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Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Thursday, 24th November, 2016 6.00 pm

Venue: Committee Room 1, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7BZ. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  01827 709264

Items
No. Item

60.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Goodall

61.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 207 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2016 were approved and signed as a correct record.

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor M Thurgood)

62.

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.

63.

Question Time:

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

Minutes:

None

64.

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

Minutes:

None

65.

Draft Base Budget Forecasts 2017/18 to 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 1 MB

(The Report of the Leader of the Council)

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council informed Members of the re-priced base budget for 2017/18, base budget forecasts for the period 2017/18 to 2021/22 (the 5 Year Medium Term Planning Period) and the underlying assumptions and for Members to consider the future strategy to address the financial trends.

 

RESOLVED:

That Members

1

approved the technical adjustments and re-priced base budget figures for 2017/18 and indicative budgets to 2021/22;

 

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 2017/18, as detailed within the report; and

 

4

in compliance with the Constitution of the Council and the Joint Scrutiny Budget Workshop considered the budget proposals contained within the report.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

 

66.

Quarter Two 2016/17 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 10 KB

(The Report of the Leader of the Council)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council provided Members with a performance and financial health-check.

 

RESOLVED:

That Members endorsed the contents of this report

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

 

67.

Appointment of External Auditors 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 209 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance advised Members of the options process and legislative requirement to appoint External Auditors for the Accounting Period 2018/19 and to seek Member endorsement of the recommended option for Council approval.

 

RESOLVED:

That the Members endorsed that

1

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

the Executive Director Corporate Services confirms the Members interest in undertaking the opt in appointing process following ratification by Council and has delegated powers in relation to the appointment process.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor S Claymore)

 

 

68.

Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy Mid-year Review Report 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 575 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance presented to Members the Mid-year Review of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy.

 

RESOLVED:

That Members accepted the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy Mid-year Review Report 2016/17.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

69.

Council Tax Base 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 114 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance reported the Council Tax Base for the Borough Council for 2017/18.

 

RESOLVED:

That Members resolved its calculation of the Council Tax Base for the year 2017/18 to be 21,093 (2016/17 – 20,904)

 

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

70.

Write Offs 01/04/16 - 30/09/16 pdf icon PDF 210 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance requested that Members endorse the amount of debt written off for the period 01 April 2016 to 30 September 2016.

 

RESOLVED:

That Members were provided with details of write offs from 01 April 2016 to 30 September 2016.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

 

71.

Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2017/18 onwards pdf icon PDF 209 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance advised Members of the results and feedback from the recently undertaken consultation on the proposed Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme from 2017 onwards and for Members to review the consultation feedback when considering potential changes to be applied in the 2017/18 onwards Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.  Members were advised that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working age customers for 2017/18 should include continued alignment to Applicable Amounts with those of Housing Benefit and for Members to endorse the proposed change, moderately supported by the consultation results, to restrict Council Tax Reduction awards to a maximum of 4 weeks only where the claimant(s) are abroad.

 

RESOLVED:

That Members

1

considered the results of the public consultation on the current scheme, carried out 15 August to 14 October 2016, and endorsed or otherwise the proposed recommended change detailed below when the scheme is considered by Council on 13th December 2016; and

 

2

approved that the base scheme goes forward with the following:-

 

a)    That the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working age customers

for 2017/18 will continue to be aligned to Applicable Amounts with those of Housing Benefit, and

 

b)    That Council Tax Reduction awards will be restricted to a maximum of 4 weeks only where the claimant(s) are abroad.  

    

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

 

72.

Affordable Housing Development Programme pdf icon PDF 183 KB

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance updated Members on the progress of affordable housing delivery in Tamworth and for Members to approve continuation of the delivery programme. Also to update Members on the approach to be taken in respect of retained sites, to agree to the procurement of partners and contractors to assist in delivery and the progress of the Council’s acquisitions programme including the purchase of properties ‘off-plan’

 

RESOLVED:

That Members agreed to

1

continue the re-development of garage sites as Council Housing;

 

2

charge affordable rents aligned to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) for the new Council Housing;

 

3

the outline approach to be taken in respect of retained sites;

 

4

the virement of £2 million from the garage re-development programme into the acquisitions programme

 

 

(Moved by Councillor M Thurgood and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

73.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To consider excluding the Press and Public from the meeting by passing the following resolution:-

 

“That in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meeting and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, and Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 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”

 

At the time this agenda is published no representations have been received that this part of the meeting should be open to the public.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

That members of the press and public be now excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

74.

Commercial Investment Strategy - (Progress Report)

(The Report of the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive)

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council and Chief Executive report represents a “key decision” as the recommended outcomes will affect two or more Wards and involves the expenditure in excess of £100,000. Also it represents the first quarterly report to Cabinet in accordance with the resolutions arising from the report dated 16th June 2016 (Minute No. 012). Finally the support and formal endorsement of key actions undertaken to date and proposed by officers.

 

RESOLVED:

That the Members  approved the recommendations as contained in the report

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

 

 

75.

Repairs and Investment Services

(The Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services)

Minutes:

That the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services set out the current contractual position with Mears and Morrison FSL (a subsidiary of Mears) following their decision to exercise the contractual break clause and terminate both contracts with effect from 30th March 2017 and also to set out the procurement arrangements to engage a statutory repairs and investment service from 30th March 2017 to comply with the landlord statutory and regulatory standard ‘Home’.

 

RESOLVED:

That the Members approved the recommendations as contained in the report

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)