Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Rowena Hay.

None declared.

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2015

The minutes of the last meeting held on 10 November 2015 were approved and signed as a correct record subject to the following amendment requested by the Cabinet Member Development and Safety.

The minutes read that condition 5.8.3 is requested to be:

“No current licenced home boarders have children under 7 in their household”

This is a statement taken from 2.30 of the report.  As a condition this statement would not be enforceable. 

The intention was that the proposed condition for 5.8.3: was to read

“No home where there are children under 7 years of age will be licensed”

This condition would be enforceable.

None received.

Report of the Cabinet Member Housing

The Cabinet Member Housing, Councillor Peter Jeffries, introduced the report. He explained that in March 2015 the Cabinet resolved that the Authority seek bids from contractors to build new homes on the redevelopment of the site at the corner of Swindon Road/Brunswick Street. Following a recent procurement exercise this report was now seeking approval to enter into a JCT Design and Build Contract with J Harper and Sons with Total Scheme Costs not to exceed £1,439,500.  The scheme will deliver ten new homes which would be available for rent and provide affordable housing. He thanked Cheltenham Borough Homes for the excellent consultation they had carried out with stakeholders and the community.

Other Members welcomed this development on a former brown field site and felt it emphasised the commitment of the council to providing affordable housing and would benefit the local environment and community.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    Subject to subsequent Council approval, the Authority be authorised to accept the tender received from J Harper and Sons and enter into a JCT Design and Build Contract for the construction of ten new dwellings with Total Scheme Costs not to exceed £1,439,500.

2.    Authority be delegated to the Head of Property and Asset Management, in consultation with the Borough Solicitor to:

i)             Conclude the JCT Design and Build contract with J Harper and Sons

ii)            Take all necessary steps and undertake all necessary procedures, including entering into any legal agreements or other documentation as may be required to implement or facilitate the developments

3.     The Authority be authorised to charge Affordable Rents to all ten dwellings at 80% of Market Rents.

It be recommended to Council to:

4.    Authorise the allocation of up to £1,439,500 for the construction of ten new dwellings. 

5.    Note that the total scheme costs of £1,439,500 (broken down in further detail in exempt appendix 3) will be funded by circa £430k of RTB receipts with the balance funded by the most appropriate combination of the other funding streams noted within the report – this decision being delegated to the Section 151 Officer in accordance with Financial Rules B7 and B8.

6.    Approve the Authority sourcing loan finance of up to £1.0m from the Public Works Loan Board to be used for the construction of ten new dwellings.

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

The Cabinet Member Finance, Councillor John Rawson introduced the report. The Treasury Management Strategy for 2015/16 had been determined by the adoption of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management 2009 (revised 2011), which includes the requirement for determining a treasury strategy on the likely financing and investment activity for the forthcoming financial year. The Code also recommends that members are informed of Treasury Management activities at least twice a year. This report therefore ensured the authority has adopted the code and complies with its requirements.

The Cabinet Member concluded it was a very satisfactory report and was very helpful to the council in formulating a balanced budget. He highlighted that the council was expected to exceed estimated investment income in 2015/6 which was an excellent result and he congratulated the Treasury Management Team.  

RESOLVED THAT the contents of the summary report of the treasury management activity during the first six months of 2015/16 be noted.

The following Cabinet Member Decisions had been taken since the last meeting. Full details were available on the council’s website.

17 November – Appropriation of sites from cemetery to general use – Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment

17 November – A contract with Mears Homes Improvement Ltd for the supply of minor disabled adaptations

19 November – Appointment of Mr John Hays to the post of Commercial Director with Ubico - Leader 

7 December - Rehousing of Syrian Refugees - Cabinet Member Housing

3 December – Changes to the Articles of Association for Gloucestershire Airport Board

The Cabinet Member Development and Safety was pleased to announce a recent successful prosecution for fly tipping. He congratulated the staff involved and hoped it would provide a warning to people that the council would not tolerate these type of offences and was prepared to take legal action against offenders.

The Cabinet Member Corporate Services advised that a facility would shortly be introduced which would allow Members to access exempt papers and papers for other working group meetings on their iPads. This would continue to reduce the amount of paper copies printed.

The Cabinet Member Finance highlighted the War Memorial restoration project which he thought was an excellent example of the council working with stakeholders and local people. A meeting had been held to discuss a number of events that might take place at the conclusion of the project which would be organised by local groups.

The Leader updated Members on the progress made in strengthening the Gloucestershire Airport Board by recruiting two additional non-Executive Directors. Their appointment would be confirmed at a meeting of the appointments panel and it was anticipated that they would take the chair and vice-chair positions on the board. In preparation for this change he had taken the decision referred to above.

Similarly the Leader had taken a decision relating to Ubico which would allow the management team to expand to support the expansion of the service to other councils.  

The Cabinet Member Housing was pleased to report on the decision he had taken regarding Syrian Refugees and the provision of certain properties owned by the council to be used over the next 5 years to rehouse Syrian refugees. The first family to be housed was expected before Christmas.

The following Cabinet Member Decisions had been taken since the last meeting. Full details were available on the council’s website.

17 November – Appropriation of sites from cemetery to general use – Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment

17 November – A contract with Mears Homes Improvement Ltd for the supply of minor disabled adaptations

19 November – Appointment of Mr John Hays to the post of Commercial Director with Ubico - Leader 

7 December - Rehousing of Syrian Refugees - Cabinet Member Housing

3 December – Changes to the Articles of Association for Gloucestershire Airport Board