Meeting documents

At the commencement of the meeting, the Chairman reminded all present that the purdah period had now commenced, and she asked Members not to make any political statements.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S Adoh (Deputy Cabinet Member for Engagement and Strategy), Z Ahmed (Deputy Cabinet Member for Housing), Ms S Brown (Deputy Cabinet Member for Community), D Carroll (Cabinet Member for Youth and External Partnerships), R Gaffney (Chairman of Improvement and Review Commission), G Hall (Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment.), G Peart (Cabinet Member for Community) and A Turner (Deputy Cabinet Member for Planning.  

RESOLVED: That (i) the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 21 October 2019 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest.

Cabinet had before it a report that set out the recommendations from the High Wycombe Town Committee that the market be restricted on the number of days it operates for further hot food sales and that the option of an international food market be investigated. The High Wycombe Town Committee had made the recommendations at its meeting on 10 September 2019.

The Chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee (HWTC) presented the report to the meeting and invited Cabinet to consider the Town Committee’s recommendations on the High Wycombe Town Market. It was noted that the report before Cabinet also included officers’ comments and the Cabinet’s recommendation on the HWTC’S proposals.

Councillor Mrs L Clarke OBE, A Hill and S Raja then addressed the meeting regarding their concerns in relation to the durability of the market going forward. The Cabinet Member reassured the meeting that the market was an important fabric of the town and that future options for the market had been included in the Regeneration Strategy. Cabinet confirmed that the consensus among Members was that they all wanted the market to remain prosperous and growing.

RESOLVED: That (i) the suggestions from the High Wycombe Town Committee be noted;

(ii) the Council continue to welcome discussions with the operator to maximise future opportunities; and

(iii) the Council remain open to exploring international food market opportunities.

The report before Cabinet detailed the Cabinet responses to each of the Improvement and Review Commission’s Parking Task and Finish Group (TFG) recommendations. In September 2019, the recommendations of the Group’s review of Parking had been presented to Cabinet and it was agreed that the responses would be presented to a future Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Environment summarised the responses to the recommendations and Members noted that the reasons for changing or rejecting certain recommendations had been detailed in the report. She also expressed her thanks to the Task and Finish Group Members for all their hard work.

The Vice-Chairman of the Improvement and Review Commission, Councillor A Collingwood, gave a verbal presentation of the findings of the review that had been undertaken by the TFG. Councillor Collingwood thanked the TFG Members and all those that had contributed or supported the proposals.

David Skinner, the Acting Chief Executive, informed Members that the detailed work undertaken on the review of parking was being fed into the unitary process.

Cabinet also placed on record thanks to the TFG and its Chairman and officers for all their hard work.

After due consideration, the following decisions were made to formally respond to the recommendations made by the Parking Task and Finish Group.

RESOLVED: That (i)the proposed recommendations that had been contained in the Parking Task and Finish Group report to Cabinet in September 2019 be noted; and

(ii)  the Cabinet responses set out in the report be agreed.

The report before Cabinet provided the meeting with information relating to the mid-year report on Treasury Management activities, including details of the progress made during the year compared to the Treasury Management Strategy approved by Council in February 2019.  The Cabinet Member confirmed that the Audit Committee had considered and endorsed the Treasury Management Mid-year report at its meeting on 17 October 2019.

The following decision was made to promote effective financial management and comply with the Local Authorities (Capital Finance and Accounting) Regulations 2003 and other relevant guidance. 

RESOLVED: That the treasury management mid-year report for 2019/20, covering the period 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 be noted and approved.

The report before Cabinet set out the budgetary position at the end of September 2019 and reflected what had been reported to the Senior Management Board. The significant variables were summarised within the report.

The following decisions were made as the Cabinet approved a budget each year within the context of a Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to achieve the Council’s priorities. The report updated Cabinet Members on the 2019/20 forecast position for Quarter 2.

RESOLVED: That the forecast outturn position for the financial year 2019/20 as at end of September 2019 be noted.

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

Digital Development & Customer Services            DDCS/04/19

Planning & Sustainability                                        PS/14/19

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 45 and 47 to 50, because of their reference to matters which contain exempt information as defined as follows:

Minute 45 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report for Period 6/ Quarter 2 Ending 30 September 2019 – Appendices C1 to C3

Minute 47     Princes Risborough Relief Road – Phase One

Minute 48  Use of S106 Accrued Funds for Affordable Housing

Minute 49  26 – 28 White Hart Street – Construction 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 50 - File on Action taken under Exempt Delegated  Powers

  Economic Development & Regeneration sheet nos: EDR/37/19 - EDR/44/19

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)

The report before Cabinet set out the projected cost of Phase 1 of the Princes Risborough Relief Road, highlighting the associated costs and outlining the main risks. Cabinet authority was sought to progress the scheme through detailed design and commencing the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process/land negotiations. It was confirmed that a further update would be provided to the new Buckinghamshire Council in 2020/21 to determine the way forward.

Members recalled that the Princes Risborough relief road was a scheme that assisted a 2,500 home expansion of Princes Risborough that was allocated in the recently adopted Wycombe District Local Plan. It was the largest single housing allocation in the south of Buckinghamshire, playing a critical role in meeting the housing target for Wycombe District.

The following recommendations were made to ensure that the project remained on track with Homes England, with particular regards to the Housing Infrastructure Funding (HIF) agreement. 

Recommended: That (i) the latest projected costs for Princes Risborough Relief Road Phase 1 and support Option 3 which involved progression of the scheme through detailed design and commencing CPO process/land negotiations (including the letting of a contract by Buckinghamshire County Council to progress design work), funded from the existing Wycombe District Council capital programme funds, at a cost to the authority as set out in paragraph 18 of the report be noted;

(ii)    the funds set out in paragraph 18 of the report be released from the Princes Risborough Relief Road Phase 1 budget, which forms part of the WDC approved Capital Plan, as set out above;

(iii)  an update report be brought to the new Buckinghamshire Council in 2020/21 to update on costs and potential section 106 and other income, prior to any commitment to commence construction or undertake substantive land purchase; and

(iv)  It be noted that the report had been through the Informal Shadow Executive process and would be referred to Formal Shadow Executive on 12th November 2019 for consideration.

Cabinet approval was sought to release developer contribution funds to enable Paradigm Housing to develop 35 additional affordable rented homes in High Wycombe. The Cabinet Member confirmed that the Council would benefit from nomination rights in perpetuity for the additional 35 affordable rented homes in High Wycombe.

The following recommendations were made to award a grant from the accumulated S106 financial developer contributions for affordable housing, to Paradigm Housing in return for nomination rights to an additional 35 new build affordable rented units in High Wycombe.

Recommended: Pending approval by the Shadow Executive, a recommendation is made to Full Council that:

(i)     a supplementary estimate to support funding as set out in paragraph 6 of the report be awarded to Paradigm Housing Association on the terms set out in paragraph 23 of the report;

(ii)    the funding be provided from accrued S106 Affordable Housing contributions;

(iii)   the award be paid in instalments, the final payment to be made upon handover of the completed homes which were subject to a funding agreement due to be completed between the Council and the association; and

(iv)  the Head of Housing, Environment and Community in conjunction with the District Lawyer be granted delegated powers to enter into the funding agreements on the basis of the terms set out in the report.

Cabinet approval was sought to enter into a construction contract for the refurbishment of 26 -28 White Hart Street. A competitive tender exercise had been conducted.

The following decisions were made to enter into a construction contract.

RESOLVED: That: (i) the virement to meet the revised scheme cost estimate as set out in section [4] of the report be approved; and

(ii)    delegated authority be granted to the Acting Chief Executive, Head of Finance, and Major Projects Executive, to sign a construction contract for the refurbishment of 26 - 28 White Hart Street, conditional upon the cost of works falling within the capital budget for the project.

Cabinet received the following files on exempt actions taken under delegated

powers:

Economic Development & Regeneration Sheet Nos: EDR/37/19 – EDR/44/19