Agenda item

To consider the recommendations made by the Executive Committee at its meetings held on 11^th March 2025 and 13^th May 2025.

Executive Committee Minutes – 11^th March 2025

The Mayor explained that there was a typographical error at Minute Item No. 97 – Members’ Ward Budget Scheme - in the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 11^th March 2025.  The decision for this minute had been incorrectly recorded as a recommendation when in fact the decision had been resolved by the Executive Committee, in accordance with the proposals detailed in the report for the item that had been considered by the Committee.  This decision could be taken by the Executive Committee because the funding for the Members’ Ward Budget Scheme had been incorporated into the budget in February 2025 and therefore no change was required to be made to the Budget Framework by the Council.  For this reason, the subject was not due to be debated at the Council meeting.

Future Cemetery Provision

The report in respect of future cemetery provision in the Borough was presented for Council’s consideration.  Members were asked to note that the report proposed that the incorporation of burial plots should be taken on board as part of work on the new Local Plan, which was in the process of being developed. 

The report had been pre-scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to discussion at the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 11^th March 2025.  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was thanked for their hard work in reviewing the matter.

Consideration was given to the content of the report and reference was made to the proposed location of burial spaces and the exploratory work that would be undertaken in respect of this matter.  Members were advised that the recommendation to Council was solely in respect of the incorporation of burial site provision into the Local Plan process as all other items had been previously resolved by the Executive.  Questions were subsequently raised about how Members could influence discussions regarding the potential location of burial sites through the Local Plan process and the suggestion was made that this could be raised by Members at meetings of the Planning Advisory Panel (PAP).  Council was also asked to note that the sites that had been addressed in the report to the Executive Committee were at an early exploratory stage and there would be a need for further reports to the Executive Committee, which could be pre-scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee where required by Members.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Sharon Harvey and seconded by Councillor Jane Spilsbury.

Redditch Council Plan

The Leader presented the Redditch Council Plan for Members’ consideration and in doing so highlighted that the content of the plan, including identification of Council priorities, had been considered over a number of months.  Included within the Redditch Council Plan was an overview of the Council’s priorities which included:

·             Economy, Regeneration and Prosperity

·             Green, Clean and Safe Redditch

·             Community and Housing

In considering the report, Members were asked to note that the Council Plan was designed to outline ambitions for the future of the Borough.  There were a number of key issues underpinning the success of the plan, which included public consultation, community engagement and good governance.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Sharon Harvey and seconded by Councillor Jane Spilsbury.

Quarter 3 Revenue and Performance Monitoring 2024/25

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the Quarter 3 Revenue and Performance Monitoring Report 2024/25 and in doing so highlighted that there had been a decrease in the level of anticipated overspend when compared to the Quarter 2 Revenue and Performance Monitoring 2024/25 report.  There remained budget pressures, including in respect of financial costs associated with the Council’s vehicle fleet.  There were also overspends recorded for Financial and Customer Services.

The Council was owed funding as a member of the former Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP).  Members were informed that the Council would be submitting a business case, in line with the required process, in order to access these funds to support work on the Digital Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (DMIC).

Confirmation was provided that the Revenue and Performance Monitoring Reports were due to be updated and therefore this was the last occasion on which this report would be presented in this format for Members’ consideration.  In future, it was anticipated that the report would more clearly outline the basis for any variances as well as the action being taken to reduce any deficits.

There was a legal requirement for the Treasury Monitoring Report to be reported to Council.  The quarterly revenue and performance monitoring report provided an opportunity for this to occur in accordance with the proper process.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Ian Woodall and seconded by Councillor Juma Begum.

Redditch Local Plan

The Leader presented the Redditch Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation 2025 for Members’ consideration.  Council was informed that the purpose of the report was to commence the process of consultation on the content of the next Local Plan for the Borough of Redditch.  The timeframes for the consultation process corresponded with the timetable that had been agreed by Members in the Local Development Scheme, which had been considered in February 2025.

In preparing the report, it was noted that the content had been considered at meetings of both PAP and of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Members in attendance at those meetings were thanked for their hard work.  At these meetings, Members had highlighted an ambition to consult with as many groups as possible within the local community.  Elected Members would also have an opportunity to raise any concerns that they might have in respect of the Local Plan during this consultation period.  The Council had invested in new consultation software and it was hoped that this would have a positive impact on consultation outcomes.

During consideration of this item, Members noted that recent PAP meetings had been held in person, with no opportunities having been provided for Councillors to attend these meetings remotely.  As PAP meetings were informal, private meetings at which no decisions were taken, the suggestion was made that there could be greater flexibility to enable Councillors to attend the meetings remotely.

Reference was made to the consultation period and questions were raised about whether this could be extended to continue until a certain proportion of the local population and other stakeholders had responded.  The suggestion was made that this could be set at a minimum 5 per cent response rate.  In response, Officers suggested that instead of amending the proposed consultation period at this stage, the idea could be discussed at a forthcoming PAP meeting when Members considered the responses to the consultation.  The Council would then be able to proceed in accordance with the timetable for the Local Plan that had already been agreed with the Government.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Sharon Harvey and seconded by Councillor Bill Hartnett.

RESOLVED that

1)          subject to the amendment detailed in the preamble above, the minutes of the Executive Committee held on 11^th March 2025 be approved and all recommendations adopted; and

2)          the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 13^th May 2025 be approved and all recommendations adopted.