Agenda and minutes

Venue: Guildhall, Windsor - Guildhall

Contact: David Cook  01628 796560

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S Rayner, Bateson, Carroll, Bicknell, McWilliams and D Evans.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 219 KB

To receive any declarations of interest.

Minutes:

There were no declaration of interest received. 

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 104 KB

To consider the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2018.

Minutes:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2018 were approved.

4.

Appointments

Minutes:

None

5.

Questions From Pupils

Minutes:

Item be deferred.

6.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 21 KB

To consider the Forward Plan for the period July 2018 to October 2018.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the contents of the Forward Plan for the next four months and noted the changes made since the last meeting.  In addition it was noted that the following items be added to the Forward Plan:

 

·         Highways Investment – Additional Funding 2018/19

·         Primary School Places – Ascot Cheapside Church of England Primary

·         Parking Visitor Vouchers

·         Plan Making – Borough Local Plan

·         Annual Report on Commissioned Services

·         Plan Making – Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan

7.

Cabinet Members' Reports pdf icon PDF 68 KB

7a

Annual Performance Report 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 10 MB

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the Annual Performance Report 2017/18 which summarised the performance towards the council’s six strategic objectives in the 2017/18 municipal year and a summary of key projects.

 

The Chairman informed Cabinet that 17 (68%) of the key performance indicators met or exceeded target, whilst six (24%) were just short.  Two of the targets (8%) were off target.  Although the results showed high performance against stretched targets there was still room for improvement.  Performance was reported to Cabinet twice a year and overview and scrutiny panels received quarterly updates with a range of supporting indicators under their remit.

 

The performance report also highlighted a number of key projects that had been completed throughout the year this included delivering services differently via Optalis and Achieving for Children, repairing 4,660 potholes, appointing Countryside as a joint venture partner, phase one of the Maidenhead Waterways project and a £30 million secondary school expansion programme.  More projects were planned such as regeneration, new CCTV and car parks.  The report highlighted to residents in a clear and concise way what has been done and what was planned. 

 

Cabinet were informed that a copy of the Annual Performance Report would be posted to every household in the borough and that it would also be supplemented by an annual residents satisfaction survey.

 

The Lead Member for Finance reported that nine years ago the authority started a number of projects aimed to deliver more for less and the results of this were clearly articulated to our residents in this report.  We had exceeded all but one of our key performance targets whilst maintaining a healthy financial position.

 

Cabinet were informed that the report was due to go to Council and that it would be available on the RBWM website the week following this meeting.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinetnotes the report and:

 

i)     Notes the progress towards meeting the council’s strategic objectives.

ii)    Endorses the Annual Report 2017/18, appendix A, to be reviewed at a meeting of the Full Council.

iii)   Requests the Managing Director and Executive Directors, in conjunction with Lead and Principal Members, to progress improvement actions for areas that are off target.

 

 

 

7b

Financial Update pdf icon PDF 323 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Finance introduce the Financial Update report that was the first statement of 2018-19 and confirmed a projected balanced budget. Cabinet were informed that the Council remained in a strong financial position with General Fund Reserves of £7,001,000 and a Capital Fund estimated at £1,729,000.

 

The Lead Member for Finance informed Cabinet that as well as being asked to note the current financial position they were also being asked to:

 

·         Approve an additional revenue budget of £298,000 for adult social care from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

·         Approve an additional revenue budget of £1,210,980 for the flexible homelessness support grant which had also been awarded towards expenditure incurred for preventing and dealing with homelessness.

·         Approve an additional capital budget of £241,000 for pothole repairs, from the Department of Transport to.

·         Approves an additional capital budget of £172,000 for joint growth study from the Planning Delivery Fund to work with Slough Borough Council and South Bucks District Council on a joint growth study.

In response to a question from the Lead Member for Environmental Services Cabinet were informed that the authority were working with Slough Borough Council and South Bucks District Council on a joint growth study as there were a number of transport issues that required cross boundary examination.

Cabinet were informed that the report assured residents that the Council was in a strong financial position and making effective use of its resources.  Officers were reviewing potential pressures for the year and these would start to be reported in the monthly reports to Cabinet.

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet:

 

i)     Notes the Council’s projected outturn position for 2018-19.

 

ii)    Approves an additional revenue budget of £298,000 for adult social care. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has awarded a grant to the borough for £298,000 to provide adult social care, see paragraph 4.5.

 

iii)   Approves an additional revenue budget of £1,210,980 for the flexible homelessness support grant which has been awarded by the MHCLG towards expenditure incurred for preventing and dealing with homelessness, see paragraph 4.6.

 

iv)   Approves an additional capital budget of £241,000 for pothole repairs, a grant has been awarded by the Department of Transport to repair potholes and guard against severe weather in the borough, see paragraph 4.9.

 

v)    Approves an additional capital budget of £172,000 for joint growth study, a grant has been awarded from the Planning Delivery Fund to work with Slough Borough Council and South Bucks District Council on a joint growth study, see paragraph 4.10.

 

7c

Infrastructure including Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Governance pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Planning introduced the report about the governance arrangements for spending the monies collected through the Community Infrastructure Levey and how this should be prioritised against the infrastructure requirement identified in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

 

Cabinet were informed that 15% of CIL money would be passed to the appropriate parish or town council and if they had an adopted neighbourhood plan then this would increase to 25%.

 

The Lead Member for Planning explained that the report sought approval for the governance arrangements for determining the priorities for spending CIL money.  It was recommending a joint working group of officers and Members who would report to Cabinet.  Ward councillors, infrastructure providers and utility companies would be consulted.  The Regulation 123 list would help prioritise spending.

 

The Chairman welcomed the report as it was good governance and would be beneficial for our local communities.

 

The Principal Member for Ascot Regeneration mentioned that there would be significant amounts of funds being made available from developments to local communities and asked that if a parish or town council matched funded schemes would these be prioritised.   Cabinet were informed that the criteria did allow joint funding for CIL expenditure and that funds would be made available to parish councils twice per year.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinetnotes the report and approves:

 

(i)     The terms of reference for the Infrastructure Working Group, see Appendix A.

 

(ii)    The appointment of five borough councillors to the Member/Officer Infrastructure Working Group.

 

(iii)  That the Infrastructure Working Group will make recommendations to Cabinet in future about how monies collected by the Levy will be spent with due regard to the published Regulation 123 list.

 

(iv)  That a revised Regulation 123 List will be produced by 31 August 2018 for consultation as appropriate and then for review of the comments received to be reported to the Infrastructure Working Group to consider and make any amendments to the revised 123 List before publication.

 

(v)    That, prior to receiving payments in April and October each year, the Parish Councils (and relevant Ward Councillors) will each receive an itemised statement of those applications in their Parish for which CIL has been collected which identifies the application number, the site address, the amount collected in total and the neighbourhood portion due to be paid at the next payment date.

 

(vi)  That in communities that are non-parished, the ward councillors will receive a statement of the applications in that ward where CIL has been collected which identifies the application number, the site address, the amount collected in total and the neighbourhood portion.  From October 2018 the ward councillors and any designated Neighbourhood Forum will be consulted in writing on the spending priorities for that area.

 

7d

Options for Increased Capacity at Newlands Girls' School pdf icon PDF 152 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Children’s Services introduced the report that explained options for providing additional places at Newlands Girls’ School in Maidenhead.

 

The Lead Member for Children’s Services explained that a briefing note had preceded this Cabinet report because following the offer of Year 7 places for September 2018 38 Maidenhead girls did not get their first preference choice for the school.  In addition, residents connected to Oldfield Primary School have submitted an objection to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator stating that the admissions arrangements were unfair to children, particularly girls, living in the Oldfield designated area. 

 

Due to the current school expansion projects there were sufficient school places in Maidenhead until 2021 and thus any proposed expansion of the school could not be funded from basic needs. 

 

Work had been undertaken to look at expansion options but due to the already overcrowded site expansion would be complex and expensive.  Expanding the role by an additional 30 pupils would cost in the region of £12 to £15 million at a per pupil cost that would be 4 to 5 times above the national benchmarked figure.  Pending the adjudicators findings it was recommended that the schools expansion be brought forward to the second phase of the school expansion programme.

 

The Chairman said that Cabinet would like to expand popular schools if it was possible but in this instance if the school was moved to a more appropriate site for expansion then local residents would lose out on places.  This was a good report that made residents aware of the issues faced for expansion of the school. 

 

The Lead Member for Finance mentioned that the Council should continue to invest in schools but an eye also needed to be kept on practicalities such as admission codes allowing for outlying feeder schools to allow pupils places at schools where because of their location they would otherwise be disadvantaged. 

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          Awaits the outcome of the Office of the Schools Adjudicator and feasibility work.

 

 

 

7e

Conservation Area Appraisals Review Programme pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Planning introduced the report that recommended that the council commenced a rolling programme of conservation area appraisal reviews, with the aim of providing up to date appraisals for the 27 borough's conservation areas.

 

Cabinet were informed that the royal borough had 27 conservation areas, a small number of which did not have appraisals.  Some of the appraisals that existed were out of date, in that they did not accord with current policies, plans and guidance.

 

The Lead Member for Finance explained the importance of such appraisals and that how in his ward work being undertaken on such an appraisal ad been used as material consideration in defence of a planning application.

 

The Lead Member for Children’s Services recommended that  schools and sixth forms could be engaged when undertaking such reviews.

 

Resolved unanimously: That Cabinet notes the report and:

i)         Authorises the Head of Planning to commence a prioritised programme of review, see point 2.5.

 

ii)      Agrees the criteria for the designation of new areas/deletions to existing conservation areas and a checklist for identifying local buildings of interest, see appendix 1 and 2.

 

7f

Appointments to Outside and Associated Bodies pdf icon PDF 53 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the report that dealt with the appointment of representatives to serve the Council on a number of associated and outside bodies and this ensured good governance and promoted partnership working within the Royal Borough.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

      i.         Appoints representatives to serve on the organisations listed in the schedule Appendix 1.

 

    ii.         Delegates authority to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Leader of the Opposition Group, to fill any ad hoc vacancies that might arise through the year from nominations received.

 

7g

Infrastructure: Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace capacity and Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) delivery to support the BLP pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Planning introduced the  report regarding Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace capacity and Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) delivery to support the Borough Local Plan.

 

Cabinet were informed that the council is proactively progressing options to ensure that additional SANG comes forward through to 2033 to assist in mitigating the impact of new residential development. 

 

The Principal Member for Ascot Regeneration informed that he was the council’s representative on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area that was represented by 11 councils.  He explained the importance of having SANG’s in place and how he was working with charitable bodies in the borough for the provision of a suitable site.

 

Resolved unanimously: That Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          Gives authority to the Executive Director, Place to pursue negotiations on behalf of the council with landowners, to enter into lease agreements or other legal agreements with landowners and to make a planning application for the purposes of providing SANG to meet BLP requirements to 2033.

 

ii)         Gives authority to the Head of Planning not to provide capacity in the council’s Strategic Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs) for large prior approval schemes or other unplanned large applications located beyond the defined settlements Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale or on allocated sites where the proposals are in excess of the BLPSV allocation by more than 9 additional units which are considered to undermine the Council’s Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy.

 

iii)        Gives authority to the Executive Director, Place to pursue negotiations on behalf of the council with any other council which may have surplus SANG capacity and to authorise the Executive Director to enter into any necessary legal or lease agreement with that council for the purposes of securing SANG capacity to support the BLPSV.

7h

Vicus Way Car Park pdf icon PDF 386 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Environmental Services introduced a report that sought approval for the construction of a new car park at Vicus Way, Maidenhead, creating 513 permanent car parking spaces for the use by local business, residents and commuters. 

 

Cabinet were informed that on the 26 September 2017 Council agreed a budget of £12,344,600 for the construction of new temporary and permanent parking provision across the Borough in line with the emerging parking plan.  Delegated authority was provided to the executive director and lead member to finalise the parking plan and carry out procurement for temporary and permanent parking provision.  During the period September 17 to date several options and locations had been explored for the provision of car parking, including exploration on provision of additional permanent car parking, and reduction of the expenditure on temporary car parking, which did not deliver value for money.

 

The option for permanent car parking provision at Vicus Way, meant the Council could reduce its planned expenditure on temporary parking, and provide good value for money by investing capital in a permanent public parking solution for the long term benefit of residents, visitors, commuters and businesses, in addition to delivering a financial return to the Council.

 

Resolved unanimously that Cabinet noted the report and approved:

i)          The development of a permanent multi storey car park at Vicus Way.

ii)        Recommends to Council an additional capital budget of £3,687,249.

iii)       Delegate authority to the Executive Director with the Lead Member for Maidenhead Regeneration and Maidenhead to submit a planning application and appoint contractors. 

 

 

 

8.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 - EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

To consider passing the following resolution:-

 

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst discussion takes place on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1-7 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act"

9.

Cabinet Members' Reports

9a

Vicus Way Car Park

9b

RBWM Property Company Ltd - Business Plan 2018-2023 & Q4 Performance Report