Meeting documents

Venue: The Paralympic Room, Aylesbury Vale District Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF

Contact: Bill Ashton; Email: bashton@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk; 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 58 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 August 2019, copy attached as an appendix.

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

That the Minutes of 13 August, 2019, be approved as a correct record.

2.

New Homes Bonus - Parishes Scheme pdf icon PDF 343 KB

Councillor Mordue

Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

 

To consider the attached report.

 

Contact Officer:  Jan Roffe (01296) 585186

Decision:

(a)          Decision(s)

 

That the recommendations of the Informal New Homes Bonus Grants Panel as set out in detail in the Cabinet Agenda, be approved.

 

(b)          Reason(s) for Decision(s)

 

The applications considered by the Informal Panel accord with the criteria for the scheme.

 

(c)          Alternative Options Considered

 

Not to approve the Informal Grants Panel recommendations or to approve them in part.

 

(d)          Relevant Scrutiny Committee

 

Finance and Services.

 

(e)          Conflicts of Interest / Dispensation(s)

 

The following Members declared personal interests:-

 

Councillor Mordue as a Member of Buckingham Town Council.

Councillor Mrs Macpherson as a number of the applications were from Parishes within the area she represents.

 

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, posted in full on the Council’s Website, detailing the outcome of the consideration given by the informal New Homes Bonus Grants Panel to the latest round of applications for capital projects.  The grants scheme was designed to help alleviate the impacts of housing growth on local communities.  The applications considered by the informal Grants Panel related to major schemes, concerning which £800,378 was available for allocation.  £80,000 had been set aside for micro grants (smaller projects).

 

In total 20 expressions of interest/enquiries had been received.  Of these, 18 Parish/Town Councils had applied for assistance but one application had subsequently been withdrawn.  17 applications had therefore been considered by the informal Grants Panel.  Grant funding totalling £872,565 had been applied for towards projects totalling £1,007,748.  As referred to above only £800,378 was available, meaning that this funding round was £72,187 over subscribed.

 

The Cabinet report contained a schedule detailing the schemes, total project costs, the amounts being sought by way of grants and the informal Grants Panel’s recommendations and rationale for reaching those decisions.  That schedule could also be viewed on the Council’s website.  The Panel’s recommendations amounted in total to £794,125, which represented over 99% of the budget available.  The underspend of £6,253 would be used in connection with the micro grants scheme.

 

Members commented that this scheme had been well appreciated by Parishes and expressed the hope that it would be carried forward to the new unitary authority.  Circa £6.4m had been made available over the last seven years or so.  Members also asked that their thanks be conveyed to Jan Roffe the Council’s grants officer, who administered the scheme for the professional manner in which she had dealt with the applications received.  Strong relationships had been developed with Parishes, many of whom, through local Members, had also complimented Jan Roffe.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That all the recommendations of the New Homes Bonus Grants Panel as set out in Appendix A to the Cabinet report, be approved.

 

NOTE:

 

As a Member of Buckingham Town Council, Councillor Mordue declared a personal interest in the application relating to that authority.

 

A number of applications had been received from Parishes in the District Ward represented by Councillor A Macpherson and she declared a personal interest.

3.

AVDC Environmental Initiatives pdf icon PDF 568 KB

Councillor Irwin

Cabinet Member for Environment

 

To consider the attached report.

 

Contact Officer:  Jeff Membery (01296) 585316

Decision:

(a)          Decision(s)

 

(1)          That the work that the Council had and was undertaking on environmental issues as summarised in the Cabinet report, be noted.

 

(2)          That work on future environmental actions should continue until vesting day for the new unitary authority and should focus on:-

 

·         Providing environmental leadership.

·         Supporting local initiatives.

·         Working in partnership.

 

(3)          That Council be recommended to make available up to £60,000 to facilitate the continuance of AVDC’s environmental initiatives programme.

 

(b)          Reason(s) for Decision(s)

 

Cabinet feels that as global climate challenges continue to increase, it is imperative that locally the Council maintains the momentum of the environmental improvements AVDC has delivered.

 

(c)          Alternative Options Considered

 

There are a number of options that the Council could pursue and these ill be determined in the light of the budget available.

 

(d)          Relevant Scrutiny Committee

 

Environment and Living.  However as this matter will be discussed by full Council, it is not subject to call-in.

 

(e)          Conflicts of Interest / Dispensation(s)

 

None.

 

 

 

Minutes:

Cabinet received a report highlighting the work undertaken by AVDC to improve the environment of the Vale and seeking resources to enable this work to continue up to the coming into existence of the new unitary authority.  The report, which included a list of the initiatives taken by the Council to reduce CO2 emissions and protect and enhance the local environment, could be viewed on the Council’s website.

 

The report of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in October, 2018, had highlighted the fact that the world had 12 years during which to make a positive change in the way the environment was managed, before irreparable damage was done to the planet.  In June, 2019, Central Government had responded to the report by announcing that the UK would cut emissions to net zero by 2050.  A number of local councils had declared a "climate emergency" and had pledged to significantly reduce their carbon emissions or become carbon neutral by 2050 or earlier.

 

Whilst these declarations had been well received, there had been criticism in some quarters that these councils had not put in place an action plan to achieve their aims.  With the new Buckinghamshire Council replacing the existing councils in April, 2020, it was important for any AVDC initiatives to be deliverable in months rather than years.  AVDC already had a strong track record in addressing environmental concerns and had worked with businesses and other stakeholders to reduce carbon emissions across the Vale.  This work had been successful in reducing significantly overall carbon emissions and per capita emissions across the Vale since 2005.  This represented a 27% reduction in CO2 across the Vale overall and a 38% reduction in the per capita figure.  In essence AVDC had built environmental considerations into every aspect of its work.  The report highlighted a number of case studies to illustrate this.

 

Currently, considerable officer and Member time was being taken up with delivering the new unitary council and this might result in a pause in in the environmental programme until after the new council was in place.  Cabinet felt however that the size of the environmental challenge facing the country as a whole was such that it was important for AVDC locally to drive forward change across the Vale and also support residents in maintaining/creating the best possible environment in which to live.  It was therefore proposed to establish a budget of £60,000 to fund the administrative, capital and other resource costs of producing an options report and then delivering the next phases.

 

The suggested budget would fund the production of a full options and appraisal paper, but it was felt that the focus of future actions should be on projects that deliver in the relatively short term.  Already, there were a number of possibilities which had been considered and would be referred to at the next Council meeting.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(1)          That the work already being undertaken on environmental issues be noted.

 

(2)          That the focus for future environmental actions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Aylesbury Vale Estates (AVE): Review of performance against 2018-19 Business Plan pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Councillor Bowles

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development

 

To consider the attached report.

 

Contact Officer:  Teresa Lane (01296) 585006

Additional documents:

Decision:

(a)          Decision(s)

 

(1)  That the Environment and Living Scrutiny Committee be thanked for its input to the review of AVE’s Business Plan.

 

(2)  That the report on the performance of Aylesbury Vale Estates against the targets and commitments set out in the 2018/2019 Business Plan be noted.

 

(b)          Reason(s) for Decision(s)

 

The agreement with AVE requires the Council to review performance.

 

(c)          Alternative Options Considered

 

None as such.

 

(d)          Relevant Scrutiny Committee

 

Economy and Business Development.  That Committee considered a similar report at its meeting on 10 September, 2019 and its views were reported to Cabinet and were taken into account in reaching the above decisions.

 

(e)          Conflicts of Interest / Dispensation(s)

 

As one of the Council’s Directors on the Board of AVE, Councillor Mrs J Ward declared a prejudicial interest in this item and having remained to answer specific questions about AVE’s activities, left the meeting during Cabinet’s deliberations.

 

 

Minutes:

Cabinet received a report also submitted to the Economy and Business Development Committee on 10 September, 2019, reviewing the performance of Aylesbury Vale Estates (AVE) against the Business Plan for 2018/2019.

 

Each year AVE prepared a Business Plan which was considered by the Scrutiny Committee and subsequently Cabinet.  The Business Plan included a review of performance during the previous financial year.  The Asset Managers’ report to the AVE Board for the period January to the end of March formed the basis of the review of performance against the 2018/19 Business Plan, together with the year end accounts.  Both of these documents were submitted as part of the confidential agenda.  The Asset Managers gave a presentation to Cabinet (during the confidential part of the meeting), which covered both performance against the 2018/19 Business Plan and a high level overview of progress against the current 2019/20 Business Plan.  As far as the 2018/19 Business Plan was concerned, the key highlights were as follows:-

 

Strategy as set out in the 2018/19 Business Plan

 

The core aims were to increase investor revenue flows and support the Council’s economic development programme,

 

Achieved by:

 

·                     The sale of high value land with low income for re-investment.

·                     Pay off existing debt in order to reduce the cost of finance.

·                     Reduce amortisation, which absorbed surplus income.

·                     Target a distribution of £600,000pa.

·                     Maintain current levels of occupancy.

·                     Retain tenancies at Hale Leys.

 

Sale of high value land with low income for re-investment

 

The sale of land known as Gateway Phase 2 and the sale of the front part of the Askeys site at Stocklake did not take place as originally anticipated.  However the sale of the Stocklake site to Lidl had subsequently been and the sale of the Gateway Phase 2 to a housing developer was expected to be completed shortly.

 

Progress had been made in 2018/19 on preparing a small site at Adams Close, Buckingham for sale had also now been completed.

 

Pay off expensive debt in order to reduce the cost of finance

 

The capital receipt from the sale of the Stocklake site had been used to achieve this, albeit later than had been planned.  The reduction in the cost of finance would help improve cash flow and in 2019/20 provide a degree of comfort to help AVE mange the new market and financial pressures which were emerging as a consequence of Brexit.

 

Reduce amortisation, which absorbed surplus income

 

This had been achieved in relation to the amortisation of the senior debt with AVDC.  In 2018/19, AVE had made substantial repayments of debt.

 


 

Target a distribution of £600,000 pa

 

This had largely been dependent on the sale of the two key sites.  As this had not happened, the distribution had been deferred.  AVDC still expected to receive its 50% share of the distribution and also had planned for a distribution in 2019/20.  This meant that there was an expectation that two distributions would be received by the end of 2020.

 

Maintain current levels of occupancy

 

In an important  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Exclusion of the Public

The following matter is for consideration by Members "In Committee". It will therefore be necessary to

 

RESOLVE –

 

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the Paragraph indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

Item No. 8 – Aylesbury Vale Estates (AVE): Review of performance against the 2018-19 Business Plan

 

The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information because the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of organisations (including the Authority holding that information) and disclosure of commercially sensitive information would prejudice negotiations for contracts and land disposals or transactions.

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

That under section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act:-

 

AVE Business plan: Review of performance.

 

The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information because the report contained information relating to the financial of business affairs of organisations (including the authority holding that information) and disclosure of commercially sensitive information would prejudice negotiations for contracts and land disposals or transactions.

6.

Aylesbury Vale Estates (AVE): Review of performance against the 2018-19 Business Plan

Councillor Bowles

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development

 

To consider the attached confidential information.

 

Contact Officer:  Teresa Lane (01296) 585006

Minutes:

As referred to above, Cabinet received a presentation on the performance of AVE against the Business Plan for 2018/19.