Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall - Maidenhead

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 Saunders and Targowska.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 219 KB

To receive any declarations of interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 138 KB

To consider the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2019.

Minutes:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2019 were approved.

4.

Appointments

Minutes:

None

5.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 29 KB

To consider the Forward Plan for the period March 2019 to June 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:

 

·         Home to School Transport – Post 16 Policy to be removed from April Cabinet as no decision required.

·         Nicholson’s Shopping Centre to be added to April Cabinet.

6.

Cabinet Members' Reports pdf icon PDF 35 KB

6a

Contract Award - Waste and Recycling Collection and Associated Services pdf icon PDF 123 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Environmental Services (including parking, flooding, housing and Performance Management) introduced the report that sought approval to award a new waste contract.

 

The Lead Member informed Cabinet that the Residents Survey showed how important the weekly bin collection was to our residents with a 88% satisfaction rating.

 

This report requested approval to award an eight year contract to the preferred bidder with a possible 8 year extension subject to satisfactory performance, so that residents will continue to receive a weekly waste and recycling collection.

 

If the recommendations were approved the council would separately undertake a procurement exercise for recycling of dry mixed recycling (DMR). The report requested delegated authority to directly award a contract for the processing of DMR to the Deputy Director Strategy and Commissioning in consultation with the Lead Member for environmental services to provide an outlet for the recycling collected in the Royal Borough.

 

The current waste and recycling collection services contract was due to end in September 2019 with a short-term extension to reduce the risks of an uncertain market and to allow time for a fuller mobilisation period which reduces the risk of disruption to residents.

 

The current waste vehicles had come to the end of their life so in the 2019-20 budget £4.5 million had been set aside for the purchase of a new modern fleet.  The Chairman mentioned that as current trucks had a life span of about eight years it made sense that the purchase of a new fleet being in the capital programme with the costs forming part of the contract. 

 

The Chairman mentioned that as this was such an important service for our residents with a high satisfaction rating that it was important to get the transition between contracts right first time, he recommended a soft launch.  The Lead Member informed that £100k had been set aside for the first year of the contract and £50k for the second year to help reduce the potential impact of the transition period as it was important to continue the current high performance.  The chairman said that as it was important to be resident focused he would recommend a small role-out to start with before going borough wide and he requested that a steering group be established to look at the transition period.

 

The Lead Member for Culture and Communities (including Resident and Business Services) informed that this was a brilliant paper and she was pleased to see addition funds being set aside for customer services to help with the transition period.

 

The Lead Member for Highways, Transport and Windsor said that as waste used to be his responsibility he was aware of how this high performing service was with only 10 or less bins not being collected each week which was an excellent service. He also said that the new fleet would have 360 degree visibility which would improve safety.

 

The Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health reported that this was an excellent service and he  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

6b

Draft Borough-Wide Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document - Regulation 13 Consultation pdf icon PDF 8 MB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Planning and Health (including Sustainability) introduced the report that sought approval to undertake public consultation on the draft Borough wide Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document.

 

Cabinet were informed that in producing the Borough Local Plan they were also producing supporting supplementary planning guidance policies to help build a borough for everyone and residents first not the borough first. 

 

The Lead Member informed that we had a special borough with unique architecture with many areas having their own local plans.  The Design Guide had been prepared to support the Council’s adopted and made policies and provide the Borough with the maximum clarity for developers, local communities, Members and officers as to what high quality design should look like in the Royal Borough. 

 

The Maidenhead Waterways Champion said that it was an excellent document with a lot of good information but with regards to gross floor space he would like to see the national guidelines added as an appendix.  This would be discussed as an option after the meeting.

 

The Principal Member for Neighbourhood Planning and Ascot & The Sunnings made reference to a planning application of design out of keeping with its area that at its third appeal was awarded planning permission.  She asked if design could be used as a planning objection which it was confirmed it could.

 

The Lead Member for Culture and Communities (including Resident and Business Services) said she felt that this was an excellent important report that our resident and societies such as the Windsor and Eton Society would welcome. 

 

The Principal Member for Ascot Regeneration mentioned that the proposals added granularity to our policies and would help retain the character of our communities and help reduce bad design, he highlighted the guidance on dormer design to illustrate his point.

 

Cllr Beer said he agreed with the points made and suggested that we asked for innovative solutions regarding parking provision. The Chairman also mentioned that there were often developments with garages so small they were not fit for purpose and often were converted.  Cabinet were informed that there would be a separate guidance on parking. 

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

(i)        Approves the publication of the draft Borough-wide Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document for public consultation, along with necessary evidence base studies; and

(ii)      Gives the Head of Planning delegated authority to approve minor changes to the draft Borough-wide Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document, in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning and Health, including Sustainability, prior to its publication.

 

6c

Financial Update pdf icon PDF 368 KB

Minutes:

The Principal Member for Ascot Regeneration introduced the latest Financial Update report and informed that this month’s variances were registrar’s income shortfall of £40,000 and IT Services network circuit costs of £37,000.

 

The Principal Member also highlighted the school expansion programme and how projects such as the expansion at Charters were being built on time, to quality and under budget.  The Lead Member for Children’s Services said that there was a £30 million expansion programme that was coming in at £1,5 million under budget with the addition of the expansion at Newland being added to the original programme.  There had been 6 expansions planned and 7 being delivered.

 

It was noted that the Prime Minister had attended the opening of the Cox Green expansion, that the expansion at Furze Plat had been delayed so there was no disruption during exams and that there would be discussions with local schools about the possibility of moving to a new school on the golf club development site.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet:

 

i)        Notes the council’s projected outturn position for 2018-19 and notes work undertaken to identify mitigations to deal with pressures.

 

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 items 8-9 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.

Minutes

To consider the Part II minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 7 February 2019.

 

9.

Cabinet Members' Reports

9a

Contract Award - Waste and Recycling Collection and Associated Services

9b

RBWM Property Company Ltd – Annual Report & Report and Financial Statements 2017-18