Decisions

This report provides an update on the Council’s 5-year financial forecasts following the global pandemic.

The report gives the Executive the opportunity to consider the Council’s 5-year financial forecasts as set out in the Medium-Term Finance Strategy (MTFS) following the setting of the budget 2021/22 at the January Executive.

The impacts of COVID-19 have affected many areas of the Council’s finances during 2020/21 and these have continued through to the current financial year.  In light of the changes a new table of figures highlighting the effects of the pandemic and other operational changes has been compiled and the effects of this going forward over the strategy period is shown in the table below:

The detailed report highlights the main spending pressures affecting the budgets and also opportunities taken to close the budget gap.

5-Year Financial Forecasts

The 5-Year financial forecasts for 2021/22 to 2025/26 are predicting a funding shortfall for all years with reserves being used to ensure a balanced budget in 2021/22.  The Opportunities Plan approved last year is still predicted to address some of the shortfall and build in some capacity for future pressures and uncertainties.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the Medium-Term Finance Strategy for the period 2021/22 to 2025/6, as set out at Appendix A to the report.

The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Fareham Borough Council Shared Ownership Policy.  The Policy sets out the Council’s approach to its Shared Ownership properties.  This includes the criteria around household eligibility and the marketing, selling and management of this type of accommodation.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the Fareham Borough Council Shared Ownership Policy, as provided in Appendix A to the report, for publication; and

(b)  approves payment in accordance with the Council’s Incentive Scheme for any existing tenants agreeing to downsize.  This would only apply to Fareham Borough Council tenants who are moving into Fareham Borough Council shared ownership stock.

The purpose of this report is to seek Executive approval to adopt the Joint Municipal Wate Management Strategy (JMWMS), that sets out the strategic direction for the Project Integra Waste Management Partnership.

Project Integra (PI) is a partnership consisting of Hampshire County Council (HCC) as a waste disposal authority, 11 waste collection authorities, of which Fareham Borough Council (FBC) is one, and two unitary authorities.  The two unitary authorities, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council also act as Waste Disposal Authorities.

The PI Partnership refreshed its 2006 JMWMS in 2012.  This new revised JMWMS sets out the strategic direction for the PI partnership and will be supported by a new operational partnership agreement and detailed action plan to take PI forward, including meeting the requirements of the Environment Bill.

This JMWMS does not commit PI partners to a particular funding arrangement, this element will be discussed and agreed through the work being undertaken on a revised partnership agreement.

Section 5, page 23 of the JMWMS document in Appendix A, includes a table which sets out the key strategic actions that all PI partners are signed up to by approval of this JMWMS.  This includes a commitment to move to a twin stream collection system for dry recyclables.

However, local decision making will continue to be maintained across the partnership to ensure local factors, budgets and challenges are considered within any decision making to ensure the approach is best suited for all partners.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees to adopt the Project Integra Joint Municipal Waste Strategy, as attached to the report as Appendix A.

The Council’s performance management framework requires the Executive to undertake an annual review of the corporate vision and priorities.  The purpose is to confirm future priorities, update the wording where necessary and to provide an overview of the Council’s performance for the 2020/21 financial year.  The outcome of the Corporate Strategy review will influence budgets and local service agreements for the next financial year.

The Corporate Strategy provides a clear focus on the most important issues that need to be addressed for the 2017-2023 period.  This annual review is an opportunity to consider progress made in delivering corporate priorities and to assess the impact of any other influences on the Council’s services and initiatives.

The Council’s strategic framework includes Local Service Agreements to provide details of actions delivered by individual services.  Local Service Agreements provide an overview of how the Council is performing alongside the Corporate Strategy.  This annual review is an opportunity to consider how well the Council is, as a whole, performing, as well as in key service areas.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  agrees the amendments to the strategy document, as set out in paragraph 17 of the report;

(b)  recommends the Annual Review of the Corporate Strategy to Council for approval, subject to any further amendments; and

(c)  notes the Council’s performance for the 2020/21 financial year.

The purpose of this report it to note the findings of the condition surveys of the Council’s community buildings, understand the costs of necessary maintenance works identified in this process and consider the most appropriate allocation of resources to ensure the long-term maintenance of these important community assets.

The Council owns 16 community buildings that act as a hub for its communities and are well-used for leisure and social activities.

In 2020 each building was surveyed to identify the maintenance to that facility that would be required over the following 5-year period.  The findings of the surveys were refined to understand which works were necessary and the responsibility of the Council as detailed in the individual Leases.

The urgent works individually costing over £10,000 that were identified as the responsibility of the Council came to a total of £466,500.  In addition, many smaller repairs were also identified that would be required to be carried out over the next 5-year period.  These were identified as costing the Council £117,000 in total.

The Executive is asked to allocate funds from the Council’s budget to enable the scheduling of the necessary significant repairs and the smaller revenue works to enable the Council to meet its maintenance responsibilities for its community buildings.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the allocation of up to £433,000 from the General Fund Revenue Reserve to establish a capital budget for the urgent significant repair works to the Council’s community buildings, as identified by the Condition Surveys;

(b)  notes the potential works required to the X-perience building, which will be subject to a separate report; and

(c)  notes the smaller necessary repairs, totalling £117,000, identified that are the Council’s responsibility as detailed with the Leases held.

This report seeks authority from the Director of Planning and Regeneration for the Council to enter into a legal agreement with William Butler, James Butler and Butler Farms Ltd in respect of land owned by William and James Butler at Whitewool Farm, Whitewool Lane, East Meon, Hampshire GU32 1HW. The agreement will allow the Council to accept nitrates mitigation for proposed residential developments in the Borough from the mitigation scheme at Whitewool Farm.

In February 2019, Natural England updated its advice to local councils to reflect recent European case law and now recommends an Appropriate Assessment is undertaken within the Borough of Fareham for every application for new dwellings.

Natural England has highlighted that increased levels of nitrates entering The Solent (because of increased amounts of wastewater from new dwellings) is likely to have a significant effect upon protected sites.

Where developers are not able to demonstrate that their proposals maintain or reduce the levels of nitrates leaving their site, mitigation measures need to be identified. The majority of residential planning applications will need to mitigate for increased levels of nitrates entering The Solent; in most instances developers are unable to provide this mitigation on their development site.

William and James Butler and Butler Farms propose bringing forward agricultural land and a wetland scheme at Whitewool Farm, Hampshire to be used as mitigation for nitrates arising from new residential development within the catchment area. The wetland scheme has obtained planning permission from South Downs National Park Authority.

Authority is sought from the Director of Planning and Regeneration for the Council to enter into a legal agreement with William and James Butler and Butler Farms to secure nitrate mitigation at Whitewool Farm in connection with residential planning permissions granted within the Borough of Fareham.

RESOLVED That authority be given by the Director of Planning and Regeneration for the Council to enter into a legal agreement with William and James Butler and Butler Farms to secure nitrate mitigation at Whitewool Farm in connection with residential planning permissions granted within the Borough of Fareham.