Agenda, decisions and minutes

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Priory House, Monks Walk, Shefford

Contact: Sandra Hobbs  0300 300 5257

Items
No. Item

83.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 108 KB

To approve as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 6 December 2016.

Minutes:

 

RESOLVED

 

that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2016 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

 

 

84.

Members' Interests

To receive from Members any declarations of interest.

Minutes:

 

None were declared.

 

 

 

85.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive any matters of communication from the Chairman.

Minutes:

 

Item 13 ‘Enterprise Requirement Planning Systems Upgrade’ had been withdrawn.

 

The Chairman announced the sad deaths of the former Mid Bedfordshire District Council Councillors Brian Golby and Eric Jakes.

 

A grant of £5.6m for supported living, including Houghton Regis had been received from the Homes and Communities Agency.

 

 

 

86.

Petitions

To consider petitions received in accordance with the Scheme of Public Participation set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

 

No petitions were received.

 

 

 

87.

Public Participation

To respond to general questions and statements from members of the public in accordance with the Scheme of Public Participation set out in Appendix A of Part A4 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

 

No members of the public had registered to speak.

 

 

 

88.

Forward Plan of Key Decisions pdf icon PDF 84 KB

To receive the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2018.

Decision:

That the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2018 be noted.

Minutes:

 

RESOLVED

 

that the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2018 be noted.

 

 

 

89.

Draft Budget & Medium Term Financial Plan 2017/18 – 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 209 KB

 

The report proposes the Budget for 2017/18 and updates the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) approved by Council in February 2016.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the draft Budget for 2017/18 and the updated Medium Term Financial Plan 2017/18 – 2020/21 be approved as the basis for consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and other interested parties.

Minutes:

 

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Corporate Resources that proposed the draft budget for 2017/18 and updated the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).  It was noted that the Provisional Financial Settlement for Local Government had only been released on 15 December 2016 and that it had not been possible for the full implications of this to be incorporated within the Executive report.  This included the announcement that councils would be permitted to apply a Social Care Precept of up to 3% in 2017/18.

 

Further details were still expected from the Government on proposals for the 100% retention of National Non Domestic Rates by authorities. 

 

These issues and any other Government announcements, together with the outcome of the consultation, would be taken into account in the final budget proposals considered by the Executive on 7 February before  recommendations were made to Council.

 

In response to questions, the Executive Member for Social Care and Housing highlighted Appendix F, and drew attention to the Council’s specific statutory duties in relation to specific budget proposals.

 

In response to a question, the Executive Member for Corporate Resources explained the purpose of general and earmarked reserves and the implications of drawing on these.  Reserves had been reviewed and it was unsustainable to use reserves to fund reoccurring expenditure.

 

Reason for decision:  To enable consultation on the draft budget 2017/18 and MTFP 2017-2021, prior to recommendations being made by the Executive on 7 February 2017 to Council on 23 February 2017.

 

RESOLVED

 

that the draft Budget for 2017/18 and the updated Medium Term Financial Plan 2017/18 – 2020/21 be approved as the basis for the consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and other interested parties.

 

 

[NOTE: Cllr Mrs Barker and Zerny arrived during this item.]

 

 

 

90.

Draft Capital Programme 2017/18 – 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 109 KB

 

The report proposes the Capital Programme for the four years from April 2017. It excludes the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) which is subject to a separate report.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the draft Capital Programme for 2017/18 to 2020/21 be approved for consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and other interested parties.

Minutes:

 

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Corporate Resources that proposed the Capital Programme for the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) period 2017/18 to 2020/21.  The proposed Capital Programme would continue to support the following significant schemes:

 

·         New School Places;

·         improving the A421 between Junction 13 of the M1 and Milton Keynes Magna Park;

·         M1/A6 Link Phase 1 and 2;

·         Highways Structural Maintenance;

·         Dunstable Leisure Centre and Library; and

·         Broadband infrastructure.

 

Reason for decision:  To enable consultation on the draft Capital Programme 2017/18 to 2020/21, prior to recommendations being made by the Executive on 7 February 2017 to Council on 23 February 2017.

 

RESOLVED

 

that the draft Capital Programme for 2017/18 to 2020/21 be approved for consultation with Overview and Scrutiny Committees and other interested parties.

 

 

 

91.

Draft Budget for the Housing Revenue Account (Landlord Service) 2017/18 - 2020/21 and Business Plan pdf icon PDF 73 KB

 

The report sets out the financial position of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the Budget for 2017/18.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the draft Housing Revenue Account budget proposals for 2017/18, as set out in the report, be approved as the basis for consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and more broadly, through public consultation.

Minutes:

 

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Corporate Resources that set out the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA), with proposals that responded to legislative changes; made best use of the investment potential; accounted for rent reduction; and aligned to the debt strategy in the context of the long term business plan.

 

Reason for decision:  To enable consultation on the draft HRA Landlord Business Plan Budget for 2017/18, prior to recommendations being made by the Executive on 7 February 2017 to Council on 23 February 2017.

 

RESOLVED

 

that the draft Housing Revenue Account budget proposals for 2017/18, as set out in the report, be approved as the basis for consultation with Overview and Scrutiny Committees and more broadly, public consultation.

 

 

 

92.

Sustainability and Transformation Plan 2016 - 2020 pdf icon PDF 84 KB

 

To update the Executive about publication of the draft Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Footprint. 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

1.      That the publication of the draft Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) be noted.

2.      That the STP be endorsed on the basis that the priorities reflected in the Plan align with the Council’s aspirations for greater emphasis on prevention; reduced reliance on acute services; strengthened primary care services delivered close to where people live and integrated wherever possible with social care and other services.

3.      That the Social  Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee will take the lead role in scrutinising the Plan and that all other scrutiny committee engagement on the STP to be channelled through this route to ensure a cohesive approach.

 

Minutes:

 

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Health that included the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) which had been published on 15 November 2016. 

 

In response to a question, the Director for Social Care, Health and Housing explained the risk sharing arrangement associated with the Better Care Fund.

 

Reason for decision:  To ensure the financial sustainability of health and care services.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.      that the publication of the draft Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) be noted;

 

2.      that the STP be endorsed on the basis that the priorities reflected in the Plan aligned with the Council’s aspirations for greater emphasis on prevention; reduced reliance on acute services; strengthened primary care services delivered close to where people live and integrated wherever possible with social care and other services; and

 

3.      that the Social  Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee take the lead role in scrutinising the Plan and that all other scrutiny committee engagement on the STP to be channelled through this route to ensure a cohesive approach.

 

 

 

93.

BT’s Proposal to Remove 80 Payphones across Central Bedfordshire pdf icon PDF 75 KB

 

The Executive will be asked to consider the results of the Council’s consultation on BT’s proposal to remove 80 payphones across Central Bedfordshire and make its Second decision on which phones it supports being removed and which phones should remain.

Additional documents:

Decision:

1.      That the Second Decision, which is to object to 37 payphones being removed and to agree to the removal of 43 payphones, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved.       

2.      That BT be reminded of their duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that services are accessible and that it is not indirectly discriminating against the disabled or elderly by removing these payphones.     

3.      That BT be informed of any specific requests and suggestions received as part of the consultation regarding the future/alternative use of payphone kiosks.

Minutes:

 

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Community Services that provided the results of the consultation on the Council’s First Decision in respect of the proposal from British Telecom (BT) to remove 80 payphones in Central Bedfordshire.  The report also proposed the Second Decision (and Final Notice) taking into account the responses received to the consultation.

 

The Executive Member for Community Services advised that the Council would support a recommendation from the Fire Authority that consideration should be given to using decommissioned payphone boxes to accommodate defibrillators.

 

Reason for decision:  The results of the second stage consultation showed that 75% of respondents supported the First Decision – to agree to the removal of 43 payphones and object to 37 being removed.  There was a clear rationale for keeping or removing each payphone, which was supported by the consultation feedback.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.      that the Second Decision, which was to object to 37 payphones being removed and to agree to the removal of 43 payphones, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved;

 

2.      that BT be reminded of their duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that services were accessible and that it was not indirectly discriminating against the disabled or elderly by removing these payphones; and

 

3.      that BT be informed of any specific requests and suggestions received as part of the consultation regarding the future/alternative use of payphone kiosks.

 

 

 

94.

Enterprise Requirement Planning (ERP) Systems Upgrade

 

This item has been withdrawn with the approval of the Leader of the Council.

 

Minutes:

 

This item was withdrawn.