Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2017 were approved.

1.    Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

2.    Other Interests

There were no declarations made.

DECISION:      That the Minutes of Meeting of the Local Joint Employees Consultative Committee held on 31 October 2017 be received and the recommendations contained therein approved.

DECISION:   That the Forward Plan for the period December 2017 to February 2018 be approved for publication.

The purpose of this report was to inform members of the Council’s overall performance and financial position for the period ended 30 September 2017 (“Second Quarter 2017/18”).  The report was considered by the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 29 November 2017.  The position was summarised as follows:

Options considered:

Detailed Analysis is contained within the appendices

DECISION:          1.         That the Second Quarter 2017/18 financial, procurement and performance position detailed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The Cabinet considered the Council’s updated Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP). The MTFP presented the Council’s priorities in the context of the likely resources available and provided a financial context to future decision making.  The report was considered by the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 29 November 2017.

Options considered:

The report is a statement of fact. As such there are no options to consider.

RECOMMENDED:           That the updated Medium-Term Financial Plan (Appendix A) be endorsed and that it should proceed to Council for approval.

The report advised Members of the process and timescales to undertake both a master planning exercise and re-submission of a funding application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for improvements and restoration to Brough Park, Leek.  The report was considered by the Service Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 8 November 2017.

Options considered:

1.    With the HLF Parks For People funding programme still receiving applications, the opportunity existed to bid for funding from HLF to support the required improvements for Brough Park.

2.    Not to resubmit. Not recommended, as this would limit the ability of the Council, due to financial constraints, to bear the full cost of all the emerging and required capital improvements for Brough Park.

DECISION:            1.      That the process to be followed be noted.

2.      That the resubmission of the funding application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and other funding agencies be approved.

3.      That the allocation of up to £200,000 in the 2018/19 Capital Programme as this Council’s match funding contribution towards the bid be approved.

It was important to increase activity and strategic direction in relation to empty properties in order to maximise available housing stock; reduce the effects that empty properties may have; and realise the benefits of bringing empty properties back into use. The Alliance wide Empty Property Strategy set out the national and local context, and strategic objectives to realise the potential benefits of bringing properties back into use.

Options considered:

Option 1- Proceed with the recommendations and approve the proposed Empty Property Strategy.

Option 2- Reject the recommendations and propose an alternative approach. Without a strategic co-ordinated direction the potential benefits of bringing properties back into use may not be realised. (Not recommended).

DECISION:            That the Alliance wide Empty Property Strategy and Implementation Plan be approved.

The report advised Members of the proposed conservation area boundary and accompanying draft character appraisal for Foxt, for the purposes of public consultation.  The report was considered by the Service Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 8 November 2017.

Options considered:

Option 1 - Do Nothing

It is a statutory duty for Councils to periodically review and determine whether any of their areas warrant conservation area designation.  Through the Churnet Valley Masterplan, Foxt has been identified as an area that potentially retains sufficient architectural and historic interest to warrant designation. Failure to progress this designation through the public consultation process would not meet the statutory requirements and a key action point arising from the adopted SPD (Churnet Valley Masterplan)

Not recommended

Option 2 – Recognise the special architectural and historic interest within Foxt and approve the proposed conservation area designation and accompanying character appraisal for wider public consultation. This would allow the local community to engage and comment on the proposed designation and the contents of the character appraisal and be involved in recognising the area’s heritage value and significance. This option would allow the Council to meet its statutory requirements and fulfil a key action point arising from the adopted Churnet Valley Masterplan. 

Recommended

DECISION:               1.    That the proposed conservation area boundary for Foxt be approved for the purposes of public consultation.

2.    That the draft conservation area character appraisal for Foxt be approved for the purposes of public consultation.

The Chair to Move:-

“That, pursuant to Section 100A(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that confidential information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act would be disclosed to the public in breach of the obligation of confidence or exempt information as defined in Section 100 I (1) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act would be disclosed to the public by virtue of the Paragraphs indicated.”

RESOLVED  -  That, pursuant to Section 100A(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that confidential information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act would be disclosed to the public in breach of the obligation of confidence or exempt information as defined in Section 100 I (1)  of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act would be disclosed to the public by virtue of the Paragraphs indicated.

The Cabinet approved a report that provided an update on progress in relation to the development of commercial units at the Churnet works site in Leek and the next steps to be taken.

The Cabinet approved the write-off of debts as set out in Appendix D of the report.