Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Weeks.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on 18 March 2015.

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 18 March 2015 were agreed as a correct record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

To receive and record any declarations of interest from any of the members present.

There were no declarations of interest from any of the members present.

The Chairman took the opportunity to formally welcome Councillor Wilson as a new member of the Cabinet, with Cabinet Lead responsibility for Governance and Logistics and HR.  The Chairman also conveyed his thanks to Councillor Branson for her contribution to the work of the Cabinet in her former role and to wish her well in her new position as Chairman of the Scrutiny Board.

To note the following delegated decisions and minutes of meetings:

1. Minutes of the Portchester Crematorium Joint Management Committee meeting held on 16 March 2015;
2. Delegated Decision: Contract for the Disposal of Abandoned Vehicles;
3. Delegated Decision: Proposed Traffic Order for Barncroft Way and Priorsdean Crescent, Havant.

RESOLVED that the following delegated decisions and minutes of meetings be noted:

(1)          Minutes of the Portchester Crematorium Joint ManagementCommittee meeting held on 16 March 2015;

(2)          Delegated Decision: Contract for the Disposal of Abandoned Vehicles;

(3)          Delegated Decision: Proposed Traffic Order for Barncroft Way and Priorsdean Crescent, Havant.

Councillor Briggs presented a report setting out options for achieving further reductions in service budgets in the context of delivering Operational Services differently in the future.

Councillor Briggs outlined the significant work that had been done to date, both in delivering major savings within the current service and also in researching alternative models for delivering services going forward.  Public consultations would commence shortly on the various options, to help identify the best option for both the Council and its customers and to inform decision making in due course.

An amendment to the table of advantages/disadvantages in relation to Option 4b as set out in Appendix A (page 76 in the agenda)  was circulated and noted, removing references to ‘no need for a fully detailed specification or OJEU process’ and ‘reduced technical client requirement’.

A revised recommendation was circulated and agreed as follows:

RESOLVED that:

(1)          Cabinet agree to the relevant officers researching in further detail option 2 (Outsource to a Private Contractor - PCC) and option 4 (Outsource to a Joint Venture Company - JVC) in order to inform decision making;

(2)          Prior to a formal decision being made on options at the next Cabinet meeting in June, a Public Consultation is undertaken, and these options are also considered by the Scrutiny Board on 2^nd June 2015;

(3)          To assist with this decision, a presentation from a JVC contractor is to be arranged for all Members at that meeting on 2^nd June;

(4)          Officers continue to explore options for increasing the efficiency and driving down costs of the current in-house core services to ensure that Operational Services are fit for commissioning, taking on board issues within the Business Plan for 2015/16, which includes some items carried over from 2014/15; and

(5)          That the officer recommendation in Appendix A be rejected in order to ensure all options remain open for public consultation.

The Cabinet was requested to make annual appointments to outside organisations in 2015-16 in line with the circulated schedule of nominations.

During the course of the debate, Cabinet members emphasised the need for clear terms of reference and appointment criteria for each of the organisations concerned and for the schedule of appointments to be subject to rigorous review in the forthcoming municipal year.  The Leader confirmed that Councillor G Shimbart, in his new role as Chairman of the Council’s Representation on Outside Organisations would be putting in place a number of initiatives to ensure that this be taken forward in  2015-16.

RESOLVED that the nominations set out in Appendix A to the report, as amended by the published supplementary information, be approved.  All such appointments to remain in effect until the first meeting of the Cabinet in the 2016/17 municipal year.

The Cabinet was requested to make annual appointments to the following working parties and panels in 2015-16:

(1)          Coastal Defence Panel

Councillors: Branson, Cresswell, Guest, Lenaghan, Satchwell and
K Smith

(2)          Local Plan Panel

Councillors: Buckley, Brown, Guest, Hart, Heard, Keast, Satchwell, Mrs E Shimbart, D Smith and Tarrant.