Cabinet - Tuesday, 19th October, 2021 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

Under the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, all Members are required to disclose relevant Interests in any matter to be considered at the meeting.  Where the matter directly relates to a Member’s Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Registrable Interest, that Member must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation (see note below). If the matter directly relates to ‘Non-Registrable Interests’, the Member’s participation in the meeting will depend on the nature of the matter and whether it directly relates or affects their financial interest or well-being or that of a relative, friend  or close associate, applying the tests set out in the Code.

NOTE:

On 27th May, 2021, the Council’s Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee granted dispensations to Members appointed by the Council to the Board of the Rushmoor Development Partnership and as Directors of Rushmoor Homes Limited.

Having regard to the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, no declarations of interest were made.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 19th September, 2021 (copy attached).

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 21st September, 2021 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

To consider Report No. FIN2122 (copy attached), which sets out the budgetary framework to support the preparation of the 2022/23 budget.

The Cabinet considered Report No. FIN2122, which set out the budgetary framework to support the preparation of the Council’s 2022/23 budget.

The Cabinet was informed that Covid-19 had continued to have a significant impact on the Council’s financial position in 2021/22 and that the Council, along with many other local authorities, faced significant financial challenges over the medium term. The Report set out the Council’s current financial position and explained how Members would be kept informed of the strategy for addressing the projected core budget deficit highlighted in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, which had been published in February, 2021. The Report, at Section 3 in Appendix A, outlined the approach that would be taken when setting the detailed revenue and capital budgets for 2022/23.

It was reported that Surrey County Council, with contributions from a number of local authority partners, was bidding to purchase Tice’s Meadow, Badshot Lea, from Hanson Aggregates. It was recommended that the Council should make a contribution of up to £50,000. Members heard that the site was heavily used by Rushmoor residents, despite not being located in the Borough.

The Cabinet

(i)           RESOLVED

(a)          that the Budget Strategy for 2022/23, as outlined in Section 3 of Appendix A of Report No. FIN2122, be approved;

(b)          the forecast for capital receipts and the pooling of capital receipts to support the capital programme, as outlined in Section 5 of Appendix A of the Report, be noted; and

(ii)          RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL that a contribution of up to £50,000 towards the purchase of Tice’s Meadow by Surrey County Council, as set out in Section 5 of Appendix A of the Report, be approved.

To consider Report No. REG2101 (copy attached), which sets out an update and a request for the release of additional funding from the approved capital programme to enable the completion of the demolition of the Farnborough Leisure Centre.

The Cabinet considered Report No. REG2101, which set out a request for additional funding from the approved capital programme to enable the completion of the demolition and clearance of the Farnborough Leisure Centre site.

The Cabinet was reminded that it had agreed the funding for the demolition in June, 2021 and had appointed Willmott Dixon Construction Limited as contractors. Since that time, intrusive demolition and asbestos surveys had been carried out and significant additional asbestos had been found. Members were informed that this, along with additional works that were required to  re-route utility cables on the site, had led to the increase in the costs of the demolition. The Council’s Technical Advisers and Cost Consultants, Artelia UK, had interrogated the revised figures supplied by Willmott Dixon and had recommended acceptance of the final revised contract sum.

The Cabinet expressed strong support for the progression of the project to provide residents with a new, modern leisure centre on the site.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the update in relation to the revised contract sum and programme for demolition, as set out in Report No. REG2101, be noted; and

(ii)          the release of a further £204,000 funding from the approved Capital Programme, to increase the demolition project budget to £1,339,000 as a result of the removal of the additional asbestos and other additional costs, as set out in the Report, be approved.

To consider resolving:

That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

Item                Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

6                      3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

RESOLVED: That, taking into account the public interest test, the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the under mentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against the item:

Minute           Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

41                   3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

To consider Exempt Report No. PETS2119 (copy attached), which seeks authority to dispose of the freehold interest in a property owned by the Council.

The Cabinet considered Exempt Report No. PETS2119, which sought approval to dispose of the freehold interest in a property owned by the Council.

Members were informed that the disposal of the property should be seen in the context of the Commercial Investment Property Strategy. The property had not performed as expected and it was considered that the asset was management intensive and that the income received was risky in comparison to other assets. The Council had received an offer for the purchase of the property and, in answer to a question, it was confirmed that the proposed sale price was higher than the purchase price that had been paid by the Council.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the sale of the property, on the terms set out in Exempt Report No. PETS2119, be approved.