Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hollybank Room, Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hants PO9 2AX. View directions

Contact: Penny Milne  Democratic Services Team Leader

Items
No. Item

56.

Apologies for Absence

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

57.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 93 KB

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on 29 November 2017 and the extraordinary meetings held on 6 and 18 December 2017.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 29 November were approved as a correct record subject to an amendment to minute 43(3) to read ‘Owslebury Grove’.

 

The minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 6 December and 8 December 2017 were approved as a correct record.

58.

Declarations of Interests

To receive and record any declarations of interest.

Minutes:

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

59.

Chairman's Report

To receive any matters the Chairman wishes to report.

Minutes:

There were no matters the Chairman wished to report.

60.

Cabinet Lead Delegated Decisions, Minutes from Meetings etc. pdf icon PDF 58 KB

RECOMMENDED that the following Delegated Decisions and Minutes of Meetings be noted:

 

(1)          Minutes of the Portchester Crematorium Joint Management Committee held on 11 December 2017;

(2)          Delegated Decision: Increase in Charges for Collection of Garden Waste;

(3)          Proposed Traffic Regulation Order – Kingsclere Avenue;

(4)          Proposed Traffic Regulation Order – Old Copse Road.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the following minutes and delegated decisions be noted:

 

(1)          Minutes of the Portchester Crematorium Joint Management Committee meeting held on 11 December 2017;

(2)          Delegated Decision: Increase in Charges for Collection of Garden Waste;

(3)          Delegated Decision: Proposed Traffic Regulation Order – Kingsclere Avenue; and

(4)               Delegated Decision: Proposed Traffic Regulation Order – Old Copse Road.

61.

Recommendation from the Joint HR Committee - Reviewed Equality Policy pdf icon PDF 64 KB

The Cabinet to consider the following recommendation arising from the meeting of the Joint HR Committee held on 6 December 2017.  The report and the Policy as reviewed by the JHR Committee is attached.

 

RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that the Reviewed Equality Policy be approved

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Bowerman, as Cabinet Lead for Governance and Organisational Development, presented a report to Cabinet arising from the meeting of the Joint HR Committee held on 6 December 2017 and seeking approval of the reviewed Equality Policy.  The changes endorsed by the Joint HR Committee were set out in paragraph 4.1 of the report.

 

Councillor Bowerman also reported that a session on equality and diversity would be incorporated within the new Councillor induction programme for May 2018.

 

Cabinet members sought clarification with regard to the implications for contractors undertaking work on behalf of the Council and were advised that, whilst the Council could impose its Equality Policy through its contract processes if it was considered reasonable and proportionate to do so, it had no powers to enforce the legislation. 

 

An assurance was also given that the policy was accessible through the Council’s website in various languages and that braille copies could be made available on request.

 

RESOLVED that the reviewed Equality Policy, set out at Appendix A to the Cabinet report be approved.

62.

Budget 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 108 KB

The 2018/19 Budget proposals will be considered by the Scrutiny Board on 30 January 2018 and any recommendations arising from that meeting will be reported separately to Cabinet.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Briggs, as Cabinet Lead for Finance, presented a report and recommendation to Cabinet setting out the proposed Revenue & Capital Budget for 2018/19 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2022/23 for onward recommendation to Council.

 

Members of the Cabinet sought clarification with regard to the recommendation that, during 2018/19, a minimum increase of 2.8% be applied to fees and charges not otherwise constrained by statute.  Cabinet was minded, however, to recommend that an increase of up to 2.8% be applied in 2018/19 and that if, going forward, there were proposals to increase specific fees or charges above the 2.8% threshold, these be referred back to the Cabinet.

 

Councillor Buckley, as Chairman of the Scrutiny Board, was invited to join the meeting and presented a report and recommendations from the Scrutiny Board arising from the budget review undertaken by the Budget Scrutiny and Policy Review Panel.

 

At the conclusion of the debate the Chairman took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the s151 Officer and CEO, to the Heads of Service and the members of the Scrutiny Panel for their rigorous review of all service budgets that had contributed to balancing the forthcoming year’s budget at a financially challenging time for local government.

 

(A)         RESOLVED that

 

(1)          the current Fees and Charges Schedule (Appendix G to the report) be noted; and

(2)          an increase of up to 2.8% be applied during 2018/19 to those fees and charges that are not otherwise constrained by statute, to be determined by the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Leader;

(B)         RECOMMENDED to full Council that it

 

(1)         approves the proposed Revenue & Capital Budgets for 2018/19, including a Council Tax rate of £198.54 at Band D, representing a 2.99% increase on the current charge;

(2)         notes the Cabinet decision of 7 February 2018 to apply during 18/19 an increase of up to 2.8% to those fees and charges that are not otherwise constrained by statute, to be determined by the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Leader;

(3)         agrees the Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators; and

(4)         reduces the Councillor Community Grants to £0 in 2018/19 and that this be subject to further review by the Scrutiny Board.

(C)         RESOLVED that

 

(1)          the Chief Finance Officer and the Management Team be instructed to review each service’s budget to identify funds which could be used by more than one service and that consideration be given to consolidating budgets where appropriate so that all services are aware of specific budget funds that are available and avoid the situation referred to in paragraph 10.4(a) of the submitted Budget Scrutiny Panel’s report;

(2)          the political group leaders be requested to encourage their members to consent to receiving electronic versions of all committee papers;

(3)          the officers be instructed to prepare a business case for paperless meeting papers, highlighting the costs and potential savings for this move;

(4)          the officers and Cabinet Leads be instructed to put in place communication plans for any changes to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

63.

Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Report attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Guest presented a report and recommendations seeking approval of the Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy, allowing the Council to implement the strategy’s new guidance and charging schedule (collected as a developer contribution for planning applications) from 1 April 2018.

 

Whilst recognising that the Council was obligated to implement the charging schedule through its commitment to the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) collective agreement to adopt the Strategy, Cabinet members expressed significant concern about the deliverability of the intended mitigations in relation to the perceived excessive cost to developers. 

 

Cabinet members also took the view that application of the charging schedule only to new residential development within 5.6km of the coast unfairly impacted local development and that a national application of the Strategy would be more equitable and would reduce the cost locally.

 

At the conclusion of the debate, the Leader undertook to write to both the Chairman of PUSH and the Chairman of the East Solent Coastal Partnership Board highlighting the Cabinet’s concerns and seeking to explore any opportunities to host the scheme through the Coastal Partnership with a view to reducing the financial impact on new local development.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(1)          the Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy (Appendix 1 to the Cabinet report) be approved;

(2)          the Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy’s implementation from 1 April 2018 be approved; and

(3)          the Council’s continued membership of, and engagement with, the Solent Recreation Mitigation Partnership (SRMP) be endorsed.

 

64.

Community Infrastructure Levy: Spending pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Report to follow.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Guest presented a report providing detail on the 33 bids received following the CIL Bidding Process (20 for the Main CIL Pot and 13 for the Neighbourhood Portion).  The report provided an analysis of the bids and made recommendations on the spending of CIL funds.  Workshops had been held to give all Councillors and opportunity to comment on the bids received.

 

In endorsing the recommendations for submission to full Council in accordance with the adopted Funding Decision Protocol, Cabinet members were mindful that further information would be required from the Highways Engineers in relation to the Hambledon Road/Milton Road junction item in order to inform any detailed proposals coming forward in due course.  In the meantime, Cabinet was supportive of the proposal to allocate funding in principle for the project as outlined in the report.

 

RECOMMENDED to full Council that:

 

(1)          The Council invest the available CIL Pot of £1,918,284 in the following capital infrastructure projects:

 

Title (Bid ref)

Amount

Cumulative amount

Langstone FCERM Scheme CIL Pot Building Proposal: 2017-2021 (1) *

£0

£0

Havant Shared Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge (8) **

(£125,000)

(£125,000)

Warblington Footbridge (9)

£150,000

£275,000

Bushy Lease Strategic Sustainable Access Route (10)

£373,000

£648,000

Hambledon Road/Milton Road Safety Improvements (20) ***

£117,000

£765,000

Rusty Cutter – Teardrop Link Road Capacity Enhancement (12)

£150,000

£915,000

 

Table A: Current recommended spends and cumulative effect on 123 CIL Pot if all spending options are supported

 

See additional information

* Paragraph 4.14 (i) of the report

** Paragraph 4.14(ii) regarding separate consideration of Footbridge options

*** Paragraph 4.14 (iii) of the report

 

(2)          That the balance of the CIL Pot be retained and expenditure further considered on Langstone FCERM Scheme in the 2018 CIL Funding Decision once the Draft Havant Borough Local Plan 2036 has been published and the outcome of the consultation is known; and

(3)          The Council invest the available Neighbourhood Portion of £212,374 across the borough as set out below:

 

Title (Bid ref)

Amount

Cumulative amount

Hayling East–West Cycle Route: Upgrade Footpath 521 to Shared Use (J)

£16,000

£16,000

Solent Way Upgrade Project (C)

£46,000

£62,000

Waterlooville Pavilion Feasibility Study (G)

£4,000

£66,000

Drainage Hobby Close Field (L)

£49,500

£115,500

The Spring Arts Centre Minor Works (Air Conditioning) (M)

£15,000

£130,500

Pallant Centre Universal Access Project (Lift) (B)

£21,000

£151,500

Replace Outdated and Uneconomic Lighting in Mountford Wing and Assembly Room of Emsworth Community Centre (F)

£15,000

£166,500

Waterlooville Community Centre Improvements/ Expansion/’Changing Place’ Facility (A)

£10,520

£177,020

 

Table B: Current recommended spends and the cumulative effect on Neighbourhood Portion if all spending options are supported