Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no petitions. The Chairman advised that he had agreed to a request from Councillor Maurice Billington, ward member for Kidlington East, to address the meeting in relation to agenda item 9: Loan for a Replacement Kidlington Girl Guides Building. Councillor Billington would be called upon to speak at the agenda item.

There were no items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2017 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

Report of Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Purpose of report

A)           To provide an update on progress to establish the creation of Banbury Business Improvement District (BID.

B)           To seek the endorsement of the Executive for a recommendation to Council to approve:

a.            The casting of a positive vote in favour of creating a BID for Banbury in the ballot in relation to the Council’s eligible property (hereditaments);

C)          To seek the endorsement of the Executive for a recommendation to Council to approve, subject to a positive ballot, the Council:

a.            To subsidise part of the annual costs of collecting the Levy on behalf of the BID within a budget ceiling for a maximum five year period and for the Chief Financial Officer to make the appropriate arrangements;

b.            To provide a bridging loan to the BID to support its establishment and for repayment within a three year period and for the Chief Financial Officer to make the appropriate arrangements.

c.            To meet the costs of creating the BID Levy collection system and for the Chief Financial Officer to make the appropriate arrangements.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to propose to Council that a number of decisions are taken to prepare for the creation of the Banbury Business Improvement District (BID), subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses. It is recommended: 

1.1         To delegate authority for the Director – Strategy & Commissioning to vote in favour of the BID at the Ballot on behalf of all Council-owned hereditaments.

1.2         To delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to meet the actual one-off capital cost, estimated to be £20,000 to create the necessary collection system.

1.3         To delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to subsidise a proportion of the annual revenue costs to collect the BID levy for a maximum period of five years of £9,000 a year.

1.4         To delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to provide a bridging loan of up to £50,000 to the Banbury BID to cover the set-up, operational and project costs in its start up phase to be entirely repaid to the Council within three years. The loan would be subject to an appropriate legal agreement being entered into to govern the drawdown loan facility and all financial requirements being satisfied.

Resolved

(1)          That authority be delegated to the Director – Strategy & Commissioning to vote in favour of the BID at the Ballot on behalf of all Council-owned hereditaments.

(2)          That, subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses and approval of budgets by Full Council, authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to meet the actual one-off capital cost, estimated to be £20,000 to create the necessary collection system.

(3)          That, subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses and approval of budgets by Full Council, authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to subsidise a proportion of the annual revenue costs to collect the BID levy for a maximum period of five years of £9,000 a year.

(4)          That, subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses and approval of budgets by Full Council, authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to provide a bridging loan of up to £50,000 to the Banbury BID to cover the set-up, operational and project costs in its start-up phase to be entirely repaid to the Council within three years. The loan would be subject to an appropriate legal agreement being entered into to govern the drawdown loan facility and all financial requirements being satisfied.

The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy submitted a report to provide an update on progress to establish the creation of Banbury Business Improvement District (BID) and to delegate authority to the Director – Strategy and Commissioning to cast a positive vote in favour of creating a BID for Banbury in the ballot in relation to the Council’s eligible property (hereditaments)

The report also sought the endorsement of the Executive for a recommendation to Council to approve, subject to a positive ballot, the council subsidising part of the annual costs of collecting the Levy on behalf of the BID within a budget ceiling for a maximum five year period, to provide a bridging loan to the BID to support its establishment and for repayment within a three year period .

Resolved

(1)          That authority be delegated to the Director – Strategy & Commissioning to vote in favour of the BID at the Ballot on behalf of all Council-owned hereditaments.

(2)          That, subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses and approval of budgets by Full Council, authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to meet the actual one-off capital cost, estimated to be £20,000 to create the necessary collection system.

(3)          That, subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses and approval of budgets by Full Council, authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to subsidise a proportion of the annual revenue costs to collect the BID levy for a maximum period of five years of £9,000 a year.

(4)          That, subject to a positive ‘yes’ ballot of businesses and approval of budgets by Full Council, authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to provide a bridging loan of up to £50,000 to the Banbury BID to cover the set-up, operational and project costs in its start-up phase to be entirely repaid to the Council within three years. The loan would be subject to an appropriate legal agreement being entered into to govern the drawdown loan facility and all financial requirements being satisfied.

Reasons

The BID proposal for Banbury has progressed to timetable and has published its five year business plan as a basis for a ballot to be held on 14 November 2017.

Subject to a positive ‘yes’ vote, the BID will become operational from April 2018. Following the recommendations set out in the report, the Council will prepare its systems to collect the Levy and work with the BID to establish itself to contribute to the mutual objective of adding economic ‘vitality’ to central Banbury.

The recommendations of the report concern the amount of financial support to provide in the forms of a loan and annual subsidy. The recommendations also seek delegation of decisions within previously approved budgets and approval for officers to cast a positive ‘yes’ vote on behalf of the Council to support the establishment of the Banbury BID for each of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Report of Director – Strategy and Commissioning

Purpose of report

This report provides a summary of the key messages from the Annual Residents’ Satisfaction Survey which was undertaken between 8 May and 16 June 2017. Full details from the survey are contained in Appendix 1 which is the full report delivered by the independent company who managed the survey on behalf of Cherwell District Council (CDC).This report also outlines recommended actions to further develop the Annual Residents’ Satisfaction Survey as an integral part of CDC’s consultation with residents.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Note the contents of the report and appendices

1.2         Make use of the appropriate results as part of the annual Business Planning objectives and targets setting for 2018/19

1.3         Agree that the 2017 results are used for future target setting and benchmarking

Resolved

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

(2)          That the appropriate results be used as part of the annual Business Planning objectives and targets setting for 2018/19.

(3)          That it be agreed that the 2017 results be used for future target setting and benchmarking.

The Director – Strategy and Commissioning submitted a report which provided a summary of the key messages from the Annual Residents’ Satisfaction Survey which was undertaken between 8 May and 16 June 2017. The report also outlined recommended actions to further develop the Annual Residents’ Satisfaction Survey as an integral part of CDC’s consultation with residents.

Resolved

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

(2)          That the appropriate results be used as part of the annual Business Planning objectives and targets setting for 2018/19.

(3)          That it be agreed that the 2017 results be used for future target setting and benchmarking.

Reasons

The annual residents’ satisfaction survey is a core method of getting feedback from our residents. By reviewing the question base to align it with key service requirements for customer opinion and also the aims and priorities of the Corporate Business Plan, the Council will improve the quality of information received and the decisions that are made based on feedback and satisfaction data. A more concise survey may also improve response rates.

The service specific deep dives, coordinated by the Strategic Insight and Intelligence team, will enrich the council with more detailed customer feedback and insight enabling evidence-based decision making within the business planning process.

Alternative options

Not linking into the approved Consultation strategy and not following the actions would result in less information/feedback about our customers.

The improved respondent base has illustrated improvement in some areas and areas that require further delving into which is part of the Strategic Insight and Intelligence team remit. Reverting to a more select group of respondents could potentially mask issues.

Report of Director of Operational Delivery

Purpose of report

To consider a loan to Kidlington Girl Guides to enable them to replace their current old and poor quality building

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Approve a low interest loan of up to £100,000 to Kidlington Girl Guides for a replacement guide building

Resolved

(1)          That, subject to the approval of budgets by Full Council, a low interest loan of up to £100,000 to Kidlington Girl Guides for a replacement guide building be approved.

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted a report to consider a loan to Kidlington Girl Guides to enable them to replace their current old and poor quality building.

Councillor Billington, local ward member for Kidlington East, addressed the Executive and thanked the Executive for their consideration and support of this matter on behalf of Kidlington Girl Guides. 

Resolved

(1)          That, subject to the approval of budgets by Full Council, a low interest loan of up to £100,000 to Kidlington Girl Guides for a replacement guide building be approved.

Reasons

The Council does not have a grant scheme or budget which it can apply in these circumstances and therefore a loan is an appropriate means of funding consideration. Officers have adopted a number of criteria to apply in such circumstances which have been met by the Kidlington Girl Guides and hence it is recommended that a loan of up to £100,000 be offered to allow them to complete their new building.

Alternative options

Option 1: To offer a grant to KGG instead of the requested loan. This is not proposed as the Council does not have a grant scheme for this initiative.

Option 2: To offer only the £80k loan requested. This is not proposed as officers feel that the project does not have sufficient construction contingency.

The following reports contain 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).

Members are reminded that whilst the following items have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider 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.

No representations have been received from the public requesting that any of the items be considered in public.

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

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Resolved

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt report of Chief Finance Officer

Resolved

(1)          That the contents of the report and the financial implications for the Council be noted.

(2)          As set out in the exempt decisions.

The Chief Finance Officer submitted an exempt report which provided an update on The Hill Youth and Community Centre.

Resolved

(1)          That the contents of the report and the financial implications for the Council be noted.

(2)          As set out in the exempt minutes.

Reasons

As set out in the exempt minutes

Alternative options

As set out in the exempt minutes

Exempt report of Chief Finance Officer

Resolved

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

(2)          That the overall 2018/19 budget strategy and service and financial planning process be agreed.

(3)          That, having given due consideration, the proposed budget guidelines and timetable for the 2018/19 budget process (exempt annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be agreed.

The Chief Executive submitted an exempt report to inform Executive of the service and financial planning process for 2018/19, the 2018/19 budget strategy and the budget guidelines for service managers to enable the production of the 2018/19 budget.

Resolved

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

(2)          That the overall 2018/19 budget strategy and service and financial planning process be agreed.

(3)          That, having given due consideration, the proposed budget guidelines and timetable for the 2018/19 budget process (exempt annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be agreed.

Reasons

The Council needs to set guidelines and a timetable for the preparation of draft estimates for 2018/19. These guidelines should support the objectives contained in the Council’s Business Plan, Service Plans and enable an update to the medium term revenue plan.

The focus of the budget process has always been the forthcoming financial year, with subsequent years covered in less detail in the Medium Term Financial Plan.

Alternative options

Option 1: To disagree with the recommendations. This option has been rejected as it will lead to a delay in the formulation of a detailed budget for 2018/19.