Agenda item

To consider the recommendations from the meeting(s) of the Cabinet held on 13^th September 2023 and 18^th October 2023.

The outstanding recommendation from 13^th September 2023 meeting is due to be considered at this meeting of Council. The other recommendation made at the meeting in respect of the Governance Systems Task Group was considered at the Extraordinary meeting of Council held on 20^th September 2023.

Any recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18^th October 2023 will follow in a Supplementary Papers pack.

The Chairman advised that there was one recommendation from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 13^th September 2023 and seven recommendations from the meeting on 18^th October, which were presented for the Council’s consideration.

Equality Annual Report 2022

The Portfolio holder presented the Equalities Annual report 2022 and highlighted a number of areas of work which had been carried out.  Covid 19 had impacted the work on Equalities, but several community events and activities had been delivered, some for the first time since the pandemic.  The Equalities small grants scheme had also awarded grants to 10 community organisations.

During consideration of the report, the following areas were discussed:

·       Using the demographic profile of the District from the 2021 census data to analyse whether this was reflected in the Council’s workforce and service users.  The portfolio holder agreed that this would be worked on.

·       The report didn’t appear to indicate staff progression.  Emphasis would be placed on staff having a progression path through the organisation consistently.

·       How many young people attended holiday activities and had received meals from the food programme referred to in the report.  The portfolio holder undertook to share this information with councillors outside the meeting.

·       Asset based community development – attempts to develop committed were welcome but should be grounded in local knowledge, which local councillors should be involved in.  A councillor reported that residents had to be referred to some services via a church which was not inclusive.  The portfolio holder responded that he would check what was happening in this regard.

·       Members expressed concerns that where wards abutted adjacent local authorities, residents attempted to get resources from New Starts in South Birmingham.  The funding was intended for Worcestershire councils so the community development team should consult people embedded in the community, such as local councillors, about how the money should be applied.  Councillor S. Webb reported that the community builders worked for WCC Public Health, and the initiative was still being developed.  The Leader highlighted addressing disparities in public health – preventative action was shown to improve health outcomes.  The Council was the first District to introduce the community builder initiative, it would develop and it was intended to launch one stop shops where a number of services could be hosted and offered. 

·       In response to a query about the availability and take-up of community transport, Cllr. Webb responded that there was one BERT bus in the District and she would obtain details of the data for Councillor Bailes outside the meeting. 

·       Cllr Robinson thanked the Council for the support being offered to the vulnerable in the District, and asked whether there was resistance to this support in the community.  Cllr Webb responded that this had been picked up as a potential barrier and efforts were being made to address this.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor C. Hotham and seconded by Councillor K. May.

RESOLVED that the Equality Annual Report 2022 be endorsed.

Finance and Performance Quarter 1 Monitoring 2023/24

The Chairman reported that one of the recommendations that was originally included in the report, recommendation 7, was withdrawn at the Cabinet meeting on 18^th October and was therefore not due to be debated at this meeting.

In proposing the recommendations, the Portfolio holder reminded the Council that the provisional financial outturn 2022-2023 was a deficit of £956k.  £341k of reserves were also being used in the base budget, which left a deficit overall of nearly £1.4m.  However, reserves at March 2023 were £5.8m.

There was a headline predicted overspend of £437k, and it was planned to use £250k of reserves.  Previously the Council had set up a reserve for potential significant increases in utility costs.  This had not come to fruition in way that was predicted.  It was therefore suggested that as the Council had not had to use it, the funds could offset some of deficit by moving into general balances and reduce the overall deficit.

During consideration of this item the following issues were discussed:

·       The robustness of original financial estimates was queried, as items such as forecast employee variances could impact on the financial decisions made by the Council.  It was noted that the utilities reserve was arrived at during a time of extreme volatility and advice had been taken at the time about what would be a prudent reserve.

·       What would happen to savings achieved by not filling vacancies.

·       How arrangements were made to keep a fund for replacement of the council’s fleet.  The Chairman reminded members that the senior officer would be making a presentation to all members about the fleet.  It was noted that there had been a reserve for fleet replacement but this had not been applied yet until the Council was certain of the kind of vehicles were required in future.  The Cabinet Member agreed that all vacancies should be reflected accurately in the accounts.

RESOLVEDthat

1)    £351k is allocated from the Utilities Reserve to part mitigate the overspend position in 2023/4;

2)    Changes to the Capital Programme as set out in para 3.13 of the report with an ongoing revenue cost of £40k, £17k fleet replacement, £13k Wheely Bins and £10k wild flowers equipment be approved: and

3)    the £11.0k increase to the Engineering Services base budget in 2023/4 from reserves be approved and this change is included in the 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Plan.

Upgrading of Sewage Treatment Plants and introduction of Service Charging to contributing properties - 1) Frankley Green Lane, Frankley Green, 2) Fockbury Road, Dodford 3) Dusthouse Lane, Tutnall

Council considered the recommendations to upgrade sewage treatment plants in order for them to meet Environment Agency standards.  During debate the following issues were discussed:

·       A member sought clarification about the Council’s responsibilities for meeting these costs and whether they should be met by Severn Trent and/or Bromsgrove and District Housing Trust (BDHT). It was noted that when the Council undertook large scale transfer of its housing stock to the Housing Association there were some historic arrangements for sewage, depending on whether individuals had purchased their properties or were tenants of the Council at that time.  The costs of the upgrade would be split between the Council and BDHT accordingly.  The sewage treatment plants were treated as private assets rather than public.

·       A member queried what level of revenue was predicted following the introduction of annual service charges.  Whilst a total could not be provided, it was noted that it was proposed that the charge would be similar to that which Severn Trent would charge for sewage disposal.  It was likely that once the upgrade was complete that BDHT would approach Severn Trent again about it taking on the service.

Council was reminded that it had a duty to make sure residents had adequate sewage disposal from their properties and that was the fundamental reason for undertaking the work.

RESOLVED that:

1)    A budget of £72k be added to the 2023/2024 Capital Programme, for the agreed contribution for upgrading of the 1) Frankley Green Sewage Treatment Plant, to be funded from borrowing or balances following consideration as part of the medium-term financial plan review;

2)    A budget of £69k be added to the 2024/2025 Capital Programme, for the agreed contribution for upgrading of the 2) Dodford Sewage Treatment Plant, to be funded from borrowing or balances following consideration as part of the medium-term financial plan review;

3)    A budget of £57k be added to the 2025/2026 Capital Programme, for the agreed contribution for upgrading of the 3) Tutnall Sewage Treatment Plant, to be funded from borrowing or balances following consideration as part of the medium-term financial plan review;

4)    An annual service charge be introduced, subject to agreement with Bromsgrove and District Housing Trust (BDHT), for all contributing properties to the three Sewage Treatment Plants from 1st April 2024, equivalent to the annual sum payable to Severn Trent Water Ltd for sewage treatment, if the property was connected to the public foul water sewerage system.