Agenda, decisions and minutes


Venue: Virtual meeting

Contact: Natasha Clark, Democratic and Elections  Email: democracy@cherwellandsouthnorthants.gov.uk, 01295 221589

Media

Items
No. Item

48.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest that they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

49.

Petitions and Requests to Address the Meeting

The Chairman to report on any requests to submit petitions or to address the meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

50.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 214 KB

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2020.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2020 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

51.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive communications from the Chairman.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

 

52.

Budget and Business Planning Process 2021/22 - 2025/26 pdf icon PDF 394 KB

Report of the Director Of Finance

 

Purpose of report

 

This report is to inform the Executive of the proposed approach to the 2021/22 Budget and Business Planning Process and provides context and background information on the existing Medium Term Financial Strategy and information on latest government announcements relevant to the Strategy.

 

Recommendations

            

The Executive is recommended to:

 

1.1       Approve the Budget and Business Planning Process for 2021/22.

 

1.2       Approve a five-year period for the Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2025/26 and three-year period for the Capital Programme to 2023/24.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)           That the Budget and Business Planning Process for 2021/22 be approved.

 

(2)           That a five-year period for the Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2025/26 and three-year period for the Capital Programme to 2023/24 be approved.

 

Minutes:

The Director Of Finance submitted a report to inform the Executive of the proposed approach to the 2021/22 Budget and Business Planning Process. The report also provided context and background information on the existing Medium Term Financial Strategy and information on latest government announcements relevant to the Strategy.

 

Resolved

 

(1)           That the Budget and Business Planning Process for 2021/22 be approved.

 

(2)           That a five-year period for the Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2025/26 and three-year period for the Capital Programme to 2023/24 be approved.

 

Reasons

 

The Council has a legal obligation to set a balanced budget and ensure it maintains a suitable level of reserves each year.  The process laid out in this report will allow CDC to develop budget proposals that will allow it to meet these legal obligations.

 

Alternative options

 

The Council has a legal obligation to set a balanced budget and evaluate its level of reserves to ensure they are held at a suitable level.  Therefore; there are no alternative options other than to carry out a budget process that reviews the levels of reserves and identifies a budget proposal that can be delivered within the overall level of resources available to the Council.

 

53.

Monthly Performance, Finance and Risk Monitoring Report pdf icon PDF 969 KB

Report of Director Of Finance and Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes

 

Purpose of report

 

This report summarises the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring position as at the end of August 2020.

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1      To note the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)           That the monthly performance, finance and risk monitoring report be noted.

Minutes:

The Director Of Finance and Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes submitted a report which summarised the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring position as at the end of August 2020.

 

Resolved

 

(1)           That the monthly performance, finance and risk monitoring report be noted.

 

Reasons

 

The Council is committed to performance, risk and budget management and reviews progress against its corporate priorities on a monthly basis.

 

Alternative options

 

Option 1: This report illustrates the Council’s performance against the 2020-21 business plan. As this is a monitoring report, no further options have been considered. However, members may wish to request that officers provide additional information.

 

54.

Cherwell District Council Climate Action Framework pdf icon PDF 373 KB

Report of Executive Director Place and Growth

 

Purpose of report

 

To note progress made and seek approval for the Climate Action Framework as a basis to frame action against our Climate Emergency motions.

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1          To note the progress made.

 

1.2      To approve the Climate Action Framework document (appendix 1).

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)           That the progress made be noted.

 

(2)           That the Climate Action Framework document (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Director Place and Growth submitted a report to note progress made and seek approval for the Climate Action Framework as a basis to frame action against our Climate Emergency motions.

Executive thanked and commended officers for their work in producing the action plan and commented on the importance of having a framework as meaningful change was needed. The council has great ambition and targets and would need to work with partners to bring to fruition.

 

Resolved

 

(1)           That the progress made be noted.

 

(2)           That the Climate Action Framework document (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

 

Reasons

 

In order to reach the 2030 target and aspiration a step change in activity is needed to make it reachable. The Climate Action Framework and mobilisation phase seek to embed a consideration for the Climate Emergency and associated 2030 targets in all aspects of the Council’s services and activities. This important stage will guide key work areas and enable coordination of activities.

 

Alternative options

 

Option 1: Members advise officers to take a different approach to that outlined in the report.

The framework sets out a structure to enable comprehensive climate action, embedding change in all aspects of the councils services and activities. A different approach without this structure runs the risk of not fully embedding this priority and subsequently increasing the risk of failing to meet the 2030 target.

 

Option 2: Members advise officers to undertake no further work on this agenda.

This approach has been identified as missing the councils 2030 targets by a considerable margin.

 

55.

Transfer of Delegated Power to New Post Holder pdf icon PDF 345 KB

Report of Monitoring Officer

 

Purpose of report

 

To transfer a power delegated to the former post of Corporate Director: Communities to the post of Corporate Director: Place and Growth.

 

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1      To transfer from the former post of Corporate Director: Communities to the current post of Corporate Director: Place and Growth the power (delegated to the Corporate Director: Communities by the Executive at its meeting on 2 March 2020) to determine whether to support the funding of Bicester Vision for a three year term, in the sum of £15,000 per annum, in consultation with the S.151 officer and the Leader of the Council.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)           That it be agreed to transfer from the former post of Corporate Director: Communities to the current post of Corporate Director: Place and Growth the power (delegated to the Corporate Director: Communities by the Executive at its meeting on 2 March 2020) to determine whether to support the funding of Bicester Vision for a three year term, in the sum of £15,000 per annum, in consultation with the S.151 officer and the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report to transfer a power delegated to the former post of Corporate Director: Communities to the post of Corporate Director: Place and Growth.

 

Resolved

 

(1)           That it be agreed to transfer from the former post of Corporate Director: Communities to the current post of Corporate Director: Place and Growth the power (delegated to the Corporate Director: Communities by the Executive at its meeting on 2 March 2020) to determine whether to support the funding of Bicester Vision for a three year term, in the sum of £15,000 per annum, in consultation with the S.151 officer and the Leader of the Council.

 

Reasons

 

The post of Corporate Director Communities no longer exists, and so the power delegated by the Executive at its meeting on 2 March needed to be transferred to a new postholder in order that the relevant recommendation could be effectively discharged.

 

Alternative options

 

There are no alternative options - the delegated power can now most effectively be discharged by the current postholder of Corporate Director: Place and Growth, who has oversight of the work of the Growth and Economy generally and the Bicester Vision project specifically.

56.

Urgent Business - The Musketeer, Banbury - Emergency Accommodation Lease Agreement pdf icon PDF 537 KB

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)           That the entering into a lease agreement with the owners of The Musketeer in Banbury be approved.

 

(2)           That it be agreed to proceed and enter into the lease on the agreed terms.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman advised the meeting that he had agreed to add one item of urgent business to the agenda relating to an emergency accommodation lease agreement with The Musketeer, Banbury. The matter had arisen after agenda publication and a decision was required before the next scheduled meeting due to the end date of the current agreement.

The Assistant Director Property Investment and Contract Management and Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning submitted an urgent report which set out that the Housing Team would like to enter into a private sector lease agreement with the Musketeer Motel in Banbury, a property which had been used for emergency accommodation for vulnerable households for several years in the form of a licence agreement. The lease-in value (£124.1k pa) was outside the delegated powers (£100k pa) of the Assistant Director Property Investment and Contract Management, therefore the approval of Executive was required.

 

Resolved

 

(1)           That the entering into a lease agreement with the owners of The Musketeer in Banbury be approved.

 

(2)           That it be agreed to proceed and enter into the lease on the agreed terms.

 

Reasons

 

The Council has been occupying the facility in the form of a licence agreement for the purpose of emergency accommodation since 1 October 2016. It is now felt that legally the arrangement fits better as a lease arrangement, given that the renting of the accommodation units is the majority of the value.  This will secure sole use of the property for the council in discharging statutory duties to homeless households and avoid any possibility that parts of the property could be let independently to individuals who would not be placed by CDC.  

 

The negotiations for a new lease agreement with the owners of The Musketeer achieved similar terms to the existing license agreement.

 

Alternative options

 

The Housing Team could not identify similar style and quality potential emergency accommodation immediately available in Banbury.