Meeting documents

Cabinet
Thursday 12 January 2012 5.00 pm

Date:
Thursday, 12th January, 2012
Time:
5.00pm
Place:
Reception Room, Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
76 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Business for item 76
 
77 TO APPROVE AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD ON THE 1ST AND 7TH DECEMBER 2011.
 RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the above meetings, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record and signed by the chair.
78 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS.
Business for item 78
 
79 CHILD PROTECTION AND VULNERABLE ADULTS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Business for item 79
RESOLVED:

to adopt the revised Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Policies and Procedures as outlined in the report.
80 LOCAL AUTHORITY MORTGAGE SCHEME (LAMS) POLICY
Business for item 80
RESOLVED: that

i.the power to agree to offer an indemnity for qualifying mortgages, as set out in the deed, under section 442 of the Housing Act 1985, be delegated to the Chief Financial Officer.

ii.a cash-backed scheme provided by Lloyds Banking Group be adopted, on the basis that firstly this provider had the most experience of the LAMS, having been involved with Sector from the outset in its design, and secondly that this lender was currently the only one accepted under the existing terms of the Council's approved counterparty list.

iii.the LAMS Policy (attached to the report at Appendix 1) be approved as the basis for a LAMS Scheme for Gedling Borough Council, to be known as the "Lend a Hand Scheme".

iv.the Chief Executive be authorised to execute the deed indemnifying the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer on behalf of the Council.

v.Council approve the adoption of the LAMS Policy and, subject to the completion of all necessary legal documentation to the satisfaction of the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, and approval of the capital programme, approve the deposit of £1m with Lloyds Banking Group.
81 PRUDENTIAL CODE INDICATORS 2012/13 TO 2014/15
Business for item 81
RESOLVED:

to note the Prudential and Treasury Indicators for 2012/13 to 2014/15 as detailed in Appendix 1, which had been set with due reference to CIPFA's Prudential Code, under the Local Government Act 2003, and to refer them to Full Council for approval.
82 DRAFT BUDGET AND SERVICE PLAN PRIORITIES TO BE SUBJECT TO SCRUTINY COMMITTEE CONSULTATION
Business for item 82
RESOLVED: to

i.approve the above budget information for forwarding to Policy Review Scrutiny Committee for consultation;

ii.approve a 5% income inflation increase for the individual portfolios as shown in the table at paragraph 3.4;

iii.agree in principle that Parish Aid be reduced by 50% for 2012/13 and removed completely in 2013/14.
83 CHANGES TO THE DELEGATION SCHEME FOLLOWING THE MANAGEMENT RESTRUCTURE
Business for item 83
RESOLVED: that

i.all current executive delegations to Heads of Service be exercised by the Corporate Director with responsibility for the relevant power or function (or the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer in relation to Legal Services);

ii.any reference to Head of Service in any policy or procedure approved by Cabinet or a Cabinet member is substituted for Corporate Director with responsibility for the relevant power or function (or the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer in relation to Legal Services);

iii.the executive delegation scheme be amended to enable the Chief Executive or another Corporate Director to deal with all matters delegated to another Corporate Director in his/her absence and the Corporate Directors to exercise all functions of the Chief Executive in his absence;

iv.the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any other amendments to the executive delegations to reflect the new management arrangements.
84 LOCALISM ACT
REPORT OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR
Business for item 84
RESOLVED:

To note the report and that the Policy Review Scrutiny Committee intended to investigate the implications of the Act for the Council and to welcome views arising from these investigations being submitted to Cabinet for consideration.
85 GEDLING BOROUGH COUNCIL ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT (APRIL 2010- MARCH 2011)
Business for item 85
RESOLVED:

To note the key points from the Annual Monitoring Report (April 2010 - March 2011).
86 MEMBERS' QUESTIONS TO PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
Business for item 86
 
87 PROGRESS REPORTS FROM PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
Business for item 87
 

Attendance Details

Present:
W.J.Clarke, M.R.Payne, R.D.Allan, S.M.Creamer,
P.Feeney, J.Hollingsworth, D.E.Pulk,
C. Barnfather (Observer) P.A.Hughes (Observer)

Business

Business
ItemBusiness
76None
78None
79Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Leisure and Communities, which had been previously circulated, presenting the revised Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Policies and Procedures for the Borough Council.
80Consideration was given to a report of Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director, which had been previously circulated, setting out the detailed Local Authority Mortgage Scheme (LAMS) Policy and requesting that the Policy be adopted.
81Consideration was given to a report of Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director, which had been previously circulated, presenting the Prudential and Treasury Indicators for Gedling Borough Council for the financial years 2012/13 to 2014/15.
82Consideration was given to a report of Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director, which had been previously circulated, detailing the likely General Fund Base Budget for 2012/13 based on the provisional settlement figures, the likely position in respect of capital financing and assumed changes to the base budget in respect of factors such as inflation and pay award
83Consideration was given to a report of the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, which had been previously been circulated, setting out proposals for amendment to all current executive delegations to Officers following the Management Restructure.
84Consideration was given to a report of Stephen Bray, Corporate Director, informing Members of the final contents of the Localism Act
85Consideration was given to a report of the Service Manager for Planning and Economic Development, which had been previously circulated, informing Members of the Council's Annual Monitoring Report in accordance with the timetable for the Local Development Scheme
86Councillor Barnfather thanked the Leader and Deputy for the
establishment of Group Leader's meetings to discuss wider
developmental issues, and asked the portfolio holder for Economic and
Strategic Development whether opposition group leaders would receive
invitations to the Arnold Development Forum as well.

The Portfolio Holder for Economic and Strategic Development responded that it was a Gedling Development Forum, the function of which was to enable him to take soundings from local developers in order to inform his portfolio work. He confirmed that opposition Group Leaders would be invited if and when it was appropriate to do so.

Councillor Hughes asked the Leader about an article that had appeared
recently in the national press, giving details of a court finding which
resulted in costs of £200,000 to the Council - what if any investigations
had taken place to ensure that this would be avoided in future?

On behalf of the Leader, Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director, and the
Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, assured Councillor Hughes that all options had been explored in respect of this case and that all costs had been covered by insurance. Procedures had been reviewed and the
Council Solicitor and Monitoring officer reported that she was entirely
satisfied from a legal perspective that the Council would not be in this
position again.

Councillor Barnfather asked the Portfolio Holder for Economic and
Strategic Development whether recent discussions and concerns about the 5 year land supply for new housing, would have been ameliorated had there continued to be a cross party Local Development Framework Steering Committee.

The Portfolio Holder for Economic and Strategic Development explained that the Cabinet no longer wanted to pursue decision making in that way but that the offer was still open for opposition Group Leaders to meet with the Leader and Deputy.

Councillor P. Barnes asked the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing how the Council and its partners were addressing the needs of
vulnerable adults whose elderly parents were also their carers.

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing referred Councillor Barnes
to a section in the revised Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults
policies and also explained that the needs of carers were being taken
into account in forthcoming partnership Health and Wellbeing
programmes.
87Councillor R. Allan (Portfolio Holder for Economic and Strategic Development) provided an update on the Landlord's Forum and the planned establishment of Job Clubs around the Borough.

Councillor Feeney (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability) fed back on the success of environmental services
operations during the Christmas period, future allocation of Public Realms Work funding and to establishment of a structured 2 year apprenticeship scheme.He also informed Members of a forthcoming meeting with Norman Baker, Transport Secretary.

Councillor Pulk, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture provided an
update on plans to increase revenue income streams to Leisure Services by 5% by making changes to the various concessionary schemes and promotional initiatives.

Councillor J. Hollingsworth (Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing)
provided feedback on Choice Based Lettings, the Advanced Housing Options Policy, and forthcoming consultation with partners and via the Website on Housing Allocations. She also reported back on outcomes over Christmas in respect of the Cold Weather provisions,and gave an update on the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board.


Councillor J. Creamer (Portfolio Holder for Community and Employee
Relations) provided an update on a recent meeting with Parish Councils to
advise on the setting of Precepts, and a visit to the Newstead Frontrunner Scheme.

Councillor M. Payne (Portfolio Holder for Communications and Public
Protection) provided an update on proposals to modernise the Council's
brand, including use of Facebook and Twitter and Smart phones, taking into
account best practice developed by partner agencies. He reported that the
Council Logo had been updated, and copies had been circulated to
Councillors that week. He also reported on partnership work currently
underway with Nottinghamshire County Council to address the ‘troubled
families'agenda,looking at how best to pool budgets to address localised
issues.

Councillor WJ Clarke, (Portfolio Holder for Finance and Performance)
provided an update on 2012/13 budget preparations and plans to co-locate Clinical Commissioning Group and Police staff within Council facilities