Agenda and minutes

The Chair, Cllr Kevin Guy, welcomed everyone to the meeting and made the following statement:

“This meeting is being held as part of the contingency arrangements put in place, recognising the need to remain cautious. For this reason, there is only a quorum of Cabinet Members present at this meeting. A virtual ‘informal’ meeting of the full Cabinet took place last night to inform voting at this meeting. That meeting is available to view on the Council’s YouTube channel.”

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest, (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer explained that he had granted a general dispensation for item 11 (Budget and Council Tax 2022/23) for all those Cabinet members who pay Council Tax.  He had also granted a special dispensation for those members in receipt of Council services.

Councillor Kevin Guy declared that he had received a Covid relief grant from the Council in respect of his family business.

There was no urgent business.

Councillors and members of the public may register their intention to make a statement if they notify the subject matter of their statement before the deadline.  Statements are limited to three minutes each.  The speaker may then be asked by Cabinet members to answer factual questions arising out of their statement.

The Chair explained that members of the public and Councillors who wished to make a statement did so at the virtual meeting of the Cabinet held on 10 February 2022.  Their statements, where provided, are attached to the minutes of this meeting.

Questions submitted before the deadline will receive a reply from an appropriate Cabinet member or a promise to respond within 5 days of the meeting.  Councillors may ask one supplementary question for each question they submit, up to a maximum of two per Councillor.

The Chair stated that the question and answer sheet (with any supplementary questions) will be published with the minutes of the meeting.

The Cabinet is asked to confirm the minutes of the following meetings as a correct record:

Informal virtual Cabinet meeting – 15 December 2021

Cabinet meeting – 16 December 2021

Informal virtual Special Cabinet meeting – 26 January 2022

Special Cabinet meeting – 27 January 2022

RESOLVED that the minutes of the following meetings be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair:

15 December 2021 (virtual informal meeting)

16 December 2021

26 January 2022 (virtual informal special meeting)

27 January 2022 (Special meeting)

This is a standard agenda item, to cover any reports originally placed on the Weekly List for single Member decision making, which have subsequently been the subject of a Cabinet Member requisition to the full Cabinet, under the Council’s procedural rules.

This is a standing agenda item (Constitution rule 14, part 4D – Executive Procedure Rules) for matters referred by Policy Development and Scrutiny bodies.  The Chair of the relevant PDS Panel will have the right to attend and to introduce the Panel’s recommendations to Cabinet.

The Chair explained that Cllr Karen Warrington, Chair of the Corporate Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel, attended the virtual meeting held yesterday to present a summary of the comments of the PDS Panels on the proposed budget for 2022/23.

To note the list of Cabinet Single Member decisions taken and published since the last Cabinet meeting (no debate).

The Cabinet agreed to note the report.

To consider the attached report which presents the revenue and capital budgets together with proposals for increases in Council Tax and the Adult Social Care Precept for 2022/23.

Cllr Richard Samuel moved the officer recommendation with the following revision:

That the budget proposal to Council on 15^th / 16^th February reflects the following change to Annex 2(i) – “2022/23 to 2024/25 Budget Savings and Income proposals”,

Removal of the following item:

And incorporation of the saving requirement into the following item for achievement through a wider review of parking charges income.

A revised Annex 2(i) reflecting this change is attached as an appendix to the minutes.

This was seconded by Cllr Kevin Guy.

RESOLVED (unanimously) to recommend that Council approves:

a)  The General Fund net revenue budget for 2022/23 of £126.74m and the individual service cash limits for 2022/23 as outlined in Annex 1 of the report.

b)  The amended savings and income plans as set out in revised Annex 2(i) (attached as an appendix to the minutes), funding requirements 2(ii) in conjunction with the Equalities Impact Assessment Report in Annex 3 of the report.

c)  An increase in Council Tax of 1.99% in 2022/23 (an increase of £30.44 per Band D property or 59p per week).

d)  An increase of 1% to Council Tax for the Adult Social Care Precept is approved in recognition of the current demands and financial pressures on this service. This is equivalent to an increase of £15.29 on a Band D property (29p per week).

e)  The movement in reserves outlined in section 5.6 and the adequacy of Un-earmarked Reserves at £12.58m within a risk assessed range requirement of £11.9m - £13.2m.

f)  The Efficiency Strategy attached at Annex 4 of the report.

g)  The Capital Programme for 2022/23 of £96.064m including new and emerging capital bids outlined in Annex 5(i), planned sources of funding in 5.8.2, and notes the programme for 2022/23 to 2026/27 and that any wholly funded projects coming forward during the year will be added to the Capital Programme in line with the Budget Management Scheme.

h)  The delegation of implementation, subject to consultation where appropriate, of the capital programmes set out in Annex 5(i) to Annex 5(iv) of the report to the relevant Director in Consultation with the appropriate Portfolio Holder.

i)  The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocations and amendments outlined in Annex 5(v) of the report.

j)  The Capital & Investment Strategy attached at Annex 6 of the report.

k)   The MRP Policy attached at Annex 7 of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To consider the attached report which presents the financial monitoring information for the Authority as a whole for the financial year 2021/22, using information available as at the end of December 2021.

On a motion by Cllr Richard Samuel, seconded by Cllr Guy it was,

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)  To note the 2021/22 revenue budget position (as at the end of December 2021).

(2)  To note the revenue virements listed for information only in Appendix 3(i) of the report.

(3)  To note the capital year-end forecast detailed in paragraph 3.25 of the report.

(4)  To note the changes in the capital programme including capital schemes that have been agreed for full approval under delegation listed in Appendix 4(i) of the report.

To consider the attached report regarding the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy.  The Authority is required to approve a treasury management strategy before the start of each financial year.

On a motion from Cllr Richard Samuel, seconded by Cllr Tom Davies it was,

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)  To recommend the actions proposed within the Treasury Management Strategy Statement (Appendix 1 of the report) to February Council.

(2)  To note the Treasury Management Indicators detailed in Appendix 1 of the report and to delegate authority for updating the indicators prior to approval at Full Council on 16 February 2022 to the Chief Finance Officer and Cabinet Member for Economic Development & Resources, in light of any changes to the recommended budget as set out in the Budget Report elsewhere on the agenda for this meeting.

(3)  To note that any comments made by the Corporate Audit Committee at its meeting on 3 February 2022 will be reported to Full Council on 15 and 16 February 2022. 

To consider the attached report which gives details of performance against the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2021/22 for the first nine months of 2021/22.

On a motion from Cllr Richard Samuel seconded by Cllr Alison Born it was,

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)  To note the Treasury Management Report to 31December 2021, prepared in accordance with the CIPFA Treasury Code of Practice.

(2)  To note the Treasury Management Indicators to 31 December 2021.

To consider the attached report which updates Cabinet on the progress made against a key set of strategic performance measures which assess the Council’s progress on delivering the Corporate Strategy and key aspects of service delivery.

On a motion from Cllr Richard Samuel, seconded by Cllr Kevin Guy it was,

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)  To note progress on the delivery of key aspects of the Council’s service delivery, details of which are highlighted in section 3.6 and Annex 1 of the report.

(2)  To agree to receive update reports on a quarterly basis.