Meeting documents

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Z Ahmed (Deputy Cabinet Member for Strategy & Communications), Mrs S Adoh (Deputy Cabinet Member for Housing), C Etholen (Deputy Cabinet Member for Digital Development and Customer Services), D Johncock (Cabinet Member for Planning), M Knight (Leader of the East Wycombe Independent Group), D Knights (Chairman of the Improvement & Review Commission) and L Wood (Cabinet Member for Digital Development and Customer Services).

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 14 May 2018 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest.

Cabinet had before it the end of year position for the Council’s performance at service level, as well as progress made on the key projects delivering the Council’s priorities. Cabinet would continue to receive quarterly performance monitoring reports during the year, with any areas of under-performance highlighted to ensure Cabinet could address any issues promptly.

The Cabinet was reminded that the refreshed Corporate Plan had been agreed by Council on 22 February 2018. It was noted that the performance metrics would be updated in the near future to reflect the revisions made to the Corporate Plan in 2017/18.

The following decisions were made to review the performance position as at 31 March 2018 to ensure that the Council was performing at the appropriate level.

RESOLVED: That the summary of the year to date outturns (January to March) for service performance be received.

Cabinet considered a report on the provisional outturn for 2017/18 which included the General Fund, Repairs and Renewal Fund, Capital Programme and the Section 106 Developer Contributions, together with the potential Efficiency Plan Savings.

The report before Cabinet set out an analysis of the key issues from the 2017/18 financial outturn, with detailed breakdowns of spend and movements which were set out in Appendices A to C of the report. 

Cabinet expressed their thanks to the Cabinet Member for Finance, and the Head of Finance and his team, for all their hard work in managing the finances.

The following decisions were made as the Cabinet approved a budget each year within the context of a Medium Term Financial Plan to achieve the Council’s priorities. Regular monitoring reports were submitted to Cabinet for review during the financial year, with management actions highlighted to ensure that Cabinet could assess whether any further action was required.

RESOLVED: That (i) the provisional outturn position for both Revenue and Capital for 2017/18 be agreed;

(ii)    the movement in reserves as set out in paragraph 4.3.3 of the report be approved;

(iii)  the Cabinet approve the net surplus of £0.110m transferred to General reserves as set out in paragraph 4.4 of the report be approved;

(iv)  in line with prior year accounting, the unused New Homes Bonus funding of £1.445m be transferred to the Development Reserve;

(v)    the carry forwards on the capital programme outlined in paragraph 7.1 of the report and set out at Appendix C be approved;

(vi)  the virement for capital schemes detailed in paragraph 7.2.5 of the report be agreed; and

(vii)  It be noted that as part of the accounting entries for the pension contribution upfront payment, £0.240m had been transferred to pension equalisation reserve. 

Cabinet had before it the annual report on the Treasury Management Strategy and the Prudential Indicators 2017/2018 and was reminded of the requirements placed upon the Council in regard to these.

The following decisions were made as the Local Government Act 2003 and the CIPFA prudential Code required approval of the activity undertaken compared to the strategies, limits and indicators at the end of each financial year.

        RESOLVED: That (i) the outturn position for treasury management activities for 2017/18 be noted; and

(ii)     the Treasury Management Annual report 2017/18 and Prudential Indicators be referred to the Audit Committee for review.

Cabinet was asked to consider and formally recommend the comprehensive report that outlined the delivery of the Princes Risborough Expansion Area. The report detailed the significant infrastructure costs associated with the expansion, including the need for feasibility, design work and project costs to progress the delivery of this complex project.

During consideration of this item, Cabinet recalled that the Council had submitted its proposed Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate for examination in March 2018. The Princes Risborough Expansion Area was due to be funded primarily by developers but also by the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) Scheme. It was noted that whilst an announcement that the Council had secured the HIF funding was made in February 2018, the Council had not yet received the funding, including Homes England’s terms and conditions. It was reported that Homes England were further scrutinising successful bids in more detail.

As a result, approval was sought to forward fund early work on the proposed Housing Infrastructure Fund to keep on track with the programme for  delivering the Housing Infrastructure Fund scheme. The report before Cabinet also sought delegated authority to release the Housing Infrastructure Funding, when available, back to the Council.

The following recommendation and decisions were made to ensure that the Council could keep on track with the programme for delivering the HIF scheme.

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Planning, the Leader presented some minor amendments to the recommendations which were endorsed by the meeting and therefore it was:

Recommended:  That full Council agrees to allocate £500,000 from revenue reserves for the purpose described below.

RESOLVED: That (i)subject to approval of full Council to release funding of £500,000 from revenue reserves,  Cabinet agreed to forward fund feasibility, design work and project team costs relating to the Housing Infrastructure Fund bid up to £500,000 on the basis that this be recovered from either developer contributions or the Housing Infrastructure Fund when the funding was released. Delegated authority be granted to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Head of Democratic Legal & Policy Services to release the £500,000;

(ii)       Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Head of Finance, in consultation with the Corporate Director and the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Planning, to release Housing Infrastructure Fund monies, once the funds were released to the Council and subject to detailed terms and conditions (when available);

(iii)      delegated authority be granted to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Head of Democratic Legal & Policy Services to agree the Housing Infrastructure Fund terms and conditions, once they become available; and

(iv)      delegated authority be granted to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Head of Planning and Sustainability to the release section 106 funds from the Leo Labs development to fund the design of the underpass to Wades Park, the amount to be released being set out in Exempt Appendix C.

Cabinet had before it a report setting out the current joint waste services contract between Wycombe District Council and Chiltern District Council, which was due to expire in March 2020. Cabinet supported proposals for a contract to be procured with the inclusion of South Bucks District Council. The report highlighted that South Bucks District Council’s current contract was due to end in October 2021. Therefore, a decision was required as to whether the current Serco contract between Wycombe District Council and Chiltern District Council should be extended.

The following decisions were made to enable a waste recycling and street cleansing service to be provided from March 2020.

RESOLVED: That (i) the report be noted;

(ii)    the longer term strategy to procure a three way single joint contract for Wycombe District Council, Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council be agreed;

(iii)  an Inter District Authority Agreement (IDAA) reflecting the Heads of Terms at Appendix A of the report be entered into; and

(iv)  delegated authority be granted to the Head of Housing & Environment in consultation with the Head of Democratic, Legal and Policy Services and the relevant Cabinet Members to approve the detailed terms of the IDAA.

Cabinet received the following files on actions taken under delegated powers:

Community                                                               C/10/18 – C/28/18

Economic Development & Regeneration            EDR/02/18

Environment                                                       E/1/18

Finance                                                              F/01/18 – F/04/18

Housing                                                             H/01/18 – H/03/18          

Digital Development & Customer Services       DDCS/2/18

Planning & Sustainability                                                PS/04/18 – PS/7/18

RESOLVED: That pursuant to Regulation 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Minute Nos 7, 10 and 11, because of their reference to matters which contain exempt information as defined as follows:

Minute 7 – Local Plan Implementation- Princes  Risborough Expansion – Appendix C

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future tender process or negotiations)

Minute 7 – Local Plan Implementation- Princes  Risborough Expansion – Appendix D

Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings (Paragraph 5, Part 1 of schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because the third party in question is likely to be inhibited from participating in further discussions or negotiations with the Council if the report were to be disclosed)

Minute 10 – Waste Services Contract

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future tender process or negotiations)

Minute 11 - File on Action taken under Exempt Delegated  Powers

Community sheet nos: C/06/18 – C/09/18

Economic Development and Regeneration sheet nos: EDR/015/18 – EDR/20/18

             Environment sheet no: E/01/18

             Housing sheet no: H/01/18

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future tender process or negotiations)

Cabinet was advised that the Council’s current joint waste services contract with Chiltern District Council was due to expire in March 2020 and replacement contracts were required.

The following recommendation and decisions were made to enable a waste recycling and street cleansing service to be provided from March 2020.

Recommended: That to the extent that the value of the Contract would exceed £2m, full Council gives its approval as required by the Council's Contract Procedure Rules.

RESOLVED: 1. That (i)following approval of Minute number 8 the longer term strategy to procure a three way single joint contract for Wycombe District Council, Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council, the option that should be pursued for the provision of waste, recycling and street cleansing services post March 2020 was for Wycombe District Council and Chiltern District Council to agree a contract extension with Serco until the end of October 2021 to align the termination date with the South Bucks District Council/Biffa contract, provided that such extension was compliant with the Public Contract Regulations 2015, and to commence the procurement of a single joint three-way contract to commence in November 2021. However, if the said negotiations were unsuccessful, to commence the procurement of a single joint three-way contract with a staggered commencement of March 2020 in Chiltern and Wycombe and November 2021 in South Bucks;

2.    the decisions of the Chiltern, South Bucks & Wycombe Joint   Waste Collection Committee below be noted:

(i)     That authority be delegated to the Head of Housing & Environment to procure sufficient professional and technical resources to enter into initial discussions and to prepare for and support the procurement project/s; and

(ii)    That an initial budget of up to £200,000 be approved to fund the resources referred to in (i) above, to be funded by the Authorities in proportion to the number of households in each district, with sums to be released in accordance with each Council’s internal approval process.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Cabinet received the following files on exempt actions taken under delegated

powers:

Community Sheet Nos: C/6/18 – C/9/18

Economic Development & Regeneration Sheet Nos: EDR/15/18 - EDR/20/18

Environment Sheet No: E/1/18

Housing: H/1/18