Agenda and minutes

To deal with any executive appointments, as required.

Cabinet approved the appointment of Councillor Fitzhenry and Councillor Jones (deputy) to the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee for the remainder of this municipal year. 

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Learning detailing the Executive response to the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Inquiry, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 6871)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Learning Cabinet agreed to approve the response to the Scrutiny Inquiry. 

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Learning seeking approval for the integration of the service and approval for the annual Youth Justice plan, attached.  

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 6655)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Learning, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To recommend the Wessex Youth Justice Plan 2011/12 to Council for approval as part of the Policy Framework.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services and Learning to do anything necessary to support, plan and implement the discontinuance of the Wessex YOT partnership and the integration of YOT operations into the City Council from 2012/13 within approved budgets.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Learning detailing the specific support to be provided in joint working with the Isle of Wight, attached. 

NOTE: This report is presented as a general exception item in accordance with paragraph 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of Part 4 of the Council's Constitution, as it has not been included in the Council's Forward Plan.

DECISION MADE REF: CAB 11/12 7373

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s services and learning Cabinet agreed the following:

Having complied with paragraph 15 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules:

(i)  To agree to the development of a working relationship with the Isle of Wight Council to provide school improvement and related education functions for an initial period covering the academic year 2011/12.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services and Learning following consultation with the Acting Head of Legal and Democratic Services to do anything necessary to support, plan and implement the collaborative working arrangements.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment seeking approval for the Minerals and Waste Plan, attached.

(DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7030)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Cabinet amended the background study ‘Assessment of Sites and Areas for Waste Management Facilities’ regarding site SCC018 (Port of Southampton site near Millbrook) as follows:

a)  To exclude development categories 4 and 6; and

b)  To require any proposals to be fully justified and appropriate.

With this amendment Cabinet agreed:

(i)  To approve the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan, as Appendix 1, for public consultation and submission to the Secretary of State.

(ii)  To delegate to the Head of Planning and Sustainability, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, to make changes to the Plan prior to its submission; or to recommend changes to the examination inspector; provided these are minor changes or changes which do not affect Southampton.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment seeking the confirmation of an Article 4(1) Direction, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7290)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To note and consider the consultation responses received during the extended consultation period.

(ii)  To confirm that the introduction of an Article 4(1) on a City wide basis to withdraw the permitted development rights to convert a dwellinghouse (C3) to a House in Multiple Occupation (C4) is appropriate from the effective date of 23^rd March 2012.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to notify the Secretary of State in accordance with statutory requirements and to take all other action considered necessary or expedient to give effect to the matters set out in this report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport detailing the Executive response to the recommendations made by the scrutiny inquiry, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 6850)

On consideration of the report of the Leader of the Council, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  That Cabinet approve the responses to the recommendations as detailed in Appendix 1.

(ii)  That the role of co-ordinating actions of various relevant departments within the Council and securing participation of external organisations and the private sector be delegated to the Director of Economic Development.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Director of Economic Development to negotiate and look to other departments for supporting resources with regard to prioritising and implementing these recommendations.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing, detailing a new funding system for the Housing Revenue Account, seeking approval for a number of schemes in the 2012/13 and recommending an approach on a number of issues, attached.   

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7293)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing Cabinet agreed to consider and agree the recommendations to Council. 

Report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, Leisure and Culture detailing proposals for the General Fund Revenue Budget 2012/13 to 2014/15, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB Decision No: 11/12 7285)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, Leisure and Culture; Cabinet agreed the following:-

(i)  To note the Executive’s Policy Priorities contained in Appendix 1.

(ii)  To approve the consultation proposals and methodology set out in Paragraphs 4 and 5 and Appendix 2 of this report and that delegated authority be given to the Senior Manager – Communications,following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture & Resources to fine tune and implement the consultation proposals and methodology.

(iii)  To note the high level forecast for the General Fund for 2012/13 and the underlying assumptions contained in Appendix 3.

(iv)  To note that the Executive’s budget proposals for consultation are based on the assumption that they will recommend a Council Tax freeze to Full Council.

(v)  To note the Executive’s proposals put forward for consultation in Appendix 4.

(vi)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive as Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Solicitor to the Council to explore the proposed changes to the current Discretionary Severance Policy (i.e. redundancy policy) in consultation with staff and the Trade Unions in the light of the financial position of the Council and the priority being placed on protecting jobs and services.

(vii)  To note the medium term financial forecast for 2012/13 to 2014/15 contained in Appendix 5.

(viii)  To approve the updated budget setting timetable contained in Appendix 6.

(ix)  To delegate authority to the CFO, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture & Resources to do anything necessary to give effect to the proposals contained in this report.

(x)  To confirm an ongoing external recruitment freeze to all non essential posts.

(xi)  To agree to put in place a moratorium on all non essential expenditure for the remainder of the financial year.

Report of the Cabinet Member of Resources, Leisure and Culture seeking approval for the principle of the disposal of land at Yeovil Chase, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7168)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, Leisure and Culture; Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To approve the principle of the sale of the Council’s freehold interest in the land shown in Appendix 1, Plan V3186.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Head of Property and Procurement after consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and the Cabinet Member for Resources, Leisure and Culture to approve the preferred bidder, agree terms of the sale and carry out all ancillary matters to enable disposal of the site.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Head of Children’s Services and Learning Infrastructure and Strategy, after consultation with Head of Property and Procurement and Director of Corporate Services, to approve the expenditure of any surplus capital receipt as directed by the Department of Education conditions regarding the disposal of the playing field.

Report of the Cabinet Member of Resources, Leisure and Culture seeking approval to enter into a shared service arrangement, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7330)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, Leisure and Culture; Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To agree in principle to support the establishment of an Internal Audit shared service partnership with Hampshire County Council and or West Sussex County Council, with Hampshire acting as host authority.

(ii)  That the Head of Finance (CFO) be given delegated authority to:

(a)  continue to explore the setting up of a partnership, and

(b)  subject to ensuring that the partnership will be at a minimum cost neutral or a saving to the Council and in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to enter into a Partnership Agreement with Hampshire County Council and or West Sussex County Council for the provision of a joint internal audit services function with effect from 1 April 2012 upon such terms and conditions as the Head of Finance (CFO) considers appropriate and reasonable.

(i)  That following the signing of the Partnership Agreement and on commencement of arrangements that internal audit staff (as detailed in exempt  Appendix 1) be transferred under TUPE to Hampshire County Council.

Report of the Cabinet Member of Resources, leisure and Culture seeking approval for the disposal of the freehold investment, attached.

NOTE: This report is presented as a general exception item in accordance with paragraph 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of Part 4 of the Council's Constitution, as it has not been included in the Council's Forward Plan.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7399)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, Leisure and Culture; Cabinet agreed the following:

Having complied with paragraph 15 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules:

(i)  To approve the sale of the freehold investment in the Millbrook Trading Estate to the recommended bidder on the revised basis as set out in Confidential Appendix 2 and to delegate authority to Head of Property & Procurement to negotiate final details of sale and to accept the next best bid in the event of the selected bidder not proceeding and to continue such process as necessary.

(ii)  That the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services be authorised to enter into any legal documentation necessary in respect of the sale.

(iii)  To note that the capital receipt will be used to reduce the current funding deficit in the capital programme.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing seeking approval for potential energy efficiency measures, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 11/12 7304)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  Subject to Council approving the new HRA capital programme at its meeting on 16 November, to approve in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, spending of £3M (phased £498,000 in 2011/12 and £2,502,000 in 2012/13) on the central heating distribution system and related works at Oslo, Havre, Copenhagen and Hampton Towers, utilising the funding in the HRA capital programme currently shown under the heading “International Way Cladding”.

(ii)  To note that this is a contribution towards a larger scheme that provides significant structural and environmental improvements to these blocks in a key area of the City including new windows, heating, and external insulation as well as the installation of energy-saving Photo-Voltaic (PV) panels on roof tops.