Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor John Fisher.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and / or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

Due to the length of the agenda the Leader tabled his announcements in writing at the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 19^th February 2018 be held as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources presented the Leisure and Cultural Services Business Case.  During the presentation of this business case the following points were highlighted for Members’ consideration:

·                The Council had considered a feasibility study in respect of future models for the delivery of Leisure and Cultural Services and had agreed in November 2017 that a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) would be the most appropriate model moving forward.

·                A number of services, though not all, would be included in the LATC. 

·                There was the potential for some services that would not immediately be included in the remit of the LATC to be incorporated at a later date.  This could include the BMX Track and Arrow Valley Countryside Centre.

·                A number of staff would be affected by the introduction of the LATC; 50 would remain Council employees and 62 would be subject to a TUPE transfer process together with a number of casual staff.

·                Officers had been consulting with the Trade Unions throughout the process.

·                Some assumptions had been built into the savings plan and the unions had highlighted a number of concerns in relation to these.

·                Savings of at least £220,000 were anticipated for the first year with further savings of £440,000 anticipated for year two and £480,000 anticipated for years three and four.  These figures had been identified based on savings reported where Councils had introduced LATCs in other parts of the country to deliver similar services.

·                The LATC would be able to secure savings from Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) and would able to secure VAT savings.  In both cases the Council was unable to take advantage of these financial benefits.

·                The LATC would be a non-profit organisation.  This corresponded with feedback provided by residents in surveys completed in 2017 which called for services to contribute to addressing health inequalities, to continue to have a community focus and to be connected to the Council.

·                The LATC would be a Council company providing services to and on behalf of Redditch Borough Council.

·                Officers were assuming that the Council would continue to provide support services, such as HR and IT services, for the first 12 months in which the LATC would operate.  After this the LATC might opt to obtain these services from another provider, though would need to provide the Council with notice.

·                Subject to the Business Case receiving approval at the Council meeting on 19^th March 2018 Officers would start to work on a detailed business plan for the LATC, scheduled for Members’ consideration in July 2018.

Following presentation of the report Members discussed a number of points in detail:

·                The governance arrangements for the LATC.  Members were advised that this would consist of two parts; a Board of Directors and a Shareholders Committee, which would hold the LATC to account.

·                The appointment of the Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Directors and how they would be paid.  Members were advised that usually Non-Executive Directors were paid expenses and this arrangement was expected to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 115.

(Please note that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will consider the group’s final report on 1^st March 2018.  As the parent Committee of the group it is possible that Members may make changes to the report and / or recommendations during this meeting.  Any changes will be reported to the Executive Committee on 6^th March).

The Chair of the Civil Contingencies Short Sharp Review, Councillor Gareth Prosser, presented the group’s final report.  In so doing he highlighted that the review had been agreed in July 2017 in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.  During the course of the review Members had consulted with a range of expert witnesses, from both the Council and external organisations.  Based on the evidence that had been gathered Members had concluded that Redditch Borough Council had appropriate emergency planning procedures in place.  However, the group was proposing that the authority’s emergency plan should be reviewed on an annual basis rather than every three years. 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the group’s proposals at a meeting on 5^th March 2018.  During this meeting the Committee had endorsed the group’s recommendations.  This included a proposal for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to receive an annual update in respect of emergency planning arrangements; as this would be taking place in a public meeting environment it was hoped that it would help to provide reassurance to local residents about the Council’s preparedness in the event of an emergency.  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had endorsed this proposal and as the Committee could set its own work programme the Executive Committee was asked to note this decision.

The group had concluded that the launch of the review should have been postponed until the North Worcestershire Civil Contingencies and Resilience Manager had returned from maternity leave as the evidence she had provided had helped to reassure the group that no further investigation was required.  Members had therefore proposed that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could learn lessons from this review and should consider postponing the launch of future reviews until key witnesses were available.

Officers advised that the Corporate Management Team (CMT) had welcomed the scrutiny review.  The exercise had helped to inform a refresh of the emergency plan and would have a positive impact on civil contingency arrangements moving forward.

Members welcomed the findings detailed in the report and thanked the group for their hard work.  It was noted that the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Regulatory Services, whose remit covered emergency planning, had not been consulted as part of the review.  It was suggested that in future Overview and Scrutiny Task Groups should consider consulting with the relevant Portfolio Holder if possible.

RESOLVED that

1)        the content of the Council’s emergency plan should be reviewed on an annual basis; and

2)        the group’s proposal for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to receive an annual update in respect of the Council’s emergency planning arrangements be noted.

The Economic Development Manager presented the Redditch Business Centres Review.  The Committee was advised that the business centres were operating within budget and represented value for money.  The proposals detailed in the report would help to meet the needs of businesses that were already occupying units as well as growing businesses that might be interested in moving onto the premises.

Members welcomed the report and thanked officers for taking action to improve the service so that the centres could be managed more effectively and appropriate investment was made to meet the needs of businesses.  The Council had achieved an 85 per cent occupancy rate in the business centres, which ensured that the authority continued to receive adequate income whilst at the same time having the potential to offer vacant units to new or growing businesses. There was the potential that some businesses currently occupying units in the business centres would move to the Redditch Gateway in due course.  This would help to make further units available to new companies.

RECOMMENDED that

1)        the key findings and recommendations of the strategic review be endorsed, with specific reference to the following:

a.         day to day management of annual expenditure on operational activities and any future capital expenditure budgets for all three of the business centres should be transferred from the general fund to be managed by NWEDR under the Centres Manager;

2)        Redditch Borough Council renews the current lease of Unit 17 Broad Ground Road, Lakeside Industrial Estate, Redditch (the Rubicon Business Centre); and

3)        Subject to approval of Recommendation 2 above, the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support be delegated the authority to instruct Place Partnership Ltd to finalise the terms of the renewal of the lease.

The Housing Strategy and Enabling Team Leader presented the Council Housing Allocations Policy 2018 Update report.  Members were advised that the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 placed new duties on the Council leading to the need to update the policy.  Changes included treating those that the Council recognised as being unintentionally homeless as gold band rather than silver priorities. The adapted policy would also enable couples with a child aged under two to apply for both one and two bedroom properties, whereas in the past they had only been eligible to apply for one bedroom properties.

The potential for the position of kinship carers to be taken into account within the policy was briefly debated.  It was noted that kinship carers, who were related to the person they cared for, were in a different position to foster carers and were more likely to continue to live with and care for their relative.  Officers undertook to check the position with regard to kinship carers prior to full Council on 19^th March 2018.

RECOMMENDED that

the revised Housing Allocations Policy 2018 (appendix 1) be adopted and;

RESOLVED that

authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director for Leisure, Environment & Community Services in conjunction with the Legal Service Manager, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to make any future amendments to the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy that are deemed to be necessary and which do not trigger the statutory obligation to consult the persons affected by the changes pursuant to section 168(3) of the Housing Act 1996.

The Principle Solicitor presented the Polling Places Review 2018 and in so doing explained that Officers had undertaken this review following receipt of requests to consider using alternative premises as polling stations in place of Abbeydale First School and Roman Way First School.  A number of alternative locations had been visited by Officers, including Winyates Barn, St Andrews Church, Willow Trees Children’s Centre, the Health Centre in Church Hill and the YMCA, some of which already hosted polling stations.  Officers had identified some issues with both the existing locations where polling stations were situated and with the proposed alternatives.

Members discussed the proposals further and noted the following:

·                Limited parking availability at a number of the alternative locations, particularly St Andrews Church and Winyates Barn.

·                Problems with access to the health centre, which had limited capacity on the ground floor but no lift access to the first floor.

·                The difficulties that would be caused for parents if the Willow Trees Children’s Centre was closed for the day in order to accommodate two polling stations.

·                The difficulties experienced by pupils, parents and teachers at Abbeywood First School and Roman Way First School on election days and the need to minimise disruption.

RECOMMENDED that

no changes be made to the polling places for the electors in Polling District CHB and Polling District WIB.

The Deputy Chief Executive presented the Corporate Performance Report.  Members were advised that the report would be presented on a bi-monthly basis, with each edition focusing on a different strategic purpose.  This version of the report was focusing on the purpose ‘keep my place safe and looking good’. 

Data had been provided in relation to Anti-Social Behaviour incidents which reflected the type of information that was discussed at Tasking Group meetings.  There was a data lag of two months for this as the Council needed to wait to obtain this information from an external organisation.  A significant narrative had been provided in respect of the transition of the Place teams within the Locality areas.  Officers had been pleased to learn that nearly 900 residents had signed up for the new garden waste collection service and it was hoped that numbers would continue to grow. 

Corporate data had also been provided.  There had been a lag in the provision of sickness absence data following the introduction of a new system in January 2017.  The final figures would not be available until April 2018.  The Council’s figures were lower than the norm for sickness absence in the public sector, though higher than the standard figures for sickness absence in the private sector.

Members noted that on the previous occasion on which this matter had been discussed some of the measures had not recently been updated.  Since then reminders had been issued to managers to keep the information up to date and officers were encouraged to clarify within the commentary for a measure if there would be a delay in obtaining the data.

The Committee also briefly discussed sickness absence data and the extent to which pregnant women’s experiences featured in this data.  Officers clarified that if a pregnant member of staff experienced sickness during her pregnancy that caused her to be absent from work this would be recorded in the absence figures. 

RESOLVED that

the contents of the report and associated appendix be noted.

The Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources presented the Finance Monitoring Quarter 3 2017/18 report and in doing so highlighted the following points for Members’ consideration:

·                The Council was projecting a variance of £150,000 by the end of the year in 2017/18.

·                When corporate financing and capital costs were taken into account a shortfall of £396,000 was anticipated for the end of 2017/18.

·                One cause of the shortfall was that the Council had not received the number of planning applications that had been anticipated, representing a shortfall of approximately £100,000.

·                The additional costs associated with the marquee that had been provided by Bereavement Services was also contributing approximately £90,000 to this shortfall.

·                A void property had been listed as a cost to the Council, though officers undertook to check whether this should have referred to the costs arising from multiple void properties.

·                A shortfall in corporate savings had been recorded for Enabling Services.

·                Savings had been achieved through paying for the Council’s pension deficit costs up front.

·                Significant figures had been recorded in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for Repairs and Maintenance and Supervision and Management costs.  This had arisen partly due to the need for the Council to employ temporary additional management staff whilst a number of issues in the Housing Department were addressed.

·                The format of financial monitoring reports would be changing in 2018/19.

After the report had been presented Members discussed a number of matters in detail:

·                The action that would be taken by officers to reduce the shortfall by the end of the financial year.  Officers advised that Heads of Service had been working hard in an attempt to reduce the shortfall and any expenditure not considered necessary over the next couple of weeks would not be approved.

·                The potential to balance the budget by the end of the financial year by using funding from balances.  Officers confirmed that the Council had sufficient balances to accommodate this arrangement.

·                The action being taken to ensure that void properties were rented out, thereby increasing rental income for the Council.

·                The amount that had been spent to date on the vehicle purchasing and Locality capital projects schemes.  Officers undertook to obtain further detail in relation to this matter together with clarification about the associated borrowing costs for the Council.

·                The level of expenditure achieved to date in respect of the Disabled Facilities Grant and the potential to use some of this funding to promote the scheme to eligible residents.  Officers agreed to check this outside the meeting, though it was noted that this was unlikely to be possible as these were capital funds and advertising costs usually came from revenue budgets.

RESOLVED that

Executive Committee note the current financial positions for the quarter April – December 2017 as detailed in the report.

RECOMMENDED that      

the 2017/18 Capital Programme be increased by £73k on the Disabled facilities grant project due to additional funds being received by DCLG.

The Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources presented the Risk Management Strategy and in so doing advised Members that the Council had not reviewed this strategy for approximately five years.  The updated strategy had been drafted in accordance with advice received from the Zurich Insurance Group in respect of best practice.  The document was intended for the use of staff, elected Members and members of the public and set out how the Council managed and mitigated risks.  A handbook had also been drafted which would be provided for the use of managers if the strategy was approved.

RECOMMENDED that

the Risk Management Strategy be approved.

(Members are asked to note that the recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of the Medium Term Financial Plan 2018/19 to 2021/22, at Minute 72, was considered by the Executive Committee on 19^th February 2018.  There are therefore no recommendations arising from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 13^th February 2018 for Members’ consideration at tonight’s meeting).

Officers confirmed that there were no outstanding recommendations arising from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13^th February 2018 that remained to be considered.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 13^th February 2018 be noted.

To receive and consider any outstanding minutes or referrals from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive Panels etc. since the last meeting of the Executive Committee, other than as detailed in the items above.

There is one recommendation that has been referred for the Committee’s consideration by the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee.

The Committee noted that the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee had referred a recommendation in respect of the Council delivering unidentified savings at its latest meeting on 1^st February 2018.

RESOLVED that

the Corporate Management Team put together a clear action plan to deliver the unidentified savings in 2017/18.

Councillor Baker, the Council’s representative on the Corporate Parenting Steering Group, advised that there were no updates to provide.

Members considered and noted the content of the Advisory Panels Update Report.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration and the Head of Economic Development and Regeneration – North Worcestershire presented the One Public Estate (OPE) Exercise report.  During the presentation of this report the following matters were highlighted for Members’ consideration:

·                The Town Centre Regeneration Prospectus was a high-level, aspirational document designed to promote Redditch town centre as an ideal location for a mix of retail, residential and office developments.

·                The prospectus advertised the benefits associated with being located in Redditch as well as potential sites suitable for redevelopment.

·                The OPE exercise had focused on public sector assets and how these could be better used to promote the town.

·                A range of partners had been engaged in the OPE exercise including Worcestershire County Council, West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service various branches of the NHS and Redditch Borough Council.

·                A key finding in the OPE report was a proposal for different public sector organisations to co-locate in a hub in the centre of Redditch.

·                In the report it was suggested that this hub could be located on Church Road as this was a location where low footfall had been identified.

·                At this stage the suggestions featured in the OPE were aspirational and no decisions had been taken.

·                Additional work was required to investigate the feasibility of the OPE proposals, to determine whether any of the suggestions should be pursued further.

Following presentation of the report the recommendations as printed in the report were proposed by Councillor Hartnett.  In proposing these recommendations Councillor Hartnett commented that this formed part of the Council’s 10 point plan for economic development in the Borough.  The process had involved significant consultation with partner organisations, though had been largely officer-led to date.  Further consultation would need to be undertaken in respect of this matter over time and financial support would be required from both public and private sector organisations to bring any plans to fruition.  Redditch Borough Council should lead this initiative to the benefit of the local economy.

The recommendations detailed in the report were seconded by Councillor Greg Chance.  In seconding the proposals Councillor Chance explained that the report detailed ambitious options available for the regeneration of the town centre, though no decisions had yet been taken.  The Council’s bid to the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) for £5 million had been accepted as an A graded bid.  This funding would help to support progression with the proposals detailed in the documentation.

Early in the debate on this item Councillor Juliet Brunner proposed an amendment to the recommendations.  This amendment was seconded by Councillor Brandon Clayton.

The amendment read as follows:

“Recommendation 1

The sum of £50,000 be allocated to further explore the concepts proposed and develop a range of fully costed proposals to also include those in the Regeneration Prospectus to enable members and the public to consider the proposed options for regeneration. 

Authority to be delegated to the Chief Executive to manage this budget in consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 127.