Issue - meetings

To enable Cabinet to give consideration to recommendations made to it by the Corporate Management Committee in respect of the above.

That the responses of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder, as set out in the Appendix to item A.2 of the Reference from the Corporate Management Committee be approved, subject to the response to (a) being amended to read as follows:

“Noted, and Cabinet agrees that Section 106 monies should be spent as soon as practicable but Cabinet recognises that it may not always be possible, or in the best interests of the Council/community to spend them immediately.”

Cabinet was informed that,at the meeting of the Corporate Management Committee (CMC) held on 13 March 2017 the Committee had considered the contents of the Corporate Budget Monitoring Report for the Third Quarter of 2016/17.

The Committee had agreed to make the following comments to Cabinet:

“Income from Section 106 Agreements

(a)  no monies should ever be left in the “Less than one year column for Section 106 Agreement unallocated/uncommitted monies” i.e. the money should always have been allocated/committed or spent before that point;

Housing Revenue Account

(b)  a robust system should be put in place to protect Council as much as possible from costs arising on-going major repairs/improvements to Council dwellings especially where these are as a result of tenants’ actions;

(c)  Are the HRA properties periodically fully inspected and if not, why not?; and

Supporting People Funding

(d) Essex County Council (ECC) should be urged to reconsider its decision to end the Supporting People funding. The Committee is disappointed that this Council did not make a public protest at the time especially given the short timescale given before ECC’s decision came into effect and is concerned that this may have set a precedent for future ECC decisions. The Committee is also concerned that the blame for any future decision to remove Sheltered Housing Wardens as a result of budgetary pressures will now be placed at the door of this Council.”

The Cabinet had before it as Appendix A to item A.2 of the Reference from the Corporate Management Committee the responses of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder to CMC’s comments.

Having considered the comments of the Corporate Management Committee and the responses thereto of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder:

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Stock and:

RESOLVED that the responses of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder, as set out in the Appendix to item A.2 of the Reference from the Corporate Management Committee be approved, subject to the response to (a) being amended to read as follows:

“Noted, and Cabinet agrees that Section 106 monies should be spent as soon as practicable but cabinet recognises that it may not always be possible, or in the best interests of the Council/community to spend them immediately.”