Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP, Mrs J. Dyer M. B. E. and Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP.

Mr. K. Dicks, Mr. T. Beirne, Mr. P. Street, Mr. M. Bell, Mr. D. Hammond, Ms. J. Pickering, Ms. D. Poole and Mr. J. Godwin declared personal and prejudicial interests in agenda item 15 (Business Case for Joint and Shared Working between Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council ) and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 1st July 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 meeting of the Audit Board held on 29th June 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that 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 Scrutiny Board held on 30th June 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that 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 Overview Board held on 7th July 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The minutes of the meeting of the Performance Management Board held on 20th July 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED:           

(a)       that the minutes be noted

(b)       that the recommendations contained at Minute No 23/09 relating to the Annual Council Report 2008/2009 be approved;

(c)        that the recommendation contained at Minute No 25/09 relating to the percentage of performance indicators projected to meet their targets at year end be approved;

(d)       that the recommendation contained at Minute No 26/09 relating to Local Neighbourhood Partnerships be approved; and

(e)       that the recommendation contained at Minute No 27/09 relating to the Improvement Plan 2009/2010 and specifically to Disabled Facilities Grants be noted but that no action be taken to amend the Improvement Plan.                   

The minutes of the meeting of the Equalities and Diversity Forum held on 11th June 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The minutes of the Local Strategic Partnership held on 22nd June 2009 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The Cabinet considered a report on the Council’s financial position as at 31st March 2009. Following discussion it was

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that the Capital Programme be increased in 2009/2010 by £1.143m and be decreased by the same amount in 2010/2011 as referred to in the report in relation to Street Scene and Community;

(b)       that the Capital Programme for 2009/2010 be increased by £1.009m in relation to the carry forward requests as identified in Appendix 2 to the report;

(c)        that the outturn position on revenue and capital as detailed in the report be noted; and

(d)       that the net transfer to earmarked reserves of £0.854m as detailed in section 7.2 of the report be approved.      

Consideration was given to the Improvement Plan Exception report for May 2009.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the revisions to the Improvement Plan Exception report together with the corrective actions being taken be noted and approved; and

(b)       that it be noted that for the 78 actions highlighted for May within the plan, 76.9 percent was on target 9green), 2.6 percent was one month behind (amber) and 5.1 percent was over one month behind (red). In addition, 15.4 percent of actions had been reprogrammed or suspended 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 paragraph of that part being as set out below and that it is in the public interest to do so.

                        Minute No                                                       Paragraph

                           44/09                                                                 3

                           45/09                                                                 4

Consideration was given to a report which reviewed assets at Sherwood Road, Bromsgrove. Following discussion it was

RESOLVED  that further consideration of this issue be deferred for a period of six months and that in the meantime, the situation regarding the ground rent reviews be ascertained.      

Consideration was given to a Business Case prepared by Serco for joint and shared working between Bromsgrove District Council (BDC) and Redditch Borough Council (RBC) and to the recommendations thereon of the Shared Service Board held on 29th June 2009.  Following discussion it was

RECOMMENDED:

(1)       that the creation of a single management team be approved;

(2)       that in pursuit of the above:

(a)       the current secondment arrangements in relation to the Acting Joint Chief Executive be extended up to the end of 2012/2013; and

(b)       authority be delegated to BDC’s Head of Legal Equalities and Democratic Services and Head of Financial Services in consultation with the Leader to determine and agree the necessary amendments to the Acting Joint Chief Executive’s contract of employment and to the Secondment Agreement;

(3)       that any costs associated with recommendation (2)(b) above be shared equally by BDC and RBC;

(4)       that the post of Acting Joint Chief Executive be re-titled Joint Chief Executive for the duration of the extension to the secondment arrangements;

(5)       that the Business Case as produced by Serco be approved in principle noting the management team response;

(6)       that the Joint Chief Executive be tasked with preparing and presenting more detailed proposals to the Shared Services Board by the first week of September 2009 in relation to :

(a)       the structure of the single joint management team;

(b)       the detailed financial arrangements to meet the requirements of both Councils’ Medium Term Financial Plans;

(c)        details in relation to the legal implications, employment implications and implementation arrangements of a single joint management team;

(d)       a timetable for the implementation of the Business Case to include specific milestones;

(e)       savings achieved to date from shared services and an indication of how other Councils following the same route have progressed.

(7)       that the post of Joint Chief Executive be re-evaluated for the duration of the extension to the secondment arrangements and that the WMLGA be requested to undertake this;

(8)       that the Joint Chief Executive be authorised to commence negotiations with the relevant Trade Unions in relation to the creation of a single joint management team and the harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment; and

(9)       that the Concordat between the Authorities be reviewed, to ensure that it is sufficiently robust to enable the proposed shared service arrangements to function effectively.