Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no urgent items to consider.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2022 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Diversity and Inclusion

To consider a motion referred to Cabinet from Council regarding period poverty.

Resolved:

1.  That the Council makes provision for period products to be available free of charge for anyone who requires them in its customer toilets located in Beech Hurst, FMC and The Lights.

2.  That a dedicated page on the Council’s website regarding period poverty, which signposts to further support and provision available to members of the public, be developed.

3.  That appropriate communications be sent to parish and town councils, businesses, charities, community and other organisations in the borough to raise awareness of period poverty.

Consideration was given to a report of the Diversity and Inclusion Portfolio Holder which set out proposals for provision and support the Council might make available for those who were in period poverty in Test Valley following a Motion referred from Council.

There were a range of existing schemes and initiatives in place both nationally and locally in order to provide free period products. No gaps in provision had been identified, however the principles of the motion were supported and it was recognised that no one should be without access to education and period products.

In order to further increase availability, the Council would make provision for free period products to be available in the customer toilets of the reception areas at its main offices and in the customer toilets at The Lights as well as signposting to further information and appropriate communications to local organisations.

In addition to those customer toilets set out in the report , products would be made available in the customer toilets of Crosfield Hall, Romsey and The Guildhall, Andover on a trial basis for those in need.

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

Resolved:

1.  That the Council makes provision for period products to be available free of charge for anyone who requires them in its customer toilets located in Beech Hurst, FMC and The Lights.

2.  That a dedicated page on the Council’s website regarding period poverty, which signposts to further support and provision available to members of the public, be developed.

3.  That appropriate communications be sent to parish and town councils, businesses, charities, community and other organisations in the borough to raise awareness of period poverty.

Leader

To consider the amended Corporate Action Plan 2019-2023 (Year 4).

Resolved:

That Cabinet approves the proposed updates to the Corporate Action Plan 2019-2023 (year four).

Consideration was given to a report of The Leader which set out proposals for updating the Corporate Action Plan (CAP) 2019-23 for year four.

Fourteen projects formed the CAP for year four. All fourteen were ongoing projects that reflected the major projects the Council was delivering. One project was recommended for removal from the CAP, Delivery of the Covid-19 Recovery Plan. The priorities highlighted under this project were largely complete due to being focused on the response and immediate recovery phase aligned to the national picture around Covid-19.

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

Resolved:

That Cabinet approves the proposed updates to the Corporate Action Plan 2019-2023 (year four).

Planning

To consider approving funding three projects from the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Recommended to Council:

That the following projects totalling £283,524 are approved for CIL funding:

·  Extension of St Mary’s GP Surgery – £240,478

·  Viney Avenue to Cupernham School Pedestrian Works – £13,535

·  Valley Park Orchard Trail – £29,511

Consideration was given to a report of Planning Portfolio Holder which outlined three projects that were submitted during the 2021 round of the CIL bidding process and the resultant recommendations for funding.

Funding recommendations were proposed for three projects; Extension of St Mary’s GP Surgery to allow for additional consulting rooms and staffing, Viney Avenue to Cupernham School Pedestrian works to drop kerbs and improve signage, and Valley Park Orchard Trail to plant 6 orchards with wildflower ground cover.

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

Recommended to Council:

That the following projects totalling £283,524 are approved for CIL funding:

·  Extension of St Mary’s GP Surgery – £240,478

·  Viney Avenue to Cupernham School Pedestrian Works – £13,535

·  Valley Park Orchard Trail – £29,511

Finance and Resources

To consider options for the introduction of a new discretionary business rates relief scheme.

Resolved:

That the COVID Additional Relief Fund discretionary business rates relief scheme, as shown in the Annex to the report, be added to the Council’s Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.

Consideration was given to a report of Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder which considered the options available to the Council for the introduction of a new discretionary business rates relief, targeted at business who have not previously received rates reliefs throughout the pandemic.

The recommended option would see eligible businesses who had been impacted by the pandemic but had not previously been able to claim through other business rate relief schemes, awarded relief on a pro rata basis, based on their rateable value.

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

Resolved:

That the COVID Additional Relief Fund discretionary business rates relief scheme, as shown in the Annex to the report, be added to the Council’s Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.

Finance and Resources

To consider the carry forward of unspent revenue items budgeted in 2021/22 into the 2022/23 revenue budget.

Resolved:

That the items shown in the Annex to the report, totalling £101,500, be approved for carry forward into the 2022/23 revenue budget.

Consideration was given to a report of Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder which set out details of items included within the original estimates and forecasts that Services were unable to spend before the end of the financial year.

The report sought approval to carry forward the more significant of these items into the 2022/23 revenue budget.

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

Resolved:

That the items shown in the Annex to the report, totalling £101,500, be approved for carry forward into the 2022/23 revenue budget.

Finance and Resources

To seek approval for the write off of an uncollectable debt.

Resolved:

That the debt detailed in the report, totalling £54,791, be written off in the Council’s accounts as uncollectable.

Consideration was given to a report of Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder which sought approval for the write off of a business rates debt above the £25,000 threshold that had proved to be uncollectable and for which there was little or no prospect of future recovery.

The Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder explained that it is inevitable that it will be necessary to write off certain amounts as uncollectable when businesses go into liquidation / individuals declare themselves bankrupt with arrears owed to the Council.

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

Resolved:

That the debt detailed in the report, totalling £54,791, be written off in the Council’s accounts as uncollectable.

The following item is confidential.

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:

Property Matters  Paragraph 3

It is considered that this report contains exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended in that it contains ‘information relating to the financial or business affairs or any particular person (including the authority holding that information)’.  It is further considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Finance and Resources

To consider property matters.

Resolved:

1.  That the Head of Property & Asset Management, in consultation with the Finance Portfolio Holder is authorised to approach the administrators to negotiate the surrender of the lease of the property identified in paragraph 1.1 to the Council.

2.  That, subject to Recommendation 1 above, the Head of Property & Asset Management, in consultation with the Finance & Resources Portfolio Holder is authorised to negotiate and enter into a new lease for the property in accordance with the option identified in paragraph 4.3 and Annex 1 to the report or on such other terms as deemed appropriate.

3.  That, if required as part of the surrender of the lease from the Administrators, the Head of Finance & Revenues be authorised to write-off the outstanding balance owed by the tenant as uncollectable, as discussed is paragraph 6 of the report.

Consideration was given to a report of Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder which considered property matters.

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

Resolved:

1.  That the Head of Property & Asset Management, in consultation with the Finance Portfolio Holder is authorised to approach the administrators to negotiate the surrender of the lease of the property identified in paragraph 1.1 to the Council.

2.  That, subject to Recommendation 1 above, the Head of Property & Asset Management, in consultation with the Finance & Resources Portfolio Holder is authorised to negotiate and enter into a new lease for the property in accordance with the option identified in paragraph 4.3 and Annex 1 to the report or on such other terms as deemed appropriate.

3.  That, if required as part of the surrender of the lease from the Administrators, the Head of Finance & Revenues be authorised to write-off the outstanding balance owed by the tenant as uncollectable, as discussed is paragraph 6 of the report.

There was no public participation.