No apologies were received

No pecuniary declarations were made.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on the 10 November 2014 were approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

A)       Notes the financial reporting data relating to revenue budgetary control showing a forecast net overspend at year end of £4.84 million, 2.98% of the net budget, an increase of £0.47m from last month

B)       approves the virement of £226,000 from the OCPB Reserve for the SWLP Procurements cost for Household Recycling and Refuse Collection (HRRC) and for Phase C joint procurement after the contribution from the Transformation Challenge Fund.

C) notes the adjustments in Appendix 5b and approve the £138,180 additional free school meals funding to be met by a specific grant

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented the report which provided the regular monthly financial monitoring update for October. It detailed that the council’s overspend had increased from last month’s report to an expected end of year forecasted overspend of £4.84million. It was stated that one of the benefits of having the monthly financial reporting allowed Cabinet and officers to track the council’s spending and the direction of travel in real time and to plan and make necessary adjustments.

RESOLVED:

ThatCabinet:

A)     notesthefinancial reportingdata relatingtorevenuebudgetarycontrol,showinga forecastnetoverspendatyear endof£4.84million,2.98% ofthe netbudget,anincreaseof £0.47m fromlast month.

B).    approvesthevirementof£226,000fromtheOCPBReservefor the SWLP Procurementscosts for HouseholdRecyclingandRefuseCollection(HRRC) and  for Phase C joint procurementafterthecontributionfromtheTransformationChallengeFund.

C).   notestheadjustmentsin Appendix5bandapprovesthe£138,180additionalfree schoolmealsfundingtobe met byspecificgrant.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

A).    agrees the savings/income proposals put forward by officers and refers them to the Overview and Scrutiny panels and Commission for consideration in January 2015 (Appendix 1).

B).    agrees the latest amendments to the draft Capital Programme 2015-2019 which was considered by Cabinet on 20 October 2014 and on 10 November 2014, and scrutiny in November 2014.

C).   agrees the Council Tax Base for 2015/16 set out in paragraph 2.6 and Appendix 3.

D).   has considered the proposed deferral of a saving previously agreed. (Appendix 5)

E).    has considered the latest drafts of the service plans.(Appendix 10)

The Leader took item 5 – Business Plan Update 2015-2019 and item 6 – Reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Commission - pre decision scrutiny of the Business Plan 2015-19, together.

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented the Business Plan Update 2015-2019 report, which provided details of revenue savings and income proposals that had been put forward based on previously agreed targets. It was noted that back in April 2014 it was predicted that there would be a £15million budget gap over the next 3 years. The Cabinet Member then provided an update following the Autumn Statement which indicated that the level of savings required would be increased significantly as a result of likely large reduction of Government grants. It now expected that the budgetary gap would be £32million over the next 4 years.

During the discussion the Cabinet confirmed that they would continue to use the ‘July principles’, as established in July 2011, in prioritising service delivery and achieving savings. It was emphasised that the proposals within the report contained just over half of the £32million, however further tough decision would have to be made.

Councillor Southgate then presented the initial pre decision scrutiny of the Business Plan 2015-19 by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission. In response to the Cabinet asked that when Scrutiny Panels and Commission further considers the Business Plan, that they focus their considerations on finding further saving proposals, in light of the expected financial position.

Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender also addressed the Cabinet on the report.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

A).    agrees the savings/income proposals put forward by officers and refers them to the Overview and Scrutiny panels and Commission for consideration in January 2015 (Appendix 1).

B).    agrees the latest amendments to the draft Capital Programme 2015-2019 which was considered by Cabinet on 20 October 2014 and on 10 November 2014, and scrutiny in November 2014.

C).   agrees the Council Tax Base for 2015/16 set out in paragraph 2.6 and Appendix 3.

D).   has considered the proposed deferral of a saving previously agreed. (Appendix 5)

E).    has considered the latest drafts of the service plans.(Appendix 10)

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet, in taking decisions relating to the Business Plan 2015-19, will take into account the comments and recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission and the outcomes of consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet, in taking decisions relating to the Business Plan 2015-19, will take into account the comments and recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission and the outcomes of consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

A).    reviewed the consultation undertaken in anticipation of a proposed development of the West Barnes Library site.

B).    approves the next steps in the development process as outlined in sections 1.7-1.9 and 5 of the reports

The Cabinet Member for Community and Culture presented the report that detailed the results of the consultation on the proposed redevelopment of West Barnes Library. It was emphasised that of the 427 responders to the consultation, only 13 were opposed to the proposed approach for the new Library.

Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender also spoke on this item in support of the recommendations.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

A).    reviewed the consultation undertaken in anticipation of a proposed development of the West Barnes Library site.

B).    approves the next steps in the development process as outlined in sections 1.7-1.9 and 5 of the reports

To RESOLVE that the public are excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report(s) on the grounds that it is (they are) exempt from disclosure for the reasons stated in the report(s).

RESOLVED

That the public are excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report(s) on the grounds that it is (they are) exempt from disclosure for the reasons stated in the report(s).

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet approves the construction contract as detailed within exempt Appendix A to the report, to carry out the main phase of the construction works to the Dundonald Recreation Ground and Primary School to allow for the expansion of Dundonald Primary School.

The Cabinet Member for Education presented the report that sought approval for the construction contract for the main phase of expansion for Dundonald Primary School. The Cabinet Member commented that the proposed expansion had been a long running process, and he was pleased to finally be able to agree the construction contract. It was also noted that value for money had been achieved though the tendered process, as the recommended contract had come in under the expected valuation. 

The Cabinet asked that their condolences be recorded and pass to the family of the late Chair of Governors at Dundonald Primary, Duncan Russell, who sadly passed away recently.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet approves the construction contract as detailed within exempt Appendix A to the report, to carry out the main phase of the construction works to the Dundonald Recreation Ground and Primary School to allow for the expansion of Dundonald Primary School.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

A).      approves the proposals for a prescribed alteration to expand Perseid School from 112 places plus nursery to 140 places plus nursery from September 2015.

B).      notes that the reason for this decision is to provide special educational needs (SEN) school places in the local area and the expansion of Perseid School provides good value for money. Perseid was rated by Ofsted as “Outstanding” and the council’s Head of Education was satisfied that the leadership of the school has the management capacity to continue to raise standards while the school expands.

C.       agrees to award the construction contract to R Durtnell & Sons Ltd, for the contract value as detailed within Appendix A to the report, to carry out the construction works at Perseid School.

Councillor Southgate in his capacity as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission, has approved the use of Section 15 - Special Urgency, and Section 17 - Exempt Urgency procedures for this decision, and acknowledged that the use of the latter procedure exempts the decision from call-in.

The Cabinet Member for Education presented the report that proposed an increase in the prescribed alteration for Perseid School by an additional 28 places for September 2015. The report also sought approval for the awarding of a construction contract for expansion work at Perseid School, aligned to the increased pupil numbers

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

A).      approves the proposals for a prescribed alteration to expand Perseid School from 112 places plus nursery to 140 places plus nursery from September 2015.

B).      notes that the reason for this decision is to provide special educational needs (SEN) school places in the local area and the expansion of Perseid School provides good value for money. Perseid was rated by Ofsted as “Outstanding” and the council’s Head of Education was satisfied that the leadership of the school has the management capacity to continue to raise standards while the school expands.

C).       agrees to award the construction contract to R Durtnell & Sons Ltd, for the contract value as detailed within Appendix A to the report, to carry out the construction works at Perseid School.