Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed Members and Officers to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Cutler, M B Kelly and M I Peters.

There were no urgent items.

The Chairman advised Members that the following agenda items had been drawn down for debate:

8.         Corporate Plan 2017 - 2020

Accordingly, Members endorsed the Officer recommendations in respect of the following items:

9.         Fairfield Works

10.      Write-off of CIL Charge

11.      Capital Programme Including Prudential Indicators - Outturn 2016/2017

12.      Revenue Budget Monitoring - Outturn 2016/17

13.      Annual Treasury Report 2016/2017

To receive declarations of interest from Members including the terms(s) of the Grant of Dispensation (if any) by the Audit Board or Managing Director.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no references from Committees.

Summary:

1.           This is a Key Decision as the Council will incur expenditure beyond the threshold agreed by the Council.

2.           This report seeks approval from Members to support the refurbishment needed to the Civic Centre and commence the procurement process needed to appoint contractors to deliver the programme of works.

Recommendations:

1.           That the programme of works for the Civic Centre, as set out in the body of the report, be noted.

2.           That the Strategic Director (External Services) be authorised to appoint contractors to deliver the works on terms to be agreed with the Head of Legal Services.

This report sought approval from Members to support the refurbishment needed to the Civic Centre and commence the procurement process needed to appoint contractors to deliver the programme of works.

• The Housing Maintenance Manager explained how, at the budget meeting that had taken place in February 2017, a capital budget of £678,000 had been agreed for Civic Centre refurbishment work. He then noted how the Council had been located in the Civic Centre for 32 years and that major improvements were now required. He then referred to the planned work and said that it would include an asbestos survey and removal, new air conditioning for the Council Chamber, new heating and hot water boilers, replacement of the cold water storage tank, lighting replacement, new entrance doors and IT switch replacement.

• Members welcomed the proposed improvements and asked whether it would be possible to include additional energy conservation measures as part of the refurbishment programme. The Housing Maintenance Manager noted the energy consumption improvements that would be delivered by the proposed work and said that the new boilers would be 86% efficient as opposed to the 70% efficiency being delivered by the current installation. He also noted how the new lighting would be operating at a lower wattage, and would hence consume less power, and anticipated that the new air conditioning plant would be more efficient too.

• Members asked whether the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof could be considered. In response the Housing Maintenance Manager explained that it can take 12 to 14 years to earn back the cost of installing photovoltaic panels and that such investment may be unwise if the Council does not intend to stay in the building for that length of time. In response to a further question officers were unable to confirm the length of time that the Council would remain in its current location. Members noted how this made it difficult to fully assess the value for money that would be delivered by the programme.

• Members endorsed the recommendations in the report but asked that opportunities to deliver further efficiency savings be explored as the detailed refurbishment programme is developed.

Summary:

The Council’s Corporate Plan has been updated for the period 2017 – 2020. A draft version of the plan was considered by the Policy Overview Committee on Tuesday 13 June 2017 and their comments are included in the body of the report.

Recommendation:

That Cabinet approve the Corporate Plan 2017 – 2020 and decide whether to incorporate the suggestions made by the Policy Overview Committee.

This report presented an updated version of the Council’s Corporate Plan for the period 2017 – 2020. A draft version of the plan was considered by the Policy Overview Committee on Tuesday 13 June 2017 and their comments were included in the body of the report.

• The Policy and Corporate Support Manager explained how the themes, strategic aims and objectives in the Plan were the same as in the previous version and said that the new version of the Plan also included key actions to show how each aim and objective would be delivered over the next 3 years. He then noted how the document had been considered by the Policy Overview Committee and drew Members attention to their suggested amendments, which would have to be agreed by Cabinet before being included. He then noted the intention to include hyperlinks to underlying detailed service plans and gave as examples the Local Development Framework and associated Annual Monitoring report, the Kent Transportation Plan, Kent Public Health’s Health and Wellbeing reports, and the Air Quality Management Plan. He said that this would allow those with a particular interest to drill down and access additional detail on how the objectives would be delivered and the measurements being used to assess whether they have been successfully delivered.

• Having noted that the content of the Corporate Plan was the responsibility of Cabinet the Policy and Corporate Support Manager was asked about the process that had been followed when redrafting the document, and whether meetings had been held with Cabinet members, and also whether residents and stakeholder groups had been involved in the process. The Policy and Corporate Support Manager replied that the themes and objectives had remained the same because Cabinet had not expressed a desire for them to be changed. He then explained how service managers had met to define the associated actions and performance indicators and also described how reference had been made to the associated detailed planning documents, Community Safety Partnership work, and to consultations that had been carried out with stakeholders and the public as the service plans were being developed. The Strategic Director (External Directors) also noted how service managers have regular dialogs with their Cabinet portfolio holders and therefore have an understanding of their aspirations for the future in relation to the services that are being provided by the Council.

• Reference was then made to the Policy Overview meeting and, given the detailed debate that had taken place, whether the agreed amendments listed in the report gave a true reflection of the issues that had been discussed. The Policy and Corporate Support Manager advised that the minutes would provide additional detail but noted that they were still in draft form and awaiting the Policy Overview Chairman’s agreement. Members felt that by providing Cabinet with copies of the Policy Overview minutes Cabinet would have a better understanding of the arguments that were being put forward both for the changes that had been proposed and those that had been rejected and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Summary:

This report details additional works required to Fairfield to ensure the facility continues to meet the needs of existing users and can cope with future demand.

Recommendations:

1.         That permission be granted to Places for People Leisure Management Limited to undertake the proposed works to expand the gym at its own cost.

2.         That Cabinet approve the use of additional in year resources, as identified in the report, to fund capital works of £333,000 at Fairfield to increase the car parking capacity and improve the shower and cubicle provision.

3.         That the arrangements for a proposed additional annual payment from Places for People Leisure Management Limited to reflect the benefit it will receive from the car park expansion, be agreed.

4.         That delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director (Internal Services), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to agree the detail of the proposed income sharing agreement in respect of the car park expansion.

Members endorsed the recommendations in the report.

Summary:

To consider the write-off of CIL charge for a self-built extension to a residential property. 

Recommendation:

That, for the reasons detailed in exempt Appendix A to the report, the CIL charge be written off.

Members endorsed the recommendations in the report.

Summary:

To inform Cabinet of the final pre-audit figures for the 2016/17 Capital Programme, the capital resources that were used to fund it and those that remain available to fund future investment.

Recommendations:

1.         That Cabinet note the draft outturn for the Capital Programme for 2016/17.

2.         That Cabinet note the draft outturn position for 2016/17 on Capital resources, and the balance available to be carried forward into 2017/18.

3.         That the General Assembly of the Council be asked to agree the capital budgets carried forward into 2017/18, as set out in Appendix C to the report.

4.         That Cabinet note the outturn position on the Capital Prudential Indicators as shown in Appendix D to the report.

Members endorsed the recommendations in the report.

Summary:

To inform Members of the detailed final pre-audit 2016/17 figures for the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account, including reasons for significant variances compared to the probable outturn.

Recommendation:

That the 2016/17 outturn for the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account, together with the reasons for significant variances compared to probable outturn, be noted.

Members endorsed the recommendations in the report.

Summary:

1.         To inform Cabinet of the outturn position (subject to audit) of the Council’s investments and borrowing for the 2016/2017 financial year.

2.         To inform Cabinet of the outturn position of the Council’s treasury indicators.

Recommendations:

1.         That Members note the outturn for the Council’s treasury management operations for 2016/2017.

2.         That Members note the outturn for the Council’s treasury indicators.

Members endorsed the recommendations in the report.

Members noted the content of this Appendix.