Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dr. D. W. P. Booth J. P. and M. J. A. Webb.

No declarations of interest were received.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3rd October 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Steering Board held on 2nd October 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

It was noted that in future this item would not appear on the Cabinet agenda and that further discussions would be held between the Chairman of the Scrutiny Steering Board and the Leader as to how best to factor the views of the Scrutiny Steering Board into the Cabinet decisions.

The Minutes of the Local Development Framework Working Party held on 10th October 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The minutes of the Audit Board held on 15th October 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes of the meeting be noted and the recommendation relating to Ethical/Social Policy be approved.

The minutes of the Performance Management Board held on 23rd October 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes of the meeting be noted and the recommendations approved.

The Cabinet considered the Improvement Plan Exception Report for August 2007, together with the corrective action being taken.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the revised Improvement Plan Exception Report, together with the corrective action being taken, be noted; and

(b)       that it be noted that, for the 142 actions highlighted for August, 88.7% of the Improvement Plan was on target (green), 9.2% was one month behind (amber) and 0.7% was over one month behind (red). 1.4% of actions had been re-scheduled or suspended with approval.

(c)        that the changes made to actions and timescales in section 10.3 of the Plan (Rolling Vision of the District) since the July Improvement Plan was considered be approved in view of the reasons set out in section 2.3 of the report.

The Cabinet considered a revised Statement of Licensing Policy prepared in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003.

RECOMMENDED that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy attached to the report be approved.     

The Cabinet gave consideration to an updated Communications Strategy following a review of the original Strategy implemented in March 2006. The review was welcomed, however, it was felt that it may be appropriate to amend slightly the wording relating to the Back to the Floor initiative on page 4 of the Strategy. 

RESOLVED that the updated priorities and actions set out in the revised Communications Strategy be approved.

The Leader reported that this issue would now be considered fully at the Council Meeting on 14th November 2007.

Consideration was given to the Annual Report of the Bromsgrove Partnership Community Plan for 2005-2007. The report contained details of the Partnership’s performance against the priorities for that period.

RECOMMENDED that the Community Plan Annual Report 2005-2007 be ratified and that the actions which had been put in place to address the outcomes which had not been met be noted.  

The Cabinet considered a report on the proposal to commission a Housing Market Assessment for Longbridge and the surrounding area on a joint basis with Birmingham City Council. The Assessment would inform a joint cross boundary Area Action Plan for Longbridge and would provide support to the Authorities in negotiations with developers relating to the provision of affordable housing and tenure mix of housing on a residential or mixed use site.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that officers be authorised to work with officers from Birmingham City Council to commission a joint Housing Market Assessment  for Longbridge and the surrounding area;

(b)       that the report be noted; and

(c)        that the report on the completed Housing Market Assessment be received in due course.   

The Cabinet considered a report on the outcome of the consultation on the Draft Sustainable Community Strategy 2007-2010. The Strategy was welcomed and it was

RECOMMENDED that the revised Community Strategy be ratified and that it be noted that as a consequence of the consultation undertaken, the issues of Mental Health and Childhood Obesity have been included in the Strategy as key deliverables and Transport has been included as an additional priority and as a Theme Group.  

The Cabinet considered a report regarding the introduction of a charging policy in relation to valuations and legal work undertaken by the Authority in connection with low cost housing transactions.

RESOLVED that the fees and charges relating to low cost housing transactions, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

RECOMMENDED that authority to revise the fees from time to time be delegated to the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services, the Head of Planning and Environment Services and the Head of Financial Services in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders.

Consideration was given to a report on the revised Consultation Policy for the Authority and the guidance for staff in support of this policy.

RECOMMENDED that the revised Council Consultation Policy together with the supporting staff guidance be approved.    

The Cabinet considered a report on the progress of the Bromsgrove Town Centre redevelopment and on the appropriate project management and governance arrangements required to ensure successful delivery of the redevelopment programme.  Following discussion it was

RESOLVED:  

(a)       that the report be noted and the proposals in relation to the project management and governance arrangements for the redevelopment scheme be approved; and

(b)       that when the Medium Term Financial Plan is reviewed, £100,000 per annum be included in the Capital Programme for 2008/09 to 2010/11 in respect of the Project Management role and other requirements to enable the project to be progressed.

RECOMMENDED that £10,000 be released from capital receipts in 2007/08 in respect of this Council’s contribution to the cost of the Project Manager for the remainder of the financial year.    

The Cabinet considered a report on an Action Plan which had been produced to address the issue of achieving Value for Money. This had been identified as an area where the Council was performing below minimum requirements as identified by the Audit Commission in the 2006 Use of Resources assessment. The Action Plan was intended to improve Value for Money to enable funds to be allocated to the Council’s priorities.

RESOLVED that the Value for Money Action Plan be approved.  

Consideration was given to a report on the possibility of a merger taking place between the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRP) for the Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest Local Authority areas to form a North Worcestershire CDRP. The report indicated some of the benefits and efficiencies of such a merger. Following discussion it was

RECOMMENDED that the creation of a CDRP to cover North Worcestershire  through the merger of the Bromsgrove CRDP with Redditch and Wyre Forest CDRPs be supported, subject to robust consultation and engagement with the appropriate Authorities taking place and to any additional financial implications which may arise in the short to medium term being met.  

The Cabinet considered a report on the reduction in Home Office funding to the Bromsgrove Community Safety Partnership in 2007/08 and the uncertainty regarding funding levels for 2008/09, together with the potential impact of such reductions.  

RESOLVED that the report, including the implications for the Bromsgrove Community Safety Partnership and the impact on residents of the potential loss of posts funded through the Partnership be noted with regret. 

The Head of Financial Services gave a brief presentation on the budget position 2008/09 to 2010/11. The presentation included unavoidable and high pressures which had been identified as being linked to the Council’s priorities, together with a small number of new capital schemes. Members raised a number of issues but at this stage it was

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.  

"RESOLVED: that under Section 100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it/they involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraph of that part, in each case, being as set out below, and that it is in the public interest to do so:-

RESOLVED that under Section 100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the item of business the subject of the following minute on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of “Exempt Information” as defined in part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraphs of that part being as set out below, and that it is in the public interest to do so:-

            Minute No                               Paragraphs

               98/07                                    1, 2 and 4

Consideration was given to the report on this matter. It was reported that the one off cost involved was £3,128 higher than the figure included in the report. Following discussion it was

RESOLVED that post number D34 be declared redundant.