Venue: Concorde Room, Council Offices, Farnborough
Contact: Chris Todd, Democratic Services on 01252 398825 or e-mail: chris.todd@rushmoor.gov.uk
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To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 28th July, 2017 (copy attached). Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 14th July, 2017 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman. |
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CONTRACTOR ANNUAL SERVICE PLANS 2015/16 PDF 79 KB (1) Places for People Leisure – To consider the Corporate Director’s Report No. CD1509 (copy attached) and Places for People Leisure’s Service Plan for 2015/16 (copy attached separately). The local Contract Manager, Mr. Duncan Mackay, will attend the meeting to present the Plan and answer questions. (2) Team Rushmoor – To consider the Corporate Director’s Report No. CD1510 (copy attached) and Team Rushmoor’s Service Plan for 2015/16 (copy attached separately). Team Rushmoor’s Contract Manager, Mr. John Stockings, will attend the meeting to present the Plan and answer questions. Presented By: Environment and Service Delivery/Leisure and Youth Additional documents: Minutes: (1)
Places for People Leisure – The Cabinet received the Corporate
Director’s Report No. CD1509 and the Places for People (PfP)
Leisure Delivery Plan 2015-16. The
Report advised that PfP had performed well on the
contract during the previous year. PfP and the Council had continued to work in partnership on
the Megarider bus ticket and £1 summer holiday
swimming initiatives. Duncan Mackay, the local Contract Manager,
attended the meeting to present the Leisure Delivery Plan. There were a number of positive messages in
the Delivery Plan. PfP
had been named, for the third year running, UK
Active’s Leisure Centre Operator of the Year and had been the first
organisation in the United Kingdom to receive a Quest Stretch validation in
sports development. There had been an increase in attendance
on the swimming lesson programmes and the number of casual swimmers had also
gone up. There had been considerable investment in the leisure facilities at
Farnborough Leisure Centre and Aldershot Pools, including £110,000 spent on
replacement fitness equipment at Farnborough and a £60,000 refurbishment to the
fitness facility at Aldershot. LED lighting had continued to be
introduced at both sites. PfP’s customer
advisers and marketing teams had continued to produce high quality marketing
material and had worked closely with the Council’s Communications Team in a
number of areas. Social media had been used
increasingly in contacting existing and potential new customers. The price of
gym membership had been cut significantly in order to
compete with other local providers and this had seen a sharp increase in
take-up. The main issues for 2015-16 included
continuing to enhance and improve the range of activities on offer to local
residents, carrying out further improvement works at the facilities and working
with the Council and other local partners to provide support to community
safety initiatives and disadvantaged groups. The Cabinet welcomed the Delivery Plan and
the positive work carried out by PfP across the
Borough. There was some discussion on
the increased use of technology in tracking students’ progress with swimming
lessons amd how this might be
rolled out and across other types of lessons. An enquiry was also made about visitor numbers to the Aldershot Lido and
whether it had been adversely affected by the recent changeable weather. The
Cabinet RESOLVED that the
Places for People Leisure Delivery Plan 2015-16, as set out in the Corporate
Director’s Report No. CD1509, be endorsed. (2)
Team Rushmoor – The Cabinet received the Corporate
Director’s Report No. CD1510 and the Team Rushmoor
(Veolia) Service Plan for 2015-16.
Members were reminded that the current contract
was due to end in March 2017. Highlights
in the Report included the continued growth of the brown bin garden waste
collection scheme, the refurbishment of the Cove Green public toilets and
securing the Silver Gilt award for Aldershot Town Centre in the South and South
East In Bloom competition and the Gold award for the
Aldershot Crematorium. John Stockings, Veolia’s Contract Manager, attended the meeting to present the ... view the full minutes text for item 38. |
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(1) Revenue Budget Monitoring and Forecasting 2015/16 – Position at July, 2015 – To consider the Head of Financial Services’ Report No. FIN1515 (copy attached), which sets out the Council’s anticipated financial position for 2015/16 based on the monitoring exercise carried out in July, 2015. (2) Capital Programme Monitoring 2015/16 – Position at July, 2015 – To consider the Head of Financial Services’ Report No. FIN1516 (copy attached), which sets out the Council’s position regarding the Capital Programme for 2015/16 based on the monitoring exercise carried out during July, 2015. Presented By: Leader of the Council Additional documents: Minutes: (1) Revenue
Budget Monitoring and Forecasting 2015/16 – Position at July, 2015 – The Cabinet considered the Head of Financial
Services’ Report No. FIN1515, which set out the anticipated financial position
for 2015/16, based on the monitoring exercise carried out during July 2015. The
Report explained that, in the monitoring exercise, service managers had
identified a net overspend of approximately £43,000 against their non-salary
budgets. Corporate variances included staff salary savings, which totalled
around £360,000. The Report identified the Business Rate Retention Scheme as
being the cause of the greatest variances affecting the first quarter, though
this was mostly down to timing issues and would not affect the Council’s
financial position in the longer term. It was proposed to make three transfers to
reserves to mitigate risks of fluctuations in income and expenditure, to
increase the revenue contributions towards capital expenditure in respect of
income generating proposals within the Council’s 8-Point Plan and to cover
future mercury abatement measures at the Council’s crematorium. The Report
listed a number of financial risks facing the Council but it was anticipated
that the Stability and Resilience Reserve would offer an element of protection
for the Council from these. The major risks identified included that the
Council might not achieve the savings targets required, that projects would not
deliver efficiency savings to timescale and that income streams might
deteriorate due to the economic climate, including planning fees, parking
income and rents. Members considered the Report and expressed their satisfaction with both the current revenue budget position and the measures put in place to ensure future financial stability. The purpose and use of reserves was also discussed. The Cabinet RESOLVED that (i)
the Head of Financial Services’ Report No. FIN1515 be noted; (ii)
the virements and supplementary estimates,
as set out in the Report, be approved; (iii)
The initial estimates
for the use of the Service Improvement Fund, as set out in the Report, be
approved; (iv)
the creation of a
reserve for mercury abatement measures, as set out in the Report, be approved;
and (v)
the increase in revenue contributions to capital outlay, subject
to the final outturn position, as set out in the Report, be approved. (2)
Capital Programme Monitoring 2015/16 –
Position at July, 2015 – The Cabinet received the Head of Financial
Services’ Report No. FIN1516, which provided the latest forecast regarding the
Council’s Capital Programme for 2015/16. The Report advised that the Programme,
including slippages and variations, totalled £11,394,000. The recent monitoring
exercise had identified a number of areas of slippage, including improvement
works at the Brickfield Country Park and playground refurbishments at Manor
Park and the Municipal Gardens in Aldershot. The
Cabinet RESOLVED that the
latest Capital Programme monitoring position, as set out in the Head of
Financial Services’ Report No. FIN1516, be noted. |
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CORPORATE STRATEGY AND CORPORATE PLAN 2015/16 - QUARTER ONE MONITORING PDF 2 MB To consider the Directors’ Management Board’s Report No.
DMB1504 (copy attached), which sets out performance monitoring information for
the first quarter of 2015/16 in relation to the Council’s Corporate Plan
2015/16. Presented By: Environment and Service Delivery Additional documents: Minutes: The Cabinet
received the Directors’ Management Board’s Report No. DMB1504, which gave an update on performance management monitoring
information against the Corporate Plan for the first quarter of the 2015/16
financial year. The Chief Executive gave Members an update
on strategic and performance management data on many areas, including
demographics, crime, economic data and housing completions.
Members also heard about key initiatives and service measures under the themes
of: ·
People
and communities ·
Prosperity ·
Place ·
Leadership ·
Good
value services It was noted that 87.9% of the indicators were on target, 11.1%
were in question as to whether they would achieve the action or indicator and
1.0% were unable to achieve elements of the target. The Chief Executive gave a
summary of key projects that were ongoing and responded to Members’
questions. The Cabinet NOTED the Directors’ Management Board Report No.
DMB1504 and the performance made against the Corporate Plan in the first
quarter of the 2015/16 municipal year. |
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BUILDING CONTROL FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2014/15 AND CHARGES FOR 2015/16 PDF 119 KB To
consider the Head of Planning’s Report No. PLN1543 (copy attached), which seeks
approval of the financial statement for the Building Control Service for 2014/15
and the charging structure for 2015/16. Presented By: Environment and Service Delivery Minutes: The Cabinet considered the Head of Planning’s Report No. PLN1543,
which set out the Building Control Financial Statement for its fee earning work
for the year ended 31st March, 2015 and also reviewed
the current charges for building control work. It was reported that Building
Control’s fee income for 2014/15 had resulted in an operating deficit of £24,709 which had increased the rolling deficit to £31,201.
It was reported that, to try to improve the robustness of the service in a
challenging financial environment, the Council had negotiated with Hart
District Council to provide a joint Building Control Service, which had been in
operation since 1st July, 2015. Whilst it was anticipated that this arrangement would provide a better
service in due course, in the short term it was proving difficult to recruit
additional qualified Building Control Officers. In light of these changes, it
was proposed that fees should remain unaltered at the present
time. It was proposed to introduce a single fee
structure across the two authorities in due course. The Cabinet RESOLVED that the financial statement for Building Control
for 2014/15 be endorsed and the current charging
structure remain unaltered for the time being. |
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ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PDF 97 KB To consider the Solicitor to the Council’s Report No. LEG1515 (copy attached), which proposes a new approach to acquiring and managing property assets with support from another local authority. Presented By: Corporate Services Minutes: The Cabinet considered the Solicitor to the
Council’s Report No. LEG1515, which set out a proposal to develop a three-year
asset management strategy. The aim of the strategy would be to ensure better
use of the Council’s property assets and would include a policy of seeking to
invest in the acquisition of commercial and, potentially, residential
properties, with the intention of achieving additional revenue streams. The
strategy could also provide direct intervention in town centre regeneration
through strategic acquisitions. It was reported that this proposal had been
developed following some work by consultants, Montague Evans, in 2014. The
Council had commissioned the company to assess the health of the Council’s
property portfolio. In the report, Montague Evans considered the following: ·
The
composition of the Council’s portfolio ·
A
review of the types of assets and their potential ·
The
Council’s key corporate plan objectives and how they link to its property
portfolio ·
Areas
for potential change and evolution of the property portfolio through a business
plan Following receipt of the report, research
had been carried out to establish whether any other local authorities, that had
already developed successful asset management strategies, would be willing to
assist the Council in the development of its strategy. As a result of this
exercise, it was now proposed that the Council should establish an arrangement
with Eastleigh Borough Council to work collaboratively to develop an approach
and produce an asset management strategy that met the stated strategic
objectives set out in the Montague Evans report. Eastleigh Borough Council had
generated around £6.5 million per annum in additional revenue over the previous
five years and was seen as a beacon of good practice in this field. The cost of
the preparation of the asset management strategy would be £30,000 over a six to
eight week period. This amount would be drawn from the Service Improvement
Fund. Once a draft strategy had been prepared, this would be brought back to
the Cabinet and would also be the subject of a Member workshop. Ongoing support
would then be available from the Eastleigh Borough Council Estates Team to the
Council to implement the strategy, at the rates set out in the Report. Members considered the Report and expressed support for the approach being proposed. |
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EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC To consider resolving: That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned items to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraphs of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such items: Item Schedule Category Nos. 12A Para. Nos. 8 3 Information
relating to financial or business affairs Minutes: RESOLVED: That, taking into account the public interest test, the public be
excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the under mentioned items to
avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A
to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against the items: Minute Schedule Categories Nos. 12A Para. Nos. 44 3 Information relating to
financial or business affairs |
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THE FOLLOWING ITEM WAS CONSIDERED IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PUBLIC |
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NO. 12 ARTHUR STREET, ALDERSHOT - FUTURE USE PDF 103 KB To consider the Solicitor to the Council’s Exempt Report No. LEG1516 (copy attached), which sets out options for the future use of the Council-owned property at No. 12 Arthur Street, Aldershot. Presented By: Corporate Services Additional documents: Minutes: The Cabinet considered the Solicitor to the
Council’s Exempt Report No. LEG1516, which set out options for the future use
of the property at No. 12 Arthur Street, Aldershot. It was
explained that the property had been the original office for the charity
Relate until they had moved to new premises at Nos. 35 - 39 High Street,
Aldershot in 2011. Since then, the property had been vacant and was currently
in a poor state of repair. In light of the Council’s 8-Point Plan, which
required better use of property and assets, it was not
considered appropriate to allow the property to deteriorate further.
Various options had been considered but it was
proposed that the most appropriate course of action would be to apply for prior
approval to change the use of the premises from an office to three domestic
flatted units. The property could then be sold with
prior approval granted for flats and this would realise a higher value than if
marketed as offices. Alternatively, the Council could undertake to carry out
the conversion works itself and then sell the three converted flats on the open
market or, if the Council had formed a housing company, rent the properties out
to gain income. Members were advised
that this option would achieve the highest possible return from the disposal of
the property. It was likely that, in light of current legislation, the Council
would need to set up a company if choosing this option, as the Council would be seen to be trading. It was likely that, in bringing
forward its proposed asset management strategy, the Council would be requiring
to set up such a company in any case. The
Cabinet RESOLVED that (i) the Solicitor to the Council be authorised to: (ii) that expenditure in the sum of £8,000 be authorised towards the professional fees and the prior approval application fee. |