Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Roger Whyborn and Peter Lewis, Head of Legal Services.

None declared.

Minutes of the meetings held on 10 and 17 December 2013

The minutes of the meetings held on 10 and 17 December 2013 were signed and approved as a correct record.

None.

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the Budget Monitoring Report 2013/14 which updated Members on the Council’s current financial position for 2013/14 based on the monitoring exercise at the end of November 2013.  He highlighted three particular areas where savings had been achieved namely through the programme of replacement vehicles, additional compensation from government in relation to the small business rate relief scheme and good management of investment budgets. The recommendations in the report set out the intentions for using that budget saving in a prudent way.   

The Director of Resources had nothing to add but was happy to take questions from members.

In response to a question, the Cabinet Member Finance assured members that if the Cheltenham Leisure and Culture Trust wished to use of any the £200 K set aside in the reserve to support the new Trust they would have to make a request to Council and it would then be a Council decision to alllocate any funding from the reserve.

RESOLVED THAT

1. The contents of this report including the key projected variances to the 2013/14 budget and the projected total budget saving of £444,600 be noted.

2. It be recommended to Council that in principle, as part of the 2013/14 revised budget report to Council in February 2014, that this projected budget saving be used to fund the following expenditure:

3. That the budget virements to the 2013/14 budget, as detailed in Appendix 4 be approved.

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report which set out a proposal to provide a rent subsidy for the premise known as 3 St George Street following a request by Gloucester and District Citizens Advice Bureau. The request had been considered by the 3^rd sector panel following the process previously adopted by the Council for considering such requests. The panel had concluded that an 80% reduction was appropriate. In the Cabinet Member’s view it was a very positive step that this organisation had decided to run an office in Cheltenham and he felt it was very good news for the people in the town who would benefit from the service provided.

Other members supported this view and were pleased that the council could support the voluntary sector in this way. This was another example of the policy the council had adopted working well.

RESOLVED THAT

The recommendation of the 3^rd Sector Panel be accepted and that the Director of Resources be authorised to administer a rent reduction of 80% against the lease between Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester and District Citizens Advice Bureau.

Report of the Cabinet Member Corporate Services

The Cabinet Member Corporate Service introduced the report which asked Members to consider extending the existing governance arrangements for GO Shared Services to November 2020. The report also set out changes to the governance arrangements to enable the provision of system administration and telephone helpdesk functions to be carried out by the GO Shared Services team rather than the Support and Hosting Centre of Excellence team. These new arrangements would also enable Cotswold District Council (CDC) to provide Finance, Procurement, HR and payroll services to the Trust via its GO Shared Services Team. It was emphasised that the trustees had only just been appointed and the provision of support services would be a decision for the new Shadow Board of Trustees.

A member congratulated GO on its success to date in providing a ground breaking service in partnership across the four councils.

RESOLVED THAT

Subject to Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council agreeing to similar resolutions, the following be approved :

(i)        the existing delegated arrangements with Cotswold District Council  for GO Shared Services  be extended until 7^th November 2020;

(ii) changes to the governance arrangements be approved so that responsibility for the provision of Agresso Business World system administration and associated telephone helpdesk functions be delegated from Forest of Dean District Council (as the current Host authority for all partner councils) to Cotswold District Council:

(iii) authority be delegated to the Director Resources to complete the appropriate legal agreements (for (i) and (ii) above), in  consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and on terms approved by the Borough Solicitor.

The Cabinet Member Housing and Safety reminded Members that the Positive Relationship Week was due to start on 10 February 2014.

The Cabinet Member Sport and Culture advised that footfall through the new Art Gallery and Museum had been 62,000 since its opening in October.

The Leader gave feedback on the Leadership Gloucestershire meeting he had attended in the previous week. They had considered a proposal for a joint committee of the Gloucestershire authorities to sit alongside the Local Enterprise Partnership and make joint decisions on the funding available through the LEP and economic development issues. It had been agreed that a shadow joint committee would be set up with no decision-making power at this stage.

Councillor Rawson advised members of two Cabinet Member Decisions he had made:

i)                    To accept the tender from FMBR Ltd for the provision of fire protection works to various properties 2013-2017 to Council owned residential properties

ii)                  To accept the tender from FMBR Ltd for the provision of external replacement works for various properties in 2014 for council owned residential properties

The Leader advised members are on a Cabinet Member decision he had made earlier that day to appoint Councillors Colin Hay and Duncan Smith to be the Council appointed trustees on the shadow Cheltenham Leisure and Culture Board following agreement from the Group Leaders.

The Cabinet is recommended to approve the following resolution:-

“That in accordance with Section 100A(4) Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining agenda items as it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the public are present there will be disclosed to them exempt information as defined in paragraph 3, Part (1) Schedule (12A) Local Government Act 1972, namely:

Paragraph 3; Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular

person (including the authority holding that information)

RESOLVED THAT

In accordance with Section 100A(4)Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining agenda items as it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the public are present there will be disclosed to them exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 5, Part (1) Schedule (12A)Local Government Act 1972, namely :

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

Exempt minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2013

The exempt minutes of the 10 December 2013 were signed and approved as a correct record.