Agenda, decisions and minutes

None.

Councillors’ declarations of interest (if any) in relation to any items on the agenda.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2019.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2019 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

Any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

The Leader said that the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was due to come into force on 5 August. Jane Greer, Head of Community Wellbeing said that following the sealing of the PSPO there was a six week period for people to object to it.

To receive any questions from members of the public in accordance with Rule 10 of the Council Procedure Rules.

To receive any questions from Councillors in accordance with Rule 11 of the Council Procedure Rules.

The question, together with the answer, is appended to the minutes.

To consider any petitions that have been referred to the Cabinet under the Council’s Petition Scheme.

To note the Forward Plan, which lists all upcoming Cabinet decisions and provides notice of key decisions and those expected to be taken in private session.

RESOLVED that the Forward Plan is noted.

There have not been any decisions taken by Portfolio Holders under delegated powers since the last meeting of the Cabinet.

None.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Approved that the draft Town Centre Area Action Plan (as set out at Appendix A to the report), is published for the purposes of consultation under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

B    Delegated authority to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Regeneration, to make and approve any minor or inconsequential amendments to the Town Centre Area Action Plan arising from the completion of ensuing technical documents and any further legal advice prior to formal publication.

Cabinet received a report which requested that the draft Town Centre Area Action Plan was published for the purposes of consultation under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

Proposed by Councillor Danny Purton (seconded by Councillor Tony Durcan) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Approved that the draft Town Centre Area Action Plan (as set out at Appendix A to the report), is published for the purposes of consultation under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

B    Delegated authority to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Regeneration, to make and approve any minor or inconsequential amendments to the Town Centre Area Action Plan arising from the completion of ensuing technical documents and any further legal advice prior to formal publication.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Acknowledged the outturn position set out in section three of Appendix A to this report for the year ending 31 March 2019, subject to recommendations in paragraphs 16 and 19 of the report:

             i)        Underspending on controllable service budgets of £124,000 or 0.21 per cent of the General Fund budget and a net overspend of £14,300 or 0.02 per cent subject to recommendation Ci).

            ii)        Total General Fund underspending, after taking into account windfall income, non-controllable items and transfers to reserves, of £1.866 million or 3.09 per cent of the General Fund budget.

           iii)        A General Fund balance of £4.488 million after adjusting for the recommended transfers to reserves and carry forward requests set out in this report.

B    Recognised the operational performance that has been achieved in 2018-19 across all Council services.

C    Approved:

             i)        The carrying forward of £138,300 of budgets from 2018/19 to 2019/20 as set out in paragraph 15 of the report.

            ii)        The transfer to reserves of £4,224,399 as set out in paragraph 16 of the report.

The Cabinet received a report that summarised the Council’s financial and operational performance as at year-end 2018/19, proposed carryovers into 2018/19 and contributions to reserves.

Proposed by Councillor Mark Ingall (proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Acknowledged the outturn position set out in section three of Appendix A to this report for the year ending 31 March 2019, subject to recommendations in paragraphs 16 and 19 of the report:

                             i)        Underspending on controllable service budgets of £124,000 or 0.21 per cent of the General Fund budget and a net overspend of £14,300 or 0.02 per cent subject to recommendation Ci).

                            ii)        Total General Fund underspending, after taking into account windfall income, non-controllable items and transfers to reserves, of £1.866 million or 3.09 per cent of the General Fund budget.

                           iii)        A General Fund balance of £4.488 million after adjusting for the recommended transfers to reserves and carry forward requests set out in this report.

B    Recognised the operational performance that has been achieved in 2018-19 across all Council services.

C    Approved:

                             i)        The carrying forward of £138,300 of budgets from 2018/19 to 2019/20 as set out in paragraph 15 of the report.

                            ii)        The transfer to reserves of £4,224,399 as set out in paragraph 16 of the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Acknowledged the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) outturn for 2018/19 as set out in the report as follows:

             i)        An unfavourable variation against the current budget adjusted for carryovers on operational/controllable budgets of £121,000 representing (-)0.23 per cent of the gross HRA budget.

            ii)        A total projected underspend of £3,367,000 representing 7.28 per cent of the gross HRA budget.

B    Noted working balances at 31 March 2019 of £13,731,000 in respect of the HRA and nil in respect of the Major Repairs Reserve (MRR) are noted.

C    Recognised the operational performance that has been achieved across all Council services during 2018/19.

Cabinet received a report which set out the Housing Revenue Accounts outturn for 2018/19.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Wilkinson) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Acknowledged the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) outturn for 2018/19 as set out in the report as follows:

                             i)        An unfavourable variation against the current budget adjusted for carryovers on operational/controllable budgets of £121,000 representing (-)0.23 per cent of the gross HRA budget.

                            ii)        A total projected underspend of £3,367,000 representing 7.28 per cent of the gross HRA budget.

B    Noted working balances at 31 March 2019 of £13,731,000 in respect of the HRA and nil in respect of the Major Repairs Reserve (MRR) are noted.

C    Recognised the operational performance that has been achieved across all Council services during 2018/19.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the outturn of the Council’s Housing and Non Housing Capital Programmes as at 31 March 2019 detailed as follows:

             i)        Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £17,205,000 against an approved revised budget of £19,513,000.

            ii)        Non Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £10,422,000 against an approved revised budget of £14,903,000.

B    Approved the carryover of Housing Capital programme schemes to 2019/20 of £3,608,000 to meet capital commitments.

C    Approved the carryover of Non Housing Capital Programme schemes to 2018/19 of £1,216,000 to meet statutory and agreed capital commitments in the core programme and £260,000 to meet commitments in respect of the Enterprise Zone.

D    Recognised the operational performance which has been achieved across all Council services during 2018/19.

Cabinet received a report which set out the outturn of the Council’s Housing and Non Housing Capital programmes for 2018/19.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Wilkinson) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the outturn of the Council’s Housing and Non Housing Capital Programmes as at 31 March 2019 detailed as follows:

                             i)        Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £17,205,000 against an approved revised budget of £19,513,000.

                            ii)        Non Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £10,422,000 against an approved revised budget of £14,903,000.

B    Approved the carryover of Housing Capital programme schemes to 2019/20 of £3,608,000 to meet capital commitments.

C    Approved the carryover of Non Housing Capital Programme schemes to 2018/19 of £1,216,000 to meet statutory and agreed capital commitments in the core programme and £260,000 to meet commitments in respect of the Enterprise Zone.

D    Recognised the operational performance which has been achieved across all Council services during 2018/19.

RESOLVED that:

A     Cabinet approved the proposed amendments to the London Road North Local Development Order, as set out in Appendix A to the report, and authorises that these now be subject to public consultation.

B    Authority be delegated to the appropriate Head of Service, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment, to make such minor or inconsequential amendments to the Order as may be required following the consultation process.

Cabinet received a report which recommended that amendments were made to the current Local Development Order for the London Road North Enterprise Zone site and that these amendments were publically consulted on.

Proposed by Councillor Danny Purton (seconded by Councillor Tony Durcan) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     Cabinet approved the proposed amendments to the London Road North Local Development Order, as set out in Appendix A to the report, and authorises that these now be subject to public consultation.

B    Authority be delegated to the appropriate Head of Service, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment, to make such minor or inconsequential amendments to the Order as may be required following the consultation process.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Approves the proposed policy on help with home adaptations attached as Appendix A to the report.

B    Delegated authority to the appropriate Head of Service, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to make such minor or inconsequential amendments to the policy and to approve procedures for giving it effect as may be necessary from time to time.

Cabinet received a report which sought approval for a new Housing Assistance Policy to provide help with home adaptations that are not currently available through statutory Disabled Facilities Grants.

Proposed by Councillor Mark Wilkinson (seconded by Councillor Eugenie Harvey) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Approves the proposed policy on help with home adaptations attached as Appendix A to the report.

B    Delegated authority to the appropriate Head of Service, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to make such minor or inconsequential amendments to the policy and to approve procedures for giving it effect as may be necessary from time to time.

The Leader said that the item would no longer be considered at this meeting. This was in order to wait for further information relating to the Garden Town.

RESOLVED that:

A     The Council extended its Carbon Management Plan until the end of 2021/22, unless the target is reached prior to this date.

Cabinet received a report which recommended the extension of the Carbon Management Plan until the end of 2021/22.

Proposed by Councillor Danny Purton (seconded by Councillor Mark Ingall) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     The Council extended its Carbon Management Plan until the end of 2021/22, unless the target is reached prior to this date.

At the Full Council meeting on 11 July 2019 a motion was passed which declared a climate emergency. The motion set a number of objectives with an overarching aim of reducing the Council’s environmental impact. The motion also recognised there were a number of areas which required the development of a more detailed strategy.

Therefore, Full Council recommended that Cabinet adds an item to the Cabinet Overview Working Group Work Plan to develop a strategy which looks into the feasibility of:

     i)        Installing photovoltaic panels on all public council buildings within the next two years where possible; and

    ii)        New council built houses having a minimal carbon footprint; and

   iii)        Creating an action plan which focuses on reducing the impact of day to day living on the environment beyond that causes by greenhouse gas emissions.

Cabinet received a referral from Full Council following a motion where the Council declared a Climate Emergency.

RESOLVED that Cabinet adds an item to the Cabinet Overview Working Group Work Plan to develop a strategy which looks into the feasibility of:

                     i)        Installing photovoltaic panels on all public council buildings within the next two years where possible; and

                    ii)        New council built houses having a minimal carbon footprint; and

                   iii)        Creates an action plan which focuses on reducing the impact of day to day living on the environment beyond that causes by greenhouse gas emissions.

To note the following draft minutes of Cabinet appointed bodies. Minutes remain draft until approved by the relevant body.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the following meetings are noted.

Such other business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be received as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the minutes.

None.