Agenda, decisions and minutes

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Finance

To provide an update on the budget setting process for 2019/20 and provide information on proposals to close the budget gap.

1.  That the savings options, income generation proposals and budget pressures, shown in Annexes 1 – 3 to the report, be noted.

2.  That the proposal to make the temporary Digital Transformation Manager a permanent post and retitled to Business Transformation Manager, as shown in Annex 3 to the report, be approved.

3.  That the budget position for 2019/20 and Medium Term Financial Forecast, shown in Annex 4 to the report, be noted.

4.  That the feedback from businesses on the budget consultation, shown in Annex 5 to the report, be noted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance Portfolio Holder, which updated Cabinet on changes to the 2019/20 budget forecast since the budget strategy was presented in October. This included; the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, the Local Council Tax Support Scheme, New Homes’ Bonus provisional allocations and changes to revenues savings and pressures. It also provided an updated Medium Term Financial Forecast covering 2020/21 and 2021/22. In order to achieve a balanced budget, it would be necessary to close the remaining gap of £21,000 before figures were finalised in February 2019.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Resolved:

1.  That the savings options, income generation proposals and budget pressures, shown in Annexes 1 – 3 to the report, be noted.

2.  That the proposal to make the temporary Digital Transformation Manager a permanent post and retitled to Business Transformation Manager, as shown in Annex 3 to the report, be approved.

3.  That the budget position for 2019/20 and Medium Term Financial Forecast, shown in Annex 4 to the report, be noted.

4.  That the feedback from businesses on the budget consultation, shown in Annex 5 to the report, be noted.

Planning
That the Residential Areas of Special Character Supplementary Planning Document be adopted.

1.  That the Residential Areas of Special Character Supplementary Planning Document (Annex 1 to the report) be adopted;

2.  That the Head of Planning Policy, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder, be authorised to make changes of a minor nature to improve the presentation of the Residential Areas of Special Character Supplementary Planning Document and correct typographical errors prior to publication.

Consideration was given to a report of the Planning Portfolio Holder which put forward the Supplementary Planning Document for approval. The purpose of the document was to provide addition evidence in order to support the interpretation of Local Plan Policy E4: Residential Areas of Special Character.

It was considered that the Residential Areas of Special Character Supplementary Planning Document, including the Character Area Appraisals, should be adopted.  This would help provide more detailed guidance of the requirements under Policy E4 of the Revised Local Plan.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Recommended to Council:

1.  That the Residential Areas of Special Character Supplementary Planning Document (Annex 1 to the report) be adopted;

2.  That the Head of Planning Policy, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder, be authorised to make changes of a minor nature to improve the presentation of the Residential Areas of Special Character Supplementary Planning Document and correct typographical errors prior to publication.

1.  That the Examiner’s Report be noted and the proposed modifications as set out in Annex 2 be agreed to ensure that the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Development Plan meets the basic conditions (as set out in Paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990).

2.  That subject to Recommendation 3 below, the draft Decision Statement set out at Annex 3 of the report (which sets out the modifications to be made to the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Development Plan in response to the Examiner's  recommendations and those changes recommended as part of the consultation process) be approved for publication.

3.  That delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning Policy, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transport, to determine the precise wording of the modifications as set out in Annex 3.

4.  That a referendum under Paragraph 12 of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 be held on the Plan, modified in accordance with the published Decision Statement.

5.  That if the referendum approves the Plan as modified, that the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Plan be made.

Consideration was given to a report of the Planning Portfolio Holder which considered the Examiner’s Report on the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Plan and the Examiner’s recommended modifications to the Plan.

The report recommended  that the modifications summarised in Annex 3 to the report were made to the Plan, and that a referendum was held on the modified Plan in accordance with the relevant legislation. If the referendum approved the Plan, the Council would be under a duty to formally make the Plan, which would then form part of the development plan for Test Valley Borough.

Congratulations would be passed on to the Planning Policy team for all their hard work to help bring the plan to the stage where a referendum could be held.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Recommended to Council:

1.  That the Examiner’s Report be noted and the proposed modifications as set out in Annex 2 be agreed to ensure that the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Development Plan meets the basic conditions (as set out in Paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990).

2.  That subject to Recommendation 3 below, the draft Decision Statement set out at Annex 3 of the report (which sets out the modifications to be made to the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Development Plan in response to the Examiner's  recommendations and those changes recommended as part of the consultation process) be approved for publication.

3.  That delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning Policy, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transport, to determine the precise wording of the modifications as set out in Annex 3.

4.  That a referendum under Paragraph 12 of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 be held on the Plan, modified in accordance with the published Decision Statement.

5.  That if the referendum approves the Plan as modified, that the Goodworth Clatford Neighbourhood Plan be made.

Community and Leisure
To comply with statutory obligations to maintain the All Saints church yard under section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972.

To comply with statutory obligations, the maintenance of the All Saints closed church yard will be taken on by the Council under section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Consideration was given to the report of the Community and Leisure Portfolio Holder which advised that under Section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972 the Council had been served written notice to take over the maintenance of the All Saints Closed Church Yard in Barton Stacey.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) at All Saints Church Barton Stacey applied to close the church yard to new interments in January 2017 with the closure taking effect from 11 October 2017.

Section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972 made provision for the maintenance of a closed church yard to be transferred to the Council following closure.  Notice was served on Barton Stacey Parish Council by the PCC on 6 September 2018 which was subsequently passed on to the Council on 20 September 2018.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Resolved:

To comply with statutory obligations, the maintenance of the All Saints closed church yard will be taken on by the Council under section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Leader
To seek approval of the draft proposed Action Plan in response to the recommendations highlighted by the Peer Team.

1.  That Cabinet notes the LGA Peer Challenge Team’s findings, as set out in the Feedback Report attached in Annex 1 to the report. 

2.  That Cabinet approves the proposed Action Plan in Annex 2 to the report, which addresses the recommendations highlighted in the Feedback Report.

3.  That the Feedback Report and Action Plan are published on the Council’s website.

Consideration was given to a report of the Leader which summarised the key findings and recommendations from the LGA Peer Challenge that the Council participated in during October 2018. The report sought approval of the draft proposed Action Plan in response to the recommendations highlighted by the Peer Team.

The Action Plan would enable the Council to demonstrate how it would practically take forward the improvement areas identified by the Peer Team and provided a basis on which to measure progress.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Resolved:

1.  That Cabinet notes the LGA Peer Challenge Team’s findings, as set out in the Feedback Report attached in Annex 1 to the report. 

2.  That Cabinet approves the proposed Action Plan in Annex 2 to the report, which addresses the recommendations highlighted in the Feedback Report.

3.  That the Feedback Report and Action Plan are published on the Council’s website.

The following report is confidential.

That, pursuant to Regulation 4 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the following report on the following matters on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, indicated below. The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information for the reason given below:

Valley Housing Matters  Paragraph 3

Resolved:

That, pursuant to Regulation 4 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the following report on the following matters on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, indicated below. The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information for the reason given below:

Valley Housing Matters

It was considered that this report contained exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended. It was further considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information because the information related to the financial or business affairs of both the Council and third parties.

Finance
To consider matter relating to Valley Housing Ltd.

1.  That the Valley Housing Ltd business plan, attached in the Annex to the report, be approved.

2.  The approval is given to appoint the Head of Housing and Environmental Health as a Director of the company.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance Portfolio Holder which considered the Valley Housing Ltd Business Plan and appointment of a Director.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Resolved:

1.  That the Valley Housing Ltd business plan, attached in the Annex to the report, be approved.

2.  The approval is given to appoint the Head of Housing and Environmental Health as a Director of the company.