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Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Thursday, 2nd December, 2021 6.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7BZ. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  01827 709264

Note: The public part of this meeting will be recorded and uploaded to the Council's YouTube channel 'TamworthCouncil' as soon as possible 

Media

Items
No. Item

77.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R Pritchard

78.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 151 KB

Minutes:

Minutes of the meeting held on 11th November 2021 were approved and signed as a correct record

 

(Moved by Councillor A Farrell and seconded by Councillor M Bailey)

79.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a pecuniary or non-pecuniary 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 pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

Minutes:

There were no Declarations of Interest.

 

The Leader clarified that under the Base Budget Forecast agenda item as Councillors are Council Tax payers but also Members of the Council,  Members do not have to declare an interest as they are dealing with it as any member of the public would.

80.

Question Time:

To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Executive Procedure Rule No. 13

Minutes:

None

81.

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

Minutes:

Councillor Thomas Jay, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee was in attendance to update Cabinet on the Review of the Quarter 2 performance Report discussed at Corporate Scrutiny on 18th November.  This item was discussed under agenda Item 6 of the Cabinet agenda.   

 

Councillor Tina Clements, Vice Chair of Infrastructure Safety and Growth Committee was in attendance to update Cabinet in relation to the Infrastructure Funding Statement and The Dry Recycling Contract update discussed at Infrastructure Safety and Growth Scrutiny on 23rd November 2021.  It was agreed that the Infrastructure Funding Statement recommendations be discussed under Item 16 of the agenda.

 

 

 

The committee had raised the following motion

 

Dry Recycling Contract Update

 

RESOLVED that the following be recommended to Cabinet that:

 

Cabinet take note of the need for all areas of Council activity to be looking for opportunities to be more green, noting this as an example of an area.

 

(Moved by Councillor S Goodall and seconded by Councillor T Clements)

 

Cabinet moved the following motion:

 

That Cabinet acknowledged the feelings of the Scrutiny Committee and commits to considering the green agenda in all decision making in all areas going forward. 

 

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and Seconded by Councillor D Cook) 

 

 

 

 

82.

Quarter Two 2021/22 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 57 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council to provide the Committee with a performance update and financial health-check.  The report was considered by Corporate Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 18th November 2021

 

The Chair of Corporate Scrutiny Councillor Thomas Jay attended to update on discussions from Scrutiny Committee on 18th November on the Review of the Quarter 2 performance Report

 

The three areas that Scrutiny highlighted to Cabinet are:

 

·         Customer services – the Committee sought further details on the extent to which and how customer reception services could be accessed face-to-face, where it was reported that these services were available through the Assembly Rooms.  However, it was noted that there was currently no sign-posting at Marmion House to the front reception services being available at the Assembly Rooms. 

 

·         Future High Street Fund (FHSF) - whether the 10% reduction in the request for funding by the College to Government had resulted in any additional costs to Tamworth Borough Council, which the Leader confirmed had not been the case.  The Committee sought further clarification on the intended design and planned use for the Middle Entry area of the project. 

 

·         Staff vacancies – clarification was sought on the nature and extent of staff vacancies, as highlighted towards the end of the report, and why these appeared particularly to be in the public facing roles; for example, in areas such as the pleasure grounds, public spaces and community wardens. The Committee felt consideration could be given to whether there was any interaction between staff vacancies and savings. 

 

Councillor Jay confirmed that responses had now been received and the Scrutiny Committee had moved the following recommendation

 

RESOLVED that the report be endorsed.

 

(Moved by Councillor S Goodall and seconded by Councillor A Cooper)

 

The Leader thanked Councillor Jay for attending. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Cabinet

 

 

endorsed the contents of the report

 

 

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and seconded by Councillor A Farrell)

 

83.

Budget Consultation 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 80 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council to inform Cabinet of the outcomes arising from consultation undertaken with residents, businesses and the voluntary sector in accordance with the corporate budget setting process.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

endorsed the report; and

 

2.

Agreed to take account of the findings, along with other sources of information, when setting the 2022/23 Budget.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and seconded by Councillor S Doyle)

Cabinet thanked Linda Ram for compiling the report

84.

Draft Base Budget Forecasts 2022/23 to 2026/27 pdf icon PDF 1007 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council to inform Members of the re-priced base budget for 2022/23, base budget forecasts for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27 (the 5 Year Medium Term Planning Period) and the underlying assumptions and to consider the future strategy to address the financial trends.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Approved the technical adjustments and re-priced base budget figures for 2022/23 and indicative budgets to 2026/27 (as attached at Appendix B, C, D, E, F, G and H);

.

 

2.

Considered the proposed Policy Changes and Capital Programmes, as detailed within the report;

 

3.

Considered the planned changes to Council Tax and Housing Rent for 2022/23, as detailed within the report; and

 

4.

in compliance with the Constitution of the Council, noted that the Leader’s Budget Workshop considered the budget proposals contained within this report on 1st December 2021

 

 

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

 

85.

Future High Streets Fund Update pdf icon PDF 90 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council to Update Cabinet on the progress of the Future High Streets Fund programme.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

 

Noted the progress and receive a further update at the next Quarter

 

 

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and seconded by Councillor S Doyle)

 

 

 

86.

Review of Temporary Reserves, Retained Funds and Provisions pdf icon PDF 53 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services to advise Members on the levels of reserves and to seek approval to re-purpose unspent reserves, following the recent review by the Executive Director Finance.

 

RSOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Approved the transfer of the reserves, totalling £155,370, as detailed in Appendix A, including £145,370 to General Fund Balances and £10,000 to Housing Revenue Account Balances (HRA); and

 

2.

Noted the current levels of reserves remaining.

 

 

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

 

The Portfolio Holder thanked Lynne Pugh for compiling the report. 

87.

Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy Mid-year Review Report 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 825 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services)

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services to present to Members the Mid-year Review of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends to Council

 

to approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy Mid-year Review Report 2021/22.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor Marie Bailey and Seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

88.

Council Tax Base 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 100 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services to report the Council Tax Base for the Borough Council for 2022/23.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

 

Agreed that Tamworth Borough Council resolves its calculation of the Council Tax Base for the year 2022/23 to be 22,968 (2021/22 – 22,366).

 

 

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

 

89.

Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 76 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services to advise members that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working age

Customers for 2022/23 should include continued alignment to Applicable Amounts with those of Housing Benefit.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends that council

 

1.

consider and endorse or otherwise the proposed recommended changes detailed below:

 

2.

That the planned review for the introduction of a banding scheme for Council Tax Reduction be deferred until 2022 and that the current scheme for working age customers continues to be aligned to Applicable Amounts with those of Housing Benefit for 2022/23.

 

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

 

 

 

90.

Write Offs pdf icon PDF 136 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services to inform Members of the amount of debt scheduled to be written off for the period 1st April 2021 to 30th September 2021.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

 

endorsed the amount of debt written off for the period of 1st April 2021 to 30th September 2021 - Appendix A - E

 

 

(Moved by Councillors M Bailey and seconded by Councillor S Doyle)

 

91.

Appointment of External Auditor - Re: Accounts Commencing 2023/2024 pdf icon PDF 153 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Customer Services to advise Members of the options, process and legislative requirement to appoint External Auditors for the Accounting Periods from 2023/24 and to seek Member endorsement of the recommended option for Council approval.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends

 

1.

That Council approve that the Authority opts into the appointing person arrangements made by the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) for the appointment of External Auditors, and

 

2.

That the Executive Director Finance confirms our interest in undertaking the opt in process following ratification by Council and has delegated powers in relation to the appointment process.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor M Bailey and seconded by Councillor S Doyle)

 

92.

Infrastructure Funding Statement 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 70 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regulatory & Community Safety)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regulatory & Community Safety to seek Cabinet approval for the recommendations in relation to the spending of Community Infrastructure Levy income and the publication of the Infrastructure Funding Statement.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Agreed regeneration projects within Tamworth remains the priority for spending the strategic element of CIL;

 

2.

Agreed that a further £6,208.10 be added to the neighbourhood projects budget for 2022/23; and

 

3.

Agreed that the draft Infrastructure Funding Statement at Appendix A be approved for publication on the Council’s website.

 

 

The following 2 recommendations from Infrastructure & Growth were agreed by Cabinet

 

4.

Agreed that Cabinet regularly review how to spend the funds accumulated. 

 

5. 

Agreed that the process for member involvement and the spend of CIL is clarified by the relevant Portfolio Holder and a process is created where members under the right criteria can apply for funding.

 

 

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

 

93.

Revised Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy pdf icon PDF 81 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regulatory & Community Safety)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regulatory & Community Safety to ask Cabinet to approve an updated and combined Private Sector Housing Enforcement, Fees and Charging Policy

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Approved the update Private Sector Housing Enforcement, Fees and Charging Policy; and

 

2.

Endorsed annual reporting to the forthcoming Housing and Homeless Sub-Committee, (once it is a Constituted Committee) on the use of appropriate powers and outcomes for private sector tenants in Tamworth.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor S Doyle and seconded by Councillor A Farrell)