The Cabinet is asked to note any apologies for absence received from Members.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Bucke (Leader of the Liberal Democrats / Tendring First Group) and I J Henderson (Leader of the Labour Group). 

To confirm and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet held on Friday 15 June 2018.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet, held on Friday 15 June 2018, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Personal Interest, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

The Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder declared an interest in relation to Agenda Item 11 – Report of the Housing Portfolio Holder – A.3 – Demolition of the Honeycroft Sheltered Housing Scheme insofar as though he was no longer in control of the Post Office adjacent to the Honeycroft site he was running it on a caretaker basis until August 2018.

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by the Leader of the Council.

There were none on this occasion.

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by Members of the Cabinet.

There were none on this occasion.

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There were none on this occasion.

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There were none on this occasion.

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There were none on this occasion.

To seek approval of the carry forward amounts requested by services at the end of March 2018, along with the allocation of the overall General Fund revenue variance for 2017/18.

That Cabinet –

(a) approves the General Fund revenue carry forwards of £9,688,690 to be carried forward from 2017/18 to 2018/19, as set out in Section A of Appendix A to item A.1 of the Report of the Finance and Corporate Resources;

(b) requests Officers to undertake a further appraisal of the carry forwards requested by services, as set out in Section B of Appendix A to the above report, based on the general value for money principles set out in the report;

(c) authorises the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources to agree the inclusion in the 2018/19 budget of the carry forwards set out in Section B of Appendix A to the aforementioned report, following the further appraisal proposed;

(a)    approves the General Fund capital budgets of £12,249,840 to be carried forward from 2017/18 to 2018/19;

(b)    thanks the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for its work and comments;

(c)    requests the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, to review budgets that have been carried forward or have remained uncommitted for more than one year and include recommendations within the Corporate Budget Monitoring reports over the remainder of the year that either reconfirms or proposes a reallocation of such budgets;

(g) approves the allocation of the General Fund Variance for the year of £1,263,112, as set out in Table 2 of the Portfolio Holder’s report;

(h)    requests Officers to identify a robust investment / spending framework against which future spending decisions of the Council can be considered, which must include the delivery of the agreed priorities as a key consideration alongside the delivery of a sustainable long-term financial plan; and

(i)     requests the Corporate Director (Planning and Regeneration) to report back to Cabinet in September 2018 setting out how the additional income arising from the recent 20% increase in planning fees is being used by the Planning Service, which must include an exploration of how the inspections regime could be revised to add value to the data held regarding the quality and quantity of what is built within the District, as highlighted by the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder (A.1) which sought its approval of the carry forward amounts requested by services at the end of March 2018, along with the allocation of the overall General Fund revenue variance for 2017/18.

Cabinet was aware that the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources had formally agreed the overall outturn position for 2017/18 by an executive decision made on 21 May 2018.

It was reported that as part of agreeing the outturn position, the following amounts had been transferred to reserves pending a decision from Cabinet:

1)            General Fund Revenue Carry Forward Requests - £9,935,810

2)            General Fund Capital Carry Forward Requests - £12,249,840

In addition to the above, the overall General Fund variance for the year of £1,263,112 had also been transferred to reserves pending a decision from Cabinet.

Therefore the report now before Cabinet presented for its approval the carry forwards requested by services that were being held in reserves along with the proposed allocation of the overall General Fund variance for 2017/18.

Cabinet was made aware that a delegation to the Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder was also included within the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations, in order to approve a number of carry forwards that it was proposed to review against additional value for money / investment criteria before their inclusion within the 2018/19 budget.

Cabinet was also informed that the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 2 July 2018, had considered the overall outturn position for 2017/18 and had made the following recommendations to Cabinet, namely that Cabinet:-

(a)    review  both revenue and capital budgets that have either been carried forward for more than one year or have remained within an earmarked reserve and determine if the money can ‘work harder’ for the Council and support the long-term financial sustainability plan rather than remain uncommitted for long periods of time. A good example being the regeneration revenue and capital budgets which total in excess of £2.4million against which a schedule of projects and initiatives should be identified;

(b)    be requested to not put the overall General Fund Variance for 2017/18 of £1.263 million in a Reserve but instead use it to support the agreed priorities of the Council and with priority given to specific, deliverable schemes in 2018/19; and

(c)    be requested to instruct Officers to bring forward proposals for the use of the additional income from the 20% increase in planning fees to carry out inspections and gather information on the quality and quantity of what is actually built following the grant of planning permissions.

The Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder made the following statement to Cabinet:-

“As part of the revised approach to agreeing the outturn position following the significantly reduced timescales imposed by the Government, all money requested to be carried forward at the end of 2017/18 has been held in reserves pending Cabinet’s agreement.

The report therefore sets out the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

To report on the Council’s treasury management activities and Prudential Indicators for 2017/18.

That Cabinet -

(a)       notes the Treasury Management performance position for 2017/18; and

(b)          approves the Prudential and Treasury Indicators for 2017/18.

There was submitted a report by the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources (A.2), which reported on the Council’s treasury management activities and Prudential Indicators for 2017/18.

Cabinet was informed that borrowing and investments had been undertaken in accordance with the 2017/18 Annual Treasury Strategy that had been approved by full Council on 28 March 2017. No external borrowing had been undertaken in 2017/18 for either the General Fund or the Housing Revenue Account.

It was reported that the amount of interest earned from investments remained low because of the continuing unprecedentedly low interest rates existing throughout the year, although the bank base rate had been increased to 0.50% on 2 November 2017. However, due to maximising investment opportunities and cash flow advantages during the year interest returns had been in line with the budget.

It was reported that during 2017/18 the Council had purchased an investment property in the District for £3.244million, including stamp duty of £0.144million. The book value of the property within the Council’s accounts at the end of the year was lower than the purchase price due to the Stamp Duty Land Tax element not forming part of the asset’s ‘carrying’ value in the balance sheet. Rental income on the property of £0.173million had accrued to the Council in 2017/18, which was in accordance with the rate of return reported as part of the original decision to purchase.

Cabinet was reminded that revised Treasury Management Practices had been approved by Council in March 2018 as part of the Treasury Strategy for 2018/19.

The treasury performance figures for the year were set out in Appendix A to the Portfolio Holder’s report, together with the Prudential Indicators attached as Appendix B, for Cabinet’s consideration.

Having considered the information submitted:

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

RESOLVED that Cabinet -

(a)       notes the Treasury Management performance position for 2017/18; and

(b)          approves the Prudential and Treasury Indicators for 2017/18.

To seek agreement from Cabinet to demolish the main scheme building at Honeycroft.

That –

a)     the Corporate Director (Operational Services) be authorised to make arrangements for the demolition of the main scheme building at Honeycroft, Lawford; and

b)     further work be continued by Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to explore the future use of the site after detailed financial modelling within the HRA and subject to the emerging Housing Strategy. Any consultation on the proposed future options for the Honeycroft site will include Lawford Parish Council.

The Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder had earlier declared an interest in relation to this item insofar as though he was no longer in control of the Post Office adjacent to the Honeycroft site he was running it on a caretaker basis until August 2018.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Housing Portfolio Holder (A.3) which sought its agreement to demolish the main scheme building at Honeycroft, Lawford.

Cabinet was aware that following its decision made on 23 March 2018 the main scheme building at Honeycroft had remained closed.

It was reported that, although vacant, the property still incurred costs to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

It was now felt that the condition of the building was such that demolition was the only viable course of action whilst a decision was taken on the future of the site as a whole. Therefore, it was proposed in the Portfolio Holder’s report that the building be demolished which would provide estimated annual savings to the HRA of £37,000.  Options in respect of the future for the site would be submitted to Cabinet once they had been fully evaluated.

Having considered the information provided in the Portfolio Holder’s report:-

It was moved by Councillor P B Honeywood, seconded by Councillor Stock OBE and:-

RESOLVED that –

a)     the Corporate Director (Operational Services) be authorised to make arrangements for the demolition of the main scheme building at Honeycroft, Lawford; and

b)     further work be continued by Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to explore the future use of the site after detailed financial modelling within the HRA and subject to the emerging Housing Strategy. Any consultation on the proposed future options for the Honeycroft site will include Lawford Parish Council.

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