Meeting documents

None, all members of Cabinet were present.

None were declared.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 January 2017 be approved as a correct record.

a) Corporate Plan and Corporate Risk Register 2017-18
The Leader presented the council?s Corporate Plan and Corporate Risk Register which had been refreshed for the next year with a fundamental review of corporate priorities to be carried out during summer 2017. The risk register identified key strategic risks which the plan sought to address together with risks to achieve those priorities, identifying actions to mitigate reduce the risk. There had been input from the council?s Scrutiny Committee.

It was felt to be a very important document that had been worked on over a number of months together with the budget and the improvement plan. Whilst only for one year it was meaningful and challenging and when approved would assist the council to move forward.

In response to an enquiry from the audience on how the council?s priorities fit with the proposed budget, the Leader commented that leisure centre closures were not mentioned and that the Cabinet member for Regeneration and Leisure had explained the position at the recent meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that the Council be recommended to approve the Corporate Plan for 2017-18 and the Corporate Risk Register for 2017-18.

b) 2017/18 Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy
The Cabinet member for Finance submitted the budget for 2017/18 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). The MTFS recognised the corporate risk assessment processes and priorities in the Corporate Plan and was aligned with the Treasury Management Strategy (later on tonight?s agenda). It also recognised the amount of change and uncertainty of the council?s core funding. There had been a phased and considered approach and included detail on how the council proposed to address the forecast deficit, proposed no increase in this council?s element of council tax, included revenue and capital investment, hoped to achieve 60% of budget efficiencies through increased income, deferred the introduction of a charge for the collection of green waste for 12 months and proposed the level of the General Reserve to be no lower than ?4M.

It was recognised that the council had had a very challenging 12 months and challenges would continue over the next three years but it was hoped that the council would achieve stability and the best for the residents of the borough.

The Leader responding to an enquiry from the audience on how the budget proposals (such as withdrawn funding for PCSOs, charge for green waste collection in 2018, council tax increase in 2018, charge for replacement wheelie bins) aligned with the Corporate Plan indicated that the last 12 months had been very difficult and the results of the staff survey had not been good for anyone and major decisions had to be made. The council was trying to raise additional income, was looking at shared services, and its finances would be a major task over the next three years. It was not a decision taken lightly but it was felt that PCSOs were the responsibility of the Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner and they should fund those posts. It was noted that in other areas where district funding had been withdrawn PCSOs had continued. In respect of a charge for green waste collection, the Leader added that the council would delay the introduction of this charge for 12 months, longer if possible. Chorley Borough Council collected waste for South Ribble residents of Buckshaw Village, as that council was introducing a charge to collect green waste it was wondered in the audience if those residents would be affected. The Leader commented that the council planned to make significant investments and use its reserves to generate income/revenue, planning to create a team of qualified people to make the most of good investment opportunities for the council.

The Leader commented that a major cause of this council?s budget deficit was the county council?s termination of the shared waste scheme (circa ?900,000) and it was finding ways to overcome this.

The Cabinet member for Finance confirmed that residents would be able to comment on the proposals through the newspaper and the council?s website.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that the Council be recommended to approve that:-

Revenue Estimates
1. the Council's revised estimates for 2016/17, the original estimate for 2017/18 and indicative original estimates for 2018/19 through to 2019/20, summarised at Appendix A to this report be approved.

2. the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to 2019/20 at Appendix D and the proposed budget efficiencies set out within the document to further improve efficiency/increase income and reduce the forecast budget deficit be approved. Specifically the following:-

? Introducing Charges for collecting Garden Waste with effect from 1st April 2018.
? Introducing a Charging Policy for the replacement of wheeled bins with effect from 1st April 2017.
? Retracting the contribution made to the Police and Crime Commissioner for Police Community Support Officer in the sum of ?0.044m.

3. the assessment on the level of reserves for 2017/18 in Appendix F be endorsed.

4. Council be recommended that the adjustment to General and Earmarked Reserves, whilst recognising that this figure may need to be revised when the Government announces the final Local Government Finance Settlement figures for 2017/18.

5. subject to any amendments proposed in considering recommendations 1 to 4 above, it be recommended that a Borough Council Net Expenditure requirement for 2017/18 (including parish/town council precepts) for approval at the Council meeting on 1st March adequate to support the delivery of the MTFS.

6. the Chief Executive be authorised to deal with staffing issues arising from the report within the agreed budget and in accordance with the council?s human resources policies. This will be done in consultation with the Leader, and in his absence the Deputy Leader and the Cabinet member with responsibility for Finance, and as appropriate other relevant Cabinet Members.

Council Tax

7. subject to consideration of recommendations 1 to 6 above, it be recommended the Borough Council?s Band D equivalent Council Tax for 2017/18, for approval at the council meeting on 1st March 2017, remains at the same level as 2016/17 being ?208.38.

8. Council determines the reduction in Council Tax Support applicable to working age claimants with effect from 1st April 2017.

Capital Programme and Budget

9. investment in the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix E and its proposed funding be approved.

Robustness of the Budget and MTFS Sustainability.

10. Council is recommended to note the Statutory Finance Officer?s comments and advice under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 as set out in this report in Appendix G and have regard to it when considering the budget proposals for 2017/18.
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Following the Cabinet?s approval of the action plan arising from the Scrutiny Review of Licensing and the development of the council?s Annual Governance Statement, it was asked to approve the council?s Improvement Plan. This had been mentioned earlier in the Corporate Plan and was felt that whilst challenging, it was a very important document and needed to be moved forwarded as soon as possible.

The Leader responding to a concern expressed from the audience about the staffing resource to support the plan, indicated that the council looked to extend the contracts of the staff resource by three months and look at future support as part of a re-structure.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that
1. the Improvement Plan attached at Appendix 1 be approved;
2. the progress made to date in relation to the improvement activities be noted; and
3. quarterly progress reports be provided to Cabinet, Scrutiny Committee and Governance Committee, and to the Employment Panel as appropriate be noted.
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The Leader presented the report on the council?s Pay Policy for 2017/18. In doing so he commented that the council?s salary banding in the policy for an experienced Chief Executive appeared to be below the market level. This was confirmed by the Interim Chief Executive who whilst tendering for a recruitment agency had received comments from the tenderers about the salary level. Whilst the salary level in the policy (up to ?107,095) might attract a good experienced second tier candidate, the salary level of an experienced Chief Executive was in the region of ?110-115,000. It was proposed to update the report and present it to the meeting of the Council on 29 March 2017.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that an updated Pay Policy for 2017/18 be submitted to the meeting of the Council to be held on 29 March 2017.
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The Cabinet member for Finance submitted the report indicating the Prudential Indicators to 2019/20 and the Treasury Management Strategy and Treasury Indicators, Investment strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement for 2017/18. Whilst there had been two amendments to the strategy during the year no further change was proposed. Councillor Mrs Snape confirmed that as due diligence had not come through property funds were not pursued and the council had other ways it wanted to invest. She was confident the amount still outstanding from the Heritable Bank would be received but there was no guarantee when. Similarly in addition to capital, the council had received some outstanding interest on those investments and would continue to ask for it.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that the Council be recommended to approve:-
1. the Prudential Indicators for 2017/18 to 2019/20 (Appendix B);
2. the Treasury Management Strategy and Treasury Indicators for 2017/18 (including Table 9 in Appendix B);
3. the Annual Investment Strategy 2017/18 including Financial Institutions and Investment Criteria; and
4. the Annual Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy Statement 2017/18.

The Cabinet member for Regeneration and Leisure responding to an enquiry from the audience on the Leisure Review commented that he had no further update to his responses to questions at the recent meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that the Forward Plan submitted under Section 22 of the Local Government Act 2000 be approved.
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At this point in response to a question, the member of the public was advised that the next item of business (item 10) was exempt because of central government advice under DWP Circular S11/2011 and possible action that could be taken by the council.

The press and public may be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following two items of business. As they involve the discussion of information which is defined respectively as exempt from publication under paragraph 7 (Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime) and under paragraph 3 (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and in which case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.
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The Cabinet member for Corporate Support and Assets presented the report and commented that as the council moved towards an electronic claims based system it needed a policy in place.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that the adoption of the Risk Based Verification Policy for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support applications with effect from 1 April 2017 be approved.
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The Cabinet considered a report to note on a decision taken between meetings of the Cabinet relating to land at Leyland.

RESOLVED (unanimously): that the Standing Order 38 Decision relating to land at Leyland be noted.
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