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 M Airey and Saunders.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 219 KB

To receive any declarations of interest

Minutes:

Councillor S Rayner declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in item 6i, Traveller Local Plan - Issues and Options. She left the room for the duration of the discussion and voting on the item.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 109 KB

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2018.

Minutes:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2018 were approved as a true and correct record subject to Cllr D Wilson being recorded as being in attendance.

4.

Appointments

Minutes:

None

5.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 41 KB

To consider the Forward Plan for the period January 2019 to April 2019.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the contents of the Forward Plan for the next four months and noted the changes made since the last meeting including the addition of the following reports and amendments:

 

·         Award of contract for processing of dry mixed recycling.  Moved from January 2019 Cabinet to February 2019 Cabinet. 

·         RBWM Q2 Property Company Report. January 2019 Cabinet.

·         Property Company Investment Reports. January 2019 Cabinet.

·         Growth, Employment and Infrastructure. January 2019 Cabinet.

6.

Cabinet Members' Reports

6a

Traveller Local Plan - Issues & Options pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

(Councillor S Rayner declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest as her husband’s family business owned land on some of the sites under consideration.  She left the room for the duration of the discussion and voting on the item.)

 

The Lead Member for Planning and Health, Including Sustainability introduced the report that updated Cabinet on progress with the single issue Traveller Local Plan, which would set out how the accommodation needs of Gypsy and Traveller groups would be met up to 2033 and sought approval to publish an Issues and Options paper in January 2019 for consultation. 

 

The Panel were informed that as set out in the local development scheme, the Issues and Options paper was the first stage of the Traveller Local Plan.  It would progress through two stages of consultation prior to publication, examination and then adoption.  The consultation would start in the new year but because of the local elections adoption would not be until autumn 2019.

 

The report showed that there was an un-met requirement within the Royal Borough and that there would be consultation with the public and parish councils.  This was not a decision on adoption but a view on methodology.

 

Cabinet were informed that there were a number of areas for consideration:

 

·         Who do we mean by travellers?

·         The context and history.

·         Vision and Objectives for each traveller group.

·         Options for provision.

·         Questions that need consideration.

 

As set out in the local development scheme, the Issues and Options paper was the first stage of the Traveller Local Plan with the purpose of getting everyone’s views.

 

The Deputy Lead Member Maidenhead Waterways Champion informed that the Planning and Housing O&S Panel had questioned why this was not included in the BLP but they were satisfied that the Inspector was happy for the it to progress in this way.

 

The Principal Member for Neighbourhood Planning requested that with reference to the southern part of the borough mostly Ascot that this also includes Sunningdale. 

 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

(i) Approves the publication of the Traveller Local Plan Issues & Options

paper for public consultation, along with necessary evidence base studies.

 

(ii) Gives the Head of Planning delegated authority to approve minor changes

to the Issues & Options paper, in consultation with the Lead Member for

Planning and Health, prior to its publication.

6b

Schools Capital Programme 2019-20 pdf icon PDF 218 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Children’s Services introduced the report regarding the proposed schools capital programme for maintenance work for 2019-20. 

 

Cabinet were informed that the recommendations formed part of the 2019-20 budget build but school maintenance schemes needed to be planned and tendered earlier ready for work in the summer 2019.  The list of schemes would be amended accordingly, once grant funding was announced in April 2019.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and approves:

 

i) The Children’s Services 2019-20 capital bids - to be included in the

overall 2019-20 capital programme, subject to any changes that may

be required to the Condition list of schemes following the grant allocation announcement and final approval at Council.

 

ii) The listed schemes being put out to tender.

 

iii) Variations to the list of condition schemes to be delegated to the

Lead Member and Director of Children Services following the Schools Condition Allocation grant confirmation by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

6c

Council Tax Base 2019-20 pdf icon PDF 54 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the report regarding the statutory requirement to set the Council’s tax base for Council Tax for 2019-20.

 

The Chairman informed that there had been an increase in the council tax base of 735 dwellings at band D equivalent.  It was noted that this did not equate to the total number of new dwellings but the equivalent amount if all were band D rated, this was a national used measure.

 

Cabinet Members questioned how many properties were actually built and noted that the 735 dwellings could be half that number if they were all at band H.  The Lead Member for Planning informed that planning resource produced reports detailing the number and mix of new builds within the Royal Borough and that this would be made available to Cabinet.

 

The Lead Member for Children’s Services mentioned that it was worth noting that this authority provided an exception for care leavers having to pay council tax.

 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i) Approves the Council Tax base for the whole of the Borough area, for the year 2019-20 at 68,352.82 as detailed in this report and appendices. In 2018-19 the tax base was 67,617.93, an increase of 734.89 in 2019-20.

6d

School Admission Arrangements and Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 338 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Children’s Services introduced the report regarding the local authority’s duty to determine the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for the academic year 2020/21 by 28 February 2019.

 

Cabinet were informed that the Royal Borough as the admissions authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools in the borough, under The School Admissions Code 2014, was required to determine the admission arrangements on an annual basis.  There had been no changes to arrangements approved last year.

 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i) Approves, and thereby determines, the RBWM Admission Arrangements for 2020/21 set out at Appendix 1.

 

ii) Approves, and thereby determines, the RBWM Co-ordinated Admissions scheme for 2020/21 set out at Appendix 2.

6e

Financial Update pdf icon PDF 417 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the latest financial statement for 2018-19, that confirms a projected overspend on service budgets of £3,194,000. The Council had General Fund Reserves of £8,265,000.

 

Cabinet were informed that there had been two good news stories from the Local Government Settlement:

 

Negative Revenue Support Grant.  This was due to cost the Royal Borough about £2,000,000 but following Local Government Association intervention and the Royal Borough lobbying of the Prime Minister the Government had confirmed that here would be no RSG applied to local authorities.

 

Business Rates Pilot.  About £3,000,000 had been received this year and this success would be continued into 2019/20 that could also generate addition income.

 

The pressures around vulnerable children and the loss of car parking income due to increased used of the advantage card continued to be offset by mitigating actions and additional income as previously reported.

 

Cabinet were informed that there were additional recommendations for consideration.  The capital budget of £489,000 for the Maidenhead Waterways project.  Appendix G provided a breakdown of expenditure and showed that the Royal Borough had provided over £8 million with an additional £2 million coming from S106 income.

 

Section 5.12 of the report detailed the capital budget of £489,000 for the Waterways weir that was required as all  the submitted tenders were above the consultants estimated amount. 

 

The Chairman asked when the work was due to start and was informed that this would be March 2019 and last for about 18 weeks. The Chairman said that this was a complex project that was unique in its nature and that additional measures had been undertaken following earlier fallings by others.

 

The Maidenhead Waterways Champion reported that it was disappointing that all the tenders were above the expected amount but the proposed work was important for the waterways project and would also support regeneration work.

 

The final recommendation was regarding a capital budget of £40,000 for access works to Ray Mill Island.  The bridge was already open and well used.  The Lead Member for Culture and Communities reported that the bridge linked Taplow with Maidenhead  and that the additional funding was to make improvements to the park entrance road, bridge and retaining wall.

 

The Deputy Lead Member for Ascot Regeneration asked for clarification on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) pressure and if this was a pressure for the council.  Cabinet were informed the pressure was a national issue regarding support for those with special educational needs.  The Government had indicated that the risk would sit with local authorities as it sat on their balance sheets but this was not clear as they had also issues a consultation that suggested that there would be no transfer of funds from local authorities.  The director did not recommend the council commit any funds at this stage.  It was noted that the Schools Forum were looking at resolving the deficit and £460,000 had been voluntarily given by schools.

 

 

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet:

 

i) Notes the Council’s projected outturn position for 2018-19 and notes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6e

12.

Letting of Office Accommodation

Minutes:

Consideration of this confidential report was undertaken in Part II, however Cabinet approved the publication of the resolution in Part I.

 

Resolved that:  Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)             Delegates authority to the Acting Managing Director and Leader of the Council to enter into lease agreements for York House.

ii)            Approved publication of the resolution in Part I.

 

 

 

7.

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 item 8 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"

Minutes:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: 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.

8.

Cabinet Members' Reports

8a

Disposal of Freehold Title

8b

Asset Sale and Leaseback

8c

Letting of Office Accommodation