Agenda, decisions and minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Mary Dooley.

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business to consider.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

As a Director of Dragonfly Ltd, Councillor Steve Fritchley declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in Agenda item 12 – Dragonfly Ltd Update, and would leave the meeting at the relevant time.

To consider the minutes of the last meeting held on 1 November 2021.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that Minutes of an Executive meeting held on 1^st November 2021 be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the updated Tenant Alteration and Improvement Policy be withdrawn.

RESOLVED that the updated Tenant Alteration and Improvement Policy be withdrawn.

RESOLVED that the Procurement Strategy as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

.           PROCUREMENT STRATEGY

Executive’s approval was sought in relation to the Council’s Procurement Strategy, which had been updated to take account of all legislative and operational changes to ensure it remained fit for purpose. 

The Procurement Strategy outlined how the procurement of goods, works and services was achieved and described the Council’s Contract Procurement Rules.  These provided a corporate framework for the procurement of all goods, works and services to ensure that all procurement activity was conducted with openness, honesty and accountability.

The policy was to comply with the requirements of the legislation applicable to local authorities which were set out in the report.

Members noted that the Council had a good record of procuring local contractors where possible and local apprenticeships, and also worked with parish councils to look at services the Council could provide to help them.

Moved by Councillor Clive Moesby and seconded by Councillor Duncan McGregor

RESOLVED that the Procurement Strategy as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The Procurement Strategy had been updated to take account of all legislative and operational changes to ensure it remained fit for purpose.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

No alternatives found – the Council was required to have a strategy in order to adhere to the requirements of legislation and the Council’s Contract Procurement Rules.  Both placed a number of duties and responsibilities on the Council, its officers and Members.

RESOLVEDthat;

1)    the revised General Fund budget for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1 and detailed in Appendix 2 to the report be approved,

2)    the revised HRA budget for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 3 to the report be approved,

3)    the revised Capital Programme for 2021/22 as set out within Appendix 4.to the report be approved.

Executive’s approval was sought regarding the Council’s 2021/22, revised budget for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account and Capital Programme. 

Members received a slide presentation which highlighted the following;

General Fund

·         Savings made between the February 2021 report and the Q2 monitoring report, i.e. the current position.

·         Changes to reflect the new calculations and forecasts – the revised budget

·         Savings made to help to prepare the Council for the future.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

·         HRA main changes for Revised Budgets (the main variances on the HRA).

Capital Programme

As part of the revised budget process the capital projects had been reviewed to estimate what level of spend would occur in 2021/22.

Where projects were unlikely to spend in 2021/22, the capital expenditure and matching financing would be moved to 2022/23 to avoid large under spends at 31^st March.

In Summary for 2021/22, the revised budget estimate for the Housing Revenue Account was a surplus, this would be transferred to the HRA Development Reserve.  Any underspend on General Fund would be transferred to the NNDR Growth Protection Reserve.  The level of reserves was considered to be adequate to fund planned expenditure and potential issues/risks that the Council faced.  The Capital Programme for 2021/22, was fully financed and did not include any borrowing where MRP was payable.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance noted that the Council would not receive information relating to the Government’s Spending Review until later in December 2021.  He also noted the increase in income to the Council by way of planning applications and the Go Active leisure facilities, and that the issue with the Council’s void properties would need monitoring as highlighted by the Assistant Director of Finance & Resources in her slide presentation.

Members thanked the Assistant Director of Finance & Resources for an excellent report.

Moved by Councillor Clive Moesby and seconded by Councillor Duncan McGregor

RESOLVED that 1) the revised General Fund budget for 2021/22, as set out in

Appendix 1 and detailed in Appendix 2 to the report be approved,

2)    the revised HRA budget for 2021/22, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report be approved,

3)    the revised Capital Programme for 2021/22, as set out within Appendix 4 to the report be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The purpose of the report was to set revised budgets as early as possible within the financial year to ensure that identified budget savings were realised, that all budget managers were working to the revised budgets, and to allow any planned changes to be delivered. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

General Fund and HRA

Any surplus on the Council’s two main revenue accounts would result in an increase in financial balances at the year-end which were available to protect services at a time of declining central government support.  It was proposed that additional resources would be transferred to reserves in preparation for future expenditure.

Capital

There were no alternative options being considered with regard to the proposed allocations from the Capital Programme budget as it ensured the Council’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item EX65-21/22

RESOLVEDthat the quarterly outturns against the Council Ambition 2020-2024 targets be noted.

Executive considered a report in relation to the Council’s Quarter 2 outturns for the Council’s Ambition targets 2020-2024.

Out of the 31 targets;

•           20 (65%) were on track

•           1 (3%) continued to be affected by Covid 19

•           3 (10%) had been placed on alert (as unlikely to meet their outturns in 21/22)

•           1 (3%) was achieved (partially) in quarter 2, and

•           6 (19%) were achieved previously

The Improvement & Engagement Officer noted that the majority of targets were all on track and that all Members were aware of the targets which were on alert.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Clive Moesby

RESOLVED that the quarterly outturns against the Council Ambition 2020-2024 targets be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION:

Out of the 31 Council plan targets, 20 were on track (65%), 1 had been affected by Covid 19 (3%), 3 were on alert (10%), 1 was partially achieved in quarter 2 (3%) and 6 had been achieved previously (16%),

This was an information report to keep Members informed of progress against the Council’s Ambition targets noting achievements and any areas of concern

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

Not applicable as the report provided an overview of performance against agreed targets.

RESOLVED that the progress made and achievements under the second year review of the Single Equality Scheme 2019-2023 be noted.

Executive considered a report in relation to the second year review of the Single Equality Scheme 2019-2023 and to note the achievements.

The Single Equality Scheme 2019-2023 provided a framework for implementing the Councils’ obligations with regard to the general and specific equality duties, and encompassed the range of protected characteristics as defined within the Equality Act 2010.

The Scheme set out the Council’s legal responsibilities, four corporate equality objectives with actions and measures, performance monitoring arrangements and responsibilities for equality.

The Improvement & Engagement Officer noted that the scheme was well embedded at the Council and refresher training was provided to staff and Members regarding safeguarding and hidden disabilities.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that the progress made and achievements under the second year review of the Single Equality Scheme 2019-2023 be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION:

This was an information report to keep Executive Members informed of progress against the Single Equality Scheme and to note achievements.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

It was a statutory requirement to publish information to demonstrate compliance with the general equality duty.

To move:-

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the stated Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and it is not in the public interest for that to be revealed.” [The category of exempt information is stated after each item].

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the stated Paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and it is not in the public interest for that to be revealed.

RESOLVED that;

1)    an expenditure budget as outlined within the report to deliver the West Street social housing building scheme be approved,

2)    the Council to enter into contract for the development of a further 5 properties in Whaley Thorns as outlined in the report be approved.

Executive’s approval was sought to enter into a contract to deliver the West Street, Whaley Thorns, scheme through the existing Bolsover Homes framework.

Moved by Councillor Sandra Peake and seconded by Councillor Duncan McGregor

RESOLVED that 1) an expenditure budget as outlined within the report to deliver the West Street social housing building scheme be approved,

2)    the Council to enter into contract for the development of a further 5 properties in Whaley Thorns as outlined in the report be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To deliver the Council’s aspirational target of building a minimum of 150 new Council properties by March 2024.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

Executive could choose not to support the development but this would not help to achieve the Councils agreed ambition of building 150 social housing properties.

This would not help to meet the current demand for social housing in Whaley Thorns

RESOLVED that;

1)    the progress update in relation to Dragonfly Developments Ltd be accepted,

2)    the Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs be given delegated powers in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, the Growth Portfolio Holder and the Finance Portfolio Holder, to apportion the previously agreed budget to any Dragonfly scheme included within the report.

As a Director of Dragonfly Ltd, Councillor Steve Fritchley declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the following item of business and left the meeting.

Councillor Duncan McGregor in the Chair

Executive’s approval was sought to give the Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing approval to utilise the investment and loan monies previously agreed to deliver the schemes set out in the report.  Any loan granted would be under commercial terms on advice received from the Council’s Treasury Management Advisers.

The report also provided an update on current progress of the Authority’s Joint Venture (JV).

The Assistant Director of Property Services and Housing Repairs provided an update to the meeting in relation to other sites.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that 1) the progress update in relation to Dragonfly Developments Ltd be accepted,

2)   the Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs be given delegated powers in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, the Growth Portfolio Holder and the Finance Portfolio Holder, to apportion the previously agreed budget to any Dragonfly scheme included within the report.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The Joint Venture directly contributed to the Leader’s ambitions through Improving the Local Economy & building sustainable products to work towards a better Environment.

In addition to meeting the corporate targets, the proposed interventions would help ensure that land sales resulted in the development of the sites in question, making a significant contribution to the wider regeneration of the District.  Financially, the investment was anticipated to generate a significant financial return to the Council in terms of land sales, development profit and investment interest from providing the loan.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

To not invest in the Joint Venture would not allow it to meet its targets or create an income.

The meeting concluded at 1035 hours.