Resolved: that the minutes of the Executive Cabinet meeting held 18 January 2024 be confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Executive Leader.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of any interests.

Members of the public who have requested the opportunity to ask a question(s) on an item(s) on the agenda will have three minutes to put their question(s) to the respective Executive Member(s).  Each member of the public will be allowed to ask one short supplementary question. 

There were no public questions.

To receive the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group and accept it for consideration, with a view to the Executive Cabinet’s recommended response to the recommendations being reported to a future meeting.

This item was deferred to allow Councillor Aidy Riggott, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to present the report at the next meeting.

Councillor Aidy Riggott, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, was not in attendance.

Resolved: That the item be deferred to the next meeting to enable the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to present the report. 

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Finance.

1.    To note the 2023/24 forecast outturn for revenue and the level of reserves, based on the position at 31 December 2023

2.    To note the virements made to and from the revenue budget during the period, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

Councillor Peter Wilson, Exectuvie Member for Resources, presented the report of the Director of Finance, which set out the revenue and reserves forecast for the 2024/25 for the Council, based on the position at 31 December 2024.

In summary, based on the position at 31 December 2023, the forecast outturn, including the unfunded budget pressure of £146,000 following the payment of the 2023/24 pay award in November 2023, is an overspend of £780,000.

It was highlighted that forecasts were based on actual income received and expenditure incurred for the 9 months to 31 December 2023, with the final months of the year based on assumptions and projections, the position could change however.

The council was committed to keeping net costs contained within the budget and reduce overspend. The minimum level of general fund reserve should be maintained at £4 million to cushion against future financial risks. Based on the forecast overspend, the general fund balance as at 31 March should be £3.991m. The financial position would continue to be monitored and reported to members accordingly.

Resolved:

1.         To note the 2023/24 forecast outturn for revenue and the level of reserves, based on the position at 31 December 2023

2.         To note the virements made to and from the revenue budget during the period, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

Reasons for recommendation

To ensure the Council’s budgetary targets are achieved.

Other options considered and rejected

None, it is a requirement to report quarterly on the Revenue Budget Monitoring and Reserves.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Finance.

1.    To approve the revised capital programme, attached at Appendix A, which includes an amendment to the programme of £6.754m, as detailed at point 11 of the report.

2.    To note the variations to the programme (which are detailed by scheme at Appendix B and referenced within the body of the report);

3.    To note the position in the Balance Sheet monitoring section of the report, in respect of cash, investment and loan balances, and debtors, at 31 December 2023.

Councillor Peter Wilson, Exectuvie Member for Resources, presented the report of the Director of Finance which set out to report the outturn financial position of the Council in resect of the capital programme at 31 December 2023, highlighting key issues and explaining key variances, and to provide an overview of various elements of the Council’s Balance Sheet at 31 December 2023.

It was highlighted that the Capital Budget for 2023/24 was set at £21.103m by Council in February 2023. Following approval of the 2022/23 outturn, this was increased to £22.998m, then amended further in the Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 Capital Monitoring Reports, which covered the first 7 months of the year to £13.930m, as approved at Executive Cabinet in November 2023. From the changes detailed within the report, the total programme now stood at £15.822m.

Resolved:

1.         To approve the revised capital programme, attached at Appendix A, which includes an amendment to the programme of £6.754m, as detailed at point 11 of the report.

2.         To note the variations to the programme (which are detailed by scheme at Appendix B and referenced within the body of the report);

3.         To note the position in the Balance Sheet monitoring section of the report, in respect of cash, investment and loan balances, and debtors, at 31 December 2023.

Reasons for recommendation

To ensure the Council’s Capital Programme is monitored effectively.

Other options considered and rejected

None.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Change and Delivery.

1.    That the report be noted.

Councillor Peter Wilson, Exectuvie Member for Resources, presented the report of the Director of Change and Delivery which set out the performance against the delivery of the Corporate Strategy and key performance indictors during the third quarte of 2023/24, which covered the period between 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023.

Overall performance of the Corporate Strategy projects was excellent with 84% of the projects completed or were on schedule. Three projects were rated amber, which was an early warning sign of potential delays, the three of these reports each had an action plan to return the project to schedule. The performance of the Corporate Strategy indicators and measures of key service delivery were monitored closely. 69% of the Corporate Strategy measures, and 100% of key service delivery measures were performing on or above target, or within the 5% threshold.

Resolved:

1.         That the report be noted.

Reasons for recommendation

To ensure the effective performance monitoring of the Corporate Strategy and safeguard its delivery across 2023/24

Other options considered and rejected

No other options have been considered or rejected. This is because the report does not present any items for decision.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

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

Condition:

Information is not exempt if it is required to be registered under-

The Companies Act 1985

The Friendly Societies Act 1974

The Friendly Societies Act 1992

The Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 to 1978

The Building Societies Act 1986 (recorded in the public file of any building society, within the meaning of the Act)

The Charities Act 1993

Information is exempt to the extent that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Information is not exempt if it relates to proposed development for which the local planning authority may grant itself planning permission pursuant to Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning General Regulations 1992(a).

To exclude the public and press for the following item of business on the grounds they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved: To exclude the public and press for the following item of business on the grounds they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Property.

1.    That the proposed approach to improvements to local service centres allowing the Council to spend allocated UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) is agreed.

2.    That Members note that the proposed approach is dependent on a bit for Community Infrastructure Levy funding being successful.

3.    That the Director of Planning and Property is given delegated authority to enter the relevant agreement with Euxton Parish Council to enable a new project.

Councillor Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader, and Executive Member for Economic Development and Public Service Reform presented the report of the Director of Planning and Property which set out to determine the most appropriate way to spend the allocated UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) in order to achieve a commitment made by members regarding improvements to local service centres.

It was noted that some of the properties were privately owned. 

Resolved:

1.         That the proposed approach to improvements to local service centres allowing the Council to spend allocated UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) is agreed.

2.         That Members note that the proposed approach is dependent on a bit for Community Infrastructure Levy funding being successful.

3.         That the Director of Planning and Property is given delegated authority to enter the relevant agreement with Euxton Parish Council to enable a new project.

Reasons for recommendations

1.         These works will achieve an item on the corporate strategy.

2.         The works align with the Council’s corporate priorities.

3.         Chorley Council needs to spend its UKSPF allocation by March 2025

Other options considered and rejected

Consideration has been given to an alternative approach whereby minor public realm improvements would be delivered across the Borough. However, this approach would not meet the criteria for the intervention or achieve the desired outputs and outcomes and therefore could not be funded via the UKSPF programme.