Agenda and minutes

Venue: Grey Room - York House - Windsor

Contact: David Cook  01628 796560

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence

Minutes:

No apologies for absence were received.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 219 KB

To receive any declarations of interest

Minutes:

Councillor Rayner declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in item 6 iii, Horton and Wraysbury Neighbourhood Plan Decision to Proceed to Referendum. She left the room for the duration of the discussion and voting on the item.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2019

Minutes:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2019 were approved.

4.

Appointments

Minutes:

It was noted that as Leader Cllr Johnson would be on the Achieving for Children Joint Committee.

5.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 35 KB

To consider the Forward Plan for the period November 2019 to February 2020

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the contents of the Forward Plan for the next four months and noted the changes made since it was published. It was noted that a report on the Consultation about 0-19 Integrated Family Hub Model be added to the November 2019 Cabinet agenda.  

 

The following reports be moved from November to December 2019 Cabinet:

 

·         Award of Arboricultural Services Contract

·         Award of Borough-wide Seasonal Baskets and Planting Contract

6.

Cabinet Members' Reports

6a

Biodiversity Implementation Programme pdf icon PDF 128 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change, Sustainability and Culture introduced the report that set out how the Council would deliver changes to the way in which it managed highway verges, parks, and open spaces in order to increase the biodiversity value of these areas.

 

Cabinet were informed that this reports was the initial implementation of the programme for a small number of pilot projects commencing in 2019, with a thorough review of mowing/cutting regimes for highway verges, parks and open spaces to be undertaken in advance of the 2020 growing season.

 

Pilot projects were proposed costing £15,000 from S106 or CIL funding to sow wildflower seeds on road verged and roundabouts in Windsor, Maidenhead and Ascot.

 

The Lead Member for Resident and Leisure Services, HR, IT, Legal, Performance Management & Windsor endorsed the report as an excellent start to the council’s support of biodiversity which she was pleased to say was also supported by her ward whose residents were also keen on implementing similar projects.

 

The Lead Member for Finance and Ascot welcomed a positive outcome from a council motion and said he would be using his £750 member community budget towards such projects in Ascot.

 

Fiona Hewer, Chairman of  Wild Maidenhead, addressed Cabinet and said it was a positive step introducing the programme and that her organisation were more than happy to provide support.  She said that nationally wildlife within the UK was in trouble and urgent action was required.  She made reference to a charity Plantlife who produced guidance called  Managing Grassland Road Verges that provided useful advice.  She also said that future programmes had to be mindful of other areas apart from verges such as wetlands.  Concern was raised about section 2.2 of the report as she felt it contained inaccuracies such as there were many sites that had not been surveyed and many sites were neglected.  The majority of the land mentioned was mowed for human use and thus did not help wildlife flourish.  The target of five areas should also be increased and she said that having a narrow road verge mowed leaving the rest for wildlife would help reduce residents concerns that the verges looked unkempt; she made reference to a number of authorities who had done this such as Solihull.   She reiterated the support for the report and Wild Maidenheads wish to be part of moving the project forward. 

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          Approves the biodiversity schemes set out in this report, including initial wildflower planting works in 2019/20, and a review of and amendments to the mowing regimes for highway verges, parks and open spaces starting from the 2020 growing season.  

ii)         Requests use of £15,000 of S106 or CIL monies for progressing with the pilot biodiversity schemes in 2019/20.

 

6b

Annual Report on Commissioning 2018-2019 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Resident and Leisure Services, HR, IT, Legal, Performance Management and Windsor introduced the report that summarises the Annual Report on Commissioned Services 2018- 2019, appendix 1, which set out how contracted services had performed in 2018-2019, together with a review of how the arrangements were managed by the Royal Borough. 

 

The Lead Member invited portfolio holders to address Cabinet on areas under their remit within the report. 

 

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health addressed the two main areas under his portfolio within the report; Achieving for Children (AFC) and Optalis.  With regards to adult social care he highlighted the rating received from Quality Care Matters and the work that had been undertaken with regards to domiciliary care, as well as delayed transfers.  He informed that there had been acknowledged reported pressures with demographic issues such as longevity of life which was to be applauded but we also had to accept that this came with financial consequences and that services had to be fit for purpose. 

 

He also highlighted that with regards to AFC 91% of children went to schools that were either rated as good or outstanding which had to be applauded.  He also highlighted the emphasis he placed on disadvantaged young people and services for them, he mentioned that this would be an important focus of the Schools Improvement Forum.  There was a national pressure with protecting the most vulnerable children in society and the Lead Member said he would continue to raise this with Government as well as supporting those within the Royal Borough.  

 

The Lead Member for Transport and Infrastructure reported on the sections of the report regarding Volker Highways who were responsible for highways maintenance and street cleansing and Project Centre who dealt with highways design. With regards to highways maintenance he highlighted that best practice had been utilised for value for money repairs that lasted longer than quick patches. There were a number of matrixes in place evaluating the contracts and performance.  The Lead Member also highlighted the work undertaken by the Project Centre such as advice to planning, design of schemes regarding to public safety and projects such as flooding relief.

 

The Lead Member for Public Protection and Parking reported on NSL Ltd for parking enforcement.  The contract was performing well and had recently been renewed, this included an additional 25% increase in enforcement in rural and out of town areas.  It was noted that only 0.67% of tickets were rescinded.

 

The Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change, Sustainability,

Parks and Countryside reported on the contractual performance of Veolia for waste collection and Tivoli for grounds maintenance.  With regards of Tivoli performance had been improving and they had introduced a new management team who were working with the council on biodiversity such as reduced mowing to increase wildflower growth.  Cabinet noted that the Veolia contract ended on 29 September 2019 and that the new contractor would be trialling electric  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6b

6c

Horton and Wraysbury Neighbourhood Plan Decision to Proceed to Referendum pdf icon PDF 542 KB

Minutes:

(Cllr Rayner left the room during deliberation on this item and did not take part in the discussion or vote on the item.)

 

The Lead Member for Planning and Maidenhead introduced the report that sought approval from  for the Horton and Wraysbury Neighbourhood Plan to proceed to referendum at the earliest practicable opportunity.

 

Cabinet were informed that this was the fifth plan to reach this stage and that the minor changes suggested by the inspector had been approved by the council and the parish council.  Once a referendum date had been set a further £20,000 grant funding would be available.

 

The Lead Member for  Public Protection and Parking supported the report and commented on the amount of work undertaken by the parish council to get to this stage.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          Confirms that the plan meets the Basic Conditions tests and an SEA is

not required.

 

ii)         Accepts the proposed changes to the Neighbourhood Plan set out in

Appendix B.

 

a. Gives delegated authority to the Head of Planning (or person acting

as Interim Head of Planning) to issue a decision statement; and

 

b. agrees to put the modified Neighbourhood Plan to referendum. The

date of the referendum to be set in accordance with the legal requirements; and

 

iii)        Delegates authority to the Head of Planning (or Interim Head of

Planning), in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning, to make

minor, non material, amendments to the Neighbourhood Plan prior to the referendum being announced.

 

iv)        The LPA will provide advance funding up to £20,000, if required, for the

referendum; this will then be claimed back from Government.

6d

Financial Update pdf icon PDF 370 KB

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Finance and Ascot introduced the latest Financial Update report and informed that there had been no significant movement since last reported.  It was noted that there was a typo in the summary section saying this was an update at the end of August rather than September 2019.

 

Cabinet were informed that work continued on improving the report making it more accessible and transparent.  He highlighted the capital reporting section on page 138 that showed a decrease in borrowing; however £1,956,000 had been added to the capital programme this month which related to a separate affordable housing scheme.  Achieving for Children and Optalis continued to work on the national pressures already reported in previous reports.

 

Cllr Price questioned paragraph 4.25 which related to potential overspends due to planning appeals and was informed that there were always planning appeals financial risks that were built into the level of reserves that the council held, it would be inappropriate to hold certain risks in the revenue budget and hence they were held in the reserves. 

 

Cllr Jones addressed Cabinet and said she welcomed the improved clarity of the report, however she did question the borrowing forecast and how it compared to previous reports.  In response Cabinet were informed that this was an ongoing forecast that by the nature of capital projects would have movement.  For clarity it was proposed to show not only where capital receipts had been agreed and also those that had been received.  Cabinet were looking at introducing a separate quarterly capital monitoring report to improve clarity.

 

Cllr Jones went on to say that there still remained concern about the level of uncertainty of the pressures in Adult Social Care and asked for the Lead Member view on this.  The Lead Member for Finance informed Cabinet that he was confident that mitigating action would soon be seen to come through the system as officers had worked hard with providers to mitigate pressures but still careering for the vulnerable of our society.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes:

 

i)          The council’s projected outturn position for 2019-20 and considers the

mitigations proposed;

ii)         The budget movements since the previous month;

iii)        The projected spend on the capital programme; and

iv)        The projected borrowing for the remainder of the financial year.

6e

Windsor Town Centre Vision pdf icon PDF 139 KB

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Resident and Leisure Services, HR, IT, Legal, Performance Management and Windsor introduced the report that requested authority to undertake a community planning process leading to a shared Town Centre Vision for Windsor.

 

Cabinet were informed that there would be a number of consultation events allowing residents and businesses to have their say including the emerging business-led Windsor 2030 Neighbourhood Plan and the submitted Windsor Neighbourhood Plan.

 

The Lead Member for Planning and Maidenhead welcomed the report and the proposed work in Windsor as this complemented to regeneration work being undertaken in Maidenhead and across the borough.

 

Cllr Price addressed Cabinet and highlighted the amount or work and money spent already on this area for Windsor including the work by GL Hearn which Cabinet had previously agreed £240,000 for, Windsor 2030 and subsequent discussions at the Windsor Town Forum.  She said these should be taken into consideration by this review.

 

The Director for Place conformed that these areas would be included in the proposed work and part of the selection process would include how they could be incorporated and built upon.

 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          To progress the work to create a Vision for Windsor Town Centre

subject to funding being secured from an external partner.

 

ii)         Delegate authority to the Executive Director in liaison with the lead

member to appoint consultants.

6f

Award of Contract to Supply Agency Workers pdf icon PDF 144 KB

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Resident and Leisure Services, HR, IT, Legal, Performance Management and Windsor introduced the report that set out the proposal to award a contract to Alexander Mann Solutions, via the Crown Commercial Services Public Sector Resourcing Framework to supply the Council’s agency workers from 23 March 2020.

 

Cabinet were informed that as the council had become a commissioning authority the way we used and recruited agency staff also had to change to meet our requirements and deliver value for money.  When the current provider had been awarded the contract in 2016, the Council’s spent over £5.5 million per year on agency workers, in 2018 the expenditure had reduced to £1.3 million.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          Awards a contract for the supply of the Council’s agency workers to

Alexander Mann Solutions, via the Crown Commercial Services Public Sector Resourcing Framework, effective March 2020 to January 2024.

 

ii)         Authorises the Managing Director, in consultation with the Lead Member, to extend the contract for a further 18 months, to July 2025, subject to satisfactory performance.

 

iii)        Approve the continued use of the existing service via Geometric

Results International Limited (GRI) until the start of the new contract with AMS.

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 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

Award of Contract to Supply Agency Workers - Appendix

8b

Sale of Freehold Interest in Sierra House, 22-32A High Street, Maidenhead

8c

Leisure Operator appointment for Braywick Leisure Centre

Minutes:

Cabinet approved that the decision of the Part II report be minuted in Part I.

 

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

 

i)          Approves the award to operate the Braywick Leisure Centre to Parkwood Leisure under the existing contract through a variation to

that contract.

 

ii)         Approves that the decision made in Part II is minuted in Part I.