Agenda, decisions and minutes

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Items
No. Item

30.

Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 28 July 2020.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 28 July 2020 be approved.

31.

Apologies for absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Bramhall.

32.

Declarations of interest

To receive any declarations of interest.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were none.

33.

Delivering Change in Horley Town Centre

To consider the report of the Executive Member for Place and Economic Prosperity.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Place and Economic Prosperity, Councillor Humphreys, introduced the report which sought approval for the scope and funding of the Delivering Change in Horley Town Centre programme. The programme would deliver a comprehensive and coordinated set of projects within the Town Centre and was comprised of four complementary projects:

a)    The refurbishment of the subway to provide an improved link into the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists

b)    Public realm improvements to further improve the look and feel of the High Street, building on the Council’s recent investment in the precinct

c)     The installation of pay-on-exit parking in two of the Council’s main car parks to provide more convenient parking for town centre visitors

d)    Work to bring forward the development of the High Street Car Park site to deliver much needed new homes through a mixed-use residential led scheme.

Councillor Humphreys explained that the programme of projects was based on what local stakeholders had said that they wanted in the town. It would deliver the Council’s aspirations to invest in its town centres, drive economic prosperity and deliver more affordable homes, as set out in the Five-Year Plan.

In response to a query from a Visiting Member, the Leader of the Council explained that the feasibility study for the development would consider the potential impact on town centre car parking.

RESOLVED:

1)    The scope of the Horley Town Centre revitalisation programme as set out in the report be approved.

2)    That the programme is progressed in accordance with the key stages as set out in the report.

3)    That a total of £600,000 already included in the Council’s approved Capital Programme 2020–2025 be allocated to undertake the High Street public realm improvement works in the town centre in accordance with the scope outlined in the report.

4)    That a total of £37,600 be approved from the Council’s Commercial Ventures (Feasibility Studies) Reserve to progress a feasibility and options study in relation to the development of the High Street Car Park to deliver a mixed-use housing led scheme in accordance with the policy and site allocation set out in the Council’s adopted Development Management Plan (funding to be capitalised should the project proceed).

5)    That a total of £53,900 is approved from the Council’s Capital Programme for the delivery of pay-on-exit car parking at the Victoria Road and Central car parks in accordance with the report.

6)    The Head of Place Delivery be authorised in consultation with the Executive Member for Place and Economic Prosperity and Head of Finance to agree provisional budget allocations to (i) progress the High Street Car Park project to planning and (ii) deliver the project within the Capital Programme.

7)    The Head of Place Delivery be authorised in consultation with the Executive Member for Place and Economic Prosperity to make the necessary consultancy and contractor appointments to complete the feasibility studies and design development for the Delivering Change in Horley Town Centre programme.

8)    The Head of Place Delivery be authorised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

34.

Five Year Plan Performance Report 2019/20

To note the report of the Executive Member for Corporate Direction and Governance.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Corporate Direction and Governance, Councillor Lewanski, explained that 2019/20 represented the final year of the Reigate & Banstead 2015-2020 Corporate Plan. The plan period had covered a challenging time for the Council, as central funding for local authorities had been taken away, whilst the need to support communities had continued. Despite that context, the plan was ambitious in its goals and was supported by sound financial management, smart ways of working, and dedicated staff.

In response to questions from Visiting Members, the Interim Head of Paid Service undertook to provide more information after the meeting to those Members present, and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, on:

a)    The comparative annual total amount of Community Infrastructure Levy developer contributions, since CIL was introduced in 2016; and

b)    Clarification of the outcome for those homelessness applicants that did not secure affordable accommodation as a result of their application.

The report had been noted by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10 September 2020. A new plan for the period 2020-2025 had been adopted, and progress against that plan would continue to be reported annually to the Executive.

RESOLVED: To note the progress during the final year of the Council’s 2015-2020 Five Year Plan priorities.

Reason for decision: 2019/20 represented the final year of the Council’s 2015-2020 Five Year Plan, which commenced in 2015-16.

Alternative options: As set out in the report.

35.

Quarter 1 2020/21 Performance Report

To note the report of the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance, and the Executive Member for Corporate Direction and Governance.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Corporate Direction and Governance, Councillor Lewanski, presented the report on the Council’s performance for Quarter 1 2020/21. Of the ten Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reported, six were on target or within the agreed tolerance. Three KPIs were off target (Red rated) and the Council was unable to report on one indicator.

Of those indicators rated Red, KPI 6 (Net housing completions) and KPI 7 (Net affordable housing completions) were off target and outside of tolerance primarily due to the slowdown in the sector as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contextually, there were over 2,000 housing units under construction within the borough, with over 300 of those being built at an affordable rate.

KPI 10 (Recycling performance), was reported one quarter in arrears, with Quarter 4 2019/20 performance reported as part of Quarter 1. Against a target of 57%, 51.4% had been achieved. This was primarily due to a reduction in garden waste materials collected at the kerbside.

Councillor Schofield, Executive Member for Finance and Deputy Leader of the Council, reported on the Council’s Revenue and Capital Budget position for Quarter 1 2020/21 (March to June 2020).

The projected full year Revenue Budget outturn was £24.22m against a management budget of £25.90m, resulting in a forecast underspend for the year of £1.68m (6.5%). The full year Capital Programme forecast was 24% below the approved Programme for the year, the variance was as a result of £30.10m slippage, and a £0.38m net underspend. In response to a question from a Visiting Member, Councillor Schofield explained that unused capital budgets would be rolled forward in order to complete projects.

Councillor Schofield cautioned that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council was incurring costs and income losses that could not have been foreseen. The Government had announced the provision of funding to offset such losses, however the terms and extent of that support remained unclear.

The overall impact on the Collection Fund was particularly challenging to forecast, as many of the expected impacts had been mitigated in the short term through one-off Government support. It would, however, be some time before the longer-term impacts on council tax and business rates income streams could be confirmed. The observations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been circulated and considered by the Executive, and the Leader agreed that the impact on the Collection Fund would continue to be closely monitored.

Councillor Schofield stressed that whilst the Council would work to minimise the impacts of the pandemic, any unfunded costs and income losses would have to be borne by the Council, through use of contingency budgets or Reserves.

In response to questions from Visiting Members, the Leader recognised the impact of the necessary temporary suspension of garden waste collection on overall recycling performance but highlighted that there had been a sustained increase in other forms of recycling. It was encouraging that the recycling provision for flats would continue to be rolled out, when resources allowed, and that there had been over 500  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

36.

Risk Management - Quarter 1 2020/21

To consider the report of the Executive Member for Corporate Direction and Governance.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Corporate Direction and Governance, Councillor Lewanski, updated the Executive on risk management for Quarter 1 of 2020/21. During the quarter, one new Strategic Risk had been identified - COVID-19, second wave and/or a local lockdown. The Executive also noted that there were no Operational Risks that were red rated.

Councillor Lewanski explained that the Audit Committee received an update on risk management at its meeting on 9 September. The Audit Committee felt that SR3 ‘Local government reorganisation’ and SR5 ‘Organisational capacity and culture’ which were rated as Amber in Quarter one, should be rated Red due to the current circumstances surrounding them.

The Leader urged caution around the rating for Local government reorganisation, since there was yet to be sufficient information from the Government to make an adjustment to the risk rating. The Executive would consider the ratings during its preparations for reporting on Quarter 2. 

RESOLVED:

1)              That the Executive note the Q1 2020/21 update on risk management provided in annex 1.

2)              That the Executive approve the new strategic risk identified in Q1 2020/21 (COVID-19: second wave/local lockdown), for inclusion on the strategic risk register.

Reason for decision: In accordance with the Council’s risk management strategy, the Executive is required to receive regular updates on risk management.

Alternative options:

a)       Note the report and approve the newly identified strategic risk for inclusion on the strategic risk register.

b)       Note the report and not approve the newly identified strategic risk for inclusion on the strategic risk register.

37.

Statements

To receive any statements from the Leader of the Council, Members of the Executive or the Chief Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council was pleased to announce that the Council had secured £180,000 of government funding for emergency accommodation support, as part of the Next Steps Accommodation Programme.

38.

Any other urgent business

To consider any item(s) which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered as a matter of urgency – Local Government Act 1972, Section 100B(4)(b).

 

(Note:  Urgent business must be submitted in writing but may be supplemented by an oral report).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There was none.

39.

Exempt business

RECOMMENDED 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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There was none.