Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 4th March 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meetings of the Overview Board held on 3rd March and 12th March 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes in each case be noted.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Audit Board held on 16th March 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes of the meeting be noted.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Local Development Framework Working Group held on 16th March 2009 were submitted.

In relation to the Longbridge Area Action Plan (LAAP), the Leader referred to recent public statements from St. Modwen, the Company developing the Longbridge site. It appeared to be unlikely in the current financial climate that the Company would be willing to provide all of the funding in advance for infrastructure requirements which had been included in the LAAP. The Head of Planning and Environment Services confirmed that the LAAP contained sufficient flexibility to enable agreement on funding to be reached between the Councils involved and the Company during the development period. 

RECOMMENDED   that the Longbridge Area Action Plan be adopted as the development plan for the former MG Rover site.

RESOLVED  that the remainder of the minutes be noted.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Performance Management Board held on 17th March 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the minutes be noted;

(b)       that the recommendations contained at Minute No. 104/08 relating to issues arising from the Housing Strategy 2006/2011 be approved.

The minutes of the Equality and Diversity Forum held on 12th February 2009 were submitted.

During discussion on this item it was suggested that it would be useful for a representative of foster parents to attend the Forum. The Executive Director – Partnership and Projects also suggested that if a representative could be identified, involvement with the Children and Young Persons Steering Group may also be appropriate.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.  

Consideration was given to a report on the progress made by the museum advisory group on actions to address the future of Bromsgrove Museum.  Cabinet Members were reminded of their separate roles as Members of the District Council and as Trustees of the Collection.

 It was reported that a Development Plan had been received from the Friends of the Norton Collection Charitable Trust (the Friends) and this was being considered. Members gave consideration to the current position of the property market and the need to achieve best value from its assets. Advice was received from the Section 151 Officer in this regard. Following discussion it was

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the establishment of the museum advisory group and the work it had undertaken in relation to the arrangements and costs associated with the future of Bromsgrove Museum be noted;

(b)       that the decision made by Cabinet on 1st October 2008, that the land and building which houses the Collection be sold or utilised for the best price achievable, be rescinded; and 

(c)        that the Friends be offered a 5 year full repairing lease, to be completed within 6 months, at a peppercorn rent, at the expiry of which the Friends be offered the following options:

            (i)         an option to purchase at the full market value; or

            (ii)        a further full repairing lease at a commercial rent.  

RECOMMENDED that the receipt of a Development Plan be noted and that this be considered by the Council in accordance with the Council’s responsibilities as Trustees of the Collection.       

The Cabinet considered a report on the outturn of expenditure of funding allocated through the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) for 2008/2009, an update on performance and the proposed use of grant funding for homelessness preventative schemes for 2009/2010 - 2010/2011.

The Strategic Housing Manager reported that notification had recently been received from the CLG that an additional £10,000 of homelessness grant funding had been allocated to each of the Districts in Worcestershire to assist Authorities to deal with the likely impact on housing option services of the current recession. In order to ensure that all Councils benefitted from the funding, the CLG had decided it would be appropriate to group smaller Authorities into sub regional partnerships to reflect current cross boundary working relationships. Therefore Bromsgrove Redditch and Wyre Forest would share £30,000 with a suggestion that this funding be pooled with the allocation received by the remaining Worcestershire Authorities. 

Members were concerned that officers made every effort to ensure that schemes relating to Bromsgrove benefitted fully from the additional funding and that any pooling arrangements delivered an equitable outcome for this Authority.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the latest position on the homelessness preventative and support schemes funded through the CLG homelessness grant during 2008/2009 be noted;

(b)       that the Council’s performance in reducing by half the use of temporary accommodation in advance of the Government’s target date of 2010 be noted;

(c)        that the schemes recommended by the Homelessness Steering Group as set out in section 7 of the report be accepted and be funded from the Council’s CLG homelessness grant for 2009/2010;

(d)       that funding of £12,000 be forward allocated from the Council’s CLG homelessness grant for 2010/2011 to support the second year of the new Citizens’ Advice Bureau Mortgage Rescue Money Advisor Service as set out in section 8.1 of the report; and

(e)       that the Head of Planning and Environment Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing, be granted delegated authority to allocate any under spend, or make any further adjustments necessary, to ensure full utilisation of the grant allocation for 2009/2010 (including the additional funding referred to above) in support of existing or new schemes. 

Consideration was given to a report on the proposed increase in the Council’s Capital Programme for 2009/2010 to enable improvements to be undertaken at Sanders Park, including the refurbishment and enhancement of two ball courts for teenagers and a youth shelter.

It was noted that the work was to be funded from a grant from the County Youth Capital Fund. Members fully acknowledged the work which had been undertaken by officers and by the young people involved in the project to achieve a successful outcome to the bidding process.

RECOMMENDED   that the Capital Programme 2009/2010 be amended to include the sum of £80,000, to be funded from the County Youth Capital Fund, in respect of improvements and enhancements to facilities in Sanders Park.  

Consideration was given to a report on the proposed increase in the Council’s Capital Programme for 2009/2010 in respect of improvements to play facilities at Swanslength, Alvechurch.

It was noted that the work was to be funded from a grant from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

RECOMMENDED   that the Capital programme for 2009/2010 be amended to include the sum of £50,000, to be funded from a DCSF grant, in respect of refurbishment and enhancement of play facilities at Swanslength, Alvechurch.  

Consideration was given to a report regarding the duty on Local Authorities under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in exercising their functions. The report also referred to the West Midlands Biodiversity Pledge and the revised Biodiversity Action Plan.  Following discussion it was

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the signing of the West Midland Biodiversity Pledge be approved together with the revised Biodiversity Action Plan;

(b)       that the implications of (a) for Bromsgrove be noted;

(c)        that the corporate report template be amended to include a section on biodiversity implications;

(d)       that it be noted that corporate diversity issues have been included within the job description for the proposed Climate Change Officer post to be appointed on a joint basis with Redditch Borough Council.           

Consideration was given to the Improvement Plan Exception Report for January 2009, together with the corrective action being taken. It was noted that the actions which had been reprogrammed were now listed in the report. Following discussion it was  

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the revisions to the Improvement Plan Exception Report and the corrective actions being taken be noted and approved,

(b)       that it be noted that for the 110 actions highlighted within the plan for January , 86.4 percent of the plan was on target (green), 3.6 percent was one month behind (amber) and no actions were over one month behind (red). 10 percent of actions had been reprogrammed with approval.

"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 items of business on the grounds that they involve 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 following minutes on the grounds that they involve 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, in each case, being as set out below and that it is in the public interest to do so.

                        Minute No                               Paragraph

                           194/08                                      5

                           195/08                                      3   

Consideration was given to a report on a proposal received from Bromsgrove Rovers Football Club in relation to the lease of the Victoria Ground. Following consideration of the report it was

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the offer made by the Cabinet at its meeting on 27th July 2005 be revoked; and

(b)       that the request for the grant of a lease as set out in the report be refused.

The minutes of the meeting of the Shared Services Board held on 3rd March 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.