisfied that budgets were close to being balanced, pleased that reserves were increasing and proposed that a decision was required about the scrutiny of Stone Circle activities. Cllr Ridout thanked officers for their hard work in relation to the revenue outturn.

Cllr Graham Wright, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, confirmed that the report had also been considered by the Management Committee on 26 June 2023 and he complimented the Task Group for their consideration of the report.

Cllr Brian Mathew welcomed the litter initiatives, thanking officers for the suggestions and the commitment of the community litter pickers. He also commented on the sign off of the Council’s accounts. In response to the comments and questions raised Cllr Botterill, supported by officers confirmed that robust discussions had recently taken place with McDonalds about the problem of litter from their premises. It was noted that McDonalds patrolled a significant perimeter around their premises, although there were instances that litter did extend further afield. Members noted that the issue of publishing accounts was an issue impacting a number of Local Authorities. The Audit Committee would be considering a report about how to resolve the issue at their next meeting on 25 July 2023.

Resolved:

To approve:

a)    the transfer in total of £22.638m to earmarked reserves as detailed in the report and Appendix B;

b)    the additional transfers to reserves of:

i.               £2m to a pay award reserve;

ii.             £0.6m to a feasibility reserve; and

iii.            £0.598m to the Business Plan Priority Reserve;

c)    that £0.510m be allocated from the Business Plan Priority reserve for the next two years to fund litter enforcement activity.

To note:

d)    the general fund revenue budget outturn position for the financial year 2022/23;

e)    the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Nick Botterill Cabinet Member for  Finance, Development Management and Strategic Planning presented a report which provided detail about the final year end position for the financial year 2022/23 for the capital programme.

The Cabinet noted that the report included the movements from the original budget, final scheme slippage and funding of the programme. The report also provided an update on the significant programmes that have been delivered and those that have been reprogrammed to future years. Cllr Botterill thanked the Financial Planning Task Group for their input and contributions to new approaches coming forward for future years.

Cllr Pip Ridout, Chair of the Financial Planning Task Group, confirmed that the report had been considered by the Task Group at its meeting on 7 July 2023. Cllr Ridout explained that the system to monitor the Programme had been evolving throughout the financial year and although not ideal, slippages in the Programme reduced the need for additional funding.

Cllr Graham Wright, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee confirmed that the report had been considered by the Management Committee on 26 June 2023 and robust scrutiny had taken place.

In response to a question from Cllr Tony Jackson about the reprofiling of commitments for the Maltings in Salsibury towards the repair of squash courts in Warminster, Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Libraries, Facilities Management and Operational Assets agreed to discuss the matter further after the Cabinet meeting.

Resolved:

To Note:

a)    the additional capital budgets of £5.369m (£3.820m in 2022/23) that have been added to the capital programme under Chief Finance Officer delegated powers.

b)    that £5.067m budget that has been brought forward from future years to the 2022/23 programme to support the delivery of accelerated projects, or project in year overspend under Chief Finance Officer delegated powers.

c)    the removal of £8.784m budget (£4.585m in 2022/23) for Homes England Funded capital grant for the West Ashton Urban Extension project in line with grant conditions as the project is no longer proceeding.

d)    the removal of £7.584m budget from 2022/23 for Housing Infrastructure Fund for the Future Chippenham programme as a result of the mutually agreed withdrawal from the Grant Determination agreement with Homes England.

e)    the programme underspend for phase 1 and 2 and subsequent removal of £2.305m (£0.737m in 2022/23) for Wiltshire Online due to the completion of the project.

f)     the removal of £0.053m underspend on CIL Funded schemes budget, this was allocated for feasibility studies which have now all completed. This budget is funded by Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) the removal will allow CIL to be reallocated to other projects.

g)    the capital programme end of year spend position of £128.380m for financial year 2022/23.

To approve:

h)    the £39.438m of capital programme slippage to be rolled forward into future financial years.

To recommend to Full Council to approve:

i)      the allocation of £0.800m CIL funding to finance £0.400m per year for 2023/24 and 2024/25 budgets for Local Highways and Footpath Improvement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

      Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Military-Civilian Integration, Heritage, Arts, Tourism, Health and Wellbeing presented a report which provided an update on the recent and future intended activity of house acquisitions by the Council to deliver on a wide range of service needs.

The Cabinet noted that the Council are in the process of acquiring homes through a number of Government programmes. With funding of £10m being set aside in reserves for the acquisitions it was expected that the programme would deliver in the region of 250 homes to support long term service need for Wiltshire residents as well as delivering the Counties ongoing commitment to homing Ukrainian and Afghan families.

Cllr Phil Alford, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Assets and Asset Transfers welcomed the report and the ability to support service needs.  

Cllr Pip Ridout, Chair of the Financial Planning Task Group, confirmed that the report had been considered by the Task Group at its meeting on 7 July 2023. The Task Group were content with the responses received to questions asked, and also noted that there were a number of unknown areas. The Leader commented on the work of the Cabinet Shareholder Group in asking questions of Stone Circle at public meetings that Councillors were welcome to attend. Cllr Graham Wright, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee highlighted the possible need for the Management Committee to consider the level of scrutiny provided by Cabinet via regular reports from the Shareholder Group and this could be added to the Management Committee Forward Work Plan.

Cllr Brian Mathew welcomed the proposals set out in the report. In addition, he highlighted the plight of refugees arriving at the UK borders and their accommodation needs. The Leader advised Members against combining the needs of different people groups when providing for their accommodation needs, especially as could be alternative funding streams available from the Government.   

Resolved:

a)    To note the activity being undertaken by the Council to date in acquiring houses through the LAHF programme, and the addition of the £4.012m Government Grant to the HRA Build Programme under the Section 151 officer’s delegated powers.

b)    To approve that the governance of housing acquisitions will be through individual business cases approved by the Corporate Director Resources & Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance.

c)    To recommend to Full Council to approve the addition to the capital programme of £40m, funded through £10m reserves and £30m debt, to enable the Council to acquire housing for long term investment to deliver service solutions.

Reasons for Decision:

To report on the Councils recent and future activity of housing acquisition funded through Government Grant and to seek the recommend to Full Council the necessary approvals to add those funds and the leveraged funds to the Capital Programme.

      Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Finance, Development Management and Strategic Planning presented the report seeking Cabinet’s endorsement to recommend to Full Council that the pre-submission Draft Wiltshire Local Plan Review be formally published for a final stage of consultation; and set out the arrangements for the consultation and next steps.

Cllr Botterill reported that the Plan is one of the most significant strategic documents for the council and will pave the way for sustainable growth up to 2038. Updating the Plan is a key priority and will ensure that Wiltshire benefits from plan-led development that best meets the growing needs of Wiltshire communities. He emphasised that the Plan is evidence based, with significant engagement with the local community and statutory consultees and has responded to changes in national planning policy. The Plan addresses Wiltshire’s need for new homes, jobs and infrastructure between 2020 and 2038 and noted that it is based on 36,740 homes, a reduction of 8,890 compared to the 45,630 number of homes consulted on in 2021.

The Cabinet noted that the council has reached the final consultation stage, where representations are invited on soundness and legal compliance, which is known as the Regulation 19 stage. Publication of the Pre-Submission Draft Plan for consultation is proposed to start towards the end of September 2023 for a period of at least 6 weeks in line with legislation and the council’s adopted statement of community involvement. Following the consultation, once the outcomes have been considered a further report will be brought back to Cabinet and Council, so that the Plan can be approved for submission to an independent Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State and examined in public.

Questions were received on time from the following:

·       Richard Curr

·       Nick Parry

·       Hannah Anderson-Jones

·       Richard Walker

·       Andrew Nicolson

The Leader acknowledged that the questions had received written responses which had been published on the Council’s website as a supplementary agenda prior to the meeting.

Mr R Smith, a member of the public, spoke in relation to this item. Mr Smith spoke positively about progress with the Local Plan but asked that Cabinet treats the published Local Plan as a ‘Regulation 18’ Plan to give the local community the opportunity for a further round of consultation, before the Council eventually moves to Regulation 19 stage. In response, Cllr Botterill stated that the Plan had already been subject to extensive consultation and that further delays at this stage would not be appropriate. He confirmed that the Local Plan would be subject to further consultation in the autumn at Regulation 19 stage and that the local community would have the opportunity to participate in the examination next year.

In addition to the above questions, a large number of statements and questions were received after the deadline from the following residents of Salisbury, which included concerns  about the allocations at Harnham (Sites  8 and 9), loss of greenfield land, inadequate road infrastructure and traffic generation arising from proposals:

·       Geraint Dingley

·       Dean Hillier  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

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