Agenda and minutes

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council seeking approval of the new Corporate Plan.

DECISION MADE: (CAB 23/24 44844)

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

(i)  To recommend to Council the adoption of the Corporate Plan (2024 update), appended to the report.

(ii)  To recommend to Council to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to make minor amendments to the corporate plan after consultation with the Leader of the Council.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Change detailing an update on the Council's financial position.

DECISION MADE: (CAB 23/24 44981)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Change, Cabinet noted the latest forecast financial position as set out in Appendix 1 of the report. 

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development detailing the transfer of local enterprise partnership (LEP) core function to local authorities.  

(i)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader and Executive Director for Corporate Services (and S151 officer), to agree the final details of the transfer of LEP functions to the UTLAs, including future governance arrangements.

(ii)  To approve in principle the proposed draft governance structures attached as Appendix One that demonstrate how SCC plans to work with our sub-regional partners to achieve our economic growth ambitions which will need to be outlined in an updated Solent 2050 Strategy.

(iii)  Subject to the agreement of PCC and IOWC, to agree that PCC is confirmed as the Accountable Body for the new a new joint UTLA Board, with the Leader of SCC acting as the first board chair.

(iv)  SCC agrees that the existing LEP funding, should be disaggregated to the three Solent UTLAs and be pooled (subject to the agreement of Isle of Wight Council and Portsmouth City Council), for the benefit of economic growth of the sub-region, defined as the combined geographies of the three Solent UTLAs.

(v)  Agree that, subject to the three Solent UTLA area being recognised by the Government as an area for LEP Integration, with appropriate legal due diligence, to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to determine whether SCC will become a Member of Solent Partners (SP).  This agreement to be conditional on all three UTLAs agreeing to become Members of Solent Partners in conjunction.

(vi)  To agree that SCC should not appoint a Director to the Board of Solent Partners to ensure that there is no conflict of interest with the wider governance needed for the new LEP integration arrangements. The three UTLAs will seek appropriate requirements, within the articles of Solent Partners, to ensure representatives of the three Solent ULTAs are entitled to observe board meetings.

(vii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to work with all sub-regional partners to develop an agreement on how to deliver economic growth for the functional economic area and take ownership of the Solent 2050 strategy.

(viii)  To support the creation of a Solent Economic Partnership, inviting adjacent Districts and Boroughs, Hampshire County Council (HCC), and other key public sector stakeholders to participate, to enable Local Authorities leaders and the private sector to have an opportunity to discuss and support economic growth in the Solent sub-region.

(ix)  To approve the proportional disaggregation of existing assets held by the SLEP to the Accountable Body (PCC) on behalf of the Upper Tier Local Authorities, including HCC (subject to the agreement of the three Solent unitary UTLAs).

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development for the disposal and development of assets.

DECISION MADE: (CAB 23/24 44995)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, having also received representation from Sue Atkins, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To consider the principles of Aecom’s report (Appendix 1) when determining recommendations ii to iv below on the retention, development and disposal of council-owned assets across the council’s corporate and operational portfolio.

(ii)  To approve the Asset Development and Disposal Programme and progression of the corporate and operational properties recommended for disposal/ development as detailed in Appendix 2 of this report).

(iii)  To approve the Asset Development and Disposal Programme and progression of investment properties for disposal and regeneration (as outlined in Appendix 3 of this report).

(iv)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director Growth and Prosperity, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Change, the Executive Director Corporate Services, and the Director of Legal and Governance, to progress and implement asset disposal and asset development and regeneration opportunities within the scope of the ADD Programme (as outlined in Appendix 2 and Table 1 & 2 of Appendix 3).