Agenda and minutes

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend this meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Brandon Clayton.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

Councillors Malcolm Hall and Jinny Pearce declared personal and prejudicial interests in Item 5 (Redditch Borough Council’s Grants Programme 2012/13 as detailed at Minute 95 below.

1.         To give notice of any items for future meetings or for the Forward Plan, including any scheduled for this meeting, but now carried forward or deleted; and

2          any other relevant announcements.

(Oral report)

The Chair advised the Committee that the following item of business, scheduled on the Forward Plan to be dealt with at this evening’s meeting, had been rescheduled to a later meeting of the Committee:

·        Safeguarding Policy and Procedure

The Chair also advised that she had accepted the following matters as Urgent Business:

·                    IT Systems relating to Mapping and Planning – Request for Funding

·                    Learndirect – Options for Future Operation

(Not on the Forward Plan for this meeting)

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on the 13th September 2011.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 13th September 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider changes to the Council’s Grants Policy and the funding split and themes for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) grants process for 2012/13.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report which sought approval for changes to the Grants Policy 2011 and agreement of the funding split and themes for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) grants process for 2012/13.

Members were informed that paragraph 9.13 of the Voluntary and Community Sector Grants Policy, attached to the report at Appendix 1 had been amended as follows:

“Only 2 applications may be submitted by any one organisation under each theme of the grants programme.”

Officers reported that the change was to ensure that a wide range of voluntary organisations could apply for grants through the programme.

Officers explained the rationale for the figure of £15,000 being included for a 3 Year Training & Support Project.

Officers were complimented on the ‘Shout About’ magazine which gave information on how the VCS could access funding from other sources.

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the updated Voluntary Sector Grants Policy attached to the report at Appendix 1 be approved;

2)         the following themes and percentages of funding be allocated for the 2012/13 voluntary and community sector grants process:  (see Appendix 3 of the report for details on themes)

and

3)         £1,000 (0.5%) be allocated from the Grants budget for the use by the Grants Team to deliver:

a)         networking and promotional events;

b)        advertising and communication support;

c)         newsletters.

(Prior to consideration of this item, and in accordance with the requirements of Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2000, Councillors Malcolm Hall and Jinny Pearce declared personal and prejudicial interests in view of their involvement with VCS groups who might make applications for grant funding and left the meeting and took no part in voting.)

To consider a funding request for software upgrades to allow for the continued transfer of planning data from Redditch Borough Council to central Government, failure to do which could result in the Council incurring fines.

(Report attached)

Members considered a report requesting funding for an urgent upgrade to the Council’s IT software.

Officers reported that the upgrades required had been identified as necessary and would have been included in a capital bid in the financial year 2012/13.

Members were informed that changes to procedures and data transfer formats in communicating data between Central and Local Government meant that the urgency of upgrading the software had increased and would avoid the risk of defaulting on a Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA) contract and incurring a fine.

RECOMMENDED that

1)         a sum of £22,350 be allocated in the 2011/12 Capital Programme to enable the necessary IT upgrades and the Capital Programme be amended accordingly; and subject to which

RESOLVED that

2)         authority be given for expenditure of up to the sum detailed in 1), above, for the reasons summarised in this report.

To consider the disposal of the site of Hewell Road Pool following the opening of the new pool at Abbey Stadium.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report requesting approval to dispose of the site of Hewell Road Pool following opening of the new pool at Abbey Stadium.

Members were advised that the site map, attached to the report, should have included the playground area.  Officers confirmed that a play area could be relocated on the site following development or replaced elsewhere using S 106 monies.

Officers reported that the site was considered a ‘high risk’ and should be demolished on closure.

RESOLVED that

1)         the site of Hewell Road Pool be declared surplus upon the opening of the new pool at the Abbey Stadium;

2)         arrangements be made for the demolition and security of the site prior to disposal;

3)         Officers be instructed to identify options for disposing of the site for residential use;

4)         authority be given for expenditure for up to the sum detailed in 5), below, for the reasons summarised in the report; and

RECOMMENDED that

5)         a sum of up to £210,000 be allocated in the Capital Programme to cover the cost of demolition and security of the site and the Capital programme be amended accordingly.

To consider an update on the future of the provision of the Learndirect adult learning service operated at Greenlands Business Centre following the withdrawal of funding from UFI for the forthcoming academic year 2011/12.

[Appendix 3 to this report contains exempt information as defined in S.100 of the Local Government Act  1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, as it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular persons (including the authority holding that information).]

(Report attached)

Members considered a report on the future operation of the Learndirect adult learning service based at the Greenlands Business Centre following withdrawal of funding from the University for Industry (UFI) for the forthcoming academic year 2011/12 and subsequent negotiations with North East Worcestershire College (NEWC).

RESOLVED that

1)           the contents of the report be noted; and

RECOMMENDED that

2)           subject to formal endorsement by NEWC Board, the funding agreement / contract proposed by NEWC be accepted and that the Learndirect services be rebranded and run on a NEWC franchise basis.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 6th September 2011.

There are no recommendations to consider.

(Minutes attached)

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 6th September 2011.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be received and 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 minutes or referrals under this item.

To consider, for monitoring / management purposes, an update on the work of the Executive Committee’s Advisory Panels and similar bodies, which report via the Executive Committee.

(Report attached)

The Committee received an update on the work of the Council’s Advisory Panels and similar bodies.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider an update on the actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee.

(Report attached)

The Committee received the latest Action Monitoring report.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.