Agenda and minutes

Report of Chair of Scrutiny Panel A, detailing the inquiry into Welfare Reforms Inquiry, attached.

 Cabinet noted the report of the Chair of Scrutiny Panel A detailing the inquiry into Welfare Reforms Inquiry.

Report of Head of Children and Young People Strategic Commissioning, Education and Inclusion seeking permission to commence 6 weeks of statutory consultation on proposals to create five all through primary schools, attached.

DECISION MADE (Ref: CAB 12/13 10158)

On consideration of the report of the Director, People the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services made the following decision:

(i)  considered the outcome of pre-statutory consultation and approved the commencement of six weeks of statutory consultation, 25^th April to 6^th June on proposals to:

·  Discontinue Bitterne Park Infant and extend the age range of Bitterne Park Junior, to establish a primary school from the 1^st September 2013.

·  Discontinue Tanners Brook Junior and extend the age range of Tanners Brook Infant, to establish a primary school from the 1^st September 2013.

·  Discontinue Oakwood Infant and extend the age range of Oakwood Junior, to establish a primary school from the 1^st January 2014.

·  Discontinue Heathfield Junior and extend the age range of Valentine Infant, to establish a primary school from the 1^st January 2014.

·  Discontinue St Monica Junior and extend the age range of St Monica Infant, to establish a primary school from the 1^st January 2014.

(ii)  Cabinet noted that it will be asked to consider the consultation responses and make a final decision on the establishment of five primary schools on 18^th June 2013 or 16^th July 2013.

(iii)  delegated authority to the Director of Children’s Services and Learning, following consultation with the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, to determine the final format and content of consultation in accordance with statutory and other legal requirements.

(iv)  Subject to complying with Financial and Contractual Procedure Rules, Cabinet delegated authority to the Director, People following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, to do anything necessary to give effect to the recommendations in this report.

Report of the Director of Public Health seeking approval of the Southampton Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2012-15, attached.

DECISION MADE (Ref: CAB 12/13 9490)

On consideration of the report of the Director of Public Health the Cabinet Member for Communities made the following decision:

(i)  That the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy be adopted

(ii)  That authority be delegated to the Director of Public Health, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities to make any minor drafting or other amendments required following consideration of the strategy by Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Leisure Services seeking approval for the phased rebuild of Erskine Court, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 10113)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forHousing and Leisure Services, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To note that extensive prior consultation has taken place in relation to the rebuild proposals with residents however the proposed changes to previously discussed decant arrangements necessitates a further period of consultation under the Housing Act 1985. Therefore it is proposed to delegate authority to the Interim Director of Environment & Economy to:

a.  Carry out all necessary consultation on the revised decant arrangements under the Housing Act 1985, section 105.

b.  Determine the final decant arrangements following consideration of any representations received pursuant to 1(i) above taking into account the need to sensitively decant the remaining residents having regard to their individual circumstances and housing needs

(ii)  Subject to the satisfactory completion of the Housing Act 1985 consultation referred to in 91) above and subject to obtaining Care and Specialist Supported Housing (CASSH) Grant of £2,7000,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency

a.  To recommend that Council approve acceptance of the CASSH grant to part fund the rebuild of Erskine Court.

b.  To recommend that Council approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, the addition of £9,800,000 to the HRA Capital Programme for the rebuild of Erskine Court funded by the CASSH grant, any available capital receipts and the balance from additional borrowing within the HRA Business Plan.

c.  To recommend that Council approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, expenditure of £1,000,000 in 2013/14, £5,200,000 in 2014/15, and £3,600,000 in 2015/16  on the rebuild of Erskine Court.

d.  To delegate authority to serve Initial Demolition Notices on secure tenants under the provisions of the Housing Act 1985, to the Director of Environment and Economy following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Leisure, the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services and the Head of Finance and IT (CFO).

e.  To implement the Council’s adopted Decant Policy, including the award  of additional Housing register  points, for the remaining residents who are required to move as a result of the rebuild.

f.  To delegate authority to enter into a Development Agent agreement with First Wessex Housing Group, part of the Wayfarer Consortium, to the Director of Environment and Economy, following consultation with the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, Head of Property and Procurement and the Head of Finance and IT (CFO).

g.  To delegate authority to enter into a build contract with a contractor engaged via First Wessex using their OJEU compliant framework to the Director of Environment and Economy following consultation with the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, Head of Property and Procurement and the Head of Finance and IT (CFO)

Report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, seeking the adoption of the revised Statement of Community Involvement, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 10117)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forResources, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To consider the comments received during the recent 4 week consultation and to agree the Council’s response (see Appendix 1).

(ii)  To adopt the revised Statement of Community Involvement (attached as Appendix 2) which has been prepared in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, seeking approval for the demolition of the vacant Oaklands School and associated buildings (excluding the swimming pool) to mitigate ongoing management costs, attached.

DECISION MADE (Ref: CAB 12/13 10095)

On consideration of the report of Cabinet Member for Resources, Cabinet made the following decision:

(i)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, capital expenditure of £480,000 in 2013/14 for the Oaklands School demolition, to be funded by Direct Revenue Financing

(ii)  That the Head of Property and Procurement is granted Delegated Powers to vary the scope and programme of the work following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources within the overall budget parameters of the scheme.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, to approve additional expenditure of £100,000 for the demolition and associated costs, bringing the total scheme up to a maximum of £580,000, to be funded by Direct Revenue Financing.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, updating the Council’s Accommodation Strategy seeking approval to implement measures necessary to vacate Marland House, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: 12/13 10094

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forResources, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To approve the next phase of the Accommodation Strategy to implement measures necessary to vacate Marland House within the timescales identified. 

(ii)  To approve, if required, a renewal of the lease of 45 Castle Way to the Council and delegate authority to the Head of Property, Procurement and Contract Management and the Head of HR, Legal and Democratic Services to finalise the detailed terms and complete the lease

(iii)  To note that the revenue funding to enable the vacation of Marland House has already been approved by Full Council in July 2012 to ensure that this can be achieved

(iv)  To note that the existing authority delegated to the Executive Director of Corporate Services will continue to be applied, to allocate premises related resources (revenue and capital) to enable any works necessary to be delivered within the timescales identified to ensure the implementation of this next phase of the Accommodation Strategy.

(v)  Subject to Council approval on 15^th May 2013, approve in accordance with Financial Procedure rules capital expenditure of up to £1.2m, if required. Phased £1M in 2013/14 and £200k in 2014/15, to be funded by Council Resources.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Leisure Services seeking approval to purchase the vacant Children’s Referral Unit at Selborne Avenue, Harefield from the General Fund and convert into temporary homeless accommodation, 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. 

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 10038)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forHousing and Leisure and having received representations from a member of the public, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, the addition of a £1,270,000 Homeless Temporary Accommodation scheme to the Modern Facilities  section of the HRA Capital Programme for the appropriation, from the General Fund, of the former Children’s Referral Unit  in Selborne Avenue and for the refurbishment of Selbourne Avenue and Oatlands House to be funded by capital receipts from the sale of Seymour House and a virement from savings  in the 2013/14 Housing  Refurbishment scheme as detailed in Appendix 2.

(ii)  To approve in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules expenditure in financial year 2013/14 of £1,270,000 (including fees) on the Homeless Temporary Accommodation scheme.

(iii)  To note the proposed disposal of Seymour House following completion of works to Selbourne Avenue and Oatlands House.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, seeking approval to the disposal of the Portland Terrace NCP car park and 173-178 High Street freehold investments, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 10153)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forResources, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  to approve the principle of the disposal of the Council’s freehold investments at Portland Terrace NCP Car Park and 173-178 High Street.

(ii)  to delegate authority to the Head of Property, Procurement and Contract Management subject to the agreement of the Cabinet Member for Resources to approve the sale to the preferred bidders at not less than the minimum prices set out in the confidential Appendix, and to subsequently negotiate and carry out all ancillary matters to enable disposal of the sites.

(iii)  that the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services be authorised to enter into any legal documentation necessary in respect of the sales

(iv)  to note that the estimated value of the capital receipt from these disposals has already been built into the funding of the capital programme. Any receipt that differs from the estimates will need to be considered corporately as part of any future prioritisation of resources.