43.1  There were no apologies for absence.

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.

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

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 30^th July 2014 and 3^rd September 2014, attached marked 3A and 3B.

Contact – Penny Chamberlain (01743 252729)

That the Minutes of the meetings held on 30 July 2014 and 3 September 2014 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Leader.

45.1    RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meetings held on 30 July 2014 and 3 September 2014 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Leader.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.

46.1    No public questions, petitions or statements had been received.

47.1    There were no matters referred from Scrutiny/Council.

Performance Management Scrutiny Committee: Discretionary Housing Payments Task and Finish Group

Report of the Head of Customer Involvement is attached marked 6.

Contact – Nigel Bishop – 01743 252003

(a)  That the Discretionary Housing Payments Policy be reviewed taking into consideration the recommendations from the Task and Finish Group as detailed in its report.

(b)  That the proposed policy document be brought back to Cabinet on 10^th December 2014 for approval prior to formal consultation.

48.1    The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support introduced a report by the Head of Customer Involvement – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the final report by the Discretionary Housing Payments Task and Finish Group following the endorsement of its recommendations by the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 11th June 2014.  In commenting on the challenge facing the Council in endeavouring to ensure that maximum payments were made to local tenants in need without overspending on the sum provided by Government, he indicated his support for the Group’s recommendations as being the best approach to be taken for Shropshire.

48.2    The Leader tendered the apologies of the Chairman of the Task and Finish Group for the meeting and in his absence invited the Vice-Chairman to comment on the report.  During his presentation the Vice-Chairman referred to the cross party member representation on the Group and emphasised their overwhelming support for all the recommendations set out in the final report.

48.3    During the ensuing discussion a Member commented that recommendation 6 ought to be amended to exclude Disability Living Allowances (DLAs) from the overall calculation at the present time to ensure the needs of disabled tenants were being met rather than wait for the matter to be considered again in the 6 month review.  He indicated that this supported a minority report from the scrutiny meeting and would increase the number of disabled tenants eligible to receive financial assistance whilst allowing the matter to considered in more depth in the review.

48.4    In turn the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Commissioning (Central) indicated that the Council’s approach to the payments needed to be considered alongside other wider benefits issues.  In expressing support for recommendation 6 as set out in the report at this stage, he did however suggest that it would be useful at the review to receive the costings and implications for the Council in order for further detailed consideration to be given as to whether or not to exclude the DLAs from the calculations at a future date.  The Vice-Chairman of the Group re-iterated the intention of the Group to consider the matter again at their 6 month review.

48.5    RESOLVED:

(a)  That the Discretionary Housing Payments Policy be reviewed taking into consideration the recommendations from the Task and Finish Group as detailed in its report.

(b)  That the proposed policy document be brought back to Cabinet on 10^th December 2014 for approval prior to formal consultation.

Lead Member – Mr Mike Owen, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support.

Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer) is attached marked 7.

Contact – James Walton (01743 255011)

(a)  That it be noted that at the end of Quarter 2 (29 August 2014), the full year forecast was a potential overspend of £1.603m.

(b)  That the impact of this on the Council’s General Fund Balance be noted.

(c)  That approval be given to credit notes for £113,425 and £162,000 being raised against sales ledger account S1/00587 in order to correct duplicate and incorrect debts within the account for care costs.

49.1    The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support presented a report by the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer) – copy attached to the signed minutes – which set out the Revenue Forecast for 2014/15 as at Quarter 2, and identified the current projections on delivery of savings included within the forecast.

49.2    RESOLVED:

(a)  That it be noted that at the end of Quarter 2 (29 August 2014), the full year forecast was a potential overspend of £1.603m.

(b)  That the impact of this on the Council’s General Fund Balance be noted.

(c)  That approval be given to credit notes for £113,425 and £162,000 being raised against sales ledger account S1/00587 in order to correct duplicate and incorrect debts within the account for care costs.

Lead Member – Mr Mike Owen, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support.

Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer) is attached marked 8.

Contact – James Walton (01743 255011)

(a)  That approval be given to net budget variations of £1.3m to the 2014/15 capital programme, detailed in Appendix 1/Table 1 and the re-profiled 2014/15 capital budget of £69.6m.  Including new allocations of capital receipt funding as follows:

·         The Tannery Building Refurbishment Shrewsbury Hub £511,000;

·         Smallholding Refurbishment £149,940; and

·         Theatre Severn – Digital Projector £38,500.

(b)  That approval be given to the re-profiled capital budgets of £22.3m for 2015/16 and £5.3m for 2016/17 as detailed in Appendix 1/Table 4.

(c)  That the expenditure to date of £14.9m, representing 21.4% of the revised capital budget for 2014/15, with 42% of the year having elapsed, be accepted.

50.1    The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support presented a report by the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer) – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the current position for the Council’s 2014/15 to 2017/18 capital programme taking into account the latest monitoring information on the progress of the schemes, any necessary budget increases and decreases and the re-profiling of budgets between 2014/15 and future years.

50.2    RESOLVED:

(a)  That approval be given to net budget variations of £1.3m to the 2014/15 capital programme, detailed in Appendix 1/Table 1 and the re-profiled 2014/15 capital budget of £69.6m.  Including new allocations of capital receipt funding as follows:

·         The Tannery Building Refurbishment Shrewsbury Hub £511,000;

·         Smallholding Refurbishment £149,940; and

·         Theatre Severn – Digital Projector £38,500.

(b)  That approval be given to the re-profiled capital budgets of £22.3m for 2015/16 and £5.3m for 2016/17 as detailed in Appendix 1/Table 4.

(c)  That the expenditure to date of £14.9m, representing 21.4% of the revised capital budget for 2014/15, with 42% of the year having elapsed, be accepted.

Lead Member – Mr Tim Barker, Portfolio Holder for Performance.

Report of the Performance and Design Team Leader is attached marked 9.

Contact – Tom Dodds (01743 252011)

That after having considered the key underlying and emerging issues in the reports and appendices and whether there were any performance areas which they would like to consider in greater detail or refer to the appropriate Scrutiny Committee, the report of the Performance Manager be noted.

51.1    The Portfolio Holder for Performance presented a report by the Performance Manager – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the performance of the Council during the first quarter of 2014/15.  The report had been produced based on the new performance management framework and reporting methodology.

51.2    RESOLVED:

That, after having considered the key underlying and emerging issues in the reports and appendices and whether there were any performance areas which they would like to consider in greater detail or refer to the appropriate Scrutiny Committee, the report of the Performance Manager be noted.

To RESOLVE 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 during consideration of the remaining items.

52.1    RESOLVED:

That in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, Section 5 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements)(Meetings and Access to Information)(England) Regulations, and Paragraph 10.2 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following items:

·         Exempt Minutes of Cabinet held on 30 July 2014 and 3 September 2014 (Minute 53 refers); and

·         Ip&e Ltd – Business Plan – Appendix only (Minute 54 refers).

(NB: Following the initial dispatch of the agenda with the report in relation to the ip&e Ltd Business Plan marked to follow, it was subsequently determined on the finalisation of the report that it could be considered in the public part of the meeting.  However the appendix contained commercially sensitive information and was considered during the exempt part of the meeting.  See Minute 54 below.)

To approve as a correct record the Exempt Minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 30^th July 2014 and 3^rd September 2014 attached marked EXEMPT 11

Contact – Penny Chamberlain (01743 252729)

That the Exempt Minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 30 July 2014 and 3 September 2014 be approved and be signed by the Leader.

53.1    RESOLVED:

That the Exempt Minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 30 July 2014 and 3 September 2014 be approved and be signed by the Leader.

Lead Member – Mr Steve Charmley, Portfolio Holder for Business Growth, ip&e and Commissioning (North).

Exempt report of the Director of Corporate Services is to follow marked Exempt 12.

(Note: Since the dispatch of the initial agenda it has been determined that the report can be considered in the public part of the meeting.  However the appendix contains commercially sensitive information and is therefore exempt and will be considered only in the exempt part of the meeting.

Contact – Nicki Beardmore (01743 252134)

That Cabinet delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Business Growth, ip&e and Commissioning (North) to agree any subsequent changes to ip&e Limited’s Business Plan to enable it to be in an agreed form by 31 January 2015.

Open public part of the meeting

54.1    The Portfolio Holder for Business Growth, ip&e and Commissioning (North) presented a report by the Chief Executive – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the annual business plan being prepared for ip&e Limited which set out the company’s activities for the next financial year and the wider three year plan.  The Council and ip&e Limited were obliged to work together to reach an agreed signed Business Plan by the end of the following January to enable it to be approved by Cabinet in February as part of the Council’s Business Plan and Financial Strategy.

54.2    During the ensuing discussion a Member sought confirmation as to the current number of employees in ip&e and also referred to the loan facility of £500,000, of which £92,000 had currently been drawn down by ip&e and to the fact that under the current terms of the loan the principal and accrued interest was due to be repaid by the end of March 2015.  In response to his request for details of any further activity on the loan facility the Leader indicated that he could not recall any recent transactions but that a written answer would be sent to him on the matter.

54.3    RESOLVED:

That Cabinet delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Business Growth, ip&e and Commissioning (North) to agree any subsequent changes to ip&e Limited’s Business Plan to enable it to be in an agreed form by 31 January 2015.

Exempt non-public part of the meeting (See Minute 52 above)

54.4    The Portfolio Holder for Business Growth, ip&e and Commissioning (North) presented the exempt Appendix to the public report of the Chief Executive – copy attached with the exempt Cabinet minutes and reports – on the draft ip&e Limited’s Business Plan for 2014 to 2017.