Venue: Concorde Room, Council Offices, Farnborough
Contact: Chris Todd, Democratic Services on 01252 398825 or e-mail: chris.todd@rushmoor.gov.uk
No. | Item |
---|---|
To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22nd September, 2017 (copy attached). Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 22nd September, 2015 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman. |
|
PROCUREMENT SERVICE AND BETTER PROCUREMENT PROJECT PDF 150 KB To consider the Head of Strategy, Engagement and Organisational Development’s Report No. SEO1501 (copy attached), which sets out options for the future delivery of the Council’s procurement service and provides an update on progress against the Better Procurement Project. Presented By: Corporate Services Minutes: The Cabinet considered the Head of Strategy, Engagement and
Organisational Development's Report No. SEO1501, which set out progress with
the Council’s Better Procurement Project and proposed changes to the resourcing
arrangements for the Council’s procurement service. Members were reminded that the Better
Procurement Project was aimed at achieving better value for money and
delivering cost reductions when procuring goods and services in connection with
the services that the Council provided. Over the previous year, the service had
been working well and the Council’s new contract standing orders had been put in place. Additionally, 64 staff had received
training in good procurement practices and requirements and over £165,000 of
cost reductions and benefits had been achieved during
this time. At present, the Council’s procurement service was
provided by a part time procurement officer along with additional resources
provided by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Whilst this
arrangement had worked well, it was felt that, in the longer term, this may not
be the most effective way to deliver this service. The Council’s procurement
officer had become increasingly involved in supporting the re-procurement of
the Council’s waste, street cleansing and grounds maintenance services and this
was, currently, taking around a third of the officer’s time and was likely to
continue for the next twelve to fifteen months. In light of this and to make
the Council’s Procurement Service sustainable, it was now proposed to create a
junior part qualified procurement officer post, on an initial two year contract. After this, the Council would carry out a
review and, if the role was found to delivering a net
benefit, the Council could consider retaining the post for a further period. It
was not considered that this post would be suitable to be filled using the
apprenticeship scheme. The Cabinet expressed support for the procurement function and the good
work that had been carried out in the previous year or
so. It was felt that the proposal would be the most cost effective way to
sustain a good service into the future. The Cabinet RESOLVED that the appointment of an additional procurement resource, as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the Head of Strategy, Engagement and Organisational Development's Report No. SEO1501, be approved. |
|
COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT SCHEME - CONSULTATION PDF 149 KB To consider the Corporate Director’s Report No. CD1513 (copy attached), regarding arrangements for consultation on the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme. Presented By: Concessions and Community Support Minutes: The Cabinet RESOLVED that (i)
the undertaking of
public consultation on options around the
Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme
be approved; (ii)
the Corporate Director,
in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Concessions and Community Support
and following discussion with the Welfare Reform Task and Finish Group, be authorised to agree the details of the
consultation paper; and the outcome of the consultation and any subsequent proposals be reported to the Cabinet during January 2016. |
|
APPLICATIONS FOR DISCRETIONARY RATE RELIEF PDF 1 MB To consider the Corporate Director’s Report No.
CD1511 (copy attached), which gives details of applications for rate relief. Presented By: Corporate Services Minutes: The Cabinet considered the Corporate
Director’s Report No. CD1511 which set out details of six
applications for rate relief from the Twins and Multiple Births Association
(TAMBA) (2nd Floor, Manor House, Church Hill, Aldershot), the Batten Disease
Family Association (Office 1, The Old Library, Boundary Road, Farnborough), the
British Heart Foundation (shops in Aldershot and Farnborough), Affinity Trust
(Alexandra Terrace, Alexandra Road, Aldershot), Chance for Childhood (Suites 2
L & M, Westmead House, Farnborough) and Places
for People Leisure Limited (Farnborough Leisure Centre and Aldershot Pools
Complex). The Cabinet RESOLVED that (i)
20%
top-up discretionary relief be awarded to Twins and Multiple Births Association
from the start of occupation to the end of the current rating list; (ii)
20%
top-up discretionary relief be awarded to the Batten Disease Family Association
for part-year 2014/15 and for year 2015/16; (iii)
20%
top-up discretionary relief be awarded to the British Heart Foundation from
year 2015/16 to the end of the current rating list; (iv)
20%
top-up discretionary relief be awarded to Affinity Trust for year 2015/16; (v)
the
application for discretionary rate relief from Chance for Childhood be refused
on the grounds that they could not demonstrate a sufficient local benefit; and (vi)
100% discretionary
relief be awarded to Places for People Leisure Limited from part-year 2012/13
to the end of the current rating list. NOTE: Cr. P.G. Taylor declared a personal but non prejudicial interest in this item in respect of his involvement with The Triangle bookshop and café, which was currently in receipt of discretionary rate relief and, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, remained in the meeting during the discussion and voting thereon. |
|
STAFFING - HOUSING OPTIONS TEAM PDF 75 KB To consider the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s Report No. EHH1511 (copy attached), which sets out proposals in respect of the staffing structure within the Council’s Housing Options Team. Presented By: Corporate Services Minutes: The Cabinet considered the Head of
Environmental Health and Housing’s Report No. EHH1511, which set out a proposal
to alter the staffing responsibilities within the Housing Options Team and
create a new part time post. Members heard that the Senior Housing Officer had
left recently and this had prompted a review of responsibilities within the
team. This had identified that some of the Senior Housing Officer’s current
responsibilities around the Council’s functions under the Home Finder Scheme
were both time consuming and mainly administrative. It was, therefore,
proposed to create a new part time post of sixteen hours per week to
manage these responsibilities. This would free up time to enable the Senior
Housing Officer to be more effective in supporting and managing the team in an
environment of increasing demand. Members were told that the option to employ
an apprentice had been considered but, with the work likely to remain for the foreseeable future, this would involve training a new member
of staff every eighteen months. The Housing Options Team was already very busy
and this was also the reason that it was not proposed
to pass the Home Finder duties to current team members. The Cabinet was supportive of the work carried out by the Housing
Options Team and considered that the proposal would be the most effective
solution to ensure the continued smooth running of the team. The
Cabinet RESOLVED that the
recruitment of a part time Housing Allocation Assistant, on the terms set out
in the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s Report No. EHH1511, be
approved. |
|
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. 7 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. 57 and 58 3 Information relating to
financial or business affairs |
|
THE FOLLOWING ITEM WAS CONSIDERED IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PUBLIC |
|
APPLICATIONS FOR SECTION 49 REMISSION OF NON-DOMESTIC RATES PDF 711 KB To consider the Corporate Director’s Exempt Report No. CD1512 (copy attached), which gives details of applications for the remission of non-domestic rates due to hardship. Presented By: Concessions and Community Support Minutes: The Cabinet
considered the Corporate Director’s Exempt Report No. CD1512, which set out two
applications for the remission of non-domestic rates on the grounds of
hardship. Members assessed the
application from Ms. Anusha Sareen
T/A Mangobean of No. 52 High Street, Aldershot,
taking into account the evidence of financial hardship supplied and whether it
was in the interests of local taxpayers to subsidise the business. The Cabinet
took into account the nature and circumstances of the business and the
availability of alternative facilities in the area. It was
noted that this was a new business that had not claimed hardship relief
previously. It was explained that various factors, including significant water
works that had been carried out immediately outside of the premises, had
affected trade detrimentally since starting the franchise in January,
2015. Members also
assessed the application from Sovereign Snooker Limited of
Snooker Hall Sovereign House, No. 1A Camp Road, Farnborough, taking into
account the evidence of financial hardship supplied and whether it was in the
interests of local taxpayers to subsidise the business. The Cabinet took
into account the nature and circumstances of the business and the availability
of alternative facilities in the area. It was noted
that the Cabinet had agreed 25% hardship relief for the year 2014/15. In this
case, Members felt that the club continued to provide a worthwhile community
facility despite making losses in each of the previous three years. The
Cabinet RESOLVED that (i)
50% hardship relief be granted to Ms. Anusha Sareen T/A Mangobean for
2015/16; and (ii)
25% hardship relief be
granted to Sovereign Snooker Limited
for 2015/16. |
|
ACQUISITION OF SITE FOR COUNCIL DEPOT PDF 317 KB To consider the Solicitor to the Council’s Exempt Report No. LEG1518 (copy attached), which seeks authority to purchase a property to provide a Council depot in connection with the waste collection and street cleansing services. Presented By: Corporate Services Minutes: The Cabinet
considered the Solicitor to the Council’s Exempt Report No. LEG1518, which
sought approval for the purchase of a specific local premises
to provide a Council depot in connection with waste collection and street
cleansing services. Members heard
how, for a number of years, the Council’s waste collection and street cleansing
service had operated from a depot in Doman Road, Camberley. This
depot was owned by Surrey Heath Borough Council. It was
reported, however, that there was no formal arrangement in place and
that Surrey Heath’s use of the depot was likely to intensify. Also, in recent months, the Council had been engaging in
competitive dialogue with potential bidders for the renewal of the contracts in
respect of waste collection and street cleansing, during which the Council had
stated it would provide its own depot from the start of the contract. For these
reasons, the need to secure a suitable site for a Rushmoor
depot was now a high priority for the Council. It was reported that a suitable
site had previously been identified and its purchase had been
agreed by the Cabinet in June, 2015 but this had not proceeded due to
the negotiated asking price not representing best value to the Council. Since
then, the Council had been actively seeking an alternative suitable premises
and the proposed site was considered to meet the
Council’s requirements. It was reported that the
premises could not be publically identified at this stage as this might
jeopardise negotiations. The purchase price had been
recommended by the Council’s professional valuer
and was considered to represent best value.
The Cabinet RESOLVED that NOTE: Cr. K.H. Muschamp declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item due to his relationship with the owner of the site and, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, left the meeting during the discussion and voting thereon |