Agenda and minutes

The Executive - Thursday, 15th August, 2019 6.00 pm

Venue: The Board Room, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton

Contact: Linden Vernon Email:  linden.vernon@highpeak.gov.uk or Tel: 01538 395613 

Items
No. Item

20/5

Declarations of Interest

i)

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

ii)

Other Interests

 

Minutes:

Councillor Sloman declared an other interest in Item 7 - Homes England Housing Infrastructure Fund - Acceptance of Grant Award (beneficial interest in land in the vicinity).

20/6

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the Executive held on 20 June 2019 be approved as

a correct record.

20/7

Fourth Quarter (Provisional Outturn) Financial, Procurement & Performance Review 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to inform members of the Council’s overall performance and financial position for the period ended 31st March (“Fourth Quarter 2018/19”). The report was considered by the Corporate Select Committee on 22 July 2019. The position was summarised as follows:

 

Subject

Headline

Finance

The headlines for the fourth quarter were:

Performance against Budget

  • At the Quarter Four stage the General Fund provisional outturn for 2018/19 was an underspend of £1,381,989.

Efficiency Programme

  • The overall general fund efficiency target was of £581,000 for 2018/19.  A small shortfall of £56,743 had been carried forward to be achieved in 2019/20. The HRA 2018/19 efficiency target of £245,000 had been achieved through the reduction in minimum revenue provision when setting the MTFP.

Housing Revenue Account

  • The Housing Revenue Account was in surplus (against budget) by £1,409,779

Capital Programme

  • The General Fund Capital Programme budget for 2018/19 as revised in February 2019 was £4.62 million.  The outturn was £3.99 million which represented an underspend of £0.63 million, half of which related to revised vehicle procurement scheduling.
  • The HRA Capital Programme for 2018/19 as revised in February 2019 was £4.07 million.  The outturn was £3.38 million which represented a £0.69 million underspend.

Treasury Management

  • Cash investments held at 31st March 2019 totalled £14.4 million.
  • Council borrowing at 31st March 2019 totalled £66.8 million.
  • The Council’s net interest general fund budget was marginally underspent by £57,298 with a £34,660 surplus on the HRA

Revenue Collection

  • 98.43% of council tax was collected by 31st March 2019, compared to 98.35% for the same period last year.
  • 99.09% of Business Rates was collected by 31st March 2019 compared with 98.74% for the same period last year.
  • At the end of Quarter 4 the value of sundry debt over 60 days old was £184,465 which compared to £182,066 at 31st March 2018

 

Procurement

The headlines for the fourth quarter were:

  • 22 procurement activities were completed
  • At the 31st March 2019, 64% of procurement activity undertaken was on the forward plan and the Council paid 95% of its invoices within 30 days

 

Performance

The headlines for the fourth quarter were:

  • 61% of the key performance indicators met target, with 45% better than target

·         Of the 22 Priority Actions within the Corporate Plan, seven were completed, one was awaiting a decision, and the remainder were classified as ‘Green’; and

·         The Council received 223 complaints, 294 comments and 167 compliments in the Fourth Quarter. Repeat complaints and response times were both on track

 

 

Options considered:

 

Detailed analysis was contained within the appendices.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That the Fourth Quarter 2018/19 financial, procurement and performance position detailed in Appendices A, B and C and summarised at 3.3 of the covering report be noted.

 

2.    That the allocation of the surplus on the General Fund Revenue Account to reserves as explained in Appendix A (paragraph 2.10) of the report be approved.

 

3.    That the carry forward unspent revenue budget as described in Appendix A (Paragraph 2.13) of the report be approved.

 

4.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20/7

20/8

Whaley Bridge Emergency

Minutes:

The Executive expressed their thanks to staff involved in the Whaley Bridge emergency and other incidents in the Borough, whether directly or indirectly, and to those who ensured that Council services were maintained during this time.

20/9

Citizens Advice - Council Tax Protocol pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to consider a recommendation by the Council Tax Collection Working Group for the Council to adopt the Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol. The report was considered by the Corporate Select Committee on 22 July 2019.

 

Options considered:

 

It was recommended that Council adopted the protocol – the implications of this was limited and it would be a positive statement about the Council’s commitment to treating people fairly throughout the council tax recovery process.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That the Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol as attached at Appendix A) to the report be adopted.

 

2.    That the issues that will need to be addressed as detailed in section 9.3 of the report be noted.

 

3.    That the additional work that is to be undertaken by the Working Group as set out in section 10 of the report be noted.

 

 

20/10

To resolve that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items because there may be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items because there may be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. 

 

20/11

Homes England Housing Infrastructure Fund - Acceptance of Grant Award

Minutes:

The Executive approved a report that updated Members on a Homes England funding award and the terms of the Grant Funding Agreement. 

 

20/12

Review of Service Delivery Options for Housing Repairs

Minutes:

The Executive approved a report that considered the service delivery options for the Council’s Housing Repairs Service. 

20/13

Supply and Installation of Kitchens - HRA Capital Programme 2019/20 & 2020/21 - Contract Award

Minutes:

The Executive approved a report that informed members with details of the tender returns for the supply and installation of kitchens at various properties owned by the Council for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 programmes.

 

 

20/14

Supporting the Council's legal duties under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010

Minutes:

The Executive approved a report which outlined the Council’s approach to meeting its duties under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010.  This included the conversion of an existing Pollution Specialist post from part time to a full time post.  

 

20/15

Planning and Regeneration Staffing Structure

Minutes:

The Executive approved proposals for revised staffing structures for the Council’s Planning and Regeneration teams.