Agenda, decisions and minutes

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 April 2019.

Resolved:

That the Council continues to support Andover and Romsey town centre through the measures identified in the Corporate Plan 2019 – 2023 (2019), the Revised Local Plan (2016) and the Economic Development Strategy (2017); and

1.  That the Head of Planning & Building and the Head of Planning Policy investigate the application of Policy LE12 and Policy LE13 of the adopted Revised Local Plan (2016);

2.  That the Head of Planning & Building and the Head of Planning Policy investigate what measures could be introduced to help facilitate planning advice to those businesses whose premises are within Andover and Romsey town centre;

3.  That the Council continues to explore opportunities to secure funds to deliver public realm improvements;

4.  That the merits of a potential Romsey Business Improvement District be explored in the future, once the experience of Andover’s BID, as well as other BIDs, have been fully considered;

5.  That the Council investigate ways to support existing town centre businesses;

6.  That the merits of producing a town centre prospectus for each town be explored; and

7.  To put in place measures to allow shoppers and visitors to provide ongoing feedback of their experience.

Resolved:

That Cabinet adopts the approach contained within the report as a way of working when reviewing equality issues with a range of groups, and in particular;

(a)  That the Leader of the Council, as Chairman of the Test Valley Strategic Partnership, works with the Partnership to hold an annual disability focus group. This will enable public and voluntary sector partners to hear the views of people with disabilities on key issues.

(b)  That the Council explores with partners of the Test Valley Partnership the potential for each partner nominating a disability champion who could help promote key issues and be a contact point for other partners and groups representing disability issues.  

(c)  That the Council will organise ad-hoc focus groups and networks, as and when service changes or new key strategies are being considered, as a way in which to talk through proposals and gain feedback from people with a range of disabilities.

Report of the Task and Finish Panel – Town Centres

Former Councillor, Peter Hurst lead member of the Overview and Scrutiny review of Town Centres presented the panel’s report on the future of town centres. The review had focussed on the role that the Corporate Plan, Local Plan and Economic Development Strategy has in supporting our Town Centres and whether improvements could be made.

The review had resulted in a number of recommendations regarding support for town centres.

Having considered the review, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Resolved:

That the Council continues to support Andover and Romsey town centre through the measures identified in the Corporate Plan 2019 – 2023 (2019), the Revised Local Plan (2016) and the Economic Development Strategy (2017); and

1.  That the Head of Planning & Building and the Head of Planning Policy investigate the application of Policy LE12 and Policy LE13 of the adopted Revised Local Plan (2016);

2.  That the Head of Planning & Building and the Head of Planning Policy investigate what measures could be introduced to help facilitate planning advice to those businesses whose premises are within Andover and Romsey town centre;

3.  That the Council continues to explore opportunities to secure funds to deliver public realm improvements;

4.  That the merits of a potential Romsey Business Improvement District be explored in the future, once the experience of Andover’s BID, as well as other BIDs, have been fully considered;

5.  That the Council investigate ways to support existing town centre businesses;

6.  That the merits of producing a town centre prospectus for each town be explored; and

7.  To put in place measures to allow shoppers and visitors to provide ongoing feedback of their experience.

Report of the Task and Finish Panel – Disability Review

Cabinet considered the report from the Overview and Scrutiny Disability Review which had been lead by Councillor Hamilton.

The purpose of the review had been to initially focus on how the Council could most effectively engage with people with disabilities on a variety of issues, and to draw the lessons from this that could then be applied to working with groups from across the protected characteristics.

The review had resulted in recommendations with regard to the Council’s approach to reviewing equality issues with a range of groups.

Having considered the review, Cabinet agreed to the following:

Resolved:

That Cabinet adopts the approach contained within the report as a way of working when reviewing equality issues with a range of groups, and in particular;

(a)  That the Leader of the Council, as Chairman of the Test Valley Strategic Partnership, works with the Partnership to hold an annual disability focus group. This will enable public and voluntary sector partners to hear the views of people with disabilities on key issues.

(b)  That the Council explores with partners of the Test Valley Partnership the potential for each partner nominating a disability champion who could help promote key issues and be a contact point for other partners and groups representing disability issues.  

(c)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Finance

To present the Council’s 2018/19 revenue outturn position, to explain reasons for variances between the original estimate and the outturn, and to recommend how the surplus in the year should be treated.

Resolved:

1.  That the Council’s Revenue outturn for 2018/19, as shown in Annexes 1 and 2, be noted.

2.  That the reasons for the budget variances, as shown in paragraph 3, be noted.

3.  That the items shown in paragraph 3.19, totalling £229,400, be approved for carry forward into the 2019/20 revenue budget.

4.  That the transfer to the Homelessness Grant Reserve of £280,200, the transfer to the Private Rented Sector Access Reserve of £115,000 and the transfer to the Environmental Service Clean Up Reserve of £21,700 as detailed in paragraph 3.10 be approved.

5.  That the transfers to reserves as detailed in paragraph 4 be approved.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance Portfolio Holder which presented the Council’s Revenue outturn for the year ended 31 March 2019.

The report showed a net General Fund expenditure of £12.908M. the actual net expenditure during the year was £11.251M, resulting in a positive variance of £1.6M. The report summarised the reasons for the variance and it was noted that opportunities to build the positive variances into the budget forecast to help bridge the budget gap in 2020/21 would be considered.

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

Resolved:

1.  That the Council’s Revenue outturn for 2018/19, as shown in Annexes 1 and 2, be noted.

2.  That the reasons for the budget variances, as shown in paragraph 3, be noted.

3.  That the items shown in paragraph 3.19, totalling £229,400, be approved for carry forward into the 2019/20 revenue budget.

4.  That the transfer to the Homelessness Grant Reserve of £280,200, the transfer to the Private Rented Sector Access Reserve of £115,000 and the transfer to the Environmental Service Clean Up Reserve of £21,700 as detailed in paragraph 3.10 be approved.

5.  That the transfers to reserves as detailed in paragraph 4 be approved.

Finance

To report the actual expenditure on capital projects in 2018/19, to review the funding of the capital programme, and to present a revised programme for 2018/19 to 2020/21.

Resolved:

That the updated Capital Programme as shown in Annex 1 to the report be approved.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance Portfolio Holder which summarised the Council’s Capital expenditure for 2018/19 and explained the reasons for variances from the forecast, including a summary of the total budget slippage within the Capital Programme.

The report contained recommendations for the carry forward of certain unspent capital budgets into 2019/20 and provided an updated capital programme for 2018/19 to 2020/21.

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

Resolved:

That the updated Capital Programme as shown in Annex 1 to the report be approved.

Finance

To report the actual expenditure against budget for the Asset Management Plan in 2018/19 and to update the AMP requirement for 2019/20.

Resolved:

1.  That the expenditure for the year on Asset Management projects, as shown in Annex 1, be noted.

2.  That the updated budget for Asset Management projects in 2019/20, as shown in Annex 2, be approved.

Consideration was given to the report of the Finance Portfolio Holder, which compared the actual expenditure on Asset Management Plan (AMP) projects with the approved budget for 2018/19.

The total revised AMP budget in 2018/19 was £3.874M. Actual expenditure in the year was £2.723M, which resulted in an overall positive variance of £1.151M. The main reasons for the budget variance were set out in the report.

The outturn position for 2018/19 had been reviewed, following which the AMP requirement for 2019/20 had been updated.

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

Resolved:

1.  That the expenditure for the year on Asset Management projects, as shown in Annex 1, be noted.

2.  That the updated budget for Asset Management projects in 2019/20, as shown in Annex 2, be approved.

Finance

To review the performance of the Treasury Management function in 2018/19.

Resolved:

That the Annual Treasury Management Report for 2018/19 and the Prudential Indicators for the year as shown in the Annex to the report be noted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance Portfolio Holder which reviewed the performance of the Treasury Management function in 2018/10 compared with the forecasts and policies set out for last year. Investment income for the year was £69,900 more than included in the forecast.

The Council managed all the investments in-house in 2018/19. For the first time after many years of being debt free, the Council utilised long term borrowing to partly finance the rebuilding of Andover Leisure Centre.

The average return on investments for the year was 0.83% compared to the average 7 day Libid benchmark of 0.51%, an out-performance of 0.32%, generating additional income of nearly £70,000 more than forecast.

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

Resolved:

That the Annual Treasury Management Report for 2018/19 and the Prudential Indicators for the year as shown in the Annex to the report be noted.

Finance

To consider the appointment of a shareholder representative on the Board of Valley Housing Ltd.

Resolved:

That the Finance Portfolio Holder be appointed as the Council’s shareholder representative on the Board of Valley Housing Ltd.

Consideration was given to the report of the Finance Portfolio Holder which set out requirement for a new appointment to the Council’s shareholder representative on the Board of Valley Housing Ltd.

Valley Housing Ltd was incorporated in April 2016 with Test Valley Borough Council being the 100% shareholder. Following the retirement of Peter Giddings at the Borough elections on 2 May 2019, a new appointment for shareholder representative to the Board of Valley Housing Ltd was necessary.

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

Resolved:

That the Finance Portfolio Holder be appointed as the Council’s shareholder representative on the Board of Valley Housing Ltd.

Finance

To provide a review of the financial performance of Project Enterprise activities in the 2018/19 financial year.

Resolved:

That the outturn position for Project Enterprise investments in 2018/19 be noted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance Portfolio Holder which summarised the financial returns made during the 2018/19 financial year from Project Enterprise projects and compared the results with the original business case for each project.

The amount of investment in completed Project Enterprise projects at 31 March 2019 was £30.425M, of which £3.966M related to projects that were completed in 2018/19. Three further projects had commenced or been approved with a total 2019/20 budget of £6.426M.

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

Resolved:

That the outturn position for Project Enterprise investments in 2018/19 be noted.

Corporate

To appoint the membership of the Eastleigh Borough Council/Test Valley Borough Council Liaison Group.

Resolved:

The Councillor Bundy, Councillor Alan Dowden, Councillor Finlay and Councillor Hatley be appointed to the Eastleigh Borough Council/ Test Valley Borough Council Liaison Group.

The Corporate portfolio Holder advised that the Borough Council has had a joint arrangement with Eastleigh Borough Council for many years to consider matters of mutual interest. It was necessary to appoint members to the Liaison Group.

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

Resolved:

The Councillor Bundy, Councillor Alan Dowden, Councillor Finlay and Councillor Hatley be appointed to the Eastleigh Borough Council/ Test Valley Borough Council Liaison Group.

Corporate

To appoint the Planning Portfolio Holder to the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire Committee.

Resolved:

That the Planning Portfolio Holder be appointed to the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire Committee.

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented a report which set out that the Borough Council has had a joint voluntary agreement with ten other local authorities across South Hampshire to deliver regeneration of the core urban areas in the south Hampshire sub-region known as PUSH. It was necessary to appoint a member to the Joint Committee.

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

Resolved:

That the Planning Portfolio Holder be appointed to the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire Committee.

Corporate

To approve the Council’s Scheme of Delegations to Officers.

Resolved:

That the Scheme of Delegations to Officers annexed to the report to Annual Council, in so far as it applies to the powers and duties of the Cabinet, be approved.

The report of the Corporate Portfolio Holder sought approval of the Council’s Scheme of Delegations to Officers.

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

Resolved:

That the Scheme of Delegations to Officers annexed to the report to Annual Council, in so far as it applies to the powers and duties of the Cabinet, be approved.

Corporate

To appoint the membership of the Scrap Metal Dealers Hearing Sub-Committee.

Resolved:

That the membership of the Scrap Metal Dealers Hearing Sub-Committee consist of three members drawn by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services from the membership of the Cabinet.

The Corporate Portfolio Holder informed Cabinet that, in accordance with the Constitution, Cabinet was required to establish a Sub-Committee to deal with hearing representations regarding applications for Scrap Metal Dealers Licences.

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

Resolved:

That the membership of the Scrap Metal Dealers Hearing Sub-Committee consist of three members drawn by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services from the membership of the Cabinet.