| Place: | Shield Room, Civic Centre, West Paddock, Leyland, PR25 1DH |
| Present: | Councillor Mrs M R Smith (Leader of the Council) (Chairman), Councillors Mr C J Clark (Deputy Leader and Shared Services and Corporate Support) Mr J R Hothersall, (Neighbourhoods and Street Scene) Mr C Hughes (Strategic Planning and Housing) Mr S M Robinson (Finance and Resources) Mr P J Smith (Regeneration, Leisure and Healthy Communities) |
| In attendance: | The Chief Executive (Mike Nuttall), and the Democratic Services Manager (Martin O?Loughlin) |
| Public attendance: | 3 members of the public were present |
| Other Members and Officers: | 11 other Council members and 3 officers were present. |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPEN ITEMS | ||||
| 117 |
Apologies for Absence There were no apologies for absence |
Noted | ||
| 118 |
Minutes of the Last Meeting Minutes attached RESOLVED: (Unanimous) That the minutes held on Wednesday 16 February 2011, be signed as a correct record. |
Agreed | ||
| 119 |
Proposed Housing Expenditure 2011/12 Report attached The Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning & Housing presented this report which, in order to comply with the Council?s financial regulations, sought approval to incur housing capital expenditure against the budget provided for within the agreed capital programme for 2011/12. The report also advised of a procurement exercise that was currently underway to seek the services of a Home Improvement Agency following the decision by Anchor Staying Put to withdraw from providing this type of service. It was also reported that Government support for housing capital expenditure would change substantially in the coming financial year. For 2011/12 the Council would no longer receive an award of Regional Housing capital grant funding. The Government had stated that it was the responsibility of each council to decide on the priorities for housing initiatives using their own funds. In contrast, for this year ?844,000 was received from the Regional Housing Pot allocation to support the Council?s housing activities, with a further ring fenced grant of ?201,000 to support expenditure on disabled facilities grants. In the coming year we had been advised we would receive ?233,000, in Government grant for disabled facilities grants (DFG) an increase of 15%. This grant was no longer ring fenced to allow maximum flexibility to support local needs. RESOLVED: (Unanimous) 1. That total capital expenditure of ?413,000 for the priorities outlined in the report be approved. 2. That joint procurement of a Home Improvement Agency with Lancashire County Council to deliver the Disabled facilities grants be approved. 3. That approval be given for Lancashire County Council (LCC) to act as the lead body for the procurement of the Disabled Facilities Grants and that the procurement be conducted in accordance with LCC rules and regulations. 4. That approval be given for the joint procurement of an Energy Efficiency scheme with West Lancashire Borough Council with South Ribble taking the lead on the procurement in accordance with South Ribble Council?s rules and regulations. 5. That Standing Order 3.10 be waived and the Director Of Planning and Housing be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Housing, to agree the final contract and accept the most economically advantageous tender for the delivery of the energy efficiency scheme. |
Agreed | ||
| 120 |
Authorisation of Expenditure for Schemes within the Capital Programme 2011/12 & 2012/13 Report (73K/bytes) attached The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources presented this report which sought approval to commit capital expenditure for the procurement of a number of vehicles, plant and equipment, the refurbishment of Farington Park play area and works to Moss Side Depot and Penwortham Pool. In order to expedite progress on the scheme in the absence of a Cabinet meeting until June, the report also sought delegated authority to accept the most economically advantageous tender for the Farington Park play area and works to Moss Side Depot RESOLVED: (Unanimous): 1. That under section 3(3) of the Financial Regulations authority to incur capital expenditure of ?90,000 for the purchase of 2 tipper vehicles, 1 tractor unit and 1 flail cutting unit be granted 2. That under section 3(3) of the Financial Regulations authority to incur capital expenditure of ?130,500 for the refurbishment of Farington Park play area be granted 3. That under section 3(3) of the Financial Regulations authority to incur capital expenditure of ?79,200 for works at Moss Side Depot, and ?29,700 for works at Penwortham Pool in 2011/12; and a further ?29,700 for works at Penwortham Pool in 2012/13 be granted 4. That Standing Orders for Contracts 3.10b be waived and the Director of Neighbourhoods be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Neighbourhoods, to agree the final design and accept the most economically advantageous tender for the refurbishment of Farington Park play area. 5. That Standing Orders for Contracts 3.10b be waived and the Director of Planning and Housing be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, to agree the final design and accept the most economically advantageous tender for the scheme at Moss Side Depot. |
Agreed | ||
| 121 |
To Approve Amendments to the Constitution Standing Orders For Contracts - Report attached Draft Contract Procedure Rules attached Review Of Constitution (62K/bytes) attached The Leader of the Council introduced this item and asked Councillor Ogilvie on behalf of the Governance Committee to present the item. Councillor Ogilvie reported that a Constitution Task Group was established to undertake a review of the Constitution by the Governance Committee. This work commenced in 2010 and a first report was submitted to the Governance Committee and subsequently to Cabinet and adopted by Council in April 2010. Since then the Constitution Task Group had met on five occasions to consider the proposed changes necessary to the Constitution as a result of changes to the executive arrangements, recent changes to the chief officer structure and at the same time identified some minor drafting amendments necessary, the main changes of which were set out in the report The Constitution Task Group had also looked at a complete revision of the Standing Orders for Contracts which reviewed and updated the Council?s Standing Orders for Contracts to ensure they remained relevant, effective and fit for purpose, providing best value, accountability and compliance in the procurement process. Cabinet discussed the proposed changes, in particular the proposed changes to Standing Order 5(b). (Appointment of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Area Committees) which was felt required more investigation particularly on the practicality of implementing it. RESOLVED: (Unanimous) 1. That Cabinet recommend the Council to adopt the proposed changes to the Constitution, as detailed in the report, with effect from the first Council meeting of the new Municipal Year in 2011 with the exception of the proposed changes to Standing Order 5(b). Appointment of Chairman and Vice-chairman of Area Committees. 2. That the Governance Committee be asked to reconsider Standing Order 5(b). (Appointment of Chairman and Vice-chairman of Area Committees) following consultation with the Area Committee Chairs. 3. That Cabinet recommend the Council to adopt with immediate effect the proposed revised draft version of Standing Orders for Contracts (Contract Procedure Rules). 4. That the expenditure threshold which defines a Key Decision be increased from ?50,000 to ?75,000 in line with the existing Standing Order Tender Threshold 5. That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to update the Constitution to reflect the outcome from the above recommendations |
Agreed | ||
| 122 |
Reports of Scrutiny Reviews Review of Supported ?Exempt? Accommodation Funding attached Review of Capital Programme Underspends attached (a) Supported ?Exempt? Accommodation Funding The Leader of the Council introduced this Scrutiny review which had been conducted at the suggestion of the Leader of the Council to examine the costs to the Council of supported ?exempt? accommodation. RESOLVED: (Unanimous) That the following recommendations of the Scrutiny committee be endorsed. ?That the Scrutiny Committee shares the concern of Lancashire districts at the unfairness and costs involved in passing the responsibility for ?exempt? accommodations in an unfunded way to councils. That the Leader of the Council be congratulated on highlighting this unfairness and leading Lancashire councils in lobbying the Government to rectify this situation. That the Scrutiny Committee supports the Leader?s lobbying and writes to South Ribble Members of Parliament, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Secretary of State of Community and Local Government to encourage appropriate funding be passed to the Council to meet the burden caused by supported ?exempt? accommodation. That the Scrutiny Committee raises this issue with the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee.? (b) Slippage on the Capital Programme The Leader of the Council introduced this Scrutiny review which had been conducted at the suggestion of the Scrutiny Committee. They had identified for some time concern that the capital budget has been ?under spent? for a number of years. This was also raised by the Governance Committee when it was considering the 2009/2010 accounts and it had asked the Scrutiny Committee to look at the reasons for this in more detail. The purpose of this review was to investigate why the programme was continually ?under spent? and to make recommendations on the way forward to improve the situation. Cabinet recognised that this important area of work from the Scrutiny Committee had generated a large amount of interest and felt that the review would benefit from wider input from other portfolio holders and therefore asked Scrutiny Committee to look further into this important area of expenditure. RESOLVED: (Unanimous) That this review be referred back to Scrutiny Committee. |
Agreed | ||
| 123 |
The Cabinet's Forward Plan Report attached RESOLVED: (Unanimous) That, subject to the item ?Mayor and Deputy Mayor 2012/13? being amended to read ?To confirm current Deputy Mayor as Mayor Elect for 2012/13 and also to nominate a Deputy Mayor Elect for 2012/13?, the Forward Plan submitted under section 22 of the Local Government Act 2000 be approved. |
Agreed | ||