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 highlighted that there were three agenda packs for Members’ consideration at the meeting: a main agenda and two supplementary packs. Due to the length of the Playing Pitch and Built Facilities Strategies report, only the covering report and Executive Summaries were included in the main agenda.  The full report was published in the first Additional Papers pack, with a small number of paper copies made available.  This pack had also been available to view electronically for five clear working days in advance of the meeting, with the exception of the executive summary for the Playing Pitch Strategy, which was reissued in the second Additional Papers pack when typographical errors were identified in the original summary paper.  The typographical errors related to the recommendation numbering.

The Executive Committee was advised that at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on Thursday 1^st February 2024, Members had pre-scrutinised a number of reports on the Executive Committee’s agenda.  However, only a single recommendation from the Committee had been made for consideration at the Executive Committee meeting, in respect of the Carbon Reduction Strategy report.  The recommendation had been published in the second Additional Papers pack.  Members were urged to consider this recommendation when debating that item on the agenda.

Members were asked to note that there were some items on the agenda which contained exempt information.  The Leader advised that he wanted to consider these items in public session, if possible, to avoid disruption for the public. 

Due to the length of this report, in line with the Council’s commitments under the Carbon Reduction Strategy, only the covering report and executive summaries for the Playing Pitch and built Facilities Strategies have been included in the main agenda for this meeting.  The full report will be published in a separate supplementary pack for the meeting.

Members are asked to note that this item is due to be pre-scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at a meeting scheduled to take place on 1^st February 2024.  Any recommendations on this subject arising from this meeting will be reported to the Executive Committee in a separate supplementary pack.

The Development Services Manager presented the Playing Pitch and Built Facilities Strategies for Members’ consideration.

The Executive Committee was advised that, following approval of the Council’s Leisure Strategy in autumn 2022, there were two outstanding strategies that needed to be considered by Members; the Built Facilities and Playing Pitch Strategies.  The Playing Pitch Strategy reviewed access to playing pitches in the Borough.  A lot of information had been gathered from both local and national sources which had informed the content of the strategies.  In addition, Sport England had signed off the strategies prior to consideration by the Executive Committee.

Members subsequently discussed the strategies and in doing so noted that the Football Federation had contacted the Leader with regard to this matter and had expressed their eagerness for the strategies to be implemented.  Reference was also made to the positive contribution that participation in sports on playing pitches could have on the health of people living in the Borough.

During consideration of this item, reference was made to the potential for the strategies to have included information about play parks and concerns were raised about the future position of some parks in the Borough.  However, it was noted that this did not form part of the focus of these particular strategies.

RESOLVED that

1)          The Built Facility Strategy and the Playing Pitch Strategy are endorsed; and

2)          Delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning, Regeneration and Leisure following consultation with the lead Portfolio Holder for Leisure to implement the following recommendations:

Built Facility Strategy: 1, 3, 5, 8, 9,11,12,13,14,
Playing Pitch Strategy: 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.3, 8.5

Members are asked to note that this item is due to be pre-scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at a meeting scheduled to take place on 1^st February 2024.  Any recommendations on this subject arising from this meeting will be reported to the Executive Committee in a supplementary pack.

The Climate Change Manager presented the annual review of the Carbon Reduction Strategy.

Members were advised that when the Carbon Reduction Strategy was approved by Members in autumn 2022, it had been agreed that there should be an annual review of the strategy and the Council’s progress with achieving carbon reduction targets.  Following the Council’s declaration of a climate emergency, the authority was aiming to achieve net zero by 2040.  The aims and objectives detailed in the strategy would enable the Council to address this objective.

In terms of the targets detailed in the report, seven had already commenced or been completed whilst four remained to be started.  In particular, there had been a significant amount of work undertaken in respect of Local Authority Delivery Phase 3 (LAD 3), to retrofit properties in the private sector for low income households.  The Town Hall improvement works that had already been undertaken as well as a reduction of 41 per cent in car mileage for staff employed by Redditch Borough Council had also had a significant impact on the progress that had been achieved to date.

During consideration of this item, reference was made to a recommendation on this subject that had been proposed at a meeting of the Performance Scrutiny Working Group held in January 2024 and endorsed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at a meeting held on 1^st February 2024.  The recommendation from Overview and Scrutiny proposed the following:

“That tree and hedgerow planting be added to the list of performance measures in the Carbon Reduction Strategy.”

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Bill Hartnett and seconded by Councillor Joe Baker.

Members subsequently debated the recommendation from Overview and Scrutiny in detail and in doing so commented on the following:

·             The rationale underpinning the recommendation.

·             The extent to which it would be feasible to include a measure focusing on the number of trees and hedgerows planted in the Borough.

·             The focus of the Carbon Reduction Strategy and action plan on action that could be taken by the Council and the fact that the Council could not control or accurately measure tree planting in the private sector.

·             The potential for tree and hedgerow planting to be applied as a condition when the Council granted planning consent to developers.

·             The fact that the Council had no control over the location in which trees would be planted by developers.

·             The need for the Council to rely on developers to volunteer information about the trees and hedgerows planted in the Borough.  Members noted that not all developers would share this information.

·             The problem of Ash Die Back and the number and range of tree species that were being planted in Redditch to replace trees in the Borough that had that disease.

·             The potential for the Council to demonstrate that it was leading by example, should measures in respect of tree and hedgerow planting be included in the Carbon Reduction Strategy’s action plan.

·             The positive impact that tree and hedgerow  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling presented the Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Relief Policy report for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Members were advised that Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 provided the Council with powers to award discretionary business rates relief.  In 2023/24 the Council had awarded:

·             £283,000 of discretionary relief (of which £240,000 was provided to Rubicon Leisure Limited); and

·             £2,475.000 of Section 32 Funded Relief (Retail, Hospitality and Leisure support granted by the Government).

This policy had not changed apart from when relief could be awarded, which would change as at the 1^st April 2024 and was now the responsibility of the Council to set.

The backdating of relief before the current year would now only be considered where:

·             The application for relief was made or determined within six months of the end of that financial year; and

·             Where a hereditament was entered into the rating list for the first time and an application for relief was made within three months of the hereditament entering the rating list.

This protected the Council from being asked to back-fund changes for multiple previous years.

Members were asked to note that the £283,000 of discretionary relief was shared within the wider County rates retention scheme.

Following the presentation of the report, Members questioned whether the proportion of relief costs covered by different organisations was discretionary, and therefore determined locally, or set in accordance with legal requirements.  Officers confirmed that the Council tended to follow Government guidelines in respect of this matter.

RECOMMENDED that

the amended Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Relief policy is approved and adopted from 1^st April 2024.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling presented the Pay Policy Statement 2024/25 for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Members were informed that the Localism Act required the Council to produce a Pay Policy Statement on a yearly basis for approval by full Council.  The policy needed to set out:

·             The remuneration of Chief Officers.

·             The remuneration of the lowest paid employees which was £22,366 a year at the Council.  Members were asked to note that the Chief Executive’s pay should be no more than 20 times this and in Redditch the Chief Executive was paid 6.3 times the level of the lowest paid.

·             The relationship between the remuneration of Chief Officers and employees who were not Chief Officers.

The Council was responsible for setting the policy relating to recruitment, pay, terms and conditions and severance.  In relation to these points, Members were asked to note the following:

·       The governance around the recruitment of Chief Officers was set out in the policy.

·       The Council did not provide bonuses or Performance Related Pay.

·       However, progression through the Scale Points was subject to satisfactory performance.

·       Termination rules were detailed in the policy.

Following the presentation of the report, Members referred to the staff grades that were Hay Evaluated and questions were raised about whether there was full compliance with the policy, including through statutory officer appointments made at Council meetings.  Officers confirmed that the Council was compliant with rules and that there was a legitimate role for Council to debate and agree senior officer pay grades.

Reference was also made to the existing interim arrangements that were in place in terms of some of the Council’s statutory officer posts and questions were raised about the timescales for the recruitment of permanent staff into these positions.  The Executive Committee was informed that a decision would need to be taken on the exact timing of the recruitment processes in 2024 for permanent members of senior officer staff.  In the meantime, there were postholders in place, including on an interim basis, in the authority’s statutory positions.

RECOMMENDED that

the Pay Policy 2024/25 be approved.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling presented an update on the Council’s Finance Recovery Plan for Members’ attention.

Members were advised that the purpose of the report was to set out the processes the Council had been following to rectify a deterioration in its financial position and processes due to the impact of the implementation of a new financial system in February 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. This followed on from a report presented to Members on 14^th September 2022 and also the discussions over the external auditor’s Section 24 Statutory Recommendations for the Council that took place at meetings of the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee, Executive Committee and Council in November and December 2022 and 2023.

A similar report had recently been presented to the Audit Governance and Standards Committee.  That Committee had been meeting six times a year since the Section 24 Recommendations were issued and would continue to do so until the issues were resolved. 

It was noted that the external auditor’s Value for Money Reports for 2021/22 and 2022/23 had been presented to both the Audit Governance and Standards Committee and Council before Christmas in 2023.   The Council had also received a follow up Corporate Peer Challenge report, taking into account progress made by the Council in respect of financial recovery, the contents of which had been presented to Council at a meeting held on 29^th January 2024.

The Executive Committee was informed that the most significant change in relation to closure was the advice from Government that all sets of accounts, up to the 2022/23 accounts, would need to be audited by a cut-off date of the 30^th September 2024.  The Council had undertaken the data take on balance reconciliations (a task that had been due to be delivered by the external auditors originally) and had presented this information.  By the date of the Executive Committee meeting, the Council was waiting for feedback from the external auditors in respect of this matter.

Other significant changes since the previous financial recovery update report included the following:

·       Updated 2022/23 Revenue Outturn Estimates had been presented to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

·       Updated 2022/23 Capital Outturn Estimates had been presented to DLUHC.

·       A Quarter 2 Finance and Performance Monitoring Report 2023/24 had been presented to the Executive Committee. This also included an update on Assets in respect of the issue of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

·       The existing eFin system had been upgraded to ensure full reporting was available going forward.

·       The 2021/22 Housing Benefits Audit had been signed off.

·       The Quarter 2 financial monitoring was undertaken on TechOne, not on spreadsheets, which Members were advised was a huge move forward in terms of systems use and increasing the financial awareness of budget managers and their administration staff.

·       Monthly Accounts Payable Training continued to be provided to staff.

·       Interviews had been held for the position of Head of Finance and Customer Services.  Ms Debbie Goodall had been appointed and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling presented the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP – including the Treasury Management Strategy, Capital Strategy, Minimum Revenue Position and Investment Strategy) Tranche 2 for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Members were asked to note that the Council had set its budget in two tranches, similar to the 2023/24 MTFP process.  The initial tranche was published in autumn 2023 and approved at the Council meeting held in January 2024.  The second tranche took into account the final Local Government Settlement figures and the authority’s final budget would be approved in February 2024.  Members were advised that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budgets would be included in this tranche.

In terms of the Council’s revenue position, the Executive Committee was reminded that at the Council meeting held on 29^th January 2024 this had been approved with a deficit of £518,000 over the three-year period 2024/25 to 2026/27.

The financial settlement, which had been confirmed on 18^th December 2023 by the Government, had allowed the following opportunities for additional funding to be considered which included:

·       Increasing Council Tax from 1.99 per cent to 2.99 per cent resulting in additional funding of £67,000.

·       Increasing planning fees for small applications by 25 per cent and other applications by 35 per cent would recoup £60,000 at present activity levels.

·       There would be additional grant funding of £244,000 due to the overall Local Government Settlement.

By February 2024, the Council was in a position to fully understand the implications of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 pay awards to staff, given that the 2023/24 pay award was implemented in December 2023.  Consequently, Members were advised that the following savings could be made:

·       £100,000 could be released from the 2022/23 Pay Award contingency.

·       £150,000 could be released from the 2023/24 Pay Award budget approved in Tranche 1 of the MTFP process.

However, there were additional pressures amounting to £261,000 that need to be accounted for.  This included:

·       An increase in staffing numbers in Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) due to higher levels of Food Safety compliance testing requirements by the Food Standards Agency, at a cost of £40,000.

·       Planning and Environmental Enforcement costs of £45,000. This increase was linked to a report presented to the Executive Committee in January 2024.

·       Investment in Play Audits starting at £10,000 and rising to £50,000.  These costs had arisen as discussed in respect of the Play Audit report that had been approved at the Executive Committee meeting held in January 2024.

·       Housing Strategy Review costs of £71,000.  This was to account for the increased statutory duties that were being placed on Private Sector Housing teams to address the damp and mould issues that had been raised nationally.  In addition, the Renters Reform Bill would bring new duties and responsibilities to District Councils particularly in relation to improving renting standards.

·       Following an approach from Wyre Forest District Council to disband the North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration (NWeDR) shared service, Officers had been working on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 4^th January 2024 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 were no referrals from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Executive Advisory Panels on this occasion.

The minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 9^th January 2024 were considered. 

During consideration of this item, Members referred to the record of the debate in respect of recommendations that had been made by the Budget Scrutiny Working Group, and endorsed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November 2023, on the subject of the Finance and Performance Quarter 2 Report 2023/24.  Members suggested that these recommendations should have been recorded as resolved items in the minutes.  Officers explained that the Executive Committee had actually voted on and already determined these recommendations at the previous meeting of the Executive Committee, held on 5^th December 2023.  Whilst Members had debated the matter again on 9^th January 2024, with Members voting in exactly the same way, the minutes had been recorded so as to reflect this situation.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 9^th January 2024 be approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Acting Head of Environmental and Housing Services presented a report on the subject of the Council’s Parking Enforcement SLA.

Members were advised that the Council had an agreement with Worcestershire County Council to undertake parking enforcement work in the Borough.  Redditch Borough Council had previously had an SLA in place with Wychavon District Council to deliver parking enforcement work in the Borough.  This SLA had ended in 2022/23 and, since then, there had continued to be an agreement with Wychavon District Council to undertake enforcement work on behalf of the Council on a rolling monthly basis.  The proposed new SLA with Wychavon District Council would help to ensure that there was service continuity moving forward.

Consideration was given to the recommendations detailed in the report and Members welcomed the review and additional business case focusing on the potential to expand the service that was proposed in the report.  Members commented that they frequently received complaints from local residents about parking infringements, particularly around schools, and therefore an expansion of the service would potentially help to address these concerns.

Reference was made to the types of parking infringements that occurred where enforcement action could be taken.  Members commented that the installation of double yellow lines at junctions could actually create challenges, particularly in terms of police enforcement.  As such, it was suggested that Borough and County Councillors needed to work closely together to ensure that appropriate action was taken to address parking infringements in ways that would support enforcement activities undertaken by both Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) and the police.

RESOLVED that

1)          the Council enter into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Wychavon District Council for the continuation of the management of Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE), commencing 1^st April 2024, for a period of 5 years, with an annual review of outputs and outcomes;

2)          authority be delegated to the Head of Environment and Housing Property Services and the Head of Legal, Democratic and Property Service to finalise the SLA arrangements;

3)          the interim Head of Environmental and Housing Property Services produce a report and business case for the expansion of the service to provide additional enforcement officers for consideration by the Executive Committee at a future meeting; and

RECOMMENDED that

4)     an additional budget of £27,000 for Civil Parking Enforcement be included in the Medium-Term Financial Plan for future years, which is to include an annual inflationary uplift, determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), if applicable, agreed by the level published by the Office for National Statistics, or any relevant successor body, for the preceding year.

The Leader advised that the report in respect of land at Upper Norgrove had been referred back to the Executive Committee as a decision on this matter was an Executive function.  Following a detailed debate in respect of the report at the previous meeting of the Executive Committee, a formal presentation from Officers had also not been requested for this meeting.  The resolutions detailed in the report were subsequently proposed by Councillor Matthew Dormer and seconded by Councillor Gemma Monaco.

During consideration of this item, Councillor Joe Baker proposed the following amendment to the resolutions detailed in the report, which was seconded by Councillor Bill Hartnett.

“The Council should not sell the land at Upper Norgrove and instead should build social housing at the site.”

However, Officers advised that an amendment to a resolution could not be completely different to the original proposal.  As that was the case in this instance, Officers advised that this was not a valid amendment and could not be debated as such.  Whilst this advice was accepted at the meeting, it was subsequently noted that there had been a desire amongst some Members to highlight that there was an alternative option available to the Council for the use of this land.

Consideration was given to the potential for social housing to be developed on other parcels of land currently owned by Redditch Borough Council.  It was suggested that there might be more appropriate opportunities to explore the development of social housing on some of this land located elsewhere in the Borough, subject to the outcomes of the planning process.

RESOLVED that

1)          the Council dispose of the land at Upper Norgrove site to Bloor Homes Ltd on the basis of the offer received; and

2)          authority be delegated to the Head of Legal Democratic and Property Services and the Section 151 Officer to implement the disposal.

Members are asked to note that this item is due to be pre-scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at a meeting scheduled to take place on 1^st February 2024.  Any recommendations on this subject arising from this meeting will be reported to the Executive Committee in a supplementary pack.

The Interim Executive Director presented a report which detailed proposals for the termination of the shared service for North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration (NWeDR).

Members were informed that in the summer of 2023, the Leader of Wyre Forest District Council had approached the Leader of the Council as well as the Leader of Bromsgrove District Council, which also formed part of the shared service, to advise them of Wyre Forest District Council’s intention to ask to end the shared service agreement.  This shared service had been in place for over 10 years and had provided economic development and regeneration services in the north of the county during this time.  Officers had subsequently been attending meetings with representatives of Wyre Forest District Council to discuss this matter further and, subject to an exit agreement between all parties, the shared service would cease to operate on 30^th June 2024.  End of terms were still being negotiated and would need to address issues such as indemnity clauses.

RESOLVED

1)          to agree that the Collaboration Agreement relating to the Provision of Economic Development and Regeneration Services should be terminated mutually under clause 15.1 (Determination of this Agreement), with effect from 30^th June 2024 and that a new Exit Agreement be entered into;

2)          to delegate to the Executive Director (interim) and the Executive Director for Resources, following consultation with the Executive Member for Planning, Economic Development, Commercialism and Partnerships, authority to negotiate, finalise and approve the Exit Agreement and to take any other steps that arose from the termination process; and

RECOMMENDED that

3)     an additional budget of £72,836 be approved for the new structure.