Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies given for this meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of Executive held on 5 January 2015.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 5 January 2015 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Executive Leader announced that the local area had been successful in gaining funding in the second round of the Local Growth Deal with the Fareham area being awarded £15million.  These funds will go towards the improvement of roads around the Welborne area and the construction of a new road at Newgate Lane South.

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

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

There were no petitions submitted at this meeting.

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

There were no deputations received at this meeting.

To receive any reference from the committees or panels held.

7 (1)Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee: 20 January 2015

Minute 8 – Review of Hackney Carriage Fares

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Community on the review of hackney carriage fares.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)        the Executive be advised of the Committee’s views as follows:

(i)        that there should be no increase in the tariff at the present time (voting: 7 for, 2 against);

(ii)       that there should be no reference to charges for paying by credit or debit card included on the tariff card at the present time; and that the hackney drivers’ association be encouraged to make representations to the companies that supply the in car equipment for processing these transactions in an effort to establish a single uniform charge (voting: unanimous).

RESOLVED that the comments of the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee be noted.

7(2) Scrutiny Board: 22 January 2015

Minute 7 – Motion to Council Under Standing Order 15

The Board was advised that the following motion was proposed by Councillor Mrs K K Trott at the meeting of the Council on 11 December 2014:

 “I propose that Fareham Borough Council resolves to write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to confirm that the Council believes that the Government’s Right to Buy Policy represents poor value for money and that Local Authorities should be given the option to suspend the Right to Buy Policy in their local areas.”

The Mayor advised that as the subject of the motion comes within the terms of the Executive, then the motion would stand referred without discussion to an appropriate meeting of the Executive. As part of this process, the Executive must consult the Scrutiny Board and so the Scrutiny Board is now required to consider the matter and pass its views to the Executive.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Mrs Trott addressed the Board on her reasons for submitting the motion. Copies of Councillor Mrs Trott’s intended address to the Council on 11 December and of her question to the Executive Member for Health and Housing and his response at the Council meeting on 9 October 2014 were circulated to those present.

It was AGREED that the Executive be advised that:-

(a)       the Board did not support the motion in its present form;

(b)    it did support the principle of sending a letter to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with copies to the Local Government Association and the Member of Parliament for Fareham;

(c)       the letter should detail the effects of the right to buy scheme on housing in Fareham, including the level of discounts offered, the length of time people had to remain in a property after purchasing it, the destination of the proceeds from the sale of council properties and the system of replacing the properties sold; and

(d)       the letter should include information from the officers illustrating the problems being experienced, such as that submitted to the Local Government Association in its recent questionnaire.

At the invitation of the Executive Leader, Councillor Mrs K K Trott addressed the Executive on this item.

The comments of the Scrutiny Board were taken into account in considering the motion.

Following a debate on the motion, it was proposed that the motion not be supported and that a letter should not be sent but that a training session be arranged for Members to explain the Right to Buy scheme, Affordable Homes and the financial effects of the Council’s property portfolio.

Upon being put to the meeting, the proposal was AGREED, with 5 Executive Members voting for and 1 Executive Member voting against.

7(3) Scrutiny Board: 22 January 2015

Minute 8 – Housing Revenue Account Budget and Capital Plans 2015/16

The Board considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Housing Revenue Account Budget and Capital Plans 2015/16.

The Director of Finance and Resources advised that he would refer any proposals or comments of the Board to the Executive meeting on 2 February 2015.

It was AGREED that the report as shown in Appendix A be commended to the Executive.

A report on this matter is considered at item 11(2).

7(4) Scrutiny Board: 22 January 2015

Minute 9 – Finance Strategy, Capital Programme, Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2015/16

The Board considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Finance Strategy, Capital Programme, Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2015/16.

The Director of Finance and Resources advised that he would refer any proposals or comments of the Board to the Executive meeting on 2 February 2015. 

It was AGREED that:-

(a)    the Executive be advised that in, in the Board’s view, the word ‘unallocated’ should be replaced with ‘non-phased’ when describing those areas where a budget  has been earmarked for a specific purpose, but the details and timing of the schemes are yet to be confirmed, such as in paragraph 12 of page 29 of the report;

(b)        subject to (a) above, the report as shown in Appendix C be commended to the Executive.

A report on this matter is considered at item 11(1).

A report by the Director of Community.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees to:

(a)  authorise the Director of Community to enter into contract with and accept the level of grant funding from the Homes and Communities Agency to support delivery of the project; and

(b)  authorise the Director of Community to enter into contract with Drew Smith Limited to complete the proposed development

A report by the Director of Environmental Services.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves that:

(a)  the existing contract with TSG Building Services Ltd be extended for 1 year from its existing expiry date of 1 March 2015; and

(b)  authority be delegated to the Director of Environmental Services and the Section 151 Officer to jointly approve a further year extension of the contract from 1 March 2016, subject to satisfactory performance by the contractor.

A report by the Director of Community.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves entering into an agreement with SLM Limited to operate the Western Wards Leisure Centre based on the negotiated heads of terms as set out in the confidential appendices; and

(b)  approves a capital budget of up to £585,000 to fund the procurement of fixtures and fittings, including fitness equipment and swimming pool accessories for the new leisure centre.

A report by the Director of Environmental Services.

RESOLVED that the Executive notes the progress on the current 2014/15 programme, considers planned work for 2015/16 identified in Appendices A to D to the report and agrees that:

(a)       the Proposed Traffic Regulation Order Programme for 2015/16, as shown in Appendix B (Table 4) to the report, be approved; and

(b)       the work undertaken on the deployment of the Speed Limit Reminder signs, as detailed at Appendix D to the report, be noted.

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

The comments of the Scrutiny Board were taken into account in considering this item (see minute 7(4)).

RESOLVED that the Executive do not support the suggestion made by the Scrutiny Board to change the term ‘unallocated’ to ‘non-phased’.

RESOLVED that the following proposals be approved by the Executive and recommended to the meeting of the Council to be held on 20 February 2015:

(a)  the capital programme and financing of £33,176,000;

(b)  an overall revised revenue budget for 2014/15 of £9,516,100;

(c)  a revenue budget for 2015/16 of £9,174,600; and

(d)  a council tax for Fareham Borough Council for 2015/16 of £140.22 per band D property, which represents no increase when compared to the current year.

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

The comments of the Scrutiny Board were taken into account in considering this item (see minute 7(3)).

RESOLVED that the following proposals be approved by the Executive and recommended to the meeting of the Council to be held on 20 February 2015:

(a)  individual rent increases in line with the rent model, be approved for Council Dwellings with effect from 6 April 2015;

(b)  rents for Council garages be increased by 5% with effect from 6 April 2015;

(c)  discretionary fees and charges be increased to provide a minimum increase of 5%, where possible, with effect from 6 April 2015;

(d)  the revised budget for 2014/15 be approved;

(e)  the base budget for 2015/16 be approved;

(f)   the capital programme and financing for 2014/15 to 2018/19 be approved; and

(g)  annual budgets and assumptions are set with the aim of ensuring sufficient surpluses are held to repay debt on the date of maturity of each loan.

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  agrees to award the contract to the insurers ranked in 1^st position (as set out in confidential appendix A, being the most economically advantageous tender received; and

(b)  agrees that authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Resources to accept the finalised premiums and associated costs or make alternative arrangements in the event that the tender cannot be accepted by other participating local authorities.

A report by the Director Finance and Resources.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)  the revised Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) - Policy and Procedures attached at Appendix A is approved; and

(b)  the post-holder assigned to the role of Senior Responsible Officer inherits the delegated authority to maintain Appendix 1 of the policy which assigns named officers to the roles covered by the policy.

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

RESOLVED that the Executive notes the contents of the report on revenue and capital budget monitoring.

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

RESOLVED that the Executive notes the contents of the Treasury Management Monitoring report.