Meeting documents

Cabinet
Thursday 8 November 2012 12.30 pm

Date:

Thursday, 8th November, 2012

Time:

12.30pm

Place:

Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold

Attendance Details

Item	Description	Resolution
44	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Business for item 44
45	TO APPROVE, AS A CORRECT RECORD, THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 11 OCTOBER 2012. (Attachment: 1)Minutes 11 October 2012	RESOLVED: That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.
46	DECLARATION OF INTERESTS. Business for item 46
47	CONSULTATION ON CHANGES TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE. Business for item 47	RESOLVED: To note the information.
48	NOTTINGHAMSHIRE WASTE CORE STRATEGY Business for item 48	RESOLVED: To note the information.
49	QUARTERLY BUDGET MONITORING, PERFORMANCE DIGEST & VIREMENT REPORT (Attachment: 2)Report of the Senior Leadership Team (Attachment: 3)Appendix 1 & 2 Business for item 49	RESOLVED: 1. To approve the changes to Performance Indicator and Action targets as detailed in paragraph 2.1.8 of the report, as an amendment to the agreed Council Plan; 2. To note the General Fund Revenue Budget changes included within Appendix 2 and approve the budget changes of £50,000 & below; 3. To note the General Fund Revenue Budget changes above £50,000 as listed below and refer them to Council for approval: • Additional Hackney Carriage Income £64,700 • Additional Investment Income £97,100 4. To note the addition to the capital programme of £250,000 for the Gedling Colliery Country Park scheme funded by Growth Point Grant, and refer it to Council for approval; 5. To note the virement within the capital programme for the transfer of £200,000 from the Asset Management Scheme to the Office Accommodation Joint Working Scheme and refer it to Council for approval; 6. To include details of budget and performance monitoring in a quarterly performance digest, to be published on the Council's website and Intranet in line with the recommendations of Performance Review Scrutiny Committee.
50	RESTRUCTURE OF LEGAL SERVICES (Attachment: 4)Report of the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer Business for item 50	RESOLVED: 1. To note the proposed structure changes to the Legal Section outlined in the report and; 2. To agree that the costs be added to the base budget with immediate effect.
51	AMENDMENTS TO REGULATION OF INVESTIGATORY POWERS ACT 2000 (RIPA) POLICY AND PROCEDURE (Attachment: 5)Report of the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer (Attachment: 6)Appendix 1 cover sheet (Attachment: 7)Appendix 1 - Amended Policy (Attachment: 8)Appendix C - Cover sheet (Attachment: 9)Appendix C to Policy (Attachment: 10)Appendix D - Cover sheet (Attachment: 11)Appendix D to the Policy Business for item 51	RESOLVED: 1. To approve the amendments to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Policy document; and 2. To delegate authority to the Corporate Director to authorise Officers pursuant to Section 223 Local Government Act 1972 to appear on the Council's behalf before a Magistrates' Court to obtain judicial approval of RIPA authorisations.
52	PAY AWARD 2012-13 (Attachment: 12)Report of Corporate Director and Service Manager, Organisational Design Business for item 52	RESOLVED: 1. That a one off (non-consolidated) payment of £250 be made to staff on Pay bands 1-6 (inclusive) only. That this is made as a single payment via the normal salary period for November 2012 to those qualifying by grade that have been in continual employment with the Council for the Period 1st April 2012 to 30th September 2012. All payments to be on a pro rata basis against the number of hours worked in a typical week; 2. that an additional extra concessionary days leave be granted to all staff to be taken on 31st December 2012 to recognise the efforts of staff over the last several years in helping cope with reduced budgets, new ways of working whilst maintaining and improving performance standards. 3. that the civic buildings be closed on 31st December 2012.
53	NEIGHBOURHOOD WORKING (Attachment: 13)Report of Paula Darlington, Corporate Director (Attachment: 14)Appendix 1 (Attachment: 15)Appendix 2 Business for item 53	RESOLVED: 1. To approve the introduction of ward walkabouts as proposed in the report and the suggested protocol for managing the process. 2. To recognise that participation in ward walkabouts is optional, but that all Members are encouraged to take part.
54	PRUDENTIAL CODE INDICATOR MONITORING QUARTER 2 2012/13 AND QUARTERLY TREASURY ACTIVITY REPORT QUARTER 2 (30 SEPTEMBER 2012) (Attachment: 16)Report of Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer Business for item 54	RESOLVED: To note the report, together with the Prudential Indicator Monitoring at Appendix 1, and the Treasury Activity Report at Appendix
55	LOCAL AUTHORITY MORTGAGE SCHEME (Attachment: 17)Report of Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer Business for item 55	RESOLVED: To note the report.
56	BUSINESS RATES POOLING IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE (Attachment: 18)Notice under Regulation 11 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Attachment: 19)Report of the Corporate Director and Chief Finance Officer Business for item 56	RESOLVED: 1. Cabinet agrees in principle to participate in a business rates pool for Nottinghamshire Authorities, subject to the final arrangements being in the best interests of the Council. 2. Delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive and Corporate Director and Chief Finance Officer to approve the participation of Gedling Borough Council in the initial submission of a pooling arrangement for 2013/14 involving other Nottinghamshire Authorities, provided that it is considered in the best interests of the Council. 3. Delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive and Corporate Director and Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to confirm the Council's participation in the proposed pooling arrangement following the announcement of the Local Government Finance Settlement in December 2012, provided that it is considered in the best interests of the Council. 4. Further modelling work is undertaken as additional information becomes available to determine the financial advantages of pooling arrangements. 5. If it is not possible to agree pooling arrangements for 2013/14, further work is carried out to determine whether or not it is appropriate to make a submission for pooling arrangements in 2014/15.
57	FORWARD PLAN (Attachment: 20)Report of Service Manager, Elections and Members' Services (Attachment: 21)Forward Plan Business for item 57	RESOLVED: To note the report and Forward Plan.
58	PROGRESS REPORTS FROM PORTFOLIO HOLDERS Business for item 58	RESOLVED: To note the information.
59	MEMBERS' QUESTIONS TO PORTFOLIO HOLDERS Business for item 59	RESOLVED: To note the responses.
60	ANY OTHER ITEMS WHICH THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT.

Attendance Details

Present:

W.J. Clarke(Chair), S.M. Creamer, K. Fox, J. Hollingsworth, M.R. Payne, D.E. Pulk, C.P. Barnfather(Observer), P. Hughes(Observer)(a)

Business

**Business**
Item	Business
44	Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Hughes.
46	Councillor Pulk disclosed an interest in Agenda Item 13, on account of his son having recently secured a mortgage with the assistance of the scheme. Councillor Barnfather disclosed an interest during Agenda Item 5, on account of his position as chair of the Planning and Licensing Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council.
47	Dave Winter, Assistant Director of Operations at East Midlands Ambulance Service gave a presentation on the proposed changes to the East Midlands Ambulance Service and took questions from Members with colleagues Tracey Adams, Assistant Director of Operations West Midlands and Richard Henderson, Assistant Director of Operations)
48	Cabinet received a presentation from Suzanne Osborne Jones, Nottinghamshire County Council on the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Waste Core Strategy. During the course of the discussion, Councillor Barnfather declared an interest as the Chair of Nottinghamshire County Council's Planning and Licensing Committee.
49	Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer, presented a report of the Senior Leadership Team informing Cabinet of the position against Improvement Actions and Performance Indicators in the 2012/2013 Council Plan, to seek approval for changes to targets, to update Cabinet on the likely outturn of the Revenue and Capital Budgets for the 2012/13 financial year and to seek Cabinet approval for a number of budget changes, as outlined in the report.
50	Helen Barrington, Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, presented a report, which had previously been circulated, requesting the approval of additional funding for a change in the structure of Legal Services to enable the section to cope with the increasing demands placed on it.
51	Helen Barrington, Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, presented a report, which had previously been circulated, seeking Cabinet approval for amendments to the Council's RIPA Policy and Procedure Document to take account of changes to RIPA legislation (which came into force on 1st November 2012) and a recommendation made by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner following the Council's recent inspection and seeking to obtain a delegation from Cabinet to enable the Corporate Director to authorise Officers pursuant to Section 223 Local Government Act 1972 to appear on the Council's behalf before a Magistrates' Court to obtain judicial approval of RIPA authorisations
52	John Robinson presented a report of the Corporate Direct and Service Manager for Organisational Development, which had been previously circulated, seeking approval for a one off pay award to staff on lower pay bands for the 2012/13 financial year and to agree an extra days leave to be taken on the 31st of December 2012.
53	Paula Darlington, Corporate Director, presented a report, which had been circulated previously, outlining proposals to introduce coordinated walkabouts on a ward basis with local elected members and service providers.
54	Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer, which had been previously circulated, inform Members of the performance monitoring of the 2012/13 Prudential Code Indicators, and to advise Members of the quarterly treasury activity as required by the Treasury Management Strategy.
55	Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer, presented a report, which has been circulated previously, updating Members on the progress of the Gedling "Lend a Hand" Local Authority Mortgage Scheme (LAMS), launched on 17 April 2012.
56	Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer presented a report, of which notice had been given under Regulation 11 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information)(England) Regulations 2012 and had been circulated prior to the meeting, informing Members of the business rate retention scheme and potential pooling arrangements within Nottinghamshire; and to recommend that Gedling Borough Council participates in such a scheme.
57	Consideration was given to a report of the Service Manager, Elections and Members' Service, presenting the Executive's Forward Plan for the coming four month period.
58	Councillor Payne (Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Communications) • Gedling Borough Council recently installed CCTV at a burglary hot spot; Gedling Homes will now be fitting a new kitchen at a property thanks to CCTV evidence of the burglaries. A good example of partnership working in the Borough. Councillor Fox (Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement) • The Council are likely to be finalists for 2 APSE awards for two of its community centres. • A recent Halloween event held at Arnot Hill Park was a great success, with approximately 150 people attending • On the 26th of November a small Christmas light switch on event will take place at the Civic Centre, featuring entertainment from a number of schools. Councillors are encouraged to attend. Councillor Hollingsworth (Portfolio Holder for Health and Housing) • Tenancy strategy has now been sent to Scrutiny for comment and will go to Cabinet on the 6th of December and to Council soon after. • A new draft of the Council's Homelessness Strategy is due to go to Cabinet on the 7th of January and to Council in February. • The Council's temporary accommodation is now full and the Council are looking for new unit to rent. • Recently received a presentation regarding elderly isolation and a campaign will run from the 1st of October until March to target this. • New safeguarding policies are now in place and very important Member training will be held on the 23rd of November at 5.30pm. • Training on vulnerable families will also be held. • Thanks to David Wakelin, Corporate Director and his Officers for working on a delivery plan to fit with the Council's Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the plans of the Clinical Commissioning Group. This will be presented to Cabinet in early 2013. Councillor Pulk (Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Development) • An event was recently held at the Civic Centre for those involved in the Olympics, Paralympics and elite sports in the Borough, which was very well attended. • A local sports award event will be held at Carlton Academy on the 27th November, where local sports clubs nominate local people for awards. • A new boxing club is being set up in Newstead. Currently in talks about the support that Gedling Borough Council can provide, as Gedling has always had a good reputation for boxing. • A sports camp took place at Redhill Leisure Centre over the half term which was attended by 14 young people. This was a wonderful opportunity for young people, who might not usually participate in sport, to get involved and staff should be commended. • A dance festival will be held at Carlton Academy on the 15th of November. • Arnold Leisure Centre have bid for funding to create a "green car park", with charging points for electronic vehicles. • Growth Point Funding has been approved for improvements to the lighting and seating at Bonnington Theatre. • Funding of £400,000 has been confirmed for improvements to the changing facilities at Arnold Leisure Centre, a decision on a further £200,000 funding is due in early 2013. • Currently in talks with Arnold Swimming Club about the potential to apply for Games Challenge funding from Nottinghamshire County Council. • A BizEx event took place, offering advice to small businesses, with another event planned at the Richard Herrod early in 2013. • The Ashfield Local Plan will be communicated to Gedling shortly for response- some infrastructure issues have been identified, house building per year is close to what was expected. • The Planning Department did well against national targets for the amount of time it takes for decisions to be made on applications in 2011/12. Staff should be congratulated and thanked for their hard work. • Council will be asked to look at Building Control Fees soon. Councillor Creamer (Portfolio Holder for Environment) • The solar panels at Richard Herrod have now been switched on and are producing electricity. • The King George V playing field in Arnold's final review will take place on the 24th of November, when survey results will be discussed. • Direct Services have been nominated for two APSE awards, which they will be coming to validate next week.
59	1. Question to Councillor Pulk (Leisure and Developement Is there an intention to improve the standard and the volume of seating at Bonnington Theatre? (Councillor P. Key) The seating at the theatre will be completely replaced using Growth Point Funding. The Council is taking advice on the logistics of this, however advice is currently that it is not possible to increase the seating capacity at the theatre. The standard of seating will definitely be improved and will be movable electronically, as opposed to the current manual system. (Councillor Pulk) 2. Question to Councillor Fox(Community Engagement) When will feedback from the Gedling Conversation events, both generic and ward specific, be available to Members? (Councillor Barnfather) Information is currently being collated and will be available to Members in the next few weeks (Stephen Bray, Corporate Director on behalf of Councillor Fox). 3. Question to Councillor Pulk (Leisure and Development) During half term holidays, leisure provision ceases from the County Council. Leisure Services provision over the half term was very good and I would like to pass on my thanks for the hard work of the Leisure Department. (Councillor Wheeler) The work over the holidays was excellent and the team will be thanked. (Councillor Pulk)