There were no apologies.

Members are reminded that they must declare their disclosable pecuniary interests and other registrable or non-registrable interests in any matter being considered at the meeting as set out in Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct and consider if they should leave the room prior to the item being considered. Further advice can be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

The following Cabinet Members declared a prejudicial interest in item 10 – Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy and left the room whilst this item was considered:

Councillors Gwilym Butler, Rob Gittins, Cecilia Motley and Lezley Picton.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th June 2022, attached.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive any questions from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14. Deadline for notification is not later than 5.00 pm on Thursday 30^th June 2022.

There were no public questions.

To receive any questions from Members of the Council. Deadline for notification is not later than 5.00 pm on Thursday 30^th June 2022.

Member questions were received from the following:

Councillor Ruth Houghton – in relation to the cost of living crisis and support available from Shropshire Council

In response to a supplementary question regarding the accuracy of information available on the council’s website and how detail of support available was being advertised to those who might need it, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Public Health reported on work underway to publicise this information. The Leader also reported on the current gathering of information and support related to cost of living and encouraged all who became aware of any out of date information on the website to notify the council as soon as possible.  The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources reported on plans for distribution of the Council tax support discretionary fund and said that a briefing on this would be made available to all members.

Councillor David Vasmer (on behalf on Councillor Rob Wilson) in relation to Fix My Street. 

In response to a supplementary question regarding timescales for providing more detailed feedback, the Portfolio Holder explained that this would take time to develop due to the complex base code lying beneath the system.

Councillor Ruth Houghton – in relation to implementation of 20mph limits outside schools

Responding to a supplementary question regarding timescales, the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure said it would be best to ask this question of the scrutiny committee.

The full questions and responses provided are attached to the webpage for the meeting:  6 July 22 Cabinet - Member Questions responses.pdf (shropshire.gov.uk)

Councillor Claire Wild, Chair of the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee and Vice Chair of the People Overview Committee, informed Cabinet of a meeting of the People Overview Committee she had chaired on 29 June 2022 which had considered a report on the Children and Young People Mental Health Partnership.  The Committee had decided not to accept the report presented by the Clinical Commissioning Group as it had not set out any outcomes or performance data.  The Committee had agreed that she would meet with the Head of Transformation and Strategic Commissioning to identify appropriate key performance indicators and proposals for these would be brought forward to the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee.  Cabinet members endorsed this approach. 

Lead Member – Councillor Gwilym Butler – Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources

Report of James Walton, Executive Director of Resources, attached

Tel: 01743 257775

RESOLVED:

In respect of the revenue budget:

A.   Note that the outturn is a overspend of £2.505m.

B.   As a result of the outturn position to note that the level of the General Fund balance stands at £11.522m, which is below the recommended level. 

C.   Note the decrease in the level of service-related Earmarked Reserves and Provisions of £8.152m.

D.  Note that the Council has received revenue funding relating to Covid-19 in 2021/22 which covered all Covid-19 costs in the year, and so no additional costs have had to be funded by the Council’s base budget.

Relating to ringfenced funding:

E.   Note that the outturn for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for 2021/22 is an underspend of (£0.251m) and the resulting level of the HRA reserve is £11.592m.

F.   Note that the level of school balances stands at £8.191m (£5.995m in 2020/21).

In respect of the capital programme:

G.  Approve net budget variations of £3.598m to the 2021/22 capital programme (in Appendix 11) and the re-profiled 2021/22 capital budget of £83.572m.

H.  Approve the re-profiled capital budgets of £132.724m for 2022/23, including slippage of £1.245m from 2021/22, £82.009m for 2023/24 and £34.077m for 2024/25 as detailed in Appendix 15.

I.    Accept the outturn expenditure set out in Appendices 12 and 13 of £82.327m, representing 98.5% of the revised capital budget for 2021/22.

J.    Approve temporary application of capital receipts of £18.273m to generate a one-off Minimum Revenue Provision saving of £0.398m in 2022/23.

Other matters:

K.   Approve that Shropshire Council act as accountable body for the Shaping Places for Healthier Lives Food Insecurity in South West Shropshire.

Councillor Gwilym Butler, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources introduced the report explaining that overall, the council had ended the year better than expected. The year saw the use of a control corridor which had indicated possible outcomes of between £9m and £2.5m overspent against the agreed budget and the outturn ended up at the lower limit of this expectation. The final outturn was better than forecast in the previous report.

.

He went on to respond to questions about inflation and planning for the future, and said that members could be involved through the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee which could ask to see the financial strategy at any time.   Work had started on the budget for next year earlier than ever before.

Responding to questions in relation to Shaping Places for Healthier Lives Food Insecurity in South West Shropshire, it was agreed that the detail of the Programme be considered by the Social Task Force Group.

It was noted that a Financial Strategy report would be presented at Cabinet on 20 July 2022. 

RESOLVED:

In respect of the revenue budget:

A.   To note that the outturn is a overspend of £2.505m.

B.   As a result of the outturn position to note that the level of the General Fund balance stands at £11.522m, which is below the recommended level. 

C.   To note the decrease in the level of service-related Earmarked Reserves and Provisions of £8.152m.

D.  To note that the Council has received revenue funding relating to Covid-19 in 2021/22 which covered all Covid-19 costs in the year, and so no additional costs have had to be funded by the Council’s base budget.

Relating to ringfenced funding:

E.   To note that the outturn for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for 2021/22 is an underspend of (£0.251m) and the resulting level of the HRA reserve is £11.592m.

F.   To note that the level of school balances stands at £8.191m (£5.995m in 2020/21).

In respect of the capital programme:

G.  To approve net budget variations of £3.598m to the 2021/22 capital programme (in Appendix 11) and the re-profiled 2021/22 capital budget of £83.572m.

H.  To approve the re-profiled capital budgets of £132.724m for 2022/23, including slippage of £1.245m from 2021/22, £82.009m for 2023/24 and £34.077m for 2024/25 as detailed in Appendix 15.

I.    To accept the outturn expenditure set out in Appendices 12 and 13 of £82.327m, representing 98.5% of the revised capital budget for 2021/22.

J.    To approve temporary application of capital receipts of £18.273m to generate a one-off Minimum Revenue Provision saving of £0.398m in 2022/23.

Other matters:

K.   To approve that Shropshire Council act as accountable body for the Shaping Places for Healthier Lives Food Insecurity in South West Shropshire.

Leader Member – Councillor Gwilym Butler – Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources

Report of James Walton, Executive Director of Resources, attached

Tel: 01743 257775

RESOLVED:

To considerand endorse the performance to date

Councillor Rob Gittins, Portfolio Holder for Digital Data Insight and Built Housing introduced the report setting out overall performance at Quarter 4.  He explained that this would be the last report in this format and that from 2022 – 23 onwards, a new performance framework was being launched to align with the newly adopted Shropshire Plan.  The Performance Management Scrutiny Committee was helping to identify key performance indicators that members would want to consider and it was intended that these would be easily understood and accessible to all.   

RESOLVED:

To considerand endorse the performance to date

Lead Member – Councillor Gwilym Butler – Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources

Report of James Walton, Executive Director of Resources, attached

Tel: 01743 257775

RESOLVED:

To accept the position as set out in the report

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources reported that the Treasury team had generated and additional investment income of £152,800 during the last quarter and outperformed their benchmark.  The bank rate had increased again to 1.25% in June and further rate hikes were expected in the next 6 months to try and bring inflation under control.  Borrowing rates were likely to increase for the remainder of this year and next year.

RESOLVED:

To accept the position as set out in the report

Lead Member – Councillor Dean Carroll – Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure

Report of Mark Barrow, Executive Director of Place, attached

Tel: 01743 258919

RESOLVED:

to approve that the draft Empty Homes Strategy, be subject to an eight-week public consultation period.

Councillor Rob Gittins, Portfolio Holder for Digital, Data & Insight and Built Housing explained that the draft Empty Homes Strategy was designed to provide an overview of the numbers of empty homes in Shropshire, why homes can become empty and how, especially long-term, empty homes are a wasted resource,  important to bring back into use. 

The draft Strategy provided a policy framework, setting out current processes for identifying empty homes, current and potential future initiatives to bring empty homes back into use, and the range of enforcement activities that, subject to assessment and sufficient resources, can be considered.

In response to observations related to the need for early communication around enforcement, reference was made to the review of the whole council tax policy and charging on second homes which featured on the cabinet forward plan for later in the year. 

RESOLVED:

to approve that the draft Empty Homes Strategy, be subject to an eight-week public consultation period.

Lead Member – Councillor Dean Carroll – Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure

Report of Mark Barrow, Executive Director of Place, attached

Tel: 01743 258919

RESOLVED:

To approve the preferred location of the Transit Site as identified in the Appendix 1.

To approve the addition of £0.271m to the Capital Programme for the development of

the Transit Site to be funded by a combination of capital receipts and grant.

to delegate responsibility to the Assistant Director, Commercial Services, in

consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure to submit an

application for temporary planning permission for the Transit Site 

Subject to planning permission, to delegate responsibility to the Assistant Director, Commercial Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure to progress a procurement and delivery strategy and implement the works to develop the Transit Site. 

The Portfolio Holder for Physical Assets introduced the report providing an update on the work and consultation held in respect of the proposed development of a temporary five-year Gypsy and Traveller Site to provide short term pitches for non-resident Travelling families and assist in the management of unauthorised encampments. 

RESOLVED:

To approve the preferred location of the Transit Site as identified in the Appendix 1.

To approve the addition of £0.271m to the Capital Programme for the development of

the Transit Site to be funded by a combination of capital receipts and grant.

to delegate responsibility to the Assistant Director, Commercial Services, in

consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure to submit an

application for temporary planning permission for the Transit Site 

Subject to planning permission, to delegate responsibility to the Assistant Director, Commercial Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure to progress a procurement and delivery strategy and implement the works to develop the Transit Site. 

Lead Member – Councillor Dean Carroll – Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure

Report of Mark Barrow, Executive Director of Place, attached

Tel: 01743 258919

RESOLVED:

To approve the proposed increases in parking charges as set out in paragraph 7.2 and Appendix 2.

The Portfolio Holder for Physical Assets presented the report and Cabinet members answered questions related to: inflation;  cost of living causing displacement parking; active travel; and 20 mph limits outside schools.

RESOLVED:

To approve the proposed increases in parking charges as set out in paragraph 7.2 and Appendix 2.

Lead Member – Councillor Simon Jones – Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care & Public Health

Report of Mark Barrow, Executive Director of Place, attached

Tel: 01743 258919

RESOLVED:

To adopt the updated Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy as set out at Appendix 1 with the amendment to section 16 so that it reads as below:

16.0 Housing Associations/Private Registered Providers of Social Housing

16.1 Housing Associations/Private Registered Providers of social housing have published arrangements for reporting problems and clear response times for tenants addressing these issues. 

16.2  If tenants consider that repairs have not been carried out to their satisfaction, each Housing Association/Private Registered Provider of social housing has a complaints procedure that the tenant should follow. 

16.3  As a result of this, the Council will not normally investigate issues from any tenant of a Housing Association/Private Registered Provider of social housing, unless the reporting and complaints procedure has been followed and the landlord has then failed to take appropriate action.

Councillors Butler, Gittins, Motley and Picton all left the room for this agenda item. 

Councillor Simon Jones reported on the six week period of consultation relating to the

draft Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (PRSH), to allow the use of

additional civil penalties to enforce electrical safety standards and minimum energy

efficiency requirements relating to private rented property.  The the updated PRSH

Enforcement Policy has been further amended in response to feedback received.

He explained that as a result of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, all ‘Registered Social Landlords’ (housing associations regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing) became Private Registered Providers and local authorities with housing stock, which includes Shropshire Council, became Local Authority Registered Providers.  Whilst the term ‘Registered Social Landlord’ is still used, this was now legally incorrect.  For this reason, Section 16 of the Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy needed to be amended as set out below.

Section 16 to be replaced with:

16.0 Housing Associations/Private Registered Providers of Social Housing

16.1 Housing Associations/Private Registered Providers of social housing have published arrangements for reporting problems and clear response times for tenants addressing these issues. 

16.2  If tenants consider that repairs have not been carried out to their satisfaction, each Housing Association/Private Registered Provider of social housing has a complaints procedure that the tenant should follow. 

16.3  As a result of this, the Council will not normally investigate issues from any tenant of a Housing Association/Private Registered Provider of social housing, unless the reporting and complaints procedure has been followed and the landlord has then failed to take appropriate action.

RESOLVED:

To adopt the updated Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy as set out at Appendix 1, with the update to Section 16 as set out above.