Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies and to be notified of the attendance of substitutes.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor S A Bagshaw.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

Councillor J W McGrath declared a non-registerable interest in items 14.1 and 15.1 as a member of his family is employed by Liberty Leisure Ltd, minute numbers 130.1 and 131.1 refer.

M Radulovic MBE declared an other registerable interest in item 5.2 as he is a trustee of the Eastwood People’s Initiative and the ‘Young Individual Boxing Competitor’ was known to him, minute numbe121.1 refers.

Cabinet is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 January were confirmed as a correct record.

The purpose of this report is to make Members aware of matters proposed for and undergoing scrutiny.

The work programme for Scrutiny Reviews was noted.

To recommend to Council the capital and revenue budget proposals together with the Capital Strategy, Prudential Indicators, Treasury Management Strategy, Investment Strategy and General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy and to approve the Business Plans.

RESOLVED that the business plans for the Council’s corporate priorities and support service functions, subject to amendment as a result of any budget decisions still to be taken by Council recommended by Cabinet, be approved.

RECOMMENDED to Council that:

1.          The Housing Revenue Account budget as submitted be approved (appendix 2).

2.          The General Fund revenue budgets as submitted be approved (appendix 3).

3.          The capital submissions and priorities within them be approved and that the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to arrange the financing of the capital programme as necessary (appendix 4).

4.          An amount of £50,000 be provided for a General Contingency in 2024/25 (appendix 3).

5.          The Council Tax Requirement for 2024/25 including special expenses (but excluding local precepting requirements) be £6,601,729 (appendix 3).

6.          An amount of £820,670 be withdrawn from the General Fund Reserve in 2024/25 (appendix 3).

7.          An amount of £1,249,422 be taken from the General Fund earmarked reserves in 2024/25 (appendix 3).

8.          The Capital Strategy 2024/25 to 2026/27 be approved (appendix 5)

9.          The Minimum Revenue Provision policy as set out be approved (appendix 6).

10.      The Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2024/25 to 2026/27 be approved (appendix 6).

11.      The Investments Strategy 2024/25 to 2026/27 be approved (appendix 7).

12.      The General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2027/28 be approved (appendix 8).

Reason

The proposals were in accordance with the relevant legislation, Council policy and procedures, and the Council’s statutory and fiduciary powers.

To consider requests for grant aid in accordance with the provisions of the Council’s Grant Aid Policy.

Cabinet considered requests for grant aid in accordance with the provisions of the Grant Aid Policy.

RESOLVED that the grant aid requests be approved accordingly:

Eastwood People’s Initiative               £2,500

5^th Stapleford Scout Group                  £4,500

2^nd Beeston Sea Scouts                       £2,150

Age Concern Eastwood                       £9,000

2^nd Kimberley Scout Group                 £7,000

Stapleford Community Association    £3,000

Broxtowe Women’s Project                 £8,000

Phoenix Community Association        £7,500

D H Lawrence Music Festival              £2,500

Young Individual Boxing Competitor £1,000

(Having declared an other-registerable interest in the item, Councillor M Radulovic MBE left the meeting without discussion or voting thereon in their specific items of interest.)

Reason

Consideration for not awarding the grant may have a negative impact for the users and individuals relying on the service. The Council is empowered to make grants to voluntary organisations by virtue of Section 48 Local Government Act 1985 (as well as other Legislation). Having an approved process in accordance with legislation and the Council’s Grant Aid Policy would ensure the Council’s compliance with its legal duties.

To enable Cabinet to see a copy of the Pay Policy for 2024/25 before it goes to full Council for approval in March 2024.

Cabinet noted the Pay Policy for 2024/25 prior to its submission to full Council. The pay policy statement for 2024/25 set out the Council’s policies relating to the remuneration of its senior officers, the remuneration of its lowest paid employees. Each Local Authority had a statutory obligation to publish an annual Pay Policy Statement.

To outline potential options for producing the Council’s residents’ newsletter in the future.  

Members considered options in relation to a Residents’ Newsletter following a review in the previous year. The first option considered was to continue with the current arrangement of producing the digital newsletter but reducing the number of printed copies. The second option considered was the adoption a digital approach, encouraging residents to sign up to the weekly email bulletins to get up to date news, rather than producing a newsletter.

RESOLVED that Option 2, as included in the report, be approved.

Reason

Option 2 utilises the financial and Officer resource of producing a newsletter into a wider range of targeted engagement activities.

Options considered and rejected:

Option 1:

Continue with existing arrangement to produce a resident’s newsletter which is promoted online. Reduce distribute of printed copies to 2,000 based on take up during 2023/24.

The purpose of this report is to allocate the Year 3 programme that has been the subject of consultation at the Members Advisory Panel last November which has been guided by the Borough’s Investment Plan and signed off by Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DHLUC) in December 2022.  The report provides Cabinet with information to enable alignment of the work with corporate priorities and contemporary economic forces.  The parameters for decision and change are based on the Borough’s approved Investment Plan and the limited flexibilities granted to the Council in managing the programme. 

Cabinet considered a report to allocate the Year 3 programme which was the subject of consultation at the Members Advisory Panel and had been guided by the Borough’s Investment Plan and signed off by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in December 2022.  The report provided Cabinet with information to enable alignment of the work with corporate priorities and contemporary economic forces. 

RESOLVED that the funding profile for the Year 3 UKSPF allocations as described in section 3 and detailed in appendix 2 of the report, be approved.

Reason

The parameters for decision and change were based on the Borough’s approved Investment Plan and the limited flexibilities granted to the Council in managing the programme.

The purpose of this report is to obtain approval for the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Plan to be modified as recommended by the Independent Examiner and to proceed to referendum based upon the current Neighbourhood Plan Area.

It is also to confirm that the Council is of the view that, once modified as per the Independent Examiner’s recommendations, the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Plan will meet the Basic Conditions and other relevant legislative requirements. 

Members considered the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Development Plan which had been prepared by the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Forum over the past six years since the official designation of the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Forum in 9 March 2017.

The Independent Examiner’s Report was received by Broxtowe Borough Council on 17 January 2024. The Independent Examiner stated that within her report that, from her examination of Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documentation, including the representations made and the discussion at the Public Hearing, she has concluded that, subject to the policy modifications set out in her report, the Plan met the basic conditions.

It was stated that the Plan could only have been supported with good connectivity links, a carbon negative outlook and the provision of homes for life.

Cabinet thanked the Steering Group which was made up of volunteers from the local community, in addition to the Council Officers for all the work that had gone into the production of the Plan.

RESOLVED that:

1.            The Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Plan should be modified as proposed by the Independent Examiner.

2.            Once modified as proposed by the Independent Examiner, it is considered the Neighbourhood Plan will meet the Basic Conditions and other legislative requirements. 

3.            The Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a referendum, with the extent of the area eligible to vote to be based upon the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Area as shown within appendix 1 to the report.

Reasons

This would allow for the Plan to be modified as recommended by the Independent Examiner and to proceed to referendum based upon the current Neighbourhood Plan Area. It also confirmed that the Council is of the view that, once modified as per the Independent Examiner’s recommendations, the Chetwynd: The Toton and Chilwell Neighbourhood Plan would meet the Basic Conditions and other relevant legislative requirements.

To seek Cabinet approval for the procurement and subsequent appointment of a specialist civil engineering firm to undertake rock face stabilisation works to the area located at Leamington Road, Chillwell, also known as Chillwell quarry following a landslide due to adverse weather conditions.

The Chilwell quarry was created by the former Chilwell brick works and is within the ownership of Broxtowe Borough Council. The Council purchased the land from a company in liquidation (David Charles Homes (Nottingham) Limited), in 1979. Following reports of a mudslide due to recent severe rainfall, Broxtowe Borough Council instructed Emcus Geotechnical Engineers to undertake an initial inspection and report back on their findings. This visit took place on 24 October 2023 and included Broxtowe Borough Council Officers.

The report advised that there had been a mudslide. It further advised that due to persistent bad weather further collapse from the top of vertical face of the quarry could occur resulting in further loss of land. The Geotechnical Engineer advised on weekly monitoring due to the instability of the quarry and to install Legato bricks to the bottom of the quarry adjacent to the fencing of the houses at Leamington Road.

RESOLVED that that the procurement and subsequent appointment of a civil engineering firm and employer’s agents to complete the scheme of works to undertake rock face stabilisation works at Chilwell Quarry be approved.  The scheme at a cost of up to £1,000,000 will be added to the Capital Programme in 2023/24 and funded by prudential borrowing.

Reason

To avoid any legal claims, it is imperative this work is carried out to avoid any legal claims made against the Council as land owner, the procurement considerations have been outlined within the financial implications section of the report.

To seek approval to construct five new homes on land adjacent to 51 Ilkeston Road, Bramcote NG9 3JP, as specified by Planning consent 21/00038/REG3, and to refurbish Farm Cottage at the site to bring it back into use for Social Rent as one home.

Members considered a report which sought approval to construct five new homes on land adjacent to 51 Ilkeston Road, Bramcote NG9 3JP, as specified by Planning consent 21/00038/REG3, and to refurbish Farm Cottage at the site to bring it back into use for Social Rent as one home.

Following a tendering exercise in 2021 a main Contractor was appointed but the scheme was then placed on hold by Cabinet. Members were informed that planning consent will expire on 3 June 2024 so we are requesting that the scheme restarts.

The Contractor who won the original tender had recently confirmed his willingness to carry out the work at a price slightly adjusted for inflation.

RESOLVED that the production of six dwellings at the Farm Cottage site, as detailed in the report, be approved. 

Reason

This was an opportunity to provide homes which would accommodate different people on the Council’s waiting list.

Cabinet is asked to approve its Work Programme, including potential key decisions that will help to achieve the Council’s key priorities and associated objectives.

RESOLVED that the Work Programme be approved.

Cabinet is asked to RESOLVE that, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Cabinet noted the confidential information contained in the appendix to the report considered earlier in the agenda.

Cabinet noted the confidential information contained in the appendix to the report considered earlier in the agenda.

RESOLVED that:

1.               The identified supplier is commissioned to develop a detailed design for the new Bramcote Leisure Centre (RIBA 4) and, on behalf of the Council, submits planning application for the development of the new Leisure Centre.

2.               A capital budget of £800,000 to fund the RIBA 4 design, planning fees, associated survey costs and project management be approved and added to the Capital Programme 2023/24 to funded from General Fund capital receipts.

3.               A Bramcote Leisure Centre Board is established to oversee the design and development of the new Leisure Centre, to be chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive and comprising cross-party Members and key Officers, although any decisions on funding would remain with the Cabinet.

Reason

The recommendation will assist in achieving the corporate priority of Health – supporting people to live well.

(Having declared anon-registerable interest in the item, Councillor J W McGrath left the meeting before voting thereon.)

RESOLVED that the Council meets the estimated Employee Matters costs as detailed within the report, with the total cost being funded directly from General Fund Reserve balances.

Reason

This will allow for legislative and policy requirements to be met.

(Having declared anon-registerable interest in the item, Councillor J W McGrath left the meeting before voting thereon.)

RESOLVED that:

1.            The revised structure for the Economic Development and Regeneration Team as illustrated in the organogram, appendix 1 of the report, be approved.

2.            The creation of the Town Centres & Contracts Manager post be approved.

3.            The change of title of the Section Manager from Economic Development and Regeneration Manager to Economic Development, Regeneration and UKSPF Programme Manager be approved.

Reason

This will assist with all of the Council’s policies.