Agenda item

Urgent decisions on the following subject have been taken since the last meeting of Council held on 24^th February 2020 in accordance with the Council’s Urgency Procedure Rules (Part 2, Paragraph 7 and Part 9, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution), as specified:

a)        Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – Council Membership

b)        Delegations in respect of Licensing, Council contracts and the Rubicon Leisure business plan.

c)         Delegations for Planning and Regeneration Services.

d)        Public participation in virtual Planning Committee meetings.

e)        Virtual Committee meetings Protocol

The urgent decision notices for each of these decisions have been attached to the agenda for Members’ consideration.

Members are asked to note that from an administrative perspective, it was not intended for the decision in respect of Rubicon Leisure, under Urgent Decision 02/2020, to only apply for three months.  Under the current covid-19 lockdown it is not possible for Rubicon Leisure to provide many services and therefore the company is unable to operate as it would during normal circumstances.  With that in mind Members are asked to agree the following decision, to apply until Rubicon Leisure services can once more be delivered as normal.

Council is asked to RESOLVE that

the Council acknowledges that Rubicon Leisure will not have an approved Business Plan at the start of the 2020/2021 financial year.  The Council resolves not to take any action in respect of any breaches of the Articles of Association or the Leisure Operating Contract (including the Services Specification) resulting from the failure for an approved Business Plan to be in place, provided that Rubicon Leisure will continue to operate as far as current circumstances allow in accordance with the previously approved (2018/2020) Business Plan and will present a revised Business Plan taking account of the operational changes necessitated by Covid-19 to the Shareholder Committee as soon as reasonably practicable.

Members noted the details of six urgent decisions that had been taken in respect of the following matters since the previous meeting of Council:

a)        Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – Council Membership

b)        Delegations in respect of Licensing, Council Contracts and Rubicon Leisure Business Plan

c)         Delegations for Planning and Regeneration Services

d)        Public Participation in Virtual Planning Committee meetings

e)        Virtual Committee Meetings Protocol

f)          Discretionary Business Grants Policy

During consideration of this item reference was made to the decision that had been taken with respect to the Rubicon Leisure Business Plan.  In urgent decision 20/2020 a decision had been taken to suspend the requirement for a business plan from the company, but this had only been applied for three months, ending 27^th June 2020.  Members noted that due to the lockdown and social distancing measures that were in place it was not possible for Rubicon Leisure services to be delivered as they would normally.  With this in mind, there was general consensus that the company should not be required to draft a business plan until service delivery could return to normal.

RESOLVED that

the Council acknowledges that Rubicon Leisure will not have an approved Business Plan at the start of the 2020/2021 financial year.  The Council resolves not to take any action in respect of any breaches of the Articles of Association or the Leisure Operating Contract (including the Services Specification) resulting from the failure for an approved Business Plan to be in place, provided that Rubicon Leisure will continue to operate as far as current circumstances allow in accordance with the previously approved (2018/2020) Business Plan and will present a revised Business Plan taking account of the operational changes necessitated by Covid-19 to the Shareholder Committee as soon as reasonably practicable.