Agenda and minutes

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 27 April 2021(copy enclosed). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2021 were signed by the Leader as a correct record.

(Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting and leave the room without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a Councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.)

There were none.

There were none.

There were none.

There were none.

To provide information on the outturn financial position of the Council as at 31 March 2021 (report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Strategy and Partnerships and the Executive Director (Strategy and Resources) (S151) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Strategy & Partnerships and the Executive Director (Strategy & Resources) (S151) which provided information on the outturn financial position of the Council as at 31 March 2021.

Members questioned what the additional £66,000 in relation to the Finance Team had been used for. The Assistant Director – Finance confirmed that this money had been an additional resource in order to administer the COVID Business Grant Scheme.

DECISION:

1)  That the report and Appendix A be noted.

2)  That the contributions to and use of reserves be agreed in line with para 5.5.1 to 5.5.3 and Appendix A, Tables 3 and 4 of the report.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

3) The General Fund Underspend be transferred to the Council Tax Reserve

4)  That the General Fund Capital Programme and HRA Capital Programme be approved as set out in Section 4 of Appendix A.

(Other options considered:

·         To do nothing.

Reasons for decision:

·         To provide members with information on the Council’s overall financial performance in 2020/21.)

To consider options for the local Council Tax Support scheme for 2022/23 (report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Strategies and Partnerships and the Assistant Director Finance enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Strategies, Partnerships and the Assistant Director Finance which considered options for the local Council Tax Support scheme for 2022/23.

DECISION:

That consultation be undertaken on the continuation of the current Council Tax Support scheme, including uprating in line with DWP’s annual update of allowances and premiums for housing benefit in 2022/23.

(Other options considered:

·         Do nothing – retain the current scheme without uprating.

Reasons for decision:

·         The recommendation would continue to align the CTS scheme and uprating for working age customers with DWP provisions for Housing Benefit and the CTS scheme for pensioners. This has been consistent each year since the introduction of the local Council Tax Support schemes.)

To seek approval for the write-off of uncollectable debt (report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Strategies and Partnerships and the Executive Director (Strategy and Resources) (S151) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Strategies, Partnerships and Executive Director (Strategy and Resources) (S151) which sought approval for the write-off of uncollectable debt, and gave an update on the impact of Covid and the Debt Respite Scheme (“Breathing Space”).

Members agreed that only the principles of the report would be discussed and there was therefore no need for the meeting to go into private session.

Of the total debt proposed to be written off (£17,792,.77), £16,625.60 related either to insolvency or the debtor being deceased with insufficient funds in the estate.

DECISION:

1)    That updates on the Covid impact and Breathing Space be noted; and

2)    That the amounts identified in the report, as detailed below, be approved for write-off:

Council Tax                                      £5,499.94

Business Rates                                £3,322.30

Housing Benefit Overpayments       £8,970.53

Total…………………………………£17,792.77

(Other options considered:

·         Do nothing

Reasons for decision:

·         All recovery methods have been considered and where appropriate pursued, before making the decision to write off.

·         Officer time can be maximised on the greatest returns, at the same time as ensuring robust procedures for debt management are in place across all revenue streams.)

Note:         (i)      No other business is permitted unless by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the Minutes, the Leader is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency. 

(ii)     Any urgent item of business that is a key decision must be dealt with in accordance with the Constitution’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.

The Leader announced that Councillor Drury had resigned from the Cabinet as of 1 September 2021.  He would be pursuing a full time career with the fire service which would not allow him the time required to undertake his duties as a Portfolio Holder. Councillor Astill would be appointed to the Cabinet from 16 September 2021 and his portfolio responsibilities would be confirmed in due course.

To consider resolving that, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, 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 Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

DECISION:

Under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public were excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 4 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To provide an update on the current staffing situation for waste collections, including the HGV driver shortage, and to seek approval to implement new working arrangements to support ongoing service delivery (report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services and the Executive Director of Strategy and Resources (s151 Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services and the Executive Director (Strategy and Resources) (S151) which provided an update on the current staffing situation for waste collections, including the HGV driver shortage, and sought approval to implement new working arrangements to support ongoing service delivery.

Consideration was given to proposed improvements to terms and conditions, and changes to working arrangements, training and associated matters.

DECISION:

That the recommendations, as detailed in the report be agreed and recommended to Council for adoption.