Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber

Contact: Committee Services 

Items
No. Item

11.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 288 KB

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2022 are attached for confirmation and signature as a current record.

Minutes:

The minutes of 9th June 2022 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

 

12.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

 

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Quarterman. 

13.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To declare disposable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

 

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made.

 

14.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Minutes:

There were no announcements.

 

15.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (ITEMS PERTAINING TO THE AGENDA)

Anyone wishing to make a statement to the Committee should contact Committee Services at least two clear working days prior to the meeting. Further information can be found online.

 

Minutes:

There were none.

 

16.

FARNBOROUGH COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY: PROPOSED LEASE OF THIRD FLOOR, CIVIC OFFICES pdf icon PDF 147 KB

Farnborough College of Technology (FCT): proposed lease of third floor of Civic Offices. 

 

To note that that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Commercialisation, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and the Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee, has used urgent delegated powers to  

  1. authorise the Joint Chief Executive to grant Farnborough College of Technology (FCT) a 5-year lease/license to occupy the third floor of the Civic Offices for the purposes of providing a higher/further education facility and,  

  2. authorise the Joint Chief Executive, to implement any necessary security enhancement works to facilitate use of the third floor by FCT to be funded from the August 2018 Cabinet approved £500k ‘invest to grow’ budget reserve that is allocated to the Joint Chief Executives. 

The reason for the urgency was that FCT wished to start work at the end of June with a view to being ready for the start of this comings September's (2022) term.  FCT need to procure contractors immediately and a delay to the second week of July (i.e. the next Cabinet) would have made the task more challenging if not impossible. 

 

The Executive Decision Paper and draft Heads of Terms are attached at Appendix 1 and 2.   

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet noted that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Commercialisation, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and the Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee, had used urgent delegated powers to  

  1. authorise the Joint Chief Executive to grant Farnborough College of Technology (FCT) a 5-year lease/license to occupy the third floor of the Civic Offices for the purposes of providing a higher/further education facility and,  

  2. authorise the Joint Chief Executive, to implement any necessary security enhancement works to facilitate use of the third floor by FCT to be funded from the August 2018 Cabinet approved £500k ‘invest to grow’ budget reserve that is allocated to the Joint Chief Executives. 

A query was raised on why the additional works were to be funded from the “invest to grow” fund, and how the Council was able to spend this fund.  A written response would be provided to this question in due course.

17.

UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND pdf icon PDF 299 KB

Cabinet to receive this report which provides a framework for Hart’s Local Investment Plan in connection with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which needs to be submitted to the Government in July 2022.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That Cabinet:

·        Approves the drafting of the Local Investment Plan for the administration of the UKSPF in Hart based on the proposed framework presented in this paper;

·        Agrees in principle, and subject to guarantees from Central Government in their confirmation agreement to the Investment Plan, to forward fund projects identified from the Council’s reserves as set out in paragraph 22 to 24; and

·        Delegates final authority to submit Hart District Council’s UKSPF Investment Plan to DHLUC, to the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cllr Bailey arrived at 7.05 during this item)

The background to the fund, and the way in which the funding would be provided was given.

Cabinet discussed:

  • the certainty of the funding being available during the 3 year funding period before further resources were committed
  • how the funding allocation would be split
  • the project to refresh the local economic development strategy
  • capacity of the Council to deliver the planned work
  • the costs allocated to the individual projects
  • the fact that this was a levelling up fund for areas within Hart
  • that the full proposals including costs would return to Cabinet for approval in due course

DECISION

 

Cabinet unanimously:

·        Approved the drafting of the Local Investment Plan for the administration of the UKSPF in Hart based on the proposed framework presented in this paper;

Agreed in principle, and subject to guarantees from Central Government in their confirmation agreement to the Investment Plan, to forward fund projects identified from the Council’s reserves as set out in paragraph 22 to 24; and

Delegated final authority to submit Hart District Council’s UKSPF Investment Plan to DHLUC, to the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader

18.

HART AND RUSHMOOR WORKING TOGETHER pdf icon PDF 330 KB

Cabinet is asked to approve a statement of intent to work together.

 

RECOMMENDATION

That Cabinet:

1.       Approves the Joint Working Together Statement at Appendix 1 of this report.

2.       Notes the report of the independent consultant on sharing a Chief Executive at Appendix 2 and agrees to proceed with further work to produce a business case to consider a shared Chief Executive, including obtaining relevant HR and Legal advice.

3.       Agrees to undertake work to assess services which may be suitable to be delivered as shared services, based on the approach outlined in Appendix 3 of this report.

4.       Agrees a budget of £27,500 (50% of the overall cost) to undertake the work identified.

5.       Notes the timeline of these activities shown in Appendix 4.

6.       Notes the risks identified in Paragraph 37 of this report.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The background to the report was outlined to Cabinet where it was emphasised that it was not about merging the two Councils, but a way in which both would be able to reduce costs and gain economies of scale. 

Cabinet discussed:

·         Whether the suggestions for areas of shared working could be amended during the process

·         The differences in the cultures of the two Councils

·         Ensuring that the business cases stood up to scrutiny before any final decisions were made as to whether to proceed further

·         Risk assessments required for key aspects of the proposals and any mitigation required

The Leader of the Opposition was thanked for her support of the proposals.

DECISION

Cabinet unanimously:

1.         Approved the Joint Working Together Statement at Appendix 1 of this report.

2.         Noted the report of the independent consultant on sharing a Chief Executive at Appendix 2 and agreed to proceed with further work to produce a business case to consider a shared Chief Executive, including obtaining relevant HR and Legal advice.

3.         Agreed to undertake work to assess services which may be suitable to be delivered as shared services, based on the approach outlined in Appendix 3 of this report.

4.         Agreed a budget of £27,500 (50% of the overall cost) to undertake the work identified.

5.         Noted the timeline of these activities shown in Appendix 4.

6.         Noted the risks identified in Paragraph 37 of this report.

19.

QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE PLANS pdf icon PDF 508 KB

To update Cabinet on the Council’s performance indicator results for the final quarter of 2021/2022 (1 January 2022 – 31 March 2022).

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the performance report for Quarter 4 2021/22 is noted.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report for Q4 for 2021/22 and noted that significant achievements had been made in all areas regardless of challenges faced.

 

Cabinet discussed:

 

  • Issues with KPIs for missed bin collections – additional information from Serco would be forthcoming relating to late bin collections in future reports
  • Recycling issues
  • The reasons for the lack of targets in some areas
  • Poor CCTV figures.  With the impending move to Runnymede, a site visit was to be arranged for Councillors to the new facility
  • Prosecutions and enforcement actions for flytipping.  The possibility of moving towards a zero tolerance approach was suggested, and a written response would be provided to the Councillor raising the issue giving details of current procedures and suggestions for the future

 

DECISION

 

The report for Quarter 4 2021/22 was noted.

 

20.

WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY pdf icon PDF 17 KB

To seek approval of the reviewed and updated Whistleblowing Policy.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That Cabinet approves the reviewed and updated Whistleblowing Policy.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet received the updated Whistleblowing Policy which had previously been considered by Overview and Scrutiny. 

 

Cabinet discussed:

 

  • The fact that the policy had not been used in more than 5 years
  • Confidentiality of staff raising an issue
  • Possibility of adding a route whereby staff could raise issues anonymously.  The LGA would be asked if they could provide some guidance on best practice

 

DECISION

 

The reviewed and updated Whistleblowing Policy was unanimously approved.

 

21.

OUTSIDE BODIES REPRESENTATION AND REPORTS pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Cabinet is asked to note the feedback from the key partner meetings that were held during 2021/22.  Cabinet is also asked to consider the Outside Bodies list it wishes to appoint representatives to for 2022/23, and amend as appropriate, and then formally nominates and appoints representatives to those Bodies.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That Cabinet

1.       notes the feedback from the key partner meetings that have been held as set out in Appendix 1

2.       considers, and where appropriate amends, the list of Outside Bodies it wishes to formally be appointed to as set out in Appendix 2.

3.       nominates and approves the representatives for each of the Outside Bodies as identified in Appendix 2

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cllr Worlock arrived at 8.15 during this item)

 

Cabinet discussed:

 

  • That other reports from Members on Outside Bodies were presented to Overview and Scrutiny
  • Made amendments to the representation as follows:

-       Basingstoke Canal Joint Management Committee:  Cllr Wildsmith and Cllr Southern

-       Blackwater Valley Advisory Committee for Public Transport:  Cllr Oliver and Cllr Woods

-       Fleet Pond Society: Cllr Wright with Cllr Wildsmith as Reserve

-       Local Government Association HIOW District Councils Network:  Reserve to be Cllr Oliver

  • Hampshire Partnership no longer meets
  • Add Fleet, Crondall and Crookham Welfare Trust:  Cllr Wright
  • Hampshire Police and Crime Panel:  there was a vacancy for a Conservative Cllr to join the panel, Cllr Worlock would like to be put forward if possible.  If not will become Cllr Bailey’s deputy.

 

DECISION

Cabinet unanimously

1.       noted the feedback from the key partner meetings that have been held as set out in Appendix 1

2.       considered the list of Outside Bodies it wished to formally be appointed to as set out in Appendix 2.

3.       nominated and approved the representatives for each of the Outside Bodies as identified in Appendix 2

22.

CABINET WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 159 KB

To consider and amend the Cabinet Work Programme.

Minutes:

Amendments to the Work Programme that would be incorporated into the August paper were noted.

 

A paper on future waste strategy and contract change was likely to be put to Cabinet later in the year. 

 

The Cabinet Work Programme was further considered and approved.