Decisions

To take the following urgent decision:

(1)  That, from the Civic Year 2020/21, an Independent Member is co-opted on to the Audit and Governance Committee on a non-voting basis;

(2)  That the appointment of the Independent Member is delegated to the Audit and Governance Committee;

(3)  That the process for selecting and recommending an appropriate candidate is delegated to the Head of Policy and Resources in consultation with the Chair of Audit and Governance Committee;

(4)  The appointment panel will comprise of cross party representation from within the Audit and Governance Committee and supported by the Chief Financial Officer, Monitoring Officer and Chief Internal Auditor as required;

(5)  The Independent Member will be required to observe at all times the Members Code of Conduct as set out in Part 5 of the Constitution and will be provided with an appointment letter which will include a provision for either party to terminate the arrangement on 1 months notice;

(6)  That, from the Civic Year 2020/21, the Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee shall not be a member of the political group or groups forming the administration; and

(7)  The Audit and Governance Committee’s Terms of Reference as set out in Attachment 1 (Appendix 2).

To take the following urgent decision:

That:

(1)      the Treasury Management Strategy at Appendix 1 be approved;

(2)      the authorised borrowing limit be approved at:-

a)       2020/21 £150m

b)       2021/22 £150m

c)        2022/23 £150m

the prudential indicators set out in section two of the strategy be approved.

To take the following urgent decision:

That the Capital Strategy 2020/21 be approved.

To seek approval for the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 to be adopted.

To take the following urgent decision:

That the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 be adopted.

That the Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 attached as Appendix 1 be approved.

RESOLVED that the increase in number and quality of play areas across the city be noted.

RESOLVED that the Business Rates Pub Discount Policy (attached as the appendix to the report) be the approved scheme for Gloucester City for 2020/21.

RESOLVED that the Business Rates Retail Discount scheme (attached at appendix to the report) be the approved scheme for Gloucester City for 2020/21.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  accept funding from Historic England under its High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) programme should the Council’s application be accepted

(2)  become the designated Accountable body in the management and administration of the HSHAZ programme,

(3)  note the existing budgets to be used as match funding, and,

(4)  delegate authority to the Head of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, and the Council Solicitor to issue grants and payments from the HSHAZ programme and take all necessary steps including the entering into of legal agreements to enable delivery of the programme.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the Head of Place in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources and the Head of Policy and Resources is authorised to continue to negotiate a joint venture to develop Kings Quarter into a high quality mixed use hub, packed with community features aimed at attracting new companies to Gloucester, based on the latest proposals outlined in this report. Once agreed, officers will bring a final proposal back to Cabinet and Council for approval

(2)  it be noted that progress made on the demolition and enabling activities being carried out at Kings Quarter and the imminent determination of the planning application.

RESOLVED that: 

(1)           the marketing and disposal of the site identified as Plot 1 in the Kings Quarter Planning Application (18/01454/FUL) for affordable homes be approved

(2)           authority be delegated to the Head of Place, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Head of Policy and Resources to accept the offer that represents best value for development for affordable homes for affordable or social rent

(3)           authority be delegated to the Head of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Council Solicitor to prepare and agree the terms of the disposal documents.

RESOLVED that:

(1)           the progress made with the St. Oswalds land regeneration be noted, and in particular that:  

a)    Tesco have undertaken an open tender for the disposal of their land following the withdrawal of the Homes and Communities Agency from purchase negotiations

b)    negotiations have continued with Tesco for the City Council’s consent to vary their lease so that their vacant land can be the subject of an agreed disposal.

(2)   the Tesco lease is agreed to be varied to enable a sale of their vacant land only for residential purposes and negotiations continue to bring forward a masterplan for the comprehensive residential development of the Tesco land together with the adjoining City Council land.  

RESOLVED that:

(1) the existing Affordable Housing Partnership with Cheltenham Borough Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council set up to oversee the delivery of affordable homes across the Strategic Allocation Sites within the Joint Core Strategy area over the JCS Plan Period be continued.

(2) the City Council review the existing list of Preferred Providers of Affordable Housing, inviting current Preferred Providers and other Registered Providers to bid to become a Preferred Provider for a period of up to 5 years from November 2020 across the Strategic Allocation Sites within the Joint Core Strategy Area jointly with Cheltenham Borough Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council

(3) future arrangements to review the list of Preferred Providers be delegated to the Head of Place in consultation with the cabinet member for Planning and Housing Strategy.

(4) authority be delegated to the Head of Place in consultation with the cabinet member for Planning and Housing Strategy to:

a)evaluate and select Preferred Providers for the delivery and/or management of new affordable housing on the Strategic Allocation Sites noting that the selection will be carried out jointly with Cheltenham Borough Council and Tewkesbury Borough Councils

b)  agree changes to the Terms of Reference of the partnership and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Councils and the Preferred Providers to take effect from November 2020 and to make any other changes to necessary and

c)  make further operational decisions in relation to the Affordable Housing Partnership including whether or not to allow or invite other Registered Providers (RPs) to become a Preferred Provider during the 5 year period referred to in recommendation (2).

RESOLVED that it is noted that progress with delivery of the Council Plan 2017-2020 is welcomed.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the draft Social Value Policy be noted and it be agreed for a public consultation to begin

(2)  the creation of a Social Value Toolkit be approved, to be made available alongside the policy. This document will be made in collaboration with the community of Gloucester and will identify the specific needs for each ward of the City.

(3)  the procurement be approved of services from the Social Value Portal, who will provide support in the creation of a social value toolkit and support on all procurements meeting the criteria of the policy.

To approve the Capital Strategy 2020-21

RECOMMENDED that the Capital Strategy be approved.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the report is noted as a roadmap to achieving a carbon net zero Council by 2030 and net zero city by 2050, and that officers continue the work outlined in this report to develop a Climate Change Strategy and bring this back to Cabinet for approval later in the year.

(2)  it supports investigating the projects contained in the ‘quick win’ section of the appendix, subject to Council agreeing to dedicate funds towards such environmental, carbon reduction or adaptation projects at its meeting on 27 February.

(3)  a cross-Party working group, along the lines of the Planning Policy Sub-Group, is set up to support and advise the lead Cabinet Member in the development of this strategy and to review the investigations of the various projects set out in the appendix to the report.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the report is accepted and progress against the objectives noted

(2)  a revision of the Cultural Strategy is undertaken in 2020 to cover the next 10-year period 2021 – 2031.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the reviewed Risk Based Verification Policy for verifying Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support claims as outlined (Appendix 1 of the report) be approved

(2)  Approve the reviewed Risk Based Verification policy as at February 2020 (Appendix 1 of the report) be approved for implementation immediately.

RESOLVED that the Quarter 3 Performance Report 2019/20 be noted.

RECOMMENDED that the Treasury Management Strategy be approved.

RESOLVED it be noted that:

(1)  the forecast year end position is currently for an increase to the Council’s General Fund balance of £55k against a budgeted decrease of £91k

(2)  the details of specific budgetary issues identified by officers and the actions being taken to address those issues

(3)  the current level of Capital expenditure as shown in Appendix 2 of the report.