Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2018 as a correct record.

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 24 January 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were none.

Councillor Barnard

To consider the recommendations of the Local Plan Working Party from its meeting held on 8 February 2018.

A copy of all the documents referred to in the Local Plan Working Party minutes as a) to e) have been placed in the Members’ Room. They will be made public following the meeting, subject to Cabinet’s agreement to the recommendations.

Cabinet considered the recommendations from the meeting of the Local Plan Working Party held on 8 February 2018. The documents referred to are attached to these minutes.

Resolved to:

1.    note progress made on the Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA), the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA), the Employment Land Needs Assessment (ELNA), and the Local Plan;

2.    agree that the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register is split into two parts in order to give priority to applicants with a local connection and to the proposed fees for applicants to be entered and maintained on the Register;

3.    agree the revised draft Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) for publication.

Councillor Harman

To consider the proposed annual grants awards for 2018-19, to aid charities and voluntary organisations operating in the Borough.

Cabinet considered a report on the proposed Annual Grants for 2018-2019 to organisations in the voluntary and community sectors.

The report outlined grant applications received and explained the benefits that the work of the voluntary sector provides to the local area and communities.

Alternative options considered and rejected by the Cabinet:

Not to award grants as recommended

Resolved to:

1.    agree the grants awards for 2018/19 as detailed in the report;

2.    note all other support to the voluntary/charity sector; and

3.    note the development of SLA’s for our top funded organisations.

Reasons for decision:

·         To enable a number of charities to continue operating in the borough for the year ahead

·         To maintain service levels where charities provide complementary activities to Council frontline services

·         To enable new charities and community groups to begin working in the borough, or expand their operations

Councillor Williams

To consider the Capital Programme and Prudential Indicators for 2018/19 to 2021/22 and make a recommendation to Council.

Cabinet considered the report for the Capital Programme and Strategy for 2018/19 to 2021/22.

The Capital Programme and Strategy outlines current schemes and future schemes for consideration taking into account available resources and corporate priorities.

Resolved to recommend to Council:

1.    To approve the Capital Programme for 2018/19 to 2021/22

2.    To approve the Prudential Indicators for 2018/19 to 2021/22

Reason for recommendation:

To allow the authority to spend its capital resources for the financial year 2018/19.

Councillor Williams

To consider the detailed Revenue Budget for 2018/19 and make recommendations to Council.

Cabinet considered the Detailed Revenue Budget for 2018 – 2019.

The Revenue Budget shows a very positive picture in that a balanced budget has been put forward without the use of reserves, with investment being made in retaining staff, addressing resourcing issues in areas like Property, Management, Finance and Legal and also maintaining the Council’s assets and making revenue contributions to Capital.

Resolved to recommend to Council:

1.    Participating in the Surrey wide 2018/19 Business Rates Retention pilot scheme.

2.    Continuing the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations.

3.    Continuing the complete disregard of war pension /armed forces pension income from benefit calculations.

4.    The growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices.

5.    The Council Tax Base for the whole council area for 2018-19. [Item T in the formula in Section 31b(3) of the local government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “act”)] should be 39,280.00 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2018-2019 is £197.44 Per Band D equivalent dwelling.

6.    To approve a £5 or 2.6% increase on Band D in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2018-19. Moreover:

a)    The revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

b)    No Money, as set out in this report is appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council tax for 2018/19.

c)    To agree that the Council Tax base for the year 2018/19 is 39,280.00 band D equivalent dwellings calculated in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council tax base) Regulations 1992, as amended, made under Section 35(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

That the following sums be now calculated by the Council for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992.

Councillor Mitchell

To consider the Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19 and make a recommendation to Council.

Cabinet considered the Pay Policy Statement for recommendation to the Council.

The Pay Policy Statements set out the Council’s policies on a range of issues relating to the pay of its workforce, particularly its senior staff and the lowest paid employees.

Resolved to recommend to Council that the Pay Policy Statement for 2018-19 is approved.

Reasons for recommendation:

Pay Policy Statement must be agreed by full Council and be published by 31 March each year.

Councillor Williams

To note the capital spend covering the period April to December 2017.

Cabinet considered the Capital Monitoring report for the Quarter ending December 2017.

The report showed capital expenditure for the period ending December 2017 as £92.3m, and details of estimated outturn for the financial year.

Resolved to note the current level of spend.

Councillor Williams

To note the revenue spend covering the period April to December 2017.

Cabinet considered the Revenue Monitoring report for the period to December 2017.

The net expenditure report showed a positive variance of £1.86m.  The majority of this will be transferred to reserves to protect against the risk of reduced income from property acquisitions.

Resolved to note the current level of spend.

Councillor Harvey

To consider a report on a request to exempt contract standing orders for the appointment of a construction project manager and design team.

Cabinet considered the exemption to contract standing orders for the appointment of a construction project manager and design team.

The report considered the options available for the selection and appointment of a project manager and design team in relation to the replacement of the leisure centre in Staines-upon-Thames.  

Alternative options considered and rejected by the Cabinet:

Not to agree the exemption.

Resolved to exempt contract standing orders to delegate the selection of a construction project manager and the construction design team to the Group Head of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council.

Reasons for decision:

To ensure the development project is progressed as swiftly as possibly.

Councillor Harvey

In his capacity as Executive Leader, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey has made the following amendments to the appointments of Council representatives on an outside body.

Spelthorne Business Forum

Councillor C. Barnard (previously a deputy) replaces Councillor C. Davis as a representative

Councillor I.T.E. Harvey replaces Councillor R. Barratt as a deputy

Councillor O. Rybinski replaces Councillor C. Barnard as a deputy

These changes will be effective until 21 June 2018 when Cabinet will undertake its annual appointments to all outside bodies.

Cabinet is asked to ratify the Leader’s appointments to Spelthorne Business Forum until 21 June 2018.

In his capacity as Executive Leader, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey had made the following amendments to the appointments of Council representatives on an outside body.

Spelthorne Business Forum

Councillor C. Barnard (previously a deputy) replaces Councillor C. Davis as a representative

Councillor I.T.E. Harvey replaces Councillor R. Barratt as a deputy

Councillor O. Rybinski replaces Councillor C. Barnard as a deputy

These changes will be effective until 21 June 2018 when Cabinet will undertake its annual appointments to all outside bodies.

Resolved to agree the changes made by the Leader to representation on the Spelthorne Business Forum effective until 21 June 2018.

To receive any announcements from the Leader.

The following are the latest service updates from various Council departments.

The Council has secured the conviction of a person who had been operating an unhygienic tattoo and body piercing studio from the garage of his home in Stanwell. The magistrates heard that Mr Garcha had been operating without the necessary registration for seven years and had tattooed and pierced many people over that time. Mr Garcha pleaded guilty to the offence and was ordered to pay a £250 fine, £30 victim surcharge and £500 in costs.

Following the collapse of the construction firm, Carillion, the Council issued a statement reassuring residents that it is not affected by the company’s liquidation.

Planning has now published its Green Belt Assessment which sets out how areas of the borough are performing against Green Belt criteria. The assessment will form part of the council's evidence for the Local Plan which identifies the needs of the borough in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure.

Work to build eight new flats has started on the site of the former Bugle Pub in Upper Halliford and three two-bedroom homes on the site of the former Churchill Hall in Sunbury. Residents living nearby have been informed. Both projects will be completed in September. 

The prestigious Spelthorne Means Business Awards were launched on 6 February. Held at Caffe Gusto in Staines, local businesses and Council representatives gathered to open this year’s competition which is designed to acknowledge the achievements of local companies and showcase the ‘best of the best’ in Spelthorne.

Heathrow has launched a ten-week public consultation regarding expansion at the airport. The council has advertised the consultation and drop-in events and also published an online summary explaining the potential impact of the airport’s expansion for local residents.

Cedars Recreation Park in Sunbury-on-Thames is to under-go refurbishment, thanks to funding from London Irish Rugby Club.

A leaflet is being designed to accompany the Council Tax bills which will give residents information about how the tax is divided between the Police, Surrey County Council and Spelthorne.

Registration has opened for the Staines 10K race taking place on 13 May.

Lights in the Tothill multi-storey car park in Staines have been upgraded to LEDs to save money and improve the setting.

To consider any items which the Chairman considers as urgent.

There were none.

To move the exclusion of the Press/Public for the following item, in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

Resolved to move the exclusion of the Press and Public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

Councillor Harvey

To consider the acquisition of a site as an investment asset.

Reason for exemption

This report contains exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006): Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)  and in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information because, disclosure to the public would prejudice the financial position of the authority in the bidding process for the site by allowing other bidders to know the position of the Council.  This in turn prejudices the Council by (i) distorting the bids process and (ii) prejudicing the opportunity for the Council to acquire a site through the Council for the prudent management of its financial affairs.

Cabinet considered an exempt report regarding the acquisition of Property ‘J’.

This property is of strategic importance and value and the acquisition of this links to the assets and income generation strand of the Council’s transformation programme known as ‘Towards a Sustainable Future’.

Alternative options considered:

·         Formally agree not to submit a bid  

Resolved to:

1.    Approve the acquisition of the investment asset identified in this report;

2.    Formally agree the offer submitted, and authorise the Chief Executive to undertake any necessary subsequent negotiations (including a further bid if required) and complete the acquisition of the asset (in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Finance);

3.    Authorise the Chief Finance Officer to decide (i) the most financially advantageous funding arrangements for the purchase, (ii) the most tax efficient method of holding the asset, and overall to ensure the acquisition is prudentially affordable; and 

4.    Authorise the Head of Corporate Governance to enter into any legal documentation necessary to acquire the asset

Reasons for decision:

It will bring in a steady income stream for the term of the lease.  The income stream will assist in the future ongoing financial stability of the Council.