Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

No declarations of interest were received.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 1st August 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Steering Board held on 31st July 2007 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Steering Board submitted the following comments on behalf of the Scrutiny Steering Board on items to be considered at the meeting:

(a)       Barnsley Hall Football Project – It was questioned whether revenue would be lost if the site was made available to the community rather than to one team;

(b)       Council Plan Part 1 – It was asked if any action had been or was planned to be taken to address drug issues at local schools particularly in Charford where drug use had been identified as an issue;

(c)        Council Plan Part 1 – It was requested that the regeneration of the Longbridge site be included as one of the Council’s top five priorities;

(d)       Financial and Performance Monitoring Integrated Report – June 2007 – Concern was expressed regarding the recommendation to revise current targets. The Scrutiny Steering Board felt that efforts should be made to ensure current targets were met rather than reducing the targets.

The Chairman confirmed that these comments would be considered when the various items were discussed.

The minutes of the Performance Management Board held on 21st August 2007 were submitted.

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

Consideration was given to a report on the latest position regarding the Barnsley Hall Football Project. The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Leisure Services referred to the issue raised by the Scrutiny Steering Board on this issue as set out in minute 54/07 and confirmed that there was a shortfall of football pitches in the District and that it was recognised that there was a demand from the community as a whole for such facilities. It was felt that if a particular group wished to work in partnership with the Council then a formal approach would be required. 

RESOLVED: 

(a)       that the current position regarding the Barnsley Hall Football Project be noted;

(b)       that the site be managed as a facility for the community as a whole and be operated in accordance with the existing playing pitch stock;

(c)        that officers be requested to inform relevant groups that the Council will not enter into  a lease agreement in respect of the exclusive use of the site; and

(d)       that officers be requested to investigate any potential additional sources of funding and that the authority to submit any application or proposal for such funding be delegated to the Head of Culture and Community Services and the Head of Financial Services in agreement with the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Leisure Services.     

The Cabinet considered a report on the proposed virement of capital funding allocated in the budget to general Strategic Housing budgets to specific affordable housing schemes.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that the virement of budgets within the Council’s approved Strategic Housing Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(b)       that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Environment and Head of Financial Services in agreement with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing to allocate the remaining funds in the approved 2007/08 Housing Capital Programme to specific schemes.

Consideration was given to the report on the outcome of the consultation on proposed changes to the Car Parking Order which had previously been considered by Cabinet.

RESOLVED that in view of the lack of any substantial objections to the proposed Car Parking Order, the Order be implemented as previously agreed.    

The Cabinet considered a report on the approach to be taken on business planning for 2008/09 including amended service business planning templates. Portfolio Holders were reminded of the need to work closely with their Head of Service as part of the business planning process.

RESOLVED:  

(a)       that the departmental service business plan template as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(b)       that the Value for Money scoring matrix as set out in Appendix 2 to the report be approved;

(c)        that the annual planning and performance and the timetable for reviewing the medium term financial plan as set out in Appendices 3 and 4 respectively be approved; and

(d)       that it be noted that the first draft business plans (including budget bids and savings) will be completed by 30th September 2007 and that Portfolio Holders should be meeting with their Heads of Service in early September to provide a steer on policy and again at the end of September to review the first draft of the plan.          

Consideration was given to the report on a recent assessment undertaken by the Energy Saving Trust relating to ways in which the Council could address the issue of climate change across the range of Council activities. It was accepted that this was an important issue although Members were mindful that officers also had to concentrate on the Council’s priorities.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the recommendations contained in the report from the Energy Savings Trust be received;

(b)       that officers be instructed to establish a project group, including the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing, to evaluate the recommendations contained in the report with a view to reporting at the end of the financial year on progress made; and

(c)        that the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing be designated as the lead Member for climate change.    

Consideration was given to the report on Part 1 of the Council Plan 2008-2011. It was noted that the Council Plan effectively forms the business plan for the Council as a whole and is therefore a key document for Members. 

Reference was made to the comments submitted by the Scrutiny Steering Board, as set out in minute 54/07, in relation to addressing drug use and to the inclusion of the regeneration of Longbridge as one of the Council’s top five priorities. With regard to drug use it was felt that this should be referred to the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership for consideration.  In relation to the possibility of including the regeneration of Longbridge as a priority, it was noted that this project whilst extremely important had now reached the stage where the preferred option had been identified and officers were working on the details of implementation. It was not therefore considered appropriate to include this as one of the five priorities.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that the Council’s Vision and Objectives be reconfirmed;

(b)       that the analysis of the Council’s national, regional and local context as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted;

(c)        that based on this context, the definitions of the Council Objectives as set out in Appendix 2 to the report be approved;

(d)       that, based on this context, the Council Priorities be reduced to five, these being:-

·        A thriving market town

·        Clean streets and recycling

·        Customer Service

·        Sense of Community

·        Housing

The Cabinet considered an integrated report on finance and performance monitoring as at 30th June 2007. As part of the consideration of this item reference was made to the comments of the Scrutiny Steering Board regarding the amendment of performance targets as set out in minute 54/07. Following detailed discussion it was

RESOLVED:

(a)       that it be noted that 67% of indicators are improving or stable at the quarter end (compared to 80% in the previous period);

(b)       that it be noted that 65% of indicators are achieving their targets at the quarter end (compared to 66% in the previous period);

(c)        that the performance targets referred to in section 4.1 be amended as follows:-

(i)         BV205 (Quality of Planning Checklist) – target to be revised to 94% in view of the requirement for implementation of the spatial project;

(ii)        CSC LPI (Average telephone answer time) – target to be revised to 35 seconds with a view to reducing to 30 seconds within six months and to 20 seconds within twelve months;

(iii)       CSC LPI (percentage of calls answered) – target to be revised to 80% with a view to increasing to 85% within six months.

(d)       that the underspend on revenue and capital funding for the first quarter of  £269,000 and £129,000 respectively be noted.  

The Cabinet considered a report on the feedback from KPMG in relation to the Use of Resources formal judgement for 2006 and on the updated self assessment submitted to KPMG in July 2007.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the 2006 Use of Resources feedback and recommendations received from KPMG as set out in Appendix 1 be noted;

(b)       that the 2007 Use of Resources self assessment exceptions report which has been submitted to KPMG for a formal judgement to be made as set out in Appendix 2 be noted;

(c)        that the Use of Resources Self Assessment for Value for Money as set out in Appendix 3 be noted.