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Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Wednesday, 21st September, 2011 6.00 pm

Venue: Committee Room 1 Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth

Contact: Democratic Services  01827 709264

Items
No. Item

49.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor B Beale and R Pritchard.

50.

Corporate Update

Title: Staffordshire Alcohol Misuse Project – Tamworth Pilot

 

            Presenter: Karen Adderley

Minutes:

Karen Adderley gave a presentation on Staffordshire Alcohol Misuse Project – Tamworth Pilot

51.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 95 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 August were approved and signed as a correct record.

 

(Moved by Councillor J Garner and seconded by Councillor M Oates)

52.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (personal and/or personal and prejudicial) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a personal interest or personal and prejudicial

interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

Minutes:

There were no Declarations on Interest.

53.

Tamworth and Lichfield Economic Strategy pdf icon PDF 42 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Enterprise)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Enterprise seeking endorsement of the Strategy and associated next steps was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That :

 

1

Cabinet endorsed the strategy in terms of its overall vision, key themes, issues and priorities, and;

 

2

Cabinet endorsed the next steps in developing the action plans with partners within the Business and Economic Partnership and the Councils participation in this process.

(Moved by Councillor S Claymore  and seconded by Councillor J Garner)

 

54.

Matters Referred to the Cabinet in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

None

Minutes:

The Leader agreed at the request of the Chair of Corporate Scrutiny to write to the Leader of the County Council in relation to the purchase of land for a BMX track.

55.

Budget and Medium Term Financial Planning Process pdf icon PDF 69 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Leader of the Council seeking agreement to the proposed budget and medium term financial planning process for General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account for 2012/13 was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That the proposed process for the General Fund and Housing revenue Account Budget and Medium Term Financial Planning process for 2012/13 be adopted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor M Oates)

56.

Quarter 1 2010/11 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 25 KB

(The Report of The Leader of the Council)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Leader of the Council providing Cabinet with a performance and financial health-check was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That Members endorsed the contents of the report.

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor J Garner)

 

57.

Charges for Legal Work pdf icon PDF 36 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Assets)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Leader in the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Assets advising Members of the current position, the nature of the work undertaken by the Legal and Democratic Services Team and the resource implications was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Members endorsed the contents of the report and approved:

 

1

the general principles of imposing a charge for discretionary legal services;

 

2

the creation of a standard form of response to leasehold enquiries and the implementation of standard fees as detailed in the report, and;

 

3

the implementation of standard charges for the areas of legal work in accordance with the schedule at appendix 1.

(Moved by Councillor D Cook  and seconded by Councillor S Claymore)

 

58.

Transfer to Reserve - Icelandic Impairment Revaluation pdf icon PDF 57 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Minutes:

The report of the Leader of the Council seeking Cabinet approval to create a specific reserve for ‘Icelandic Impairment Revaluation’ and to transfer £473,726.26 to that reserve for the year ending 31st March 2011 was considered.

 

 

           

RESOLVED

 

That Cabinet gave retrospective approval for the creation of the Temporary Reserve for ‘Icelandic Impairment Revaluation’, required as part of the finalisation of the 2010/11 accounts resulting from changes to Icelandic Banking impairment valuations, in the sum of £473,726.26, as detailed within the body of the report.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor J Garner)

 

59.

Local Authority Mortgage Rate for Mortgages granted Under Housing Act, 1985 pdf icon PDF 29 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Assets)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Leader of the Council in the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Assets, in accordance with section 438 of the Housing Act 1985, making the statutory declaration of the local authority mortgage rate from 1 October was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Cabinet approved the following:

 

1

the statutory declaration of interest was to be charged at 6.87%, and;

 

2

the rate to be reviewed again in 6 months.

(Moved by Councillor D Cook  and seconded by Councillor M Oates)

 

60.

Disposal of Council Owned Garage Sites for the Development of Affordable Housing pdf icon PDF 38 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for the Quality of Life and the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Assets)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life and the Portfolio Holder Corporate Services and Assets seeking agreement in principle to the disposal of 26 Council owned garage sites for the purpose of developing affordable housing as per previous Cabinet decision to disinvest in sites that are uneconomical to retain was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That:

 

1

Cabinet agreed in principle to the disposal of 26 garage sites to partner Registered Providers (RPs) to develop affordable housing;

 

2

Authority has been delegated to the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life and Portfolio Holder Corporate Services and Assets to agree final decisions relating to the disposal of garage sites following further feasibility assessments, and;

 

3

A further report will be submitted to Cabinet in November to agree a strategy for investment in the retained garage stock and potential disposal of sites not suitable for affordable housing development.

(Moved by Councillor M Oates and seconded by Councillor S Claymore)

 

61.

Landlord Services Co-regulation and requirement for the Tenants Services Authority pdf icon PDF 39 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for the Quality of Life)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life seeking to update Cabinet on the interim arrangements for landlord regulation in relation to the Tenants Service Authority (1/7/11-31/3/12), setting out the proposed changes within the Localism Bill to Landlord Regulation from April 2012 and setting out Landlord Services response to the above changes and ensure that tenants are at the heart of influencing, shaping and scrutinising services in line with legislative and best practice requirements was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Members:

 

1

endorsed the interim position regarding the Tenants Service Authority from 1st July 2011 – 31st March 2012;

 

2

delegated authority to the Portfolio Holder of Quality of Life and Deputy Director of Housing and Health to agree consultation responses to the changes to the regulatory framework for tenants’, and;

 

3

agreed that the Tenant Regulatory & Improvement Team within the Landlord Services will oversee compliance with the regulatory requirements within the Tenant Services Authority’s code ensuring tenants’ shape, influence and scrutinise service improvement .

(Moved by Councillor M Oates and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

62.

Housing & Health Strategy pdf icon PDF 59 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Quality of Life)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life seeking approval of the draft Healthier Housing Strategy was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Members:

 

1

approved the draft Healthier Housing Strategy and Year 1 Action Plan;

 

2

delegated authority to the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life to agree any required amendments to the draft Strategy and Action Plan following further consultation with key stakeholders.

(Moved by Councillor M Oates and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

 

 

63.

Council Housing Finance Reform pdf icon PDF 128 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for the Quality of Life)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life updating Cabinet regarding the implementation of Council Housing Finance reform; seeking to agree a waiver to financial guidance in the retention of the Sector Group to provide advice and support in the development of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy; seeking to agree key principles in relation to the development of the Council’s 30 year business plan as set out in the report; and seeking approval of the implementation plan shown at Appendix Four was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Cabinet agreed:

 

1

to waive financial guidance in the retention of the services of Sector Group to provide advice and support in the development of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy;

 

2

the key principles which will guide the development of the Council’s 30 year business plan as set out in the report, and;

 

3

the implementation plan shown at Appendix Four.

(Moved by Councillor M Oates and seconded by Councillor M Greatorex)

 

64.

Empty Homes and Financial Assistance Policy pdf icon PDF 60 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Quality of Life)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life seeking approval of a revised version of the Financial Assistance Policy due to the inclusion of financial assistance geared towards preventing homelessness, the ending of the Kick Start Partnership and the introduction of the Home Improvement Trust and changes in the way Empty Homes Grants are delivered; and seeking approval of the Empty Homes Policy and advising members to date of the progress made on returning Empty Homes back into use in the private sector was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Cabinet approved the:

 

1

revised Financial Assistance Policy attached at Appendix 1;

 

2

Empty Homes Policy attached at Appendix 2, and;

 

3

endorsed the progress made on returning Empty Homes into use.

(Moved by Councillor M Oates and seconded by Councillor S Claymore)

 

65.

Virement of Asbestos Budget into Housing Capital Workstreams pdf icon PDF 26 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Quality of Life)

Minutes:

The report of the Portfolio Holder Quality of Life seeking Members approval of the virement of £100,000 in respect of Asbestos Testing and Removal capital programme budget, into the main capital programme workstreams under which asbestos removal works take place was considered.

 

 

RESOLVED

That Members approved the virement of £100,000 in respect of Asbestos Testing and Removal capital programme budget, into the main capital programme workstreams under which asbestos removal works take place

(Moved by Councillor M Oates and seconded by Councillor D Cook)