Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

There were no apologies for absence.  Councillor Siva was joining the meeting remotely and was therefore unable to vote.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 4 October 2021 and 19 October 2021 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 October were agreed as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 October were agreed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

?             Councillor Harvey was substituting for Councillor Brar.

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

Agenda item 5 – Knowle Green Estates Ltd

Councillor Buttar declared that he was a member of the Knowle Green Estates Ltd board of directors.

Agenda item 16 – Staines Library Hub and Museum

Councillor Mooney declared that she was a councillor at Staines County Council.

The Chair, or his nominee, to answer any questions raised by members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 40.

At the time of publication of this agenda no questions had been received.

There were none.

To consider any issues raised by ward councillors in accordance with Standing Order 34.2

At the time of publication of this agenda no ward issues had been received.

There were none.

Directors of KGE will be present during the consideration of these items.

To review the annual report of Knowle Green Estate Ltd.

The committee received a presentation from KGE’s board of directors.

There was a need to deliver a substantial amount of housing due to the number of people on the Council’s waiting list.  It had however not been possible for KGE to do this because of committee decisions to refuse developments such as Benwell House (phase two).  There was an ongoing significant impact on the Council’s and KGE’s finances due to recent committee decisions to change the design specification of some schemes.  Committee reticence in decision making was also creating a need for the Council to service debts for longer periods of time.

KGE’s recent request for financial support from the Council was discussed.  As a relatively young company, KGE had not had time to accumulate significant levels of reserves.  It had therefore been necessary to request interim funding from the  Council, as its sole shareholder.

The annual report was noted.

To consider the recommendations from the Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee on 28 September 2021.

The report and appendices, as considered by the Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee are attached.

Also attached is a report on the affordability of possible decisions around the Open Market Rent percentage, as considered by the Board of Knowle Green Estates Ltd.

It was a statutory requirement for the Council, as a housing provider, to have a tenancy strategy.

Members debated the open market rent percentage, which had been previously considered by the Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee.  There were differing views on whether it was appropriate for the Council and KGE to subsidise rents by 20 or 30% in the context of Covid-19 but also whilst KGE required financial support from the Council.  The updated Housing Strategy sought a flexible approach to the open market rent subsidy so that it could take account of tenants’ financial situations and the viability of each scheme.

The committee agreed that the existing tenancy strategy should remain in effect.

The capital monitoring report covers the cumulative actual expenditure to date, against the cumulative council approved capital programme budget and compares this against the latest forecast outturn from officers.

The most significant areas of overspend were highlighted.  Most were due to delays with various housing schemes, and the moratorium on Council sponsored high-rise development in Staines Town Centre.

The committee noted the current level of overspend (£1,286k) on capital expenditure against its Capital Programme provision as at 30 September 2021.

This report provides a summary of the forecast outturn position for the financial year 2021-22 as at 30 September 2021.

There was discussion about the interim pay award, which was proposed in response to the nationally agreed scheme that Spelthorne Borough Council had previously opted out of.  The Council was not obliged to follow the national scheme, although it was recommended that consideration be given to the national and regional context on staff remuneration.

The committee discussed whether it should taper any pay rise to benefit staff on lower pay scales the most.  It was suggested that the recruitment and retention of staff in professional roles that supported statutory functions was proving to be challenging.  Inflation was also a consideration for all staff.

The Committee:

·         Noted the current level of underspend on revenue expenditure against its Revenue Budget provision as at 30 September 2021.

·         Recommended to Council that it approve a supplementary estimate of £200k to the Spelthorne Borough Council pay award for 2021/22, subject to an enhanced pay increase being proposed for the lowest paid staff (i.e. weighted towards the lowest paid staff).

To review the outline budget for 2022-2023 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

The process for setting balanced budgets for 2022/23, which involved each service committee reviewing draft budgets, was explained.  Various assumptions had been made in anticipation of the government’s budget settlement in December.  Local authorities with responsibility for education and social care were expected to receive better settlements than district councils.

The Committee:

·         Recommended to Council that the base budget for 2022-23 take into account an additional 1% pay award for 2021-22, in accordance with its resolution on the revenue monitoring report at agenda item 7.

·         Recommended to Council that it apply the maximum empty property council tax premia for properties which were empty for a) up to 2 years, b) 5 to 10 years and c) more than 10 years.

·         Recommended to Council that it seek to protect its council tax base over the four-year outline budget period by increasing council tax by the maximum allowed by the Government limits, whilst seeking to find savings and efficiencies to close its budget gaps.

·         Supported the range of measures set out in the proposed Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS).

To agree the Council Tax Base for 2022/23.

The Committee:

·         Recommended to Council that the gross Council Tax Base for 2022/23 be determined at 40,867 (2021/22: 40,223) after taking account of the Council’s agreed Council Tax Support Scheme

·         Recommended to Council that the net Council Tax Base for 2022/23 calculated as Band D equivalents, be determined at 39,233 (2021/22: 39,016) after adjustment by 3% to allow for; irrecoverable amounts, appeals and property base changes.

To receive an update on the Council’s treasury management activities.

The Council’s appointed treasury management adviser had said that Spelthorne Borough Council was performing better than many other local authorities.

The committee noted the treasury position achieved during the first six months of 2021/22.

The Deputy Chief Accountant was asked to explore whether it was possible to identify sustainability measures/scores for funds with the Council’s treasury management advisers.

To agree the procurement process for fire alarm systems maintenance services (for Planned and Responsive Maintenance) with a contract commencement date of 1 April 2022.

It was hoped that local companies would be able to submit bids but due to the specialist nature of the service being tendered, there was a limited number of specialist companies available.  The committee questioned whether the contract could be offered in lots as well as one larger contract and be compliant with the Public Contracts Regulations.  The weighting between price (60%) and quality (40%) in the scoring was noted.

The Committee:

·         Approved the procurement process for the letting of contract(s) for maintenance services of fire alarm systems and emergency lighting installations in the Council’s municipal and residential properties, subject to the tendering exercise enabling companies to bid to provide services in lots (such as separate services for municipal and residential properties).

·         Agreed a contract commencement date of 1 April 2022 for an initial contract term of three years, with the option to extend annually for further two 12-month periods, at the Council’s sole discretion, taking into account contractor performance on the contract(s).

·         Delegated the appointment of contractor(s) to the Group Head of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee.

·         Authorised the Head of Corporate Governance to enter into any legal documentation necessary to implement the new contract(s).

To review the proposed Corporate Plan and make a recommendation to Council on 9 December 2021.

The new Corporate Plan had been delayed due to Covid-19.  The new focus around the CARES and PROVIDE acronyms was highlighted.  Chair and vice-chair feedback had been generally positive and the committee asked that officers involved in the Plan’s drafting and formatting be thanked.  The targets in the Plan would be monitored by the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee.

The committee recommended that Council adopt the Corporate Plan for 2021-23.

This item has been withdrawn from the agenda.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

To move the exclusion of the public and press for the specified agenda items, 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.

It was proposed by Councillor Sexton, Seconded by Councillor Boughtflower, and resolved that the public and press be excluded during consideration of this item, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) because it was likely to disclose 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.

The reasons for this were:

Agenda item 15 – Staines Library Hub and Museum

Disclosure to the public would prejudice the financial position of the authority in being able to undertake even-handed negotiations and finalising acceptable contract terms.

Agenda item 16 – 5^th Floor, Communications House, Staines

Disclosure to the public would prejudice the financial position of the authority in any lease, contract or other type of negotiation with the tenant, who could then know the position of the Council.

The report contains 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 Paragraph 3 – 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 being able to undertake even-handed negotiations and finalising acceptable contract terms.

The recommendation in the officer’s report was agreed.

As proposed by Councillor Beardsmore and seconded by Councillor Noble, the meeting was extended in accordance with procedure rule 38.2.

This report contains 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 Paragraph 3 – 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 any lease, contract or other type of negotiation with the tenant, who could then know the position of the Council.

The recommendation in the officer’s report was agreed.

This item has been withdrawn from the agenda.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

To receive a verbal update on the Corporate Recovery Plan, following service committee reviews.

Service committees were reviewing their elements of the Corporate Recovery Plan with the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee to undertake its own review in February 2022.  The Audit Committee would also undertake its own review in due course.

The verbal update was noted.

To consider the Forward Plan for committee business.

The committee noted the forward plan.

To agree an additional date for a meeting of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee.  The following dates are currently available:

·         Monday 17 January 2022 at 7.00pm

·         Wednesday 19 January 2022 at 7.00pm

·         Thursday 20 January 2022 at 7.00pm

The Committee agreed that an additional meeting be held on Wednesday 19 January 2021 at 7.00pm.

To note those urgent actions which have been taken by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader since the agenda was published for the ordinary Corporate Policy and Resources meeting on 4 October 2021.

The urgent actions were noted.

To consider any business deemed as urgent by the chair.

There was no urgent business.