DECISION: The meeting of the Executive Cabinet meeting held on 16 March were 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 interest received.

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.

Report of the Director of Business, Development and Growth.

1.         Approval granted for the revised changes to the Regulation 123 List for a four week consultation to Monday, 17 July 2017

2.         Approval granted for any changes following consultation to be made by Executive Member (Economic Development and Public Service Reform).

The Executive Member for Economic Development and Public Service Reform presented the report of the Director of Business, Development and Growth which informed Members about the update of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulation 123 List.

The List specified the infrastructure projects to be funded in part by CIL in Chorley and included schemes such as transport improvements, health facilities and education provision.

A four week consultation was held with appropriate stakeholders and the list of schemes requested for inclusion was set out in the report.  Not all schemes requested were appropriate for the List. 

Councillor Toon highlighted his request for a new length of footway along Clancutt Lane extending to junction with Spendmore Lane, Coppull which was not appropriate for inclusion on the List.  It was suggested that the request be submitted for consideration as a Neighbourhood preferred priority. 

It was noted that it would be useful to distribute a briefing paper to Town and Parish Councils regarding CIL and for them to contact the Council with any specific queries. 

Decision

1.         Approval granted for the revised changes to the Regulation 123 List for a four week consultation to Monday, 17 July 2017

2.         Approval granted for any changes following consultation to be made by Executive Member (Economic Development and Public Service Reform).

Reasons for recommendation(s)

To update infrastructure schemes and reflect changes to the Regulation 123 List.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None. 

Report of the Director of Policy and Governance. 

Approval granted that the report be noted.

The Executive Member for Resources presented the report of the Director of Policy and Governance.

The report set out performance against the Corporate Strategy and key service delivery measures for the fourth quarter of 2016/17.  Project performance was assessed based on the delivery of key projects outlined within the new 2016 strategy and against the measures in the 2015 Corporate Strategy along with key service delivery measures for individual services.

Overall, performance of key projects was good, with nine (64%) of the projects rated as green and four (29%) of projects were currently rated amber.  One project (7%) was now complete and outcomes had been recorded.

Performance of the Corporate Strategy indicators and key service delivery measures was also good.  73% of Corporate Strategy measures were performing on or above target and 70% of key service delivery measures were performing on or above target or within the 5% threshold.  Those indicators performing below target had action plans outlined with measures which would be put into place to improve performance.

Members highlighted that the ‘Time taken to process all new claims and change events for Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit’ was below target, but noted that this was a very challenging target. 

The indicator relating to ‘Growth in business rate base’ was below target.  Members noted that the 2017 revaluation had resulted in this reduction in gross rateable value.  The Executive Leader requested that if Members were aware of any companies who were struggling with their Business Rates to contact the Council. 

Although the indicator ‘Number of projected jobs created through inward investment’ was below target a number of potential re-locations were in the pipeline and would be progressed over the next quarter.

Decision

Approval granted that the report be noted.

Reasons for recommendation(s)

To facilitate the on-going analysis and management of the Council’s performance in delivering the Corporate Strategy.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Report of the Chief Executive. 

1.         Approval granted to note the full year outturn position for the 2016/17 revenue budget and capital investment programme.

2.         To request Council approval for slippage requests and other transfers to reserves outlined in Appendix 2 of the report to finance expenditure on specific items or projects in 2017/18.

3.         To request Council approval for the contribution of £49,000 from in-year revenue underspends to the Change Management Reserve to finance one-off redundancy and pension strain costs arising from transformation and shared service strategies. This will supplement the £200k budget set aside in 2017/18 to increase the reserve.

4.         To request Council approval for the contribution of £49,000 from in-year revenue underspends to the Buildings Maintenance Reserve to finance one-off costs relating to office utilisation and transformational change.

5.         Approval granted to note the 2016/17 outturn position on the Council's reserves.

6.         Approval granted to note the impact of the final capital expenditure outturn and the re-phasing of capital budgets to 2017/18 and approval to the additions to the 2016/17 capital budget outlined in paragraph 77.

7.         To request Council approval of the financing of the 2016/17 capital programme to maximise the use of funding resources available to the Council.

The Executive Member for Resources presented the report of the Chief Executive.  The report presented the provisional outturn figures for the 2016/17 capital programme and update the capital programme for financial years 2017/18 to 2019/20 to take account of the re-phasing of expenditure from 2016/17 and other proposed budget changes. 

The accounts were provisional at this stage and subject to final checking and scrutiny by the Council’s external auditor.  Should there be any significant changes to the outturn as a result of this process a further report would be submitted.

Decision

1.         Approval granted to note the full year outturn position for the 2016/17 revenue budget and capital investment programme.

2.         To request Council approval for slippage requests and other transfers to reserves outlined in Appendix 2 of the report to finance expenditure on specific items or projects in 2017/18.

3.         To request Council approval for the contribution of £49,000 from in-year revenue underspends to the Change Management Reserve to finance one-off redundancy and pension strain costs arising from transformation and shared service strategies. This will supplement the £200k budget set aside in 2017/18 to increase the reserve.

4.         To request Council approval for the contribution of £49,000 from in-year revenue underspends to the Buildings Maintenance Reserve to finance one-off costs relating to office utilisation and transformational change.

5.         Approval granted to note the 2016/17 outturn position on the Council's reserves.

6.         Approval granted to note the impact of the final capital expenditure outturn and the re-phasing of capital budgets to 2017/18 and approval to the additions to the 2016/17 capital budget outlined in paragraph 77.

7.         To request Council approval of the financing of the 2016/17 capital programme to maximise the use of funding resources available to the Council.

Reasons for recommendation(s)

To ensure the Council’s budgetary targets are achieved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Report of the Director of Customer and Digital.

Approval granted for the Digital Strategy 2017 – 2020. 

The Executive Member for Customer, Advice and Streetscene Services presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital which presented and sought approval of the Digital Strategy 2017 – 2020.

The four key elements of the strategy were;

a. increasing digital take up;

b. increasing digital inclusions;

c. working smarter; and

d. developing a positive culture which puts customers at the heart of everything we do.

Members highlighted the importance of engaging with Town and Parish Councils on this. 

Decision

Approval granted for the Digital Strategy 2017 – 2020. 

Reasons for recommendation(s)

The Digital Strategy (2017-2020) set out the Council’s aspirations to change and improve the way many residents interact with the Council and the way that we work by maximising the benefits that technology can bring, leading to more efficient delivery of services.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

1.         A significant proportion of the projects within the strategy are reliant of the Council’s ICT infrastructure being upgraded, therefore there is a limit to how much progress can be made in delivering the Digital strategy projects, in the first year.

2.         For this reason, an alternative option would be to postpone approval of this strategy for 12 months until the new ICT infrastructure is in place.

3.         This has been rejected as there is still a lot which can be either delivered or planned during this period.

Report of the Director of Customer and Digital.

Approval granted for the ICT Strategy 2017 – 2020. 

The Executive Member for Customer, Advice and Streetscene Services presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital which sought approval for the ICT Strategy 2017-2020.

ICT Services must be in a position to support the council as it moved forward over the next three years with likely significant change in relation to its operating model.  The strategy delivered a flexible and robust ICT Service that was capable of responding to the future needs of the organisation.

Assurances were given that any training required would be provided. 

Decision

Approval granted for the ICT Strategy 2017 – 2020. 

Reasons for recommendation(s)

The ICT Strategy is a key document for the Council to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of the business. The current strategy expired in March 2017 and a new strategy is required to take the service forward.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Report of Director of Customer and Digital.

Approval granted to consider and accept the revised Schedule of Charges for the Building Control Service with a view to commencing 1 August 2017.

The Executive Member for Public Protection presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital which informed Members about the proposal to amend the current Schedule of Charges for the Council’s Building Service.

The current scale of charges were set in 2011 in conjunction with both South Ribble and Preston City Council, to standardise the fees across the neighbouring authorities and help facilitate easier cross boundary applications and, at the time, any movement towards shared services between any of the three authorities. No increase had been implemented since although the charges had been kept under review.

The expectation was that the cost of the service was recovered through these charges. 

Decision

Approval granted to consider and accept the revised Schedule of Charges for the Building Control Service with a view to commencing 1 August 2017.

Reasons for recommendation(s)

To ensure the Council’s budgetary targets are achieved and the service is charged at a rate relevant to the service provided to our customers.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

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 Paragraphs 1 and 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).

Approval granted to exclude the public and press. 

Decision

Approval granted that the press and public be excluded for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclose of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government act 1972.

Report of the Director of Customer and Digital.

1.         Approval granted for the contract award procedure using the Crown Commercial Service Frameworks to advertise the tenders on the CHEST for the provision of hardware and printers.  Tenders to be evaluated to establish the most economically advantageous tender based on 80% and 20% quality criteria.

2.         Approval granted for the contract award procedure for professional services to implement the procured hardware and software which would be published on the CHEST e-tendering portal and run as a Chorley procurement exercise. Tenders to be evaluated to establish the most economically advantageous tender based on 80% cost and 20% quality criteria.

3.         Approval granted for the final contract awards to be made by Executive Member (Resources).

The Executive Member for Resources presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital which sought approval for the contract award procedure and evaluation criteria for procurement of ICT infrastructure in line with the ICT Strategy 2017-2020.

Decision

1.         Approval granted for the contract award procedure using the Crown Commercial Service Frameworks to advertise the tenders on the CHEST for the provision of hardware and printers.  Tenders to be evaluated to establish the most economically advantageous tender based on 80% and 20% quality criteria.

2.         Approval granted for the contract award procedure for professional services to implement the procured hardware and software which would be published on the CHEST e-tendering portal and run as a Chorley procurement exercise. Tenders to be evaluated to establish the most economically advantageous tender based on 80% cost and 20% quality criteria.

3.         Approval granted for the final contract awards to be made by Executive Member (Resources).

Reasons for recommendation(s)

Under the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules approval by the Executive Cabinet for contract award for tenders greater than £75,000 is required.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

To not agree contract procedure and award would fail to comply with the Council’s Procurement rules.