Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Fox.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.

None.

Report of the Chief Executive.

Corporate Director Stephen Bray presented a report, which had been circulated prior to the meeting, seeking executive approval for the Council to join the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire combined authority.

RESOLVED to endorse the following, which was approved by Council on 21 January 2015:

1)    To agree that a submission be made to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the establishment of a Combined Authority for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire;

2)    To approve Gedling Borough Council formally joining the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Combined Authority once this is established;

3)    To delegate authority for the signing off of the final Governance Review and Scheme to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Opposition Group Leaders.

Mark Kimberley, Corporate Director, presented a report, which had been circulated prior to the meeting, informing Cabinet of the position against Improvement Actions and Performance Indicators in the 2014/2015 Gedling Plan, updating Cabinet on the likely outturn of the Revenue and Capital Budgets for the 2014/2015 financial year and seeking approval for changes to targets and budgets as outlined in the report.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Approve the changes to the Indicator Action target as detailed in paragraph 2.1. of the report, as an amendment to the agreed Gedling Plan;

2)    Approve the General Fund Revenue Budget virements included within Appendix 1 to the report;

3)    Approve the changes to the Capital Programme included in paragraph 2.2.3 of the report;

4)    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.

RESOLVED to:

Note the report, together with the Treasury Activity Report for Quarter 3 at Appendix 1 to the report, and the Prudential and Treasury Indicator Monitoring for Quarter 3 at Appendix 3 to the report.

Report of Councillor Mike Hope, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader invited Councillors Lawrence and Gregory to present findings of recently held scrutiny reviews, which had been circulated prior to the meeting, into Reducing Unemployment in Gedling Borough and Homelessness and Hardship.

Members thanked Jane Ansell, who had moved to a new post at the Council, for her support and assistance with the reviews and wished her well for the future.

RESOLVED:

1)    To receive the recommendations from the “Reducing Unemployment in Gedling Borough” and “Homelessness and Hardship” scrutiny reviews; and

2)    That the appropriate Cabinet Member will respond to the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee as appropriate.

Councillor Peter Barnes (Environment)

·         Work on the Gedling County Park was slowly coming to fruition with the opening arrangements currently being finalised. More details would soon follow.

·         The Bulky Waste Amnesty had been well received by residents and was very popular.

·         The new tree cutting service had been established and was proving successful.

·         A new 4 x 4 vehicle had been purchased and was deployed in the recent bad weather conditions.

Councillor Henry Wheeler (Health and Housing)

·         A meeting had taken place with the Gedling Homes Board on the subject of Universal Credit. It was agreed that Gedling Homes would write to affected tenants to explain the impact of the new arrangements.

·         A series of information exhibitions would be held to showcase proposals fort affordable housing in Netherfield.

·         Work with the Gedling Older Persons Action Group was moving forward at pace.

·         The Council’s Obesity Management strategy would launch soon.

·         The first meeting of the anti-tobacco working group would be taking place soon.

·         The Men in Sheds project would open during March at Jubilee House.

·         The Youth Council was going from strength to strength and had recently held a Q and A session with Councillors Barnfather and Hughes. Youth Parliament elections were currently taking place.

Councillor Darrell Pulk (Leisure and Development)

·         Work was being done to review leisure centre pricing tariffs in light of reduced revenue especially the downturn in squash court bookings.

Councillor Michael Payne (Public Protection and Communications)

·         The inaugural pride of Gedling Awards had recently taken place and was a great success. Gedling’s Communications team and the Nottingham Post were thanked for their work in organising the event.

·         The extra edition of Contacts Magazine had been finished and would soon be printed and sent out to residents.

None.

None.