Agenda, decisions and minutes

None.

Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 February 2018 attached to be signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED (Unanimously):

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2018 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Members are requested to indicate at this stage in the proceedings any items on the agenda in which they intend to declare an interest. Members are reminded that if the interest is a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (as defined in the Members’ Code of Conduct) they must leave the room for the whole of that item. If the interest is not a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, but is such that a member of the public could reasonably regard it as being so significant that it is likely that it would prejudice their judgment of the public interest (as explained in the Code of Conduct) then they may make representations, but then must leave the meeting for the remainder of the item.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Chief Executive attached.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That the Pay Policy 2018/19 attached to the report submitted be recommended for approval by the Council at its meeting on 21 March 2018.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Human Resources Manager which provided the Pay Policy to ensure there was transparency as to how pay and remuneration was set by the Council, for all of its employees and particularly for its most senior level posts.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That the Pay Policy 2018/19 attached to the report submitted be recommended for approval by the Council at its meeting on 21 March 2018.

Reasons for the Decision:

The Localism Act 2011 requires all local authorities to set out its position on a range of issues relating to the remuneration of its employees. The Policy must be approved by the Council in open forum, by the end of March each year and then be published on its website.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

There was a legal requirement to publish a Pay Policy – this was something the Council must do.

Report of the Interim Improvement Manager attached.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    the performance at the end of Quarter 3 shown at Appendices 1 and 2 to the report be noted.

2.    the corporate risks and the controls in place to mitigate risks as identified in the Corporate Risk Register shown at Appendix 3 to the report be noted.

3.    the arrangements in place to report performance to Cabinet, Scrutiny and Full Council be noted.

4.    the response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations be communicated to the Committee.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Corporate Improvement Manager which provided an overview of performance against the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2017-18 at the end of the third quarter i.e. end of December 2017.

During the debate the Cabinet considered/responded to the following comments made by the Scrutiny Committee on the report at its meeting held on 8 February 2018:

·         (Scrutiny Recommendation): In respect of complaints received it would be helpful if these were categorised and indicate how lessons have been learned.

·         (Cabinet Response): The Cabinet felt that it was a management issue on how complaints against service delivery were handled and should be for the Chief Executive to provide a response. 

·         (Scrutiny Recommendation): The Committee strongly requests that it is kept informed with clear timelines on the delivery of the Master Plans for Leyland, Lostock Hall and Penwortham.

·         (Cabinet Response): The Cabinet noted the request however felt it was a Cabinet function to monitor progress against its Corporate Plan Projects, information would be shared with Scrutiny at the relevant time.

·         (Scrutiny Recommendation): Future reports on shared service performance provide more explanation on the performance figures, including differences between those for Chorley and South Ribble Councils.

·         (Cabinet Response): The Cabinet felt that the performance figures, or comparison to Chorley, was a matter for the Shared Services Committee. In bringing forward performance of the South Ribble service, Cabinet requested that only the performance of South Ribble should be considered in future performance reports to Cabinet.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    the performance at the end of Quarter 3 shown at Appendices 1 and 2 to the report be noted.

2.    the corporate risks and the controls in place to mitigate risks as identified in the Corporate Risk Register shown at Appendix 3 to the report be noted.

3.    the arrangements in place to report performance to Cabinet, Scrutiny and Full Council be noted.

4.    the response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations be communicated to the Committee.

Reasons for Decision:

The Corporate Plan for 2017-18 contained a number of outcomes and activities for delivery in 2017-18. This report provided an update at the end of Quarter 3 for members’ consideration.

Performance reports for each quarter were considered by the Council’s Leadership Team and for Quarters 2, 3 and 4 by the Cabinet and the Council’s Scrutiny Committee. An annual report on performance at the end of Quarter 4 would also be submitted to Full Council.

Cabinet was required in the Council’s constitution to provide a response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

As this was a routine performance report, other options were not relevant.

Report of the Interim Monitoring Officer attached

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    the current Deputy Mayor, Councillor John Rainsbury be nominated as the Mayor Elect for 2018/19; and

2.    Councillor Carol Chisholm be nominated as the Deputy Mayor Elect for 2018/19.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Monitoring Officer to seek nominations for the Mayor Elect and Deputy Mayor Elect 2018/19.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    the current Deputy Mayor, Councillor John Rainsbury be nominated as the Mayor Elect for 2018/19; and

2.    Councillor Carol Chisholm be nominated as the Deputy Mayor Elect for 2018/19.

Reasons for Decision:

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the Council Year 2018/19 would need to be formally appointed at the Annual Council Meeting (Mayoral Installation) to be held on 15 May 2018.

It had been the practice for a number of years for the Cabinet to nominate the Mayor Elect and Deputy Mayor Elect for the forthcoming Council Year, in advance of the Annual Council Meeting to enable arrangements to be made for the Mayoral Installation and invitations sent out to family members and friends, well in advance of the event.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Not applicable. The Constitution indicates that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor should be appointed at the Annual Council Meeting held each year.

To approve the latest version of the Cabinet’s Forward Plan as at 20 February 2018.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That subject to the reported amendment, the Cabinet’s Forward Plan be approved.

The Cabinet considered its Forward Plan.

The Cabinet noted that the item in respect of Corporate Plan, Risk Management, 2018/19 Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy should include the Relevant Portfolio Holder for Finance. 

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That subject to the reported amendment, the Cabinet’s Forward Plan be approved.

Reasons for the Decision:

To enable the Cabinet to consider and amend as appropriate its statutory forward plan.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

There was no alternative as Section 22 of the Local Government Act 2000 required the Cabinet to set out its programme of work and key decisions in the coming months, as far as it was known, in a forward plan.

Report of the Planning Manager attached.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    delegated authority be granted to the Planning Manager, in consultation with the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Assets and the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning and Housing, to make a final decision on the offer, once full details of the terms and conditions become known, and financial and legal advice has been obtained.

2.    any proposal to develop or dispose of Council owned land and property assets will be the subject of a detailed report to Cabinet, following full consultation within the community.

This item on the Supplementary Agenda was for decision by the Cabinet in accordance with Rule 19 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (Special Urgency) of the Constitution.

This item was being dealt with as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision becauseof the need to accept the offer of Government funding within the timescales prescribed.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Planning Manager that the Council had been offered Land Release Funding (LRF) to progress its home building concept.

During the debate, the Cabinet welcomed the Council’s successful bid for LRF of £362,000 from MHCLG. The objective of the Home Build concept was to see if home building or renovating underutilised assets and renting could generate a long term revenue stream for the Council, as well as meeting local social, community and housing targets. This supported the Council’s Corporate Plan targets of ‘financial self-sufficiency through investment and commercial use of Council owned assets’ and a key outcome for ‘More homes of the quality and mix to meet needs’. This was in line with the recently revised Housing Framework and also part of our wider vision, campus strategy and City Deal ambitions.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    delegated authority be granted to the Planning Manager, in consultation with the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Assets and the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning and Housing, to make a final decision on the offer, once full details of the terms and conditions become known, and financial and legal advice has been obtained.

2.    any proposal to develop or dispose of Council owned land and property assets will be the subject of a detailed report to Cabinet, following full consultation within the community.

Reasons for Decision:

As a result of a bid to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), South Ribble Borough Council had been offered £362,000 of Land Relief Funds (LRF) to progress its home build project.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

There are a number of options for this funding:

·         Do nothing - Do not accept the funding and lose the benefit of £362,000. There is a financial and reputational risk to this option.

·         Use SRBC own money – this would increase costs within SRBC by £362,000.

Other options were considered for home delivery in the business case. The detail of the business case and the actual detail of the MHCLG offer was key. At this point in time neither were precisely known.