Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Meeting held 26 June 2023:

There were none.

Carry Over Meeting held 29 June 2023:

Apologies were received from Cllrs Attewell, Howkins, Lee, Sexton and Williams.

Cllr Islam attended as substitute for Cllr Attewell.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2023 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2023 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.

Councillors Attewell and Sexton declared that they were also Surrey County Councillors.

The Chair, or their 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 were received.

The Chair reported that, under Standing Order 14, two questions had been received from a member of the public.

Question from K Sanders:

“Given recent world events, cost inflation and other economic shocks, how can the Council be sure that costs won't keep spiralling or there won't be any other unfortunate events? E.g. what if the Council can't secure Homes England funding or NHS funding for the Cavell Centre? What if flood risk proves to be an insurmountable issue for Thameside House?

Has the Council already gone past the point of no return on Thameside House and the Oast House developments and is the only hope really to keep borrowing more (and building higher) in the hope that they will eventually come good?”

Response to Question:

“The Council has no control over external forces which impact on inflation and other economic pressures, but what we can do and do well is consider the financial viability of each of our own schemes at key milestone through out the scheme design process.  Understanding the viability is an evolving process with the more detail we have as the scheme progresses, meaning greater certainty of the financial end position.

There will always be challenges with new development that the Council needs to overcome.  We do this by understanding and utilising all initiatives available to assist with ensuring schemes are deliverable from a financial and operational perspective. This is not only about employing external funding, but value engineering schemes, looking at different funding models including partnership working within the public sector, other private partner ventures, disposals, packaging schemes together to deliver different outcomes where costs and benefits offset each other between the schemes.

Each of these approaches offer differ solutions to tackling the economic and financial challenges we face with the schemes. Every scheme is only moved forward to a commencement on site, when Councillors’ approval is received.  Part of the Councillor approval process includes a full understanding of a range of options, which may include where appropriate partnering opportunities, disposals and a range of income options for each scheme.  Each option presented is supported with a range of financial information to inform understanding and decision making. 

We continue to have positive engagement with Homes England, but if funding is not available for our schemes we will consider utilising the alternative options, just outlined to support the objectives of each development. The Council already has a proven track record with Homes England as it acquired for itself Registered Provider status and obtained grant funding to part fund the Whitehouse homeless hostel and Harper House emergency family accommodation. Indeed at the time Homes England did not have a funding category for homeless hostels and we worked with them to help them create a new funding scheme.

Homes England is extremely keen on supporting our affordable and keyworker delivery pipeline as there is very limited such provision being delivered in this part of the South East and Homes England is struggling to distribute its full allocation of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63/23

Committee is asked to note the £22.8m overspend (Dec: £22.9m overspend) on capital expenditure against its Capital Programme provision for 2022-23 as at 31 March 2023.

The Committee considered a report from the Chief Accountant that outlined the changes to the Capital Programme budget and projected outturn figures, with variance unaffected.

The Committee resolved to note the report with the following Councillors abstaining:

Councillors Bateson, Beecher, Gibson, Grant, Nichols, Rutherford, Sexton and Williams.

Committee is asked to agree the attached requests for 2022-23 revenue expenditure to be carried forward to 2023-24.

Committee is also asked to note the treatment of approved refurbishment work at Roundwood Avenue and Charter Building.

The Committee considered a report that sought approval for the requests for £109.251 of 2022-23 revenue expenditure to be carried forward to 2023-24.

The Committee were also asked to approve the carry forward recommendations as outlined in 2.2 and 2.4 of the report as follows:

2.2 The request for a carry forward received from Pollution Control Operations, for the purchase and installation of a new air quality monitoring station costing £10,900 is carried forward, despite the fact that this budget is overspent.

2.4 The carry forward work at the Charter Building, which has already been approved by Council, is credited to the Sinking Fund, rather than credited the General Fund, as this expenditure relates to the refurbishment work being carried out for one of our investment properties, which is what the Sinking Fund was established for, this ensures that the funding for this project is ring fenced, and it will be released in 2023/24, meaning that the 2023/24 Budget will remain balanced.

The Committee resolved to approve the revenue expenditure of £109.251 from 2022-23 to be carried forward to 2023-24 and the recommendations as outlined above..

The Committee is asked to note the surplus on the Revenue Outturn for 2022-23 and to approve a transfer of this to the General Fund.

The Committee considered a report that sought to outline the £22.8m overspend on Capital Expenditure against its Capital Programme provision for 2022-23 as at 31 March 2023.

Committee resolved to note the report.

Report to follow.

Committee resolved to:

1.    Not agree to using the vision dated December 2021 as a baseline benchmark against which the Regulation 19 Submission version of the Local Plan and not to make a recommendation to Council to adopt the vision for this purpose;

2.    Not agree the draft provisional specification of works drawn up by the proposed ‘critical friend’ for the review;

3.    Agree to issue a direct award contract to Catriona Riddell Associates (CRA) to undertake a review of the Local Plan;

4.    Agree to give delegated authority to the Chief Executive and the Group Head of Corporate Governance to enter a contract with CRA;

5.    This recommendation was not voted on due to the vote against recommendation 1;

6.    Agree that the costs for the review would come from the Corporate Budget;

7.    Agree to set a date of 14 September 2023 for an Extraordinary Council Meeting (ECM) in line with the motion agreed at the ECM on 06 June 2023;

8.    Agree to note the risk considerations; and

9.    This recommendation was not voted on due to the vote against recommendation 1;

The Committee considered a report on the Council’s Local Plan following the decision made at Council on 06 June 2023 to approve the following motion:

“Spelthorne Borough Council formally requests the Planning Inspector to pause the Examination Hearings into the Local Plan for a period of three (3) months to allow time for the new council to understand and review the policies and implications of the Local Plan and after the three month pause the Council will decide what actions may be necessary before the Local Plan examination may proceed.”

During the debate it was proposed by Councillor Williams and seconded by Councillor Beecher that Standing Order 38.1 should be suspended so that the meeting could go beyond the 3 hour mark.

Committee resolved to suspend Standing Order 38.1.

Committee resolved to:

1.    Not agree to using the vision dated December 2021 as a baseline benchmark against which the Regulation 19 Submission version of the Local Plan and not to make a recommendation to Council to adopt the vision for this purpose;

2.    Not agree the draft provisional specification of works drawn up by the proposed ‘critical friend’ for the review;

3.    Agree to issue a direct award contract to Catriona Riddell Associates (CRA) to undertake a review of the Local Plan;

4.    Agree to give delegated authority to the Chief Executive and the Group Head of Corporate Governance to enter a contract with CRA;

5.    This recommendation was not voted on due to the vote against recommendation 1;

6.    Agree that the costs for the review would come from the Corporate Budget;

7.    Agree to set a date of 14 September 2023 for an Extraordinary Council Meeting (ECM) in line with the motion agreed at the ECM on 06 June 2023;

8.    Agree to note the risk considerations; and

9.    This recommendation was not voted on due to the vote against recommendation 1;

The meeting was closed at 22.30 and the Committee agreed to reconvene on Thursday 29 June 2023 to discuss the remaining agenda items.

To approve the creation of a member Working Group focused on financial reporting.

Committee resolved to approve the creation of a Member Working Group focused on Financial Reporting.

Items 9 to 16 were considered at the carry-over meeting held 29 June 2023.

The Committee considered a report that sought approval for the creation of a Member Working Group focused on Financial Reporting.

The following Councillors agreed to be on the working group:

Councillor Boughtflower

Councillor Islam

Councillor Nichols

Councillor Williams

The Committee agreed that membership of the working group should also be offered to councillors outside of the committee. Committee Services are to send out an email to all councillors to ascertain the names of any other councillor that would like to sit on this group.

Committee resolved to approve the creation of a Member Working Group focused on Financial Reporting.

To consider the Forward Plan for committee business.

The Committee resolved to note the Forward Plan for business of this Committee.

To note those urgent actions which have been taken by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader since the last Corporate Policy and Resources Committee meeting on 17 April 2023.

The Committee were advised that no urgent actions had been taken.

To move the exclusion of the Press/Public for the following 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 Boughtflower and Seconded by Councillor Beecher and resolved that the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following items, 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 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:

Item 13  – Building Control Service

Item 14  – Electric Vehicle Rapid Charging Hub

Item 15 – Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 2

Item 16 – Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Property Acquisitions

The Committee are asked to consider and approve the recommendations as outlined in the report.

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 2 – information that is likely to reveal the identify of an individual.

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations in the exempt report.

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations in the exempt report.

Committee is asked to consider and make a decision on the two recommendations as outined in the report.

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 contract or other type of negotiation with a supplier, who could then know the position of the Council. 

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations outlined in the exempt report.

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations outlined in the exempt report.

Committee is asked to approve the two recommendations as outlined in the report.

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 contract or other type of negotiation with a supplier, who could then know the position of the Council. 

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations outlined in the exempt report.

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations outlined in the exempt report.

Committee is asked to approve the recommendations as outlined in the report.

The report is considered urgent because to be eligible for the grant funding the properties need to be acquired before end of November.

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 contract or other type of negotiation with a supplier, who could then know the position of the Council. 

Committee resolved to agree the recommendations outlined in the exempt report.

Committee resolved to agree the acquisition of seven residential properties as part of the Department of Levelling Up of Housing and Communities partnership arrangement for Afghan and Ukraine refugee families.