Meeting documents

• (Attachment: 1)Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 30th June 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed.

Executive Members: Cllr G.J Knight

Non-Executive Members: Cllrs N.D. Harrison, D.J. Pay and C. Stevens
 

None.

• (Attachment: 2)Item 4: DMP - Reg. 18 Consultation Report inc. Annexes (6M/bytes)

Councillor T. Schofield, Executive Member for Planning Policy introduced the report to the Executive indicating that the Development Management Plan (DMP) formed the second part of the Council’s new Local Plan, building on the adopted Core Strategy from 2014, which formed Part 1 of the Local Plan.

The Executive noted that once adopted the DMP would include detailed policies that addressed a wide range of important local planning issues, and would allocate sites for specific types of development to deliver the Core Strategy. The Regulation 18 consultation was the first stage of public consultation in the plan preparation process which required the Council to invite comments on what the DMP should contain. The Executive received, at Annex 1 of the report, the proposed consultation document, which included:

• proposed policies to guide decision making on planning applications, covering important aspects such as design, amenity, and parking.

• policy designations - areas where a particular policy approach would be applied. Examples included local green spaces, residential areas of special character and local shopping areas.

• potential development sites - for housing, retail and employment development.

The consultation would also seek views on some potential ‘urban extension’ sites to existing communities in East Redhill, East Merstham, South West Reigate and around Horley consistent with the broad areas of search indicated in the adopted Core Strategy. This included sites currently on Green Belt land.

The Executive Member confirmed that the consultation was supported by a comprehensive suite of evidence, which was available on the Council’s website and formed part of the consultation exercise. The consultation was a central and essential part of the plan making process which would cover a 10 week period from early August to early October 2016.

The Executive noted that, on the conclusion of the Regulation 18 consultation (which would include consideration by the Local Development Framework Scrutiny Panel), a further report would be brought to the Executive and Full Council inviting a further round of consultation before it was submitted to the Secretary of State for examination.

Following a number of Member comments, largely complimenting Officers on the production of a complex but comprehensive document for consultation purposes, the Leader of the Council placed on record his thanks to the Officer team that had undertaken a ‘monumental’ task to prepare the Regulation 18 consultation documents and it was

RESOLVED that:

(i) the Development Management Plan Regulation 18 consultation document (Annex 1 to the report presented) be approved for public consultation;
(ii) the Head of Places and Planning be authorised, in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning Policy, to make any necessary amendments or factual clarifications to the Development Management Plan Regulation 18 consultation document (Annex 1 to the report presented) prior to public consultation; and
(iii) the content of the report presented be endorsed to ensure that Reigate & Banstead Borough Council continued to be a plan-led authority.

Reasons for decision:
(i) Undertaking Regulation 18 consultation will allow the Development Management Plan preparation process to be progressed in line with the agreed timetable set out in the adopted Local Development Scheme, and would enable views on plan content to be sought to inform decisions on the final draft Development Management Plan.
(ii) To enable the consultation period to commence in a timely manner following Executive agreement.
(iii) To reiterate the Council’s commitment to advancing the preparation of the Development Management Plan, to provide certainty for stakeholders and local residents in relation to future development in the borough.

Alternative options:
To not agree the Development Management Plan Regulation 18 Consultation Document for public consultation.
To not agree that the Head of Places and Planning be authorised (in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning Policy) to make any necessary amendments to the document prior to public consultation.
To not confirm commitment for the Council to be a plan-led authority.
 

• (Attachment: 3)Item 5: Wellbeing and Integrated Support Services Company Report inc. Annexes (394K/bytes)

Councillor Mrs R. Turner, Executive Member for Health, introduced a proposal to create a local authority Wellbeing and Integrated Support Services Company to the Executive. The new company, to be known as Pathway would, in the first instance, primarily target the 55+ year old market across three products:

• Assessments;
• direct support; and
• electronic monitoring.

It was envisaged that the business would operate initially in and around Surrey and Sussex Hospitals health and social care economy. It would focus on selling quick responses, personalised care and reassuring ongoing support to a market of individuals and families. The variety of services offered would be able to address patients with quite complex needs. Importantly, the patient would be offered one point of access to all the services they required, thereby avoiding delays in their needs being met by having to engage with several providers and associated waiting lists.

The overall vision and aim of the company was to increase patient experience and outcomes in a holistic way, whilst at the same time generating profit which could be used to support more vulnerable and less well supported residents.

It was noted that the initiative also provided the Council with the opportunity to reduce costs further; generate income and to develop the commercial business environment as set out in the objectives of the Five Year Plan.

Members raised a number of questions around the governance of the proposals, including confirmation that there would be scrutiny of the performance of the new Company; risks associated with the initiative; relationship between the Company and the Council; return on investment potential; and wider benefits to the public sector from the initiative.

RESOLVED that:

(i) the Head of Legal Services be authorised to incorporate a Local Authority Trading Company in accordance with the arrangements set out in the report presented;
(ii) the Shareholder function of the Council be delegated to an Executive Sub-Committee to be known as the Health and Wellbeing Executive Sub-Committee;
(iii) the remit and terms of reference of the Health and Wellbeing Executive Sub-Committee be agreed as set out at Annex 1 to the report presented;
(iv) the Executive Sub Committee be authorised to finalise the following arrangements between the Council and the Company:
(a) An initial letter of comfort to allow the Directors to start to mobilise the business for its start-up phase outlining the financial risk of the Council;
(b) Shareholder Agreement between the Company and the Council including the first Business Plan;
(c) Resourcing Agreement for the Company to use Council staff and facilities in furtherance of its business (if any);
(d) Directors Service Agreements; and
(e) Loan and draw down facilities to the Company. Loan and Draw Down agreements to be subject to the financial caps set out in the exempt information at Part 2 of the Executive’s Agenda
(v) the Chief Executive be delegated authority, in consultation with the Head of Legal Services and the Head of Health and Wellbeing, to finalise all necessary arrangements, to include all legal documentation, for the company to begin trading on 1 August 2016; and
(vi) the terms of reference for the Health and Wellbeing Executive Sub Committee (set out at Annex 1 of the report) be included in the Constitution by the Monitoring Officer as an administrative update.

Reasons for decision:
Setting up of a Wellbeing and Integrated Support Service company would enable the Company to undertake an innovative range of health and social care activities in order to improve the health and wellbeing of residents not just within Reigate and Banstead but also the surrounding catchment area. This initiative would also enable the Council to meet the funding challenges set down by Central Government as set referred to in the report presented.

Alternative option:
To not proceed with buying any shareholding in this company.
 

• (Attachment: 4)Item 6: Corporate Business Plan Report inc. Annexes (543K/bytes)

The Leader of the Council, Councillor V.W. Broad presented the draft Corporate Business Plan, which had been prepared in response to the Local Government Association Peer Challenge visit in 2015.

The plan provided a narrative of the Council’s operating model to achieve a sustainable future and set out the actions being taken in order to deliver against a savings target of £3.9m by 2020.

The Leader emphasised that, first and foremost, it represented a commitment to continue to protect and improve the Council’s front line services.

The overall plan would include some limited savings being made from service efficiencies and parallel reinvestments elsewhere in the business to ensure that the Council directed its resources into priority areas. It was noted that Council Tax and fees and charges were expected to increase. However these would not be sufficient to meet the future demand. Therefore the Corporate Business Plan emphasised the need for the Council to continue to operate in a way that would generate growth through commercial and property investment activities.

It was noted that the Plan represented a point in time which would evolve and be refreshed annually as part of the service and financial planning process.

RESOLVED that:

(i) the Corporate Business Plan be approved; and

(ii) the Head of Corporate Policy, Performance & Parking be authorised, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to amend the Corporate Business Plan in response to service and financial planning.

Reasons for decision:
By approving the Corporate Business Plan, the Council would have a clear plan of how we intend to meet the financial challenges facing local government, which would support the annual service and financial planning process.

Alternative options:
To request that further work be undertaken on the Corporate Business Plan, with a revised version reported to a future Executive meeting or to reject the Corporate Business Plan.
 

• (Attachment: 5)Item 7: Raven Housing Trust Appointments (177K/bytes)

The Executive Member for Community Support, Councillor Mrs R. Renton reported that the Council nominated three non-executive Directors to serve on the board of Raven Housing Trust. Each representative served for a rolling programme of three years with an appointment being made on an annual basis.

It was noted that the Council also appointed a Member and a Substitute on Raven’s General Committee on an annual basis.

All Councillors had been invited to be considered for nomination.

RECOMMENDED that:
(i) Councillor S.T. Walsh be nominated to serve on the Board of Raven Housing Trust for a period of three Municipal years (2016/17 – 2019/20); and
(ii) Councillor Mrs R. Renton and Councillor Mrs N.J. Bramhall be nominated to serve as Member/Substitute on Raven Housing Trust’s General Committee for 2016/17.

Reasons for decision:
Every year the Council nominates a Board Member to the Board of Raven (the Council has three nominees in total) and a Member/Substitute on Raven’s General Committee.

Alternative option:
To make no recommendation for these appointments.
 

None.

None.

RESOLVED that members of the Press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that:
(i) it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act; and

(ii) the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
 

• (Attachment: 6)Item 11: Part 2 - Wellbeing and Integrated Support Services Company (587K/bytes)

RESOLVED that:

(i) the Business Plan and associated financial projections contained within Annexes 2 and 3 of the report presented be noted;

(ii) the allocation of funding from the Corporate Plan Delivery Fund, as set out in Annex 3 of the report presented (paragraph entitled “Projected Cash Flow”), be noted; and

(iii) the case studies undertaken as set out in Annex 4 of the report presented be noted.