Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Lee Chapman and Simon Jones.

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

None were made.

To consider and approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 October 2016.

TO FOLLOW

Contact: Jane Palmer          Tel: 01743 257712

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 October 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 October 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

To receive any questions or petitions from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is 5.00pm on Friday 4 November 2016.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To receive any scrutiny items from Council or from any of the Scrutiny Committees.

There were no items from Council or any of the Scrutiny Committees.

Lead Member – Councillor Malcom Pate - Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Financial Strategy, Budget and Business Plan.

Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance [s151 Officer]

Contact: James Walton      Tel: 01743 258915

RESOLVED:

i)  That at the end of Quarter 2 (30 September 2016), the full year forecast is a potential overspend of £0.635m;

ii) That the impact of this on the Council’s General Fund balance be considered.

iii) That the reallocation of funding from the New Homes Bonus Reserve be approved as detailed in Appendix 3.

iv) That the virement of funding allocations be recommended to Council as set out in paragraphs 7.2 to 7.5 of the     report.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Financial Strategy, Budget and Business Plan presented a report from the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance [s151 Officer] setting out the Revenue forecast for 2016/17 as at Quarter 2 and identified the current projections on delivery of savings included within the forecast.  He commented that the report showed that all areas of the Council were mindful of the financial position. A Member commented that the use of one-off sources of funding to address services pressures identified in year would be the subject of debate at a forthcoming meeting of the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee.

In answer to concerns raised on the level of Continuing Healthcare [CHC] debt, the Leader stated that action was being taken to try to recover this.  The Chief Executive added that a meeting was to be held that very day to ascertain if a way forward could be established.  It was noted that the Head of Adult Services confirmed that case by case evidence had been prepared to support the Council’s endeavours in this matter.

Responding to a Member’s comment on the £500,000 allocated to Recycling Empty Homes, the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing, Regulatory Services and the Environment stated that he was delighted with the £250,000 per year for 2016/17 and 2017/18 to continue the work with recycling empty properties and thereby contributing to the regeneration of Shropshire’s communities.  The Portfolio Holder for Rural Services and Communities stressed that real efforts were being made to bring empty properties into re-use and genuine progress was being made.

RESOLVED:

i)  That at the end of Quarter 2 (30 September 2016), the full year forecast is a potential overspend of £0.635m;

ii) That the impact of this on the Council’s General Fund balance be considered.

iii) That the reallocation of funding from the New Homes Bonus Reserve be approved as detailed in Appendix 3.

iv) That the virement of funding allocations be recommended to Council as set out in paragraphs 7.2 to 7.5 of the     report.

Lead Member – Councillor Malcom Pate - Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Financial Strategy, Budget and Business Plan.

Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance [s151 Officer]

Contact: James Walton      Tel: 01743 258915

RESOLVED:

i)             That net budget variations of £5.8m to the 2016/17 capital programme be approved, including cuts to capital receipts funded schemes of £4.4m; detailed in Appendix 1/Table 1 and the re-profiled 2016/17 capital budget of £60.2m.

ii)            That the re-profiled capital budgets of £43.1m for 2017/18 and £18.8m for 2018/19 and £1.8m for 2019/20 be approved as detailed in Appendix 1/Table 4. Including cuts to capital receipt funded schemes of £4.0m in 2017/18.

iii)           That the expenditure to date of £15.8m be accepted, representing 26% of the revised capital budget for 2016/17, with 50% of the year having elapsed.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Financial Strategy, Budget and Business Plan presented a report from the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance [s151 Officer] detailing the Council’s current position on the 2016/17 to 2019/20 capital programme.  A Member commented that this report was also to be considered at the next meeting of the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee.

In answer to a Member’s query, the Director of Place and Enterprise stated that the Council was in the third year of a five year LED light replacement programme and was investing £150,000 per year into this initiative.

RESOLVED:

i)             That net budget variations of £5.8m to the 2016/17 capital programme be approved, including cuts to capital receipts funded schemes of £4.4m; detailed in Appendix 1/Table 1 and the re-profiled 2016/17 capital budget of £60.2m.

ii)            That the re-profiled capital budgets of £43.1m for 2017/18 and £18.8m for 2018/19 and £1.8m for 2019/20 be approved as detailed in Appendix 1/Table 4. Including cuts to capital receipt funded schemes of £4.0m in 2017/18.

iii)           That the expenditure to date of £15.8m be accepted, representing 26% of the revised capital budget for 2016/17, with 50% of the year having elapsed.

Lead Member – Councillor Mal Price – Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing, Regulatory Services and Environment

Report of the Director of Public Health

Contact: Rod Thomson       Tel: 01743 258918

RESOLVED:

                     i)        That the introduction of the Student Accommodation Quality Accreditation Mark be approved in order to set out standards expected at an early stage in the development of the University Centre.

                    ii)        That the scheme be introduced on 1^st December 2016. 

                   iii)        That the fees for 2016/17 be £135 for each property and £40 for a half day briefing session for each landlord. Fees being payable every 3 years.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing, Regulatory Services and Environment presented a report by the Director of Public Health detailing the Council’s proposed Student Accommodation Quality Accreditation Mark scheme. 

A Member voiced his support for this initiative as a means of ensuring adequate accommodation for first year students and clarification of the Council’s role in this provision.  However, he queried the steps being taken to prevent the potential ‘studentification’ of parts of the town through the use of appropriate planning policy and the identification of Article 4 Direction [A4D] areas.  It was noted that further work needed to be undertaken to develop a register of Houses in Multiple Occupation [HMOs; these properties required mandatory licensing.  The Leader stressed the Council’s commitment to the University and the importance of its success to the county as a whole.

RESOLVED:

                     i)        That the introduction of the Student Accommodation Quality Accreditation Mark be approved in order to set out standards expected at an early stage in the development of the University Centre.

                    ii)        That the scheme be introduced on 1^st December 2016. 

                   iii)        That the fees for 2016/17 be £135 for each property and £40 for a half day briefing session for each landlord. Fees being payable every 3 years.

To resolve that, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.4.3 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item/s.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.2 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item.

To consider and approve as a correct record the exempt Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 October 2016. TO FOLLOW

Contact: Jane Palmer          Tel: 01743 257712

RESOLVED:

That the exempt Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 October 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

RESOLVED:

That the exempt Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 October 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.