Meeting documents

To sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 June 2015, subject to “(Saunders Surfacing)” being included after “Company B” in Minute 17, Part i).

The Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 23 June 2015 copies of which had been previously circulated, were approved and signed by Councillor I A Darby, Cabinet Leader, as a correct record; subject to an amendment to include Mr John Haseler trading as SLN (Aylesbury) being included after Company B in Minute 17, Part i.

Councillor Mrs I A Darby declared a personal interest in Item 10 - Community Grant Aid Awards 2015-2016. Nature of interest - Councillor Mrs Darby was a member of the Executive Committee for Bucks and Milton Keynes Association of Local Councils; Treasurer of the Chalfont St Peter Action Group; and Independent Examiner for Chalfont St Peter Youth Centre accounts; and also in Item 20 - New Lease of the play area at Mill Meadow - Nature of interest - as a member of Chalfont St Peter Parish Council.

The Cabinet received a report attaching the draft 28-Day Notice which provided a forward look at the Agenda for the next meeting of the Cabinet.  The Notice would be published on 21 September 2015.

RESOLVED -

That the Draft 28-Day Notice / Forward Plan, to be published on 21 September 2015, be noted.

(i)        Councillor Martin reported that there had been positive feedback for the promotion of the Small Business Saturday event and this was likely to see a further improvement on the previous year’s event.  The Leader of the Council endorsed this support of small businesses across the District.

The Head of Finance presented the report which outlined the review of the Reserves of the Council.

Cabinet was advised that the Council had a General Reserve and a number of earmarked reserves which were kept under review taking into account the current financial issues facing the Council.

The review of the level of the General Reserve indicated it could be reduced to £2,500,000 taking into account the earmarked reserves that existed to cover financial risks and the forecast revenue funding gap over the next four years.  The report proposed realigning the earmarked reserves and amending the levels of some of the reserves in the light of current needs and priorities.  The revised schedule of earmarked reserves was set out in Appendix A as attached to the report.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the level of the General Reserve be reduced to £2,500,000, and that funding be reallocated into earmarked reserves for a) Affordable Housing Reserve, b) Leisure Strategy Implementation; and c) Pension Fund Reserve; and

 

ii)   That the revised totals for earmarked reserves be realigned as set out in Appendix A to the report.

The Head of Finance presented the report which outlined the 2014/15 capital and repairs & renewals outturn position; the carry forward of unspent capital and repairs & renewals budgets; and a proposal for new repairs & renewals schemes for 2015/16.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the 2014/15 capital and repairs & renewals outturn position be noted;

ii)   That the capital and repairs & renewals budgets should be carried forward to 2015/16 as set out in Appendix B to the report; and

iii)  That the new repairs and renewals schemes for 2015/16 referred to in paragraph 4.1 of the report be agreed.

The Head of Finance presented the report on the Treasury Management operation of the Council for April - June 2015.  It was noted that the Council was required to comply with the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management.

Cabinet was advised that a training session for members is to be held on 30 September to continually improve members’ knowledge on Treasury Management. 

RESOLVED:

That the Treasury Management performance for 2015/16 be noted.

Consideration was given to the report which proposed the allocation of Community Grant Aid Scheme funding.  The Council’s Community Grant Aid Scheme helped to enable local community organisations improve local services and facilities for residents.  The projects detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report are recommended to receive funding primarily because they supported the council’s key corporate objectives, have member support and represent good value for money.  The scheme also helped attract significant external funding into the district, acting as leverage to the various applying organisations.

The Leader advised that members had had the opportunity to read the detail of each application.

RESOLVED:

That the proposed allocation of Community Grant Aid Scheme funding as detailed in the report was supported.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the proposed award of housing grant funding of £100,000 to Amersham United Charities for the refurbishment of the Days Alms houses, 71-87 High Street, Amersham.

RESOLVED:

i)    That a housing grant of £100,000 to Amersham United Charities for the refurbishment of the Days Alms houses, 71-87 High Street, Amersham be agreed; and

ii)   That the grant funding was subject to Amersham United Charities entering into a Nomination Agreement with Chiltern District Council that will give the Council the right to nominate tenants to all future vacancies that arise following completion of the refurbishment works (excluding any vacancies that have to be utilised to decant or re-house existing residents during the refurbishment works).

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the proposals for security enhancements to the under croft car park at King George V House, Amersham and the reasons for the proposals.  The project had been instigated due to the continued antisocial behaviour in and around the under croft parking area.  The proposed enclosure work provided personal safety for building users and protection of council goods and vehicles stored in the area.

RESOLVED:

That £37,000 be transferred from the Provisional Capital Programme to the Approved and Committed Capital Programme to enable completion of security enhancements at King George V House under croft car park.

The Head of Healthy Communities presented the report which advised of the proposed fees for Private Hire Operator Licensing, which followed changes to the law requiring this category of licences to be issued for 5 years.

The proposed fees covered the cost of administration required to process the licence and also the costs involved with monitoring compliance with the conditions once a licence had been issued.  It was estimated that the cost of processing these licences was on average £28 per application (40 minute processing time); and moving to 5 year licence required one admin fee payment and a saving of 4 years processing was to be achieved which was £112 per licence.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the Licensing and Regulation Committee be advised that the Cabinet supports the proposed fees for 5 year Private Hire Operators Licences; and

 

ii)   That the delegation be approved for the Head of Healthy Communities, in consultation with the Chairman of the Licensing & Regulation Committee make the necessary changes to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy to reflect these legislative changes.

Consideration was given to the report which introduced the Council’s Annual Performance report 2014-15.  The Annual Performance Report was appended to the report and was a shorter, more succinct, online report which linked to other information such as the Joint Business Plan, financial information and the end of year performance tables.  This aligned with simplified and focussed performance reporting as requested by Councillors.

The report was well received by members and it was further suggested that future annual performance reports could be even more concise.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Performance Report 2014-15 be noted.

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

·       Chiltern & South Bucks Joint Committee - 20 July 2015

·       Chiltern & Wycombe Joint Waste Collection Committee - 25 June 2015

·       Joint Waste Committee for Buckinghamshire - 17 June 2015

·       Chilterns Crematorium Joint Committee - 25 June 2015

Paragraph 1 - Information relating to any individual

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

Cabinet members considered the notes of the following Policy Advisory Group meetings:-

·         Community, Health & Housing - 23 July 2015

·         Customer Services - 22 July 2015

·         Environment - 5 August 2015

·         Support Services - 22 July 2015

·         Sustainable Development - 21 and 29 July 2015

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 terms for new leases of both Hyde Heath & Ley Hill Cricket Clubs.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the content of the report be noted; and

ii)   That the Head of Environment, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, be authorised to agree the final heads of terms for the proposed lease, including all necessary legal documentation.

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 sought Cabinet agreement to a new long lease to be granted to Thames Water Utilities Limited (TWUL) of the land at Brentford Wood, used as a radio mast.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the content of the report be noted; and

ii)   That the Head of Environment, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, be authorised to agree the final heads of terms for the proposed lease, including all necessary legal documentation.

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 sought Cabinet agreement to the terms for a new lease in favour of the existing licence holders of the play area at Mill Meadow.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the content of the report be noted; and

ii)   That the Head of Environment, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, be authorised to agree the final heads of terms for the proposed lease, including all necessary legal documentation.

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 sought to allocate £15,000 from the Revenues and Renewals budget to pay for the repairs and maintenance work necessary to bridges.

RESOLVED:

i)    That structural surveys which had been prepared for  the bridges belonging to Chiltern District Council and the repairs identified had been noted;

ii)   That the expenditure of £15,000 from the Repairs and Renewals budget for the scheme to be funded by reducing the Car Park Repairs and Renewals Budget was approved; and

iii)  That future revenue budget provision would ensure adequate funds were available to pay for the regular repairs and maintenance work necessary.

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Please Note: Hard copies of the supporting documentation referred to in the appendices are available in the Members’ Room for inspection.

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

Members received the report which requested consideration of non-domestic rates discretionary rates relief applications where the potential amount of each award was over £5000 and to decide what level of discretionary rates relief should be awarded for each organisation in respect of the next three financial years with effect from 1 April 2015.

RESOLVED:

i)    That the content of each application was noted;

ii)   That each organisation identified receive rate relief as outlined in the report, having considered the benefits brought to the community and the financial impact any reduction/increase in award would have on the organisation.

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

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Consideration was given to the report to write off non domestic rates arrears in respect of the identified company due to the fact that the company had been dissolved and thus the debt outstanding is no longer recoverable.

RESOLVED:

That the arrears of non-domestic rates referred to in the report be written off in accordance with the provisions of financial procedures Rule 12.

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

Paragraph 1 - Information relating to any individual

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 to write off non domestic rates arrears in respect of the identified charity due to the fact that the charity had vacated the premises in question and is believed to have moved abroad with no contact or traceable details. 

RESOLVED:

That the arrears of non-domestic rates referred to in the report be written off in accordance with the provisions of financial procedures Rule 12.