Agenda and minutes

None.

The minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 4 and 19 December 2006 and 8 January 2007 were signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED: (1) That N Adams, L Avery, C Bricher, M Clark, A Gilbert, C Grethe, D Green, D Munday, P Southworth, D Turtle, H Tuttle, D Randall and Councillor Woods be granted leave to address the Cabinet in respect of Item 8 “Budget 2007/08 to 2009/10”.

                        (2) That A Timpson and W Kirkham be granted leave to address the Cabinet in respect of Item 12 “Sheltered Housing Review”.

None.

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None.

Report of Corporate Manager, Legal and Democratic Services (copy herewith)

The Operational Manager for Recovery Policy & Governance submitted a report that had attached to it the current draft of the Community Vision following consultation at the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) Conference held on 5 December 2006. The intention was to have a single vision for the Town that all  the separate public bodies were signed up to.  Following any comments that the Cabinet wished to make, the draft would be presented to the LSP Board on 2 February 2007 for adoption following which a new Community Strategy for 2007/11 would be developed.  It was intended that the final Community Strategy would be completed by 1 April 2007. 

Councillor Hadland proposed that the fifth bullet point for 2011 should read, “Be well served by modern and efficient public services;”.

Councillor Larratt suggested that under 2031 the heading under “Be a major regional cultural and economic centre;” should place greater emphasis on enhancing the skills base of the workforce within the Town.

RESOLVED: That subject to the suggestions put forward being included, the Community Vision for 2031 be approved for consideration and agreement by the LSP Board.

Report of Corporate Manager, Democratic and Legal Services (copy herewith)

The Operational Manager for Recovery Policy & Governance submitted a report and commented that the Cabinet had, at its meeting on 25 September 2006, approved priorities for 2007/08 to 2011/12.  These priorities had been used to inform the development of the Medium Term Financial Strategy as part of the Council’s budget setting process for the 2007/08 budget.  However, owing to the extent of the policy options currently under consultation and consideration as part of the budget process, it was not feasible for full objectives and targets in advance of those decisions to be made by Council on 13 February 2007.  Therefore it was suggested that a meeting of Councillors and senior managers take place on 27 February to do this work and consequently to allow managers to draw up Service Plans to be in place by 1 April 2007.

RESOLVED: That the report be received and that the new timetable for developing the Corporate Plan for 2007/08 to 2011/12 be approved.

Report of Corporate Manager, Finance and Asset Management (copy herewith)

The Director of Finance submitted a report that summarised the General Fund revenue budget position for 2007/08.  It included reference to the consultation process and outcomes and set out the statutory requirements for budget setting.  The Cabinet was invited to recommend a robust and balanced budget for consideration by Council on 13 February 2007.  He further commented that there were two key targets to be met, firstly £1.146m in efficiency savings, which were currently under consultation with staff and secondly the need to meet the £3.1m funding gap.  It would be a challenging situation for the Council to be able to implement these reductions in a single financial year.  It was recommended that accordingly general reserves should be not less than £3m for 2007/08.

Councillor Hadland commented that the funding gap of £3.1m had been widely reported and the Cabinet had produced, at its meeting on 8 January 2007, a list of budget options £1m greater than the savings required.  This list had been the result of many meetings and hours of discussion before Christmas.  The public consultation process had been short but had focused the attention of the public and the response had been beyond anything that had been previously experienced.  In total there had been around ten thousand responses, some seven and a half thousand of these by means of two petitions.  He commented that no decision would be made at this meeting as some further work needed to be undertaken to produce a balanced budget.  However he would be able to make the following announcements:

—    Lings Forum:There had been a tremendous response to the options and this facility would be kept open and consideration be given to increasing the level of charges in Leisure Services.

— Neighbourhood Wardens:These posts were widely valued and would be safeguarded and extra funding made available working with partners. ..

— Community Grants:The Council would spend over £600,000 on community grants and this process was being reviewed with a view to making a reduction of £50,000.

—    Street Scene:Grounds Maintenance, parks and graffiti were all important issues concerning the local environment and a small reduction would be made but this was within the context of a budget that was in excess of £5m.  Cleanliness was a responsibility of all citizens and the Town needed to build a culture of keeping itself clean so that funding could go further.

— Theatres:The proposals to reduce funding had been widely publicised and, in fact, had been notified over a number of previous years.  The Council would continue to fund the theatres but the issue was what that share should be.  Since Derngate opened in 1984 tax payers had contributed £50m towards their funding.  The Council would work with the Trust to identify support from other major partners.  It was now proposed to reduce funding by £200,000 in this financial year and the same amount in the following financial year.

—    Council Tax:The proposed increase in Council Tax was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

(A)  Housing Revenue Account Forecast Outturn 2006/07

(B)  Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2007/08 to 2009/10

(C)  Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2006.07 Onwards

Reports of Director, Governance, Resources and Improvement (copy herewith)

(A)    Housing Revenue Account Forecast Outturn 2006/07

Councillor Miah submitted a report that set out the anticipated outturn position for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for 2006/07 and identified the impact of capital financing upon it and also identified the level of working balances anticipated at 1 April 2007.  He noted in Appendix 1, the improved level of balances and the improvements on voids and gas servicing, which had led to seventy properties being brought back into use, which represented £450,000 income.

RESOLVED: (1) That the anticipated HRA outturn position as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted. 

                        (2) That the HRA earmarked reserves set out in Appendix 4 of the report be transferred back into HRA working balances.

                        (3) That the anticipated revenue impact of the financing of the HRA Capital Programme be approved.

(B)    Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2007/08 to 2009/10

Councillor Miah submitted a report that set out the proposed HRA rent increases for 2007/08 according to the Government’s rent restructuring regime and also gave consideration to the overall HRA budgets for 2007/08 and forecast budgets for 2008/09 and 2009/10. 

RESOLVED: (1) That an average rent increase of 4.76% per dwelling per week (on a forty eight week basis) in line with the Government’s rent restructuring regime be approved with effect from 1 April 2007.

                        (2) That the Warden and Call Care charges (excluding Eleanor House) be increased in line with the sheltered housing review as set out Appendix 5 of the report.

                        (3) That the heating and Eleanor House service charges be increased by 3.6% as set out in Appendix 5 of the report.

                        (4) That garage charges be increased by 5% as set out in Appendix 5 of the report.

                        (5) That the budgets for 2007/08 as set out in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report be approved subject to the result of the HRA re-basing exercise being brought back to a future meeting of the Cabinet.

                        (6) That the potential reprioritisation of services as set out in Appendices 3 and 4 of the report be approved.

(C)    Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2006/07 Onwards

Councillor Miah submitted a report that set the parameters and context for the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme and its financing for 2006/07 onwards.  He also referred to the investment to meet the Decent Homes Standard.  In answer to a question, it was noted that the Window Replacement Programme should be generally completed during the forthcoming year with only small numbers of properties being identified via the stock condition survey for this work in future.  It was also noted that an unallocated budget of £4.6m had been identified subject to the identification of works necessary to meet the Decent Homes Standard.

RESOLVED: (1) That the revised Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 2006/07 as set out in Appendices A and B of the report be approved. 

                        (2) That the draft HRA Capital Programme for 2007/08 and onwards as set out in Appendix A be approved.

                        (3)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of Corporate Manager, Finance and Asset Management (copy herewith)

Councillor Hadland submitted a report that set out amendments to the Programme agreed by Cabinet on 19 December 2006 and which also proposed an approach to be taken relating to some items of slippage and schemes to be undertaken as part of the Urban Enhancement Programme.  He noted a virement of £35,000 to purchase the Performance Management Software from the PC Replacement Programme and that the Capital Strategy had been updated.  Councillor Hadland commented that consultation should be widened in appropriate cases to outside of the Council and commented that Northampton Partnership had now been replaced by Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited. 

The Director of Finance commented on new funding that had been received from GOEM for the delivery of decent homes within the private sector housing stock and so that this funding could be used for disabled facilities grants.  He noted that the Capital Strategy would be part of the Capital Programme which itself would reflect the Council’s other policies.

Councillor Miah welcomed the additional funding to Care & Repair.

In respect of the Urban Enhancement Programme schemes Councillor Larratt queried the timetable for works for railings around the bowling rinks at the Racecourse.  The Chief Executive undertook to pursue this matter on behalf of Councillor Larratt. 

RESOLVED: (1) That the virement of £35,000 for Performance Management Software be approved.

                        (2) That the virements and savings relating to private sector housing grants as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

                        (3) That the principles relating to the movement of budgets between financial years for specific types of capital scheme (slippage) as outlined in the report be approved.

                        (4) That the criteria set out in Appendix B against which potential schemes for the Urban Enhancement Programme are to be considered be approved.

                        (5) That the potential schemes to be delivered as part of the Urban Enhancement Programme set out in Appendix C be approved.

                        (6) That the revised Corporate Capital Strategy set out in Appendix D of the report be approved.

Report of Corporate Manager, Finance and Asset Management (copy herewith)

Councillor Hadland submitted a report that set out and updated the Asset Management Plan that would guide the management of the Borough’s property assets in accordance with known corporate priorities.  He noted that the report should be re-titled to cover 2006/07 and 2007/08.  The Asset Manager commented that the plan set out the strategic priorities for the management and stewardship of the Council’s property assets.  He commented that until service plans had been agreed the plan could not fully reflect service needs but that it would evolve as these became known.

RESOLVED: That the Asset Management Plan for 2006/07 to 2007/08 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be adopted.

Report of Corporate Manager, Housing Services (copy herewith)

A Timpson commented that this was the third or fourth review of sheltered housing over recent years.  She was concerned at the suggestion that some units might be decommissioned, especially in the context of an aging population.  She did agree that sheltered housing must meet the needs of residents but there was an issue of how these needs were identified and who was going to carry that out.  She commented that the consultation process had been flawed and carried out at short notice.  The report did raise issues of how the service would be delivered and what the future role of a warden would be.  She commented that it was important for the Council to listen to both the providers and the receivers of the service. 

W Kirkham commented that she was a warden and agreed with the comments made by A Timpson.  She was concerned that money was being put before welfare.  She commented that the forms had not been understood by residents and that wardens were not allowed to help individuals complete them.  She had become an assessor but had received no training.  She commented that this was an important matter, as it dealt with individuals’ futures and quality of life.  She commented that some individuals with mental health issues had not had these recognised.  Throughout the process there had been no option to keep the existing service.  She commented that the wardens worked hand in hand with the Neighbourhood Wardens.  She queried whether the Cabinet were aware of the cuts the review represented.

Councillor Miah submitted a report that proposed a new service delivery model for the sheltered housing service and charges to support that service.  He commented that individuals had different needs and that this proposal was a better use of resources; targeted at those with the greatest need.  He had been assured that the assessment process had been carried out properly.

The Sheltered Housing Review Project Manager commented that the report set out the results of the review of sheltered housing, which was currently split between wardens and Call Care Service.  The present service was not tailored enough towards residents’ needs.  The service in future would be customer led and would have three levels, Level 1 being a monthly warden visit plus twenty four hour intercom connection to Call Care, Level 2 being three warden visits per week, plus twenty four hour intercom connection to Call Care and Level 3 being a daily warden visit during weekends plus twenty four hour intercom connection to Call Care.  He appreciated the comments made about the assessment process but believed that these had been arrived at fairly.  Forty percent of users had been assessed at Level 1, fifty five percent at Level 2 and four percent at Level 3.  Notwithstanding this all residents would be written to, given details of their assessment and charges and given the opportunity to appeal against the assessment.  He noted that the new employee structure was subject to consultation with individuals and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

THE CHAIR TO MOVE:

“THAT THE PUBLIC AND PRESS BE EXCLUDED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING ON THE GROUNDS THAT THERE IS LIKELY TO BE DISCLOSURE TO THEM OF SUCH CATEGORIES OF EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED BY SECTION 100(1) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS LISTED AGAINST SUCH ITEMS OF BUSINESS BY REFERENCE TO THE APPROPRIATE PARAGRAPH OF SCHEDULE 12A TO SUCH ACT.”

The Chair moved that the public and Press be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that there was likely to be disclosure to them of such categories of exempt information as defined by Section 100(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 as listed against such items of business by reference to the appropriate paragraph of Schedule 12A to such Act.

The Motion was Carried.

Report of Corporate Manager, Housing Services (copy herewith)

Councillor Miah submitted a report, which proposed the appointment of Kendric Ash Limited to provide a management consultancy service to the Revenues & Benefits Section following a tendering exercise carried out under European tendering rules.  The Corporate Manager, Housing Services noted that the contract would be for three years in the interest of sustainability of the improvements to the service.

RESOLVED: (1) That Kendric Ash Limited (“Kendric Ash”) be appointed to provide management consultancy services to the Revenues & Benefits Section of the Council (and associating services in connection with the service delivery).

                        (2) That the Solicitor to the Council be authorised to agree formal contractual terms with Kendric Ash.