Meeting documents

AVDC Cabinet
Tuesday, 31st July, 2001

Document: 2001-07-31 CABINET
 

PRESENT:  Councillor Cartwright (Leader); Councillors James, Liverseidge,

 

Mrs Morgan-Owen, Mrs Paternoster, Mrs Polhill, Rowlands and Stewart. Councillors Cole, Barclay, Mrs Kendrick, Kennell, Mrs Lambert, Richards and Stuart attended also.
 

APOLOGY: Councillors Ashenden, Sir Beville Stanier

 

1.

MINUTES
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the Minutes of 17th July were approved as a correct record.
 

2.

GENERAL FUND BUDGET 2000-2001
 

A report was received from the Head of Finance which gave the provisional outturn position for the General Fund's operation for the 2000-2001 financial year.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the report be noted.
 

3.

GENERAL FUND BALANCES AND APPLICATION OF UNDERSPENDING
 

A report was received which considered the options available for dealing with General Fund underspending in excess of that built into budget planning assumptions.  A range of  options were considered:-
 

(a)

to take the excess into balances
 

(b)

to take the excess into capital reserves
 

(c)

to take the excess into other specific reserves
 

(d)

to use the excess for specific one-off items.
 

Consideration was also given to transferring £181,000 to the General Fund Capital Budget this sum to be used to progress works to totally refurbish the public toilets in Aylesbury and Buckingham and to recommending to Council the transfer of a further £200,000 to the Strategy Fund, created to facilitate the re-alignment of resources to reflect the Council's Strategic Objectives on the basis that bids would be partly funded from the sponsoring service.  It was
 

RESOLVED -
 

That a policy not be made at this stage and that any underspend be reviewed on an annual basis.

 

It was further

 

RECOMMENDED -
 

That £181,000 of the underspend from last year's budget be allocated to the General Fund Capital Budget to fund the refurbishment of public toilets in Aylesbury and Buckingham and that a further £200,000 be allocated to the Strategy Fund.
 

4.

GENERAL FUND BUDGET PLANNING
 

A report was received which set the scene for planning the General Fund budget for future years and in particular for the 2002-2003 budget and associated Council Tax and it was
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the report be noted.

 

5.

CAPITAL STRATEGY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN - JULY 2001
 

A report was received which presented the draft Capital Strategy and Asset Management Plan for consideration before it was submitted to the Government Office for the South East.
 

RESOLVED -
 

(1)

That the Capital Strategy and Asset Management Plan be referred to the Resources and Customer Care Scrutiny Committee.  That the comments of the Scrutiny Committee on the Strategy and Plan be then considered by the Cabinet.  If no comment is made by the Scrutiny Committee the Capital Strategy and Asset Management Plan be referred direct to Council for adoption.
 

(2)

That drafts of the Capital Strategy and Asset Management Plan be submitted to the Government Office for the South East immediately explaining that they are subject to adoption by the Council.
 

6.

BEST VALUE FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES OF PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, DESIGN SERVICES, ESTATES AND OPERATIONS AND HOUSING
 

Consideration was given to the results of the fundamental challenges carried out on Planning, Environmental Health, Design Services, Estates and Operations and Housing.  The areas identified for further review under stage two of the Best Value Process were discussed.
 

RESOLVED -
 

(1)

That the results of the fundamental challenges for Planning, Environmental Health, Design Services, Estates and Operations, and Housing be noted.
 

(2)

That the areas identified for further review and production of improvement plans under stage two of the Best Value process be pursued.
 

7.

RESPONSE TO AUDITOR'S REPORT ON THE 2001 BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE PLAN
 

It was reported that an unqualified opinion had been received from the Auditor with regard to the Council's Best Value Performance Plan for 2001 and suggested  responses to his recommendations were considered.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the suggested responses to the Auditor's recommendations be agreed.
 

8.

HOUSING STRATEGY (UPDATE 2001)
 

A report was received which sought approval to submit the Housing Strategy Update for 2001 to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
 

The current Housing Strategy was produced in 2000 and was a 5 year document.  As part of the Housing Investment Programme the Council was required to submit a Housing Strategy Statement to the DTLR annually.
 

RESOLVED -
 

(1)

That the Housing Strategy Update for 2001 be approved
 

(2)

That the Housing Strategy Update for 2001 be referred for comment to the Scrutiny Committee - Housing and then to Council, following receipt and incorporation of any such comments, the Director of Housing, Health and Leisure, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, be authorised to submit the Housing Strategy Update for 2001 to the DTLR.
 

9.

LOCAL CULTURAL STRATEGY
 

A report was submitted which highlighted key themes which were emerging from Local Cultural Strategy research and consultation.  The consultation was now moving to stage 2 and the possible format and timescale for this stage were discussed.  Public forums would be held as well as a Members' Seminar
 

RESOLVED -
 

(1)

That the forthcoming consultation programme for the Local Cultural Strategy for Aylesbury Vale, including three public forums at Aylesbury, Buckingham and Wendover and a Members' seminar be approved.
 

(2)

That the vision and key themes for the strategy be approved.
 

10.

the environmental and economic feasibility of the replacement of the existing 140 litre bins with 240 litre bins
 

At the meeting of the Environment and Health Committee of 26th March, 2001 officers had been asked to prepare a report regarding the use of 240 litre bins on a trial basis in a specific area.  The environmental and financial implications of expanding the trial throughout the Vale had also been assessed.  The following options were suggested:-
 

(a)

That 240 litre wheeled bins be introduced on a trial basis in a specific area;
 

(b)

That 240 litre wheeled bins be introduced to the whole of the District;
 

(c)

That the existing domestic refuse collection service based on the provision 140 litre bins for households of 4 or less occupants remain.
 

following consideration, it was,

 

RESOLVED -
 

(1)

That the existing domestic refuse collection service based on the provision of 140 litre bins for households of 4 or less occupants remain.
 

(2)

That the Head of Environmental Health Services be asked to prepare a report on side refuse to be presented to Cabinet by October, 2001 at the latest.
 

11.

AYLESBURY VALE DISTRICT COUNCIL'S FOOD SERVICE PLAN
 

It was reported that the Food Standards Agency were striving to achieve a national approach to Food Safety and to this end had issued guidance to local authorities on the preparation of a Food Service Plan.  This Council already used service plans in relation to food enforcement but the guidance issued allowed for production of plans on a more consistent and structured basis.
 

The template provided ensured that all authorities covered matters such as:
 

(a)

Information about the food law enforcement services provided.
 

(b)

The means by which those services would be provided.
 

(c)

The means by which relevant performance targets would be met.
 

The Food Safety Plan was part of the Policy Framework and would need also to be considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Safety and Health.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the contents of the Food Service Plan be approved and referred to the Scrutiny Committee for Safety and Health and thereafter Council for adoption.
 

12.

IMPLEMENTING ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT STATEMENT
 

Consideration was given to a report regarding the submission to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions of the IEG Statement.
 

The Government had set targets for local authorities and other public sector bodies to deliver services by electronic means and as part of the E-Government agenda local authorities were required to submit a statement on Implementing Electronic Government.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the IEG Statement be approved for submission to the DTLR.
 

13.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC FROM THE MEETING
 

RESOLVED -
 

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the Paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act:-
 

Civic Centre Catering Contract  (Paragraphs 7 and 9).
 

14.

CIVIC CENTRE CATERING CONTRACT
 

Members considered a report outlining the progress made in relation to the tendering of the catering contract for the Civic Centre and it was
 

RESOLVED -
 

(1)

That the outcome of the process to engage a contractor to deliver the catering service at the Civic Centre on the basis of a temporary one-year contract to take effect from 1st August 2001 be noted.
 

(2)

That the Cabinet Member for Leisure report back to Cabinet in November 2001 with recommendations as to the means by which the catering service should be provided with effect from 1 August 2002.