Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs C L A Hockley.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of Executive held on 2 September 2013.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 2September 2013 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no Executive Leader’s Announcements at this meeting.

To receive any declarations of interest from members in accordance with Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct.

The Executive Leader declared a Non-Pecuniary Interest for item 12(3) – Daedalus Investment Opportunity Update as he is the Hampshire County Council Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment and subject to approval of the item, Hampshire County Council would be appointed as the contractor for the Daedalus site.

He remained present throughout the meeting and took part in the discussion and decision.

Councillor K D Evans declared a Non-Pecuniary Interest for item 12(3) – Daedalus Investment Opportunity Update as he is the Hampshire County Councillor for Fareham Warsash and subject to approval of the item, Hampshire County Council would be appointed as the contractor for the Daedalus site.

He remained present throughout the meeting and took part in the discussion and decision.

There were no petitions presented at this meeting.

To receive any deputations, of which notice has been lodged.

The Executive received a deputation from Caroline Dinenage, MP in relation to item 12(3) – Daedalus Investment Opportunity Update and was thanked accordingly.

The Executive Leader agreed to bring that item for consideration forward on the agenda.

To receive any reference from the committees or panels held.

(1)       References from the Policy Development and Review Panels:-

To consider any matters referred from the Policy Development and Review Panels.

(2)       References from the Scrutiny Board:-

To consider any matters referred from the Scrutiny Board meeting held on 26 September 2013 and to consider any recommendations.

The Executive received comments from the Scrutiny Board regarding the Annual Review of the Council’s Finance Strategy and took account of these comments in determining the matter at Item 12(1) below:

Scrutiny Board – 26 September 2013

Minute 6 – Medium Term Financial Strategy 2013/14

It was AGREED that:-

(a)       the Executive be advised that the Board had requested that the table in paragraph 40 on page 7 of the Draft Strategy be amended to clarify references to member approval by indicating whether the decisions would be made by Council, the Executive or non-executive committees;

(b)       the Executive be advised that the Board had requested that paragraph 70 on page 11 of the Draft Strategy be deleted;

(c)       it be recommended to the Executive that it looks at ways of identifying possible funding from the European Union and other organisations, in partnership with other local authorities in the area;

(d)       the Executive be advised that the Board has requested that paragraph 99 on page 15 of the Draft Strategy be amended to clarify that the reference to costs associated with “Welborne planning and supporting delivery” refer to potential expenditure in addition to those incurred in the preparation of the Welborne Local Plan and supporting strategic masterplan;

(e)       the Executive be advised that the Board noted the significance and uncertainties surrounding the areas identified, and suggested that further work should be undertaken to broadly quantify the financial risk to support the Finance Strategy; and

(f)        the Executive be advised that the Board suggested that the following wording in paragraph 99 on page 15 of the Draft Strategy, “but have yet to be costed”, be replaced with “but because of the high level of uncertainty, these costs have yet to be included in the financial projections” to more accurately reflect the position.

a report by the Director of Community

At the invitation of the Executive Leader, Councillor P J Davies addressed the Executive on this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       to note the progress of the Fareham Park Project;

(b)       to approve the draft Action Plan;

(c)       to support the two priorities selected by the Steering Group; and

(d)       to receive an annual update on the progress of the project, as guided by the Action Plan.

a report by the Director of Streetscene

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       a budget of £350,000 funded from the open spaces maintenance reserve, be approved for a 10 year replacement programme for the Council’s play area safety surfaces; and

(b)       that officers conduct a tender exercise or identify a suitable framework agreement to enable procurement of the necessary works.

A report by the Director of Regulatory and Democratic Services.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       that a new Borough of Fareham (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Parking Places) (Consolidation) Order in Fareham Borough is introduced, so that all existing Traffic Regulation Orders covering prohibition and waiting restrictions and on-street parking places made since the last consolidation order dated 2 April 2007 are amalgamated into one new order; and

(b)       that the Executive Portfolio holder for Public Protection be given delegated authority to approve future consolidation orders.

a report by the Director of Strategic Planning and Environment

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees the actions and targets in the revised Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (shown in full in Appendix A to the report) and note the achievements and completed actions since the ESAP’s inception in 2010.

a report by the Director of Finance and Resources

The Executive Leader introduced the item by explaining that analysis of financial projections has identified the need to make significant savings over the next five years.

The Executive Leader confirmed that estimates of income and expenditure over the five year period highlight a budget shortfall of £800,000 which has been caused by factors such as the ongoing reduction in Government funding, inflation and low interest rates on investments.

In anticipation of this substantial shortfall, the Executive Leader advised that he has asked the Chief Executive Officer to prepare and bring forward a range of options for the budget gap to be closed by using the four elements of the Council’s Efficiency plan (Priorities, Proceeds, People/Process and Procurement) as a basis, with a view to finding £800,000 of savings by 2015.

The comments of the Scrutiny Board were taken into account for this item (see minute 7 above).

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       the Council’s finance strategy and the budget guidelines for 2014/15, as set out in the finance strategy document attached to this report;

(b)       to note that the Chief Executive Officer must carry out a review of the Council’s budgets with the aim of reducing costs by £800,000 before April 2015; and

(c)       to submit the updated Pay Policy, annexed to the Medium Term Finance Strategy, to the Council for approval.

Report of the Director of Finance and Resources.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       to approve an additional £35,000 budget provision from reserves; and

(b)       that the tender submitted by the contractor ranked 1 (as set out in the confidential appendix A), being the most advantageous tender received, be accepted and the contract awarded to the company.

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

The Executive Leader, Councillor S D T Woodward, declared a Non-Pecuniary Interest for this item as he is the Hampshire County Council Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment and subject to approval of the item, Hampshire County Council would be appointed as the contractor for the Daedalus site.

He remained present throughout the meeting and took part in the discussion and decision.

Councillor K D Evans declared a Non-Pecuniary Interest for this item as he is the Hampshire County Councillor for Fareham Warsash and subject to approval of the item, Hampshire County Council would be appointed as the contractor for the Daedalus site.

He remained present throughout the meeting and took part in the discussion and decision.

The comments of the deputee were taken into account during consideration of this item (see item 6 above).

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       the revised funding arrangements for the project as set out in the report;

(b)       in the event that the Growing Places loan conditions cannot be satisfied within the project timescales, the Executive supports an alternative approach backed by prudential borrowing; and

(c)       the Executive includes the project in the Council’s capital programme at its next review.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public and representatives of the Press from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the matters to be dealt with involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED that in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972 the Public and Press be excluded from the remainder of the meeting, as the Executive considers that it is not in the public interest to consider the matters in public on the grounds that they will involve the disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

a report by the Director of Community

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       to provide £1.5m from the Council’s capital reserves in 2014 to address the refurbishment of the Fareham Leisure Centre wet side facilities and pool water filtration plant; and

(b)       a five year extension to the current management contract with Sport & Leisure Management Ltd until May 2020 (as per the conditions set out in paragraph 35 of the report).

a report by the Director of Planning and Environment

RESOLVED that the Executive notes the variation of contracts for work being undertaken.