Meeting documents

To sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2015.

The Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 24 March 2015 copies of which had been previously circulated, were approved and signed by Councillor I Darby, Cabinet Leader, as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Cabinet received a report attaching the draft 28-Day Notices which provided a forward look at the Agenda for the next meetings of the Cabinet, Chilterns Crematorium Joint Committee, Chiltern and South Bucks Joint Committee, Joint Waste Committee for Bucks and Chiltern and Wycombe Joint Waste Collection Committee.  The Notice for the next Cabinet meeting would be published on 27 July 2015.

RESOLVED -

That the Draft 28-Day Notices / Forward Plans, including the Cabinet Notice to be published on 27 July 2015, be noted.

(i)        Councillor M Smith - Joint Waste Committee for Bucks

Councillor M Smith informed Cabinet that the first meeting of the municipal year of the Joint Waste Committee for Bucks had been held and Councillor M Smith had been elected Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

(ii)      Councillor G Harris - Aviva Women’s Cycle Race

Councillor Harris reported on the recent success of the Aviva Women’s Cycle Race which passed through the Chiltern District and had attracted a high level of participants and spectators to the event. 

 

The Acting Chief Executive presented a report which provided the final outcomes of Service plan actions due during 2014/15 as part of good performance management practice.

RESOLVED:

That the content of report was noted.

The Housing Manager presented a report which summarised the work of Housing Interaction Trust in Chiltern District and put forward a request from the Trust for a financial contribution from the Council to support the continuation of the Trust’s work with young people.

Members were advised that the Housing Interaction Trust (HIT) delivered housing advice and support services to young people with a focus on homelessness prevention (including mediation).  The Council had agreed grant funding on a year by year basis to support HIT’s work (which directly impacted on the Council’s statutory homelessness duties).  During 2014/15 HIT had seen a 45% increase in new clients compared to the previous year.  HIT had requested a grant of £40,000 from the Council in 2015/16 to secure the continuation of its advice and support service for the year.

It was noted that the assistance provided to HIT minimised the number of young people who would otherwise approach the Council directly for homelessness assistance and potentially require temporary accommodation.  It was reported that Bucks County Council provided funding to HIT specifically to deliver support to young people occupying 12 units of supported housing and this had been secured until 2017.

 

RECOMMENDED:

That a grant of £40,000 be issued to Housing Interaction Trust to support and maintain the Trust’s work in Chiltern District Council in 2015/16 of which £10,000 be applied from the Homelessness Reserve.

The Director of Resources presented the annual report on the Treasury Management performance of the Council for 2014/15, which was a requirement of the Council to comply with the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management.

It was reported that as a debt free authority the treasury management activities of the Council were exclusively concerned with the investment of its reserves, as the Council did not undertake any borrowing.  Investment income of £124K, was slightly in excess of the budget for the year, and the average length of investments had increased.

RESOLVED:

That the content of the report outlining the investment performance for 2014/15 was noted.

The Head of Healthy Communities presented a report which sought to extend the current Service Level agreement with Dial a Ride and agree community grant funding of £20,200 per annum to provide access to transport for vulnerable persons.

RESOLVED:

i)             That an annual payment of £20,200 be agreed; and

ii)            That the current service level agreement be continued until a review of the SLA funding had been completed

The Head of Healthy Communities presented a report which sought agreement to extend the current agreement with Buckinghamshire County Council to agree funding of £15,270 for the community and voluntary sector infrastructure grant administered by Buckinghamshire County Council.

RESOLVED:

i)     That a payment of £15,270 to Buckinghamshire County Council for the continuation of the voluntary and community sector infrastructure grant be agreed for 2015/16; and

ii)    That the County Council be notified that any future funding would be dependent on performance.

Consideration was given to a report which advised the Cabinet on recent changes made to the affordable housing regime by central Government and outlined the implications of those changes on the Council’s affordable housing policies and methods of collecting affordable housing contributions.  In relation to Chiltern District in addition to recommending that that Council applied a lower threshold for seeking affordable housing contributions for developments which might be proposed within the areas of the district contained within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

RESOLVED:

i)     That the changes made to the National Planning Practice Guidance in relation to affordable housing schemes be noted;

ii)    That for the purposes of applying the NPPG Chiltern District Council adopted the lower threshold of 5 units in designated rural areas, meaning that contributions for affordable housing was sought for 6 to 10 units within the AONB;

iii)   That when calculating floorspace in association with National Planning Practice Guidance the floorspace to be included in any gross internal measurement would include all built functional spaces forming part of the development, for example, including basements, integral or attached garages and all detached buildings such as free standing garages or outbuildings;

iv)  That the revised approach to the methods of collecting financial contributions arising from planning obligations given the current National Planning Practice Guidance be noted;

v)    That the suggested approach to requests to vary existing planning obligations be noted, including the potential payment of refunds of planning obligation funds already committed and that authority be delegated to determine if refunds of affordable housing contributions should be made on a case by case basis to the Head of Sustainable Development in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services;

vi)  That the drafting of a common planning application validation list be agreed for both Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils and public consultation on the revised list be authorised once the draft had been agreed by the appropriate committees at each council; and

vii) That the implications of the changes in national government guidance on the content of the Councils Affordable Housing SPD be noted.

Cabinet considered the report which set out the background to the Colne Valley Park Community Interest Company (CIC); the Council’s historical involvement with the body and the Council’s reasons for terminating its membership previously.  The report indicated that Chiltern District Council had been invited to join the new Community Interest Company and to discuss the possible implications of becoming a member of the CIC or not.  It was reported that the consideration of membership had been raised with the Services Overview Committee and it was supportive of joining the Colne Valley Community Interest Company and it was considered beneficial to invite along the Colne Valley Park Manager to a future Council or Overview Committee meeting to update members on the Community Interest Company.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the invitation for Chiltern District to join the Colne Valley Park Community Interest Company be noted;

ii)    That Chiltern District Council become a member of the Colne Valley Park Community Interest Company; and

iii)   That Chiltern District Council contributes £500 per annum to the Community Interest Company.

The Cabinet considered the report which outlined a proposed scheme by Highways England, which was the subject of a Development Consent Order for the widening of the M4 between junctions 3 and 12.  It was noted that the M4 was not within Chiltern District and therefore the proposed scheme did not have a direct impact on residents.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the Council respond to the application as follows, “Chiltern District Council has no comment to make on the Development Consent Order”

The Cabinet are asked to agree the Executive appointments to outside bodies and other groups detailed in Appendix 1 to 3.

Cabinet considered the report which sought agreement to the executive appointments to outside bodies and other groups shown in Appendix 1 to 3.  It was noted that the appointments to outside bodies with non-executive functions were agreed at Full Council on 27 May 2015.

RESOLVED:

That the executive appointments of Members as detailed in the appendices to the report as listed below be agreed:

·         Appendix 1:  Executive Appointments to Outside Bodies

·         Appendix 2:  Policy Advisory Groups

·         Appendix 3:  Informal Groups

Members considered the Minutes of the following Joint Executive Committee meetings:-

·         Chiltern & South Bucks Joint Committee - 25 March 2015

·         Chiltern & Wycombe Joint Waste Collection Committee - 20 March 2015

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular  person (including the authority holding that information)

Paragraph 5 - Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Paragraph 5 - Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

Consideration was given to the report which provided members with a further update on:

·         The Select Committee hearing process to date and key announcements made by the Government,

·         Progress made as a result of on-going negotiations with HS2 Limited on the extended tunnel and non-tunnel issues and sought Members approval to the petitioning issues being presented in evidence to the Select Committee,

·         Provided an update of the financial implications of the work to date going forward; and

·         Considered further action necessary.

RESOLVED -

i)     That the advice received was considered and the negotiations with HS2 Ltd were approved to ensure that the proposals remained in alignment with the Council’s plans and vision for the area;

ii)    That the work completed to date on the petition issued on behalf of the Council and on-going negotiations with HS2 Ltd about the Council’s issues and asks was noted;

iii)   That the issues being pursued and presented to the Select Committee on behalf of the Council be noted;

iv)  That the provision of early access to HS2 on Council owned land (subject to tenant agreement, for some locations) was agreed;

v)    That the Acting Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Head of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to approve any further negotiations and settlements reached with HS2 leading up to the Select Committee hearings; and

vi)  That the Acting Chief Executive be authorised to approve expenditure after consultation with the Leader and Head of Legal and Democratic Services and to deal with any further rapid or unexpected developments relating to the petitioning points being presented to the Select Committee which required an immediate decision on the Council’s behalf.

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular  person (including the authority holding that information)

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Cabinet considered a report which sought agreement to award the tender for the resurfacing of the Sprinters (Prestwood) Leisure Centre car park.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the award for the tender for the resurfacing of the Sprinters (Prestwood) Leisure Centre car park to Company B (Saunders Surfacing) be agreed; and

ii)    That a budget of £225,000 be agreed from the Approved Capital Programme for this project.

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Consideration was given to the report which outlined the implications of the recently published 5 yearly (2015-2020) Chiltern Leisure Centres, Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Surveys and agreed the Capital Programme for 2015/16.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the prioritisation of capital improvements across the Chiltern, Chalfont and Chesham leisure centres be agreed to ensure

a)    An operational life of the Chesham and Chalfont Leisure Centres until 2030; and

b)   To maintain Chiltern Pools to achieve an operational life until 2020;

ii)    That expenditure of £173,000 from the capital budget be agreed to fund the leisure capital works totalling £173,000 as detailed in Appendix 5 of the Officer’s report.

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Cabinet considered the report which outlined how to develop a clear approach to reviewing the future provision of sports and leisure facilities in Chiltern post 2020.

RESOLVED:

i)     That an officer/member working group be established comprising of six councillors from the Corporate Asset Management Group and Community Policy Advisory Group along with key officers including the Director of Services and the Head of Healthy Communities; and

ii)    That a specialist leisure consultant be appointed to undertake a  sports and leisure needs assessment that considers both sports facility and wider leisure needs of the district post 2020 by reviewing the Sports and Leisure Assessment to identify the risks and opportunities associated with the delivery of sports or leisure facilities.