Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Craig Warhurst.

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.

The Leader advised that due to the length of the Leisure Strategy, he had agreed that paper copies of the full length report should not be issued to every Member.  However, paper copies were placed in each of the group rooms and the full report in the Additional Papers 1 pack had been made available to access on the Council’s website and on the modern.gov app.  The Leader also suggested that, in line with the Council’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and to support action on the green thread, Members should increasingly refer to electronic copies of agenda packs rather than using paper copies.

Members were asked to note that at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday 20^th October 2022, Members had pre-scrutinised the Leisure Strategy, the Climate Change Strategy, the Voluntary Bodies Scheme and the Asset Strategy, which were due to be debated at the Executive Committee meeting.  The Committee had made recommendations on all of these items which he urged the Executive Committee to refer to during the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on Monday 10^th October 2022 be approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Housing Strategy and Enabling Manager presented a report on the subject of the Local Lettings Plan Policy.

The Executive Committee was informed that the Council had a Housing Allocations Policy, which informed decisions about social housing allocation in the Borough.  Local Lettings Plans could be utilised by Councils to vary the allocations scheme, which might be considered desirable by the local authority for a variety of reasons, including to ensure a greater mix of social housing in local developments or to address Anti Social Behaviour.  Social housing landlords would be consulted on the plans, including Redditch Borough Council as a social housing provider.  Relevant partners, including West Mercia Police and the Community Safety team, had been consulted in developing the policy to ensure that the process could meet the community’s needs.

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) had been produced when developing the Local Lettings Policy and this would remain a live, working document.  Additional EIAs would need to be developed for each Local Lettings Plan as and when these were proposed in the future. 

RESOLVED that

1)          the Local Lettings Plan Policy be approved; and

2)          authority be delegated to the Head of Community and Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Procurement, to agree and adopt future local lettings policies.

The covering report and an extract from the strategy, detailing a number of recommendations, have been included in the main agenda.  The full report, including all of the appendices, has been published in a separate supplementary pack.

This report is due to be pre-scrutinised at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled to take place on Thursday 20^th October 2022.  Any recommendations arising from this meeting will be reported in a supplementary pack for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

The Head of Planning, Regeneration and Leisure Services presented the Leisure and Cultural Strategy for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

The Executive Committee was advised that external consultants had been commissioned to work on the Leisure Strategy.   The Leisure Strategy was designed to provide strategic direction for the Council’s approach to delivering and supporting leisure and cultural activities and services in the Borough up to 2032.  The strategy comprised a number of different parts, including the main Leisure and Cultural Strategy and two other strategies which underpinned this document, including the Arts and Culture Strategy and the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy.  Two further leisure strategies were due to be presented for the consideration of the Executive Committee in 2023 on the subjects of built facilities strategy and playing pitches strategy.

In developing the Leisure Strategy, Officers and the consultants had identified a number of actions that could be taken within budget to enhance leisure and cultural service provision in the Borough.  These actions were the subject of recommendations detailed in a table within the Leisure Strategy.  Any actions that would require additional financial expenditure would need to be outlined in business cases and presented for Members’ consideration.

The vision of the Leisure and Cultural Strategy was to ensure that communities were physically active and connected to leisure and cultural spaces in the Borough.  There was the potential for participation in Leisure and Cultural activities to have a positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing.

During consideration of this item, Members noted that at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 20^th October 2022, Members had pre-scrutinised this report.  At the end of the debate, Members had proposed the following recommendation on the Leisure Strategy:

“O&S to advise the executive on Social Prescribing as there is no mention in the strategy of the Council working with the NHS, CCG and Rubicon. Other Councils (e.g. Cannock Chase) have such arrangements where patients who have recently been discharged from hospital with e.g. Stroke/ Heart Conditions can greatly benefit from gentle exercise.  I think this strategy has missed an opportunity and I ask executive to consider including such a strategy. The benefits are many to individuals and the costs are low to the NHS.” 

The Executive Committee considered this recommendation and in doing so noted that there would be some benefit to making reference to social prescribing in the Leisure Strategy.  However, Members concurred that the recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in its current wording would be difficult to implement.  With that in mind, the Executive Committee agreed that an amendment should instead be made to the end of paragraph 1.7 of the Leisure Strategy, as detailed below:

“The priority of Improved Health and Wellbeing is key to this Leisure and Culture Strategy. The addendum to the Council Plan 2019-2024 states that Redditch Borough Council will work with communities to help them identify and develop their strengths. We will look at ways to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

This report is due to be pre-scrutinised at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled to take place on Thursday 20^th October 2022.  Any recommendations arising from this meeting will be reported in a supplementary pack for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

The Head of Community and Housing Services presented the Climate Change Strategy / Carbon Reduction Implementation Plan for Members’ consideration.

The Executive Committee was informed that the strategy would apply over the following three year period, although would be considered twice a year by the Climate Change Cross Party Working Group and would be reviewed annually.  The strategy detailed how the Council was aiming to achieve net zero by 2040.

Following the presentation of the report, Members discussed the content and in doing so commented that the strategy was necessary in a context in which the country was increasingly experiencing extreme weather patterns and other impacts of climate change.  Reference was made to recent work undertaken by Members who were also serving as County Councillors, in which Worcestershire County Council had been benchmarking its progress in tackling climate change and it was suggested that Redditch Borough Council was performing well compared to other local authorities in the country.  Members also welcomed the transparency of the report, in terms of highlighting both action taken to date and forthcoming challenges.

During consideration of this item, reference was made to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s pre-scrutiny of the report at a meeting held on 20^th October 2022.  At the meeting, reference had been made to actions, such as the installation of solar panels, which could help to reduce climate emissions.  Members were asked to note that this would require action in relation to the Council’s planning process which could be investigated further through work on the Local Plan.  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had concluded by endorsing the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and Members thanked the Committee for their contribution.

RECOMMENDED that

the Council’s Carbon Reduction Strategy and Action Plan be endorsed and adopted.

This report is due to be pre-scrutinised at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled to take place on Thursday 20^th October 2022.  Any recommendations arising from this meeting will be reported in a supplementary pack for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

The Head of Community and Housing Services presented a report on the subject of the Voluntary Bodies Scheme for Members’ consideration.

The Executive Committee was advised that the Council’s existing Voluntary Sector grants scheme was due to expire in March 2023.  For the new scheme, Officers were proposing that the concessionary rents element of the existing scheme should be removed and that there should be a budget of £100,000 from which Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) groups could apply for funding, together with a £50,000 grant for Financial Advice and Problem Solving.  In addition, it was suggested that the income from the community lottery scheme should be allocated to the VCS grants budget. 

A consultation exercise had been undertaken with VCS groups.  In the feedback received from VCS organisations, it had been consistently reported that groups needed funding to help cover both core costs and the costs of delivering new projects.  Four options had been identified for the VCS grants scheme moving forward and the feedback from VCS groups had indicated that the second option would be appreciated the most by the sector.  This would entail implementing the proposed changes to the scheme, together with allowing two types of application to be submitted; the first for smaller grants valued at between £500 and £2,000 and the second for larger grants valued at over £2,000 up to £10,000.

During consideration of this item, reference was made to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 20^th October 2022 at which the report had been pre-scrutinised.  The Committee had concluded by recommending that the Council should adopt the second option.  The Executive Committee discussed this recommendation and in doing so noted that this corresponded with the feedback that had been received from VCS organisations.  Taking this into account, the value of the work delivered by VCS groups in the local community, and the potential additional flexibility that would be created from offering two different types of application, the Executive Committee also agreed to support the second option in the report.

RECOMMENDED that

1)          the funding for the VCS Grants Scheme be agreed for a further three year period in line with option 2

RESOLVED that

2)          delegated authority be given to the Head of Community and Housing Services,following consultation with the Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Development, Commercialism and Partnerships, to agree a revised VCS Grants Policy in accordance with the proposals within this report.

This report is due to be pre-scrutinised at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled to take place on Thursday 20^th October 2022.  Any recommendations arising from this meeting will be reported in a supplementary pack for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

The Head of Legal, Democratic and Property Services presented a report on the subject of the Council’s Asset Disposal Strategy.

Members were advised that the Council needed to manage a range of assets in a way that supported the authority’s strategic purposes and also achieved best value.  Whilst the Energy Performance Regulations 2012 currently required all non-domestic rental buildings to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, by 2026 the Council would need to ensure all assets had an EPC rating of at least C and by 2030 they would need to achieve a B rating.  Work was being undertaken by the Council to improve the EPC ratings of Council assets that were rented out.  However, the financial costs and other wider considerations, such as the value of those assets, needed to be taken into account when determining how the assets should be managed and whether disposal would be appropriate.

During consideration of this item, Members noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had pre-scrutinised the report at a meeting that took place on 20^th October 2022.  Members had endorsed the recommendation detailed in the report.  In addition, a request had also been made by some Members of the Committee for all reports concerning the potential disposal of assets to be scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to a decision being taken by the Executive Committee.  Members discussed this suggestion and in doing so noted that all of the business due to be transacted at meetings of the Executive Committee was advertised in advance on the Executive Committee’s Work Programme, copies of which were considered at every meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could therefore identify items for pre-scrutiny, which could include items proposing the disposal of assets, on an ongoing basis.

Members subsequently discussed the content of the report and in doing so commented that the Council had a responsibility to ensure that the authority’s assets were managed effectively.  The condition of assets needed to be monitored and Members commented that if the condition deteriorated this could impact on the value of those assets.

RESOLVED that

the Asset Disposal Strategy be approved for implementation.

The Interim Section 151 Officer presented an update on the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2023/24 to 2025/26.

The Executive Committee was advised that the Council would run the MTFP process in two tranches in the build up to setting the budget in February 2023. The Council set an MTFP every year, which covered a three-year period, with the final Council Tax Resolutions being approved by Council in February. 

Work on the budget was being undertaken in a challenging context, due to the following factors:

·             Starting the process from an initial deficit position from the 2022/23 MTFP.

·             This being the first year that the Government would start to pay for the Covid-19 pandemic.

·             The cost of living crisis.

·             Changes at a national level, in respect of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

·             The Council having limited Reserves and Balances.

As such, it was considered prudent to split the budget process into two tranches.  The initial tranche would seek to close as much of the deficit as possible using information known as at the end of September 2022 and seeking approval for those savings to be implemented at Council in January 2023.  The second tranche would be considered after the Christmas break, which would be approved in February 2023.  This would take into account the Local Government Settlement, the final detail for which was not due to be known until early January 2023.

The starting position for the 2023/24 MTFP, was to consider the three year “gap” that needed to be bridged for the Council’s budget to come back into a balanced sustainable position. The revised gap was because the MTFP had been rolled on a year to include 2025/26.  During the period, the gap was expected to increase from £949,000 in 2023/24 to £1.04 million in 2025/26.  In addition, there were unallocated savings in the existing MTFP.  These would need to be addressed as part of the ongoing 2022/23 budget setting process and would be set out in the Q2 Finance and Performance Report.

The emerging national picture, including the expected settlement dates, remained unclear by the date of the Executive Committee meeting.  There was the potential that clarity would be provided in the Chancellor’s statement on the 31^st October 2022.  Should this proceed on this date, it was likely that the Local Government Financial Settlement would be confirmed in the final week before Christmas, like previous years.  There was also uncertainty about whether Councils would be offered a single year settlement or multiple year settlement.  However, in the current national context, it was suggested that it might be better for Councils to have a single year settlement.

In reviewing the initial tranche, Officers had made a number of base assumptions, including the following:

·             That Council Tax would increase by the maximum 1.99 per cent possible without triggering a local referendum and that there would be the ability to increase this by £104,000 from 2024/25.

·             An assumption that there would be no growth in the business rates base.  Members were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

The Interim Section 151 Officer presented the Fees and Charges 2023/24 report for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Members were informed that the MTFP was being prepared on the basis that additional income would be generated from fees and charges.  The process being followed for the review of income to be realised from 1st April 2023 included an assessment of each fee to identify how it met the Council’s strategic purposes and the level of increase that was proposed as well as taking account of present economic conditions, including inflation running at over 10 per cent. The levels of increase had been based on a robust estimate of the impact of cost increases and demand within the services and the Council’s overall financial position.  This included assessing the affordability of any of these increases to residents and customers.

The Council’s proposal was to increase all fees and charges by 10 per cent, with some exceptions. The 10 per cent increase had been applied to contributions and fees and charges budgets and not to Income from Service Level Agreements (SLAs), not to the Lifeline Service, where charges were set statutorily, and not to Regulatory Services, where a 5 per cent increase to fees had been proposed for all Councils forming part of Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) to ensure consistency across the county. In addition, higher increases were proposed for Dial a Ride and Shopmobility, at 35 per cent.

The estimated growth in income generated from the proposed increases would rise from £339,000 in 2022/23 to £342,000 in 2025/26.  Should these increases be agreed, these figures would be incorporated into the first tranche of the MTFP.  Increases did not apply to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Rents, which would be addressed in a separate report later in the municipal year.

Following the presentation of the report, Members discussed the proposal to increase fees and charges in general by 10 per cent, with a few exceptions.  Members commented that there was the potential in some cases that a 10 per cent increase might not cover the Council’s costs involved in delivering those services, given the potential impact of inflation.  Officers were urged to review fees and charges carefully on an ongoing basis and to report back to Members should further increases to fees be required.

RECOMMENDED that

all of the proposed fees and charges for 2023/24 be approved.

The Interim Section 151 Officer presented the Quarterly Risk Update report for Members’ consideration.

The Executive Committee was informed that progress had been made in relation to the initial action plan for risk management that had been considered by the Audit, Governance and Standards and the Executive Committees in July.  This included:

·             An initial Officer Risk Board meeting had taken place on 8^th April 2022 and two further meetings had taken place on 22^nd June and the 21^st September, helping to embed the process.

·             Each department had nominated a representative to a Council Risk Board. These representatives met on a quarterly basis and reported back to their management teams.

·             Each department was due to complete an updated Risk Register by April. This report would be the second update of the Risk Register, following initial re-baselining in April 2022.

·             The Audit, Governance and Standards Committee, at a meeting in April 2022, had received a verbal update on progress. Subsequently, the Committee had reviewed the Risk Register in July 2022 and was due to receive a further update in October. These reports had also been presented for the consideration of the Executive Committee.

·             The Corporate Management Team (CMT) had been updated at a meeting on 13th April 2022 on progress and were presented with an initial draft Corporate Risk Register. 

·             The Officer Group was updating the Risk Register and formally reporting to CMT on this subject on a quarterly basis. These quarterly updates had happened on the 29^th June and the 28^th September 2022.

The total number of departmental risks had reduced from 96, as reported previously, to 83 by the end of September 2022.  There remained some risks that were considered to be more concerning.  This included:

·             Performance data for the Revenues team was not considered to be robust.

·             Failure to identify, maintain and test adequate disaster recovery arrangements for IT software.

·             The system functionality for managing records from an ICT perspective.

·             Within Housing, a failure to meet Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements at St David’s House.

All the items on the Risk Register had been reviewed by the risk champions and respective Departmental Management Teams in each Service Area, as required by the Risk Board.  Risks were being reviewed departmentally on a monthly basis across all services (with one exception in August 2022). Service representatives continued to challenge individual items to ensure that all controls and assurances were properly monitored and assured.

The Officer Risk Board had reviewed risks using a new definition of what constituted a corporate risk.  These corporate risks had also been reviewed by CMT, and one extra corporate risk had been added since the previous review of the risk register.  This related to risks involved in the delivery of the Levelling Up, UKSPF and Town’s Fund projects within the timescales set by the Government.  Members were asked to note that many Councils were competing for the same contractors to deliver these works in tight timescales and this could impact on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

The Executive Committee was advised that there were no minutes from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration on this occasion.

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.

The Chair confirmed that there were no referrals from either the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or any of the Executive Advisory Panels on this occasion.

Members are invited to provide verbal updates, if any, in respect of the following bodies:

a)    Climate Change Cross-Party Working Group – Chair, Councillor Anthony Lovell;

b)    Constitutional Review Working Panel – Chair, Councillor Matthew Dormer;

c)    Corporate Parenting Board – Council Representative, Councillor Nyear Nazir;

d)    Member Support Steering Group – Chair, Councillor Matthew Dormer; and

e)    Planning Advisory Panel – Chair, Councillor Matthew Dormer.

The following verbal updates were provided on the Executive Advisory Panels and other groups:

a)          Climate Change Cross Party Working Group – Chair, Councillor Anthony Lovell

Councillor Lovell explained that he was hoping to arrange for a meeting of the Climate Change Cross Party Working Group to take place shortly.  During this meeting, Members would be invited to consider further information about the climate change implications of the planning process.

b)          Constitutional Review Working Party – Chair, Councillor Matthew Dormer

The Executive Committee was advised that a meeting of the Constitutional Review Working Party was in the process of being organised and it was likely that this would take place in November 2022.

c)          Corporate Parenting Board – Council Representative, Councillor Nyear Nazir

Councillor Nazir confirmed that there were no updates from the Corporate Parenting Board on this occasion.

d)          Member Support Steering Group – Chair, Councillor Matthew Dormer

Councillor Dormer explained that the latest meeting of the Member Support Steering Group had had to be rescheduled as it had not been quorate on 13^th October 2022.  The meeting was now due to take place on 3^rd November 2022.

e)          Planning Advisory Panel – Chair, Councillor Matthew Dormer

Members were informed that there had been no meetings of the Planning Advisory Panel since the previous meeting of the Executive Committee.