To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rayner and Cannon.

To receive any declarations of interest

There were no declarations of interest received.

To consider the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2020.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2020 were approved.

None

To consider the Forward Plan for the period March 2020 to June 2020.

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

·         Award of Arboricultural Services Contract moved to April 2020 Cabinet.

·         Maidenhead Vision Charter to be considered at the March 2020 Cabinet. 

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health introduced the report regarding the award of a five year contract to Healthcare Homes Group.

Cabinet were informed that although this was a straightforward paper it was important as if approved the award to Sandown Park Care Home in Windsor provided an ‘Outstanding’ rated care by the Care Quality Commission. The contract would secure 20 beds for eligible residents over 65 with nursing and dementia needs to be cared for in the borough. The contract would commence 1st April 2020.

The Lead Member said that the policy was now to only award contracts to providers who were rated as either good or outstanding. 

Cllr Price asked why only 20 beds were being secured since the facility had an excellent reputation and was value for money.  Cabinet were informed that the facility was a private organisation and only 20 spaces were available for negotiation.

Resolve unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Approves the award of a five year contract to Sandown Park Nursing Care home for twenty block beds commencing on 1st April 2020.

The Lead Member for Transport and Infrastructure introduced the report regarding work the council had undertaken with neighbouring local authorities and other stakeholder organisations through the HSPG with regards to the proposed Heathrow expansion future planning inspectorate application.

Cabinet were informed that a number of authorities had come together to identify a common approach with regards to potential benefits from the proposed Heathrow expansion.  Three supporting papers had been produced and were available on the RBWN website as appendices to the report. They were none statutory documents with the aim to produce a common ground for negotiations.  Given the announcement made on the day of Cabinet with regards to a successful appeal against the proposed expansion it was expected that the timetable would change.  

The Lead Member for Finance and Ascot mentioned that it was good to see 13 authorities coming together to work on a common goal.

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet  notes the report and:

i)          Endorses the Joint Spatial Planning Framework  and the Economic Development Vision and Action Plan as non-statutory strategic planning guidance for the purposes of set out in the appended documents

ii)         Agrees to sign the Statement of Common Ground (SoCG) and to approve for inclusion in the SoCG, the statement of specific interests for the Royal Borough as set out in the report.

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health introduced the report regarding proposed consultation on options for new ‘Resourced Provision’ and ‘SEN Units’ at a number of schools in the Royal Borough. 

Cabinet were informed that helping disadvantaged children was a main priority and thus he was keen to discuss proposals with all schools across the borough regarding new facilities for children of primary school age with complex communication difficulties who could nevertheless, with support, attend a mainstream school.   Capital funding for any new buildings would come from Department for Education’s £1.227m Special Provision Capital Fund grant.

The Director of Children’s Services informed that it was their aim to get more children into mainstream schools with SEN support and being educated closer to home.  Revenue spend would come from the high needs block and thus it was important to get all school to take part.

(The Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change, Sustainability, Parks and Countryside joined the meeting)

Cllr Price reported that she was pleased to hear about the funding and that Windsor schools would be included, she suggested that primary school children be part of the consultation.  The Lead Member replied he would be happy to include primary school children and informed he was visiting all schools and talking to pupils.

Cllr Jones mentioned that Queensmead House School was opening soon in Windsor and if they would be spoken to.  Cabinet were informed that such schools provided high quality services but at a cost and not always in line with authority’s needs. We would look to work with them when open.

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Approves public consultation on options to open new Special Educational Needs Units and/or Resourced Provision for children with Education, Health and Care Plans for Autistic Spectrum Disorder and/or Social, Emotional and Mental Health from 1st September 2021.

ii)         Delegates approval of the final list of proposals for inclusion in the consultation to the Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Children Services, Health and Mental Health and the Director of Children’s Services.

iii)        Requests a report in June 2020, providing details on (i) the outcome of the consultation, and (ii) an evaluation of the options, including costed proposals for the new facilities.

The Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change, Sustainability, Parks and Countryside introduced the report regarding the procurement of the councils water requirements.

Cabinet were informed that Council had participated in the procurement exercise by the Crown Commercial Services.  This process pooled the requirements of more than 20 other public sector organisations so that each could benefit from the economy of scale. This process resulted in Castle Water were the successful bidder and provided a reduction in price of approximately 6%.

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Agrees to award a water contract to Castle Water who were the successful bidder in the recent water aggregation procurement exercise run by Crown Commercial Services.

The Leader of the Council and Chairman of Cabinet, Business, Economic Development and Property introduced the report regarding the renewal of Microsoft licencing agreement.

Cabinet were informed that the Council’s current contract for Microsoft Licences expired on 31 March 2020. This report requested Cabinet delegate authority to award a new three-year contract once the procurement exercise had been concluded in March 2020.

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Delegate authority to the Director of Resources in consultation with the Lead Member for HR, Legal, IT, Resident and Leisure Services and Performance Management to award a contract for three years providing it is within the base budget.

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"

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That under Section 100(A)(4) od the Local Government Act 1972, the public were excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst discussion took place on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 3 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider the Part II minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 6 February 2020.