Meeting documents

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on  9 February 2015. 

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2015 were confirmed and signed by the Leader.

To note the 28 Day Notice of decisions to be taken by:

Appendix A – SBDC Cabinet

Appendix B – Chiltern and South Bucks Joint Committee

The Cabinet received a copy of the 28 day Notice prepared in accordance with Regulation 9 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 setting out the key (and non-key) decisions the Cabinet was intending to make at public and private meetings.

The Cabinet also received a copy of the 28 day Notice setting out the key (and non-key) decisions the Chiltern and South Bucks Joint Committee were intending to make at public and private meetings.

RESOLVED that the 28 day Notices be noted.            

To note the minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 3 February 2015 and consider the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations as set out in:

Minute 27 - Subscriptions and Donations (Report attached)

Minute 28 - Community Development Grants (Report attached)

Minute 29 - Leisure Contract Monitoring System (Report attached)

The Cabinet received the minutes of the Community Policy Advisory Group held on 3 March 2015 and the following were the subject of recommendations from the Portfolio Holder:

Minute 27 – Subscriptions and Donations

The PAG considered a report setting out the requests that had been received from community organisations totalling £84,365 for funding from the Subscription and Donation fund which totalled £31,680 in 2015/16. A sum of £8,708 had been designated to the Bucks Infrastructure Contract leaving a balance of £22,972for allocation.

After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holder the Cabinet:

Minute 28- Community Development Grants

Mrs Woolveridge declared a personal interest being a member of Gerrards Cross Conservation.

The PAG considered a report setting out the following applications for a Community Development Grant in 2014/15 in the sum stated:

·         Rennie Grove Hospice Care - £970 (Contribution towards purchase of computers)

·         Gerrards Cross Conservation - £763.67 (Contribution towards gardening tools)

After considering the advice of the Porfolio Holder it was

RESOLVED that the applications for funding be agreed.

Minute 29 – Leisure Contract Monitoring Review

The existing leisure contract monitoring arrangements for Evreham and Beacon Sports Centres have been in place since the appointment of GLL in April 2007 and the PAG considered a report setting out proposals to develop and improve the arrangements so that they capture the wide range of positive outcomes that the leisure contacts delvers.

After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holder and noting that there was no need to recommend to Council it was

To note the minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 18 February 2015 and consider the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations as set out in:

Minute 27 - Waste Management Planning Guidance (Report attached)

Minute 28 - Beaconsfield Common Land - Policy for Control of Use of Land     (Report attached)

Minute 29 - Provision of Caddy Liners (Report attached)

The Cabinet received the Part I minutes of the Environment Policy Advisory Group held on 18 February 2015 and the following were the subject of recommendations from the Portfolio Holder:

Minute 27 – Waste Management Planning Guidance

The PAG received a report explaining that there have been instances in the past where new developments have been completed but the inadequate provision for waste storage and collection had resulted in access and collection issues, placing additional strain on collection resources.

The report went on to set out a proposal for the document "Waste Management Design Guide" currently only used by the Environment Team  to be made available  to the Development Management Team and prospective applicants so that due regard is given to waste storage and collection arrangements when preparing applications.

The PAG, after noting the benefits of making waste planning guidance available to both the Development Management Team and prospective applicants/developers, considered the options as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the report on ways in which this could be achieved and indicated its support of Option 3 of producing a Guidance Note a draft copy of which was attached as an Appendix.

The report had also been considered by the Sustainable PAG on 17 March 2015 which had supported the proposal subject to the paragraph relating to Storage Facilities in Section 2.3 of the Guidelines being amended to include preventing nuisance from animals and the need to have regard to the safety of collection crews when designing the facilities.

After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holders for the Environment and Sustainable Development it was

Minute 28 - Beaconsfield Old Town Common Land  - Licences for Use of Common Land

The PAG considered a report explaining that the common land in Beaconsfield is managed by the Council on behalf of the owners, Hall Barn Estates and Bucks County Council in accordance with Bylaws for the common land set out under the Commons Act 1899. Under the Scheme of Management the Council shall maintain the Common free from all encroachments and shall not permit any trespass on or partial enclosure thereof or on any part thereof.

As a result of a number of issues, including encroachments, the report set out a proposed approach for controlling the use of the common land by the issuing of licences.

The PAG, whilst recognising the need for a protocol, supported the proposed approach on the understanding that the controls were not overly bureaucratic and resource intensive to implement.

After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holder it was

Minute 29 - Provision of Caddy Liners to Flats

Following the request made at the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

To note the minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 19 February 2015 and consider the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations as set out in:

Minute 34 - Local Lettings Policy (Report attached)

Minute 35 - Commuted Sums Update (Report attached)

The Cabinet received the minutes of the Health and Housing Policy Advisory Group held on 19 February 2015 and the following were the subject of recommendations from the Portfolio Holder:

34.       Minute 34  - Local Lettings Policy

Since the Local Lettings Policy was adopted in 2012 the Localism Act has given Councils more flexibility to determine who qualifies for their Allocation Policies and the PAG considered a report setting out proposed revisions to the LLP as set out in Appendix 2.

 Minute 35 - Commuted Sums Update

The PAG considered a report providing an update on the Council’s commuted sum income and expenditure relating to affordable housing and recommending funding allocations for future schemes.

The report explained that of the £4,931,259 received since January 2011 £3,126,642.had been spent, £585,358 committed but not spent leaving a balance of £1,219, 259 uncommitted. The report went on to set out options which if agreed would increase the committed sum to £1,345,358 and reduce the uncommitted funds to £459,259.

The PAG was advised that, following the recent receipt of an application for the Incentive to Purchase Scheme, it was now proposed that the Scheme should close once this application had been processed.

Having considered the advice of the Portfolio Holder it was

To note the minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 5 March 2015 and consider the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations as set out in:

Minute 22 - Wyatts Covert Woodland – Proposed Transfer to Colne Valley CIC (Report attached)

The Cabinet received the minutes of the Resources Advisory Group held on 5 March 2015 and the following was the subject of a recommendation from the Portfolio Holder:

Minute 22 - Wyatts Covert Woodland - Proposed Transfer to Colne Valley CIC

The PAG considered a report setting out options for the future of the land at Wyatts Covert Woodland, Denham including its transfer to the Colne Valley Park Community Interest Company (CIC) with a one-off contribution of up to £15k to the CIC to improve the site for public use.one site

Having noted that CIC were currently negotiating with Bucks County Council to take on the adjacent Northmoor Hill Wood the PAG agreed that it would make sense if these two woodlands, which are continuous, were managed as one site to the benefit of the landscape, wildlife and local community.

After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holder it was

To note the Part I minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 17 March 2015 (to follow) and consider the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations as set out in:

Minute 26 - Waste Management Planning Guidance (Report attached under item 5)

Minute 27 - Wilton Park Supplementary Planning Document (Report and appendices circulated separately)

The Cabinet received the minutes of the Sustainable Policy Advisory Group held on 17 March 2015 and the following was the subject of a recommendation from the Portfolio Holder:

(NOTE: the recommendation in Minute 26 – Waste Management Planning Guidance  - was agreed under Minute 51 above.)

Minute 27 – Wilton Park Development Brief Supplementary Planning Document

The PAG considered a report which amongst other things:

·         gave feedback on the formal public consultation on the draft Wilton Park Development Brief Supplementary Planning Document which took place between 17 January 2014 and 28 February 2014; and

·         outlined the changes made to the Supplementary Planning Document and supporting documents following the consultation.

The following appendices were circulated with the report:

• Wilton Park Development Brief SPD;
• Public Consultation Statement Update; and
• Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) Update for Burnham Beeches Special Area of Conservation

The PAG noted that in order to make the report consistent with the information provided in the SPD paragraph 4.9 iii should be amended as follows:

"Clarification that Minerva Way also provides vehicle access to a fishing pond immediately to the north of the cricket ground":

The report explained the methods that had been used for carrying out the consultation on the Brief together with the responses received which had been in general supportive of the brief which was a reflection of the positive support that had been provided by officers in Planning Policy.

A number of issues e.g. community uses and long term funding and management arrangements to support community facilities and open space would become clearer as the proposals progressed and detailed applications were submitted. The implications of vacant building credits (which could impact on the amount of affordable housing provided by the development) and the extent to which they will apply to the redevelopment given most of the existing buildings on the site could be deemed to be "abandoned" and therefore not attracting such credits under the National Planning Policy Guidance were also noted.

Following the advice of the Portfolio Holder it was

To consider and agree any recommendations arising from the minutes of the meeting of the Chiltern and South Bucks Joint Committee held 

The Cabinet received for information the minutes of the meeting of the Chiltern and South Bucks Joint Committee held on 4 February 2015.

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

The Cabinet considered a report outlining the performance targets of Council services against performance indicators and service objectives during April-December 2014 as set out in appendices A and B.

The Cabinet’s attention was particularly drawn to the information in paragraph 4.2 relating to:

·         Working days lost through sickness;

·         Speed of processing new housing benefit and council tax benefit claims; and

·         Temporary accommodation

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

The Cabinet considered a report providing an update on the outcomes of the Performance Indicator review for 2015/2016 and seeking approval for the proposed changes to reporting.

Currently, 18 priority indicators are reported on a monthly basis, within the monthly budget pack. A further 46 activity indicators (data only – no targets) are also reported monthly.

The quarterly performance report includes 53 corporate indicators (formerly selected by MT and Cabinet), as well as the 18 priority indicators. A total of 71 performance indicators are reported quarterly.

Under the proposals for 2015/16 there would be 11 priority PIs (as set out in Appendix A) and 33 additional corporate PIs (as set out in Appendix B)– a total of 44.

The Cabinet indicated its support for the proposed changes and accordingly

RESOLVED –that Appendices A and B be noted and the proposed changes to priority and corporate performance indicators be agreed.

The Cabinet received a report explaining the action the Management Team had taken in accordance with delegated authority in agreeing an exemption to the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to permit SBDC to join the CDC contract for a cash receipting system.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

 Vote of Thanks

As this was the last meeting of the Cabinet before the District Elections Mr Reed took the opportunity to thank Mr Busby, Mrs Woolveridge, and Mrs Cranmer all of whom would not be standing for re-election, for all the support they had given to the Cabinet and Council over the years. The Council was recognised as one of the better performing ones due in no small part to the contributions of all three Cabinet Members, particularly Mr Busby who had provided strong and clear leadership during a challenging period of significant change.

"that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1974 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act "

To confirm the Part II minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 9 February 2015.

            (Paragraphs 1 and 3)

The Part II minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2015 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

To note the Part II minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 3 March 2015 and consider the recommendations of the Portfolio Holder set out in:

Minute 34 – Farnham Park Sports Fields (Charitable Trust) and Academy (Report attached)

Paragraphs 1 and 3

The Cabinet received the Part II minutes of the meeting of the Community PAG on 3 March 2015 which contained a recommendation relating to the Farnham Park Sports Field (Charitable Trust). After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holder the Cabinet

RESOLVED that capital resources be allocated to the Farnham Park Sports Field (Charitable Trust) in the sums indicated to enable essential works to be carried out.

To note the Part II minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 13 February 2015 and consider the recommendations of the Portfolio Holder set out in:

Minute 39 – Waiver of requirement to repay DFG (Report attached)

Paragraphs 1 and 3

The Cabinet received the Part II minutes of the meeting of the Health and Housing PAG held on 19 February which contained a recommendation relating to a request to waive the repayment of a Disabled Facilities Grant.

After considering the advice of the Portfolio Holder the Cabinet

RESOLVED that the application for a waiver to repay the disabled facilities grant be agreed.

To note the Part II minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 5 March 2015 and consider the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations set out in:

Minute 26  – Application for Discretionary Relief (Report attached)

The Cabinet received the Part II minutes of the meeting of the Resources PAG held on 19 February 2015 which contained a recommendation relating to four applications for discretionary rate relief.

Having considered the advice of the Portfolio Holder the Cabinet

RESOLVED that applications 1, 2 and 4 be agreed and application 3 be refused.

To note the Part II minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 17 March 2015 (to follow) and consider the recommendations of the Portfolio Holder as set out in:

Minute 31 – HS2 Colne Valley Issues (Report attached)

The Cabinet received the Part II minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Development PAG held on 17 March 2015 which contained a recommendation relating to HS2 – Colne Valley Issues.

Having considered the advice of the Portfolio Holder the Cabinet

RESOLVED that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to proceed on the basis set out in the recommendation.