Agenda, decisions and minutes

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.

Members declared interests in the following agenda items:

6. Council Investment in District Sports Facilities Post 2012.

Councillor Nicholas Turner, Non Statutory Interest, as Cherwell District Council's appointed representative on the Oxfordshire Sports Partnership.

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

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

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

There were no items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2012 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendments:

Minute 78: Acquisition of Crown House, Banbury

Resolutions (1) and (2) to be public resolutions as set out below:

(1)               That the Head of Regeneration and Housing be authorised to make a formal offer to the owner of the Crown House Site based on the most recent valuation verified by an independent valuer as reflecting the open market value for the property.

(2)               That, subject to the Head of Law and Governance and the Head of Finance and Procurement being satisfied that the necessary legal and financial tests are met, the Head of Regeneration and Housing, in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance, the Head of Finance and Procurement, the Leader of the Council, the Lead Member for Housing and the Lead Member for Estates and the Economy be authorised to proceed with CPO proceedings, should the owner of the Crown House site not accept the open market value offer

Report of Director of Community and Environment

Summary

This report is intended to identify the need for investment in the stock of the Council’s current and proposed sports facilities and to do so in a manner which responds to the increased demand for sports participation arising from the highly successful 2012 Olympic Games. 

Recommendations

Executive is recommended to consider:

(1)               The Council establishing a medium term Olympic Legacy Fund to support increased sporting participation in football, cricket, rugby, hockey, athletics and tennis.

(2)               Investment in the Council’s stock of existing and proposed facilities which meet the above requirement should be given priority, especially where there is a focus on sports participation by young people.

(3)               The first call on the fund to be the facility investment projects for North Oxfordshire Academy Athletics Track, Kidlington and Gosford Leisure centre Artificial Turf Pitch, Stratfield Brake and the Phase 2 balance of funding for the SW Bicester Sports Village as detailed in the draft capital programme and subject to its approval.

Resolved

(1)               That, subject to the need for formal approval of full Council, the establishment of a Cherwell District Council medium term Olympic Legacy Fund to support increased sporting participation in football, cricket, rugby, hockey, athletics and tennis be agreed.

(2)               That it be agreed that investment in the Council’s stock of existing and proposed facilities which meet the above requirement (resolution 1) should be given priority, especially where there is a focus on sports participation by young people.

(3)               That the first call on the fund be the facility investment projects for North Oxfordshire Academy Athletics Track, Kidlington and Gosford Leisure centre Artificial Turf Pitch, Stratfield Brake and the Phase 2 balance of funding for the SW Bicester Sports Village as detailed in the draft capital programme.

The Director of Community and Environment submitted a report which identified the need for investment in the stock of the Council’s current and proposed sports facilities and to do so in a manner which responds to the increased demand for sports participation arising from the highly successful 2012 Olympic Games. 

In considering the report, Executive members commended the proposal and commented that in the long term it would be important to review how the fund was topped up for maintenance, repair and future improvements to facilities.

Councillor Tim Emptage (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group) and Councillor Andy Beere (in attendance on behalf on the Leader of the Labour Group) added their support to the proposal.

Resolved

(1)               That, subject to the need for formal approval of full Council, the establishment of a Cherwell District Council medium term Olympic Legacy Fund to support increased sporting participation in football, cricket, rugby, hockey, athletics and tennis be agreed.

(2)               That it be agreed that investment in the Council’s stock of existing and proposed facilities which meet the above requirement (resolution 1) should be given priority, especially where there is a focus on sports participation by young people.

(3)               That the first call on the fund be the facility investment projects for North Oxfordshire Academy Athletics Track, Kidlington and Gosford Leisure centre Artificial Turf Pitch, Stratfield Brake and the Phase 2 balance of funding for the SW Bicester Sports Village as detailed in the draft capital programme.

Reasons

If the Council does not invest in the facilities, then over time, sporting usage will fall. This has consequences not only for level of club use and participation but consequential affects down stream on the health of our community both in terms of the physical health and well being of residents and in social well being as there is potential for increased anti social behaviour if there are not the opportunities for positive activities, particularly for young people.

This Olympic Legacy approach will help to coordinate investment across the District to ensure availability of facilities and with some opportunities to achieve procurement savings.

If the Executive is minded to set up an Olympic Legacy fund, it is proposed that those capital investment requirements for sports facilities included in the draft 2013/14 capital programme become the first call on the fund. Future decisions on further calls on the balance of the fund will be preceded by detailed consideration by the Executive on each proposal.

Options

** Please note that Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 will follow as they are currently being finalised following the announcement of the Government settlement **

Report of Head of Finance and Procurement

Summary

The Council has to adopt a budget for 2013/14 as the basis for calculating its level of Council Tax and has to base that budget on its plans for service delivery during the year, recognising any changes in service demand that may arise in future years.  This is the first of two opportunities that the Executive has to shape and refine the appending plans before the final budget is presented to the Council on 27 February 2013.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               consider the draft revenue budget (detailed in Appendix 1);

(2)               note the recommendations of the scrutiny reviews of discretionary expenditure and the capital programme that were considered at the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board meetings October 2012 to December 2012 and detailed in Appendix 2;

(3)               advise of any other matters they would like taken into consideration in producing a balanced budget for the meeting of the Executive on 4 February 2013;

(4)               endorse the passporting of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) grant to local preceptors as detailed in Para 2.20-2.26.

(5)               note the decision taken in  Oxfordshire not to progress with a pool

Resolved

(1)               That the draft revenue budget be agreed subject to the amendments to the proposed capital programme 2013/14 detailed in resolution (2). 

(2)               That the recommendations of the scrutiny reviews of discretionary expenditure and the capital programme that were considered at the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board meetings October 2012 to December 2012 be noted and endorsed subject to the following amendments:

·        Financial System Upgrade: If any implications in the specification connected to document capture and storage then defer any expenditure until final decision on the bid for a Corporate – Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) and the ensuing detailed business case.

·        Highfield Depot Feasibility: Original bid of £200k to be reinstated to incorporate proposed redevelopment of office and welfare facilities at Highfield Depot in addition to a feasibility study

·        Community Facilities Grant Scheme: To become Community Facilities Loan Scheme

·        Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council Customer Services Desktop as a Service (DaaS): Include this bid in the proposed Capital Programme 2013/14 subject to similar approval by South Northamptonshire Council

(3)               That no further matters to those set out in these resolutions be requested to be taken into consideration in producing a balanced budget for the meeting of the Executive on 4 February 2013.

(4)               That the passporting of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) grant to local preceptors be endorsed.

(5)               That the decision taken in Oxfordshire not to progress with a pool be noted.

The Head of Finance and Procurement submitted a report which provided the first of two opportunities that the Executive had to shape and refine the appending plans before the final budget was presented to the Council on the 27 February 2013. The Council has to adopt a budget for 2013/14 as the basis for calculating its level of Council Tax and has to base that budget on its plans for service delivery during the year, recognising any changes in service demand that may arise in future years. 

In introducing the report the Lead Member for Financial Management reported that the draft General Fund Revenue budget has been prepared in accordance with the guidelines agreed by the Executive at its meeting on 1 October 2012 which were based on a 5% reduction in government funding. The Government announced its provisional settlement on 19 December 2012 which showed a 5.4% reduction in 2013/14 grant funding and a 15% reduction in 2014/15.

The Lead Member for Financial Management confirmed that the Council would meet its 2012/13 public promise to deliver at least £800,000 of budget reductions by April 2013. To date £1,009,000 had been achieved which had been built into the first draft of the budget.

The Executive was advised that the projected shortfall at draft 1 required a further reduction in costs or increase in income of £230,000. A number of areas to eliminate the deficit had been identified and the outcome of these reviews and their implication on the current budget shortfall would be presented to the February meeting of Executive in February 2013. It was confirmed that at this stage it was expected a balanced budget for 2013/14 would be achieved without the need to use any New Homes Bonus, business rate growth or general reserves.

The Lead Member for Financial Management reported on Council Tax localisation whereby eligible residents received a discount on their council tax rather than a benefit. This meant that the tax base would be reduced for all precepting authorities and most parish Councils would see a shortfall in their funding. Government guidance indicated that the billing authority should work with parishes on the distribution of the council tax reduction grant funding. It was proposed that CDC agree to passport an appropriate element of the council tax reduction grant to parishes to help mitigate their financial risk. Any further shortfalls will be subject of individual negotiations with individual parishes. Approval of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, revised discounts and exemption and the final taxbase would be sought at full Council on 21 January 2013.

The Lead Member updated Executive on business rate pooling. The announcement of the Government settlement had confirmed the business rate baselines. As a result of this information and change to levy rates the pool was now not financially attractive and the request to be part of the Oxfordshire pool had been withdrawn.

Councillor Mawer, Chairman of the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board (R&PSB), presented the recommendations and conclusions of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

The following report contains exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

3– Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

5 – Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege council be maintained in legal proceedings

Members are reminded that whilst the following item(s) have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded form the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 5 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded form the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 5 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

Exempt Report of Director of Resources

This report is exempt from publication by virtue of paragraphs 3 and 5 of Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)       That officers be requested to continue engaging Cherwell District Council with the two city deals that cover Oxford and Central Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes and the South East Midlands and report back to the Executive at the appropriate time.

The Director of Development submitted an exempt report which sought consideration of the council’s participation within the Oxford and Central Oxfordshire and the Milton Keynes and South East Midlands City Deals.

Resolved

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)               That officers be requested to continue engaging Cherwell District Council with the two city deals that cover Oxford and Central Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes and the South East Midlands and report back to the Executive at the appropriate time.

Reasons

This report is presented to the Executive for them to determine whether they wish to continue to engage with both city deal processes.

Options