Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 328 KBVenue: The John Meikle Room - The Deane House. View directions
Contact: Clare Rendell Email: c.rendell@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk
Webcast: View the webcast
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Apologies
To receive any apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: An apology was received from Councillor Chris Booth. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive - to follow
To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: (Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 15 February 2023 circulated with the agenda)
Resolved that the minutes of the Executive held on 15 February 2023 be confirmed as a correct record.
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Declarations of Interest
To receive and note any declarations of disclosable pecuniary or prejudicial or personal interests in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.
(The personal interests of Councillors and Clerks of Somerset County Council, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes.)
Additional documents: Minutes: Members present at the meeting declared the following personal interests in their capacity as a Councillor or Clerk of a County, Town or Parish Council or any other Local Authority:-
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Public Participation
The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.
For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.
We are now live webcasting most of our committee meetings and you are welcome to view and listen to the discussion. The link to each webcast will be available on the meeting webpage, but you can also access them on the Somerset West and Taunton webcasting website. Additional documents: Minutes: No members of the public had requested to speak on any item on the agenda.
Councillor Loretta Whetlor spoke as Leader of the Opposition and offered her thanks to the Executive for all their hard work and for always allowing her to attend meetings and give her input on the items being discussed.
The Leader of the Council thanked Councillor Whetlor for her kind comments, and that it had been pleasure working together over the past four years. |
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Corporate Performance Report - Quarter 3 2022/23
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Communications and Corporate Resources, Councillor Benet Allen.
This paper provides an update on the council’s performance for the first 9 months of the 2022/23 financial year. The report includes information for a range of key performance indicators and also includes the key business risks for the council. Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors were pleased with the report and that it was a good representation of the Council’s performance. · Concern was raised on the call numbers that the New Council might face within the first few weeks of operation. · Councillors queried what issues might impact on the number of calls handled by the Customer Services Team. The Business Intelligence and Performance Manager advised that the reasons were mixed. He acknowledged that calls were more complex in nature which meant they took longer to resolve. Officers hoped to do more future forecasting within the New Council. They also wanted to encourage more online contact by customers but understood the importance of continuing to provide face-to-face and telephone contact for those who do not have access to the online services. · Councillors understood the current staffing position, especially with the New Council fast approaching. · Councillors wanted to promote all roles and encourage people into a career at the Council.
Resolved that the Executive noted the Council’s performance report. |
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This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Housing, Councillor Francesca Smith.
It is anticipated expenditure for this scheme will fall within 2023/24 financial year. This report asks the SWT Executive to endorse the scheme which will be progressed by the new Somerset Council. Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors very much welcomed the report. · Councillors agreed it was an important legacy to leave for the future residents of the area. · Councillors queried whether anything could be done on the mitigation on cost inflation. The Assistant Director for Development and Regeneration advised that there was risk involved but that Central Government had set up a group to start purchasing properties within the area. He advised that there would need to be a bidding system to spot competition but that there would be certain policies in place that would highlight opportunities to mitigate the risk. · Concern was raised on the capacity to be able to provide wrap around care for the residents. The Assistant Director for Development and Regeneration advised that there would be a group who would work on support provided for the refugees and that they would look at funding to enable the support to continue. · Councillors acknowledged that the refugees would have the right to remain, and they wanted to ensure that residents understood that the properties would not have been made available on the Homefinder system and that the Council had been given funding to support the scheme. · Councillors supported the scheme but acknowledged that it could achieve a lot more. The Assistant Director for Development and Regeneration advised that was based on the support provided by Central Government. · Councillors queried whether the visa scheme would be extended. The Assistant Director for Development and Regeneration advised that would be for Central Government to decide. · Councillors queried whether the support given was facilitating the refugees to meet up with others in their area. The Assistant Director for Development and Regeneration advised that welcome hubs had been set up to facilitate contact between the refugees.
Resolved that the Executive approved the following recommendations: a) supported the ambitions of the Local Authority Housing Fund as expressed in the report and in the report to Somerset County Council Executive (Appendix 1) b) delegated authority to Somerset West and Taunton’s (SWT) Assistant Director Development and Regeneration in consultation with the Director of Homes and Communities to progress the scheme up to 31st March 2023 and to SWT’s S151 Officer to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of SWT (appendix 2). |
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2022/23 Housing Revenue Account Financial Monitoring as at Quarter 3 (31st December 2022)
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Housing, Councillor Fran Smith.
This report provides an update on the projected outturn financial position of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the financial year 2022/23 (as at 31 December 2022). Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors requested an update on the North Taunton Woolaway Project. The Assistant Director for Development and Regeneration gave an update and advised that the properties in Phase A should be completed by July 2023 and that the department would need to go out to procurement for the other Phases, which he hoped would not delay the Project. · Councillors thanked the Housing Team for all their work.
Resolved that the Executive noted the HRA’s forecast financial performance and projected reserves position for 2022/23 financial year as at 31 December 2022. |
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Access to Information - Exclusion of the Press and Public
During discussion of the following items (Agenda Item 9 – Appendix F and Agenda Item 10 in its entirety) it may be necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 13 13.02(e) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. Executive will need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
Recommend that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next items of business (Agenda Item 9 – Appendix F and Agenda Item 10 in its entirety) on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business (Agenda Item 9 - Appendix F ONLY and Agenda Item 10) on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). |
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2022/23 General Fund Financial Monitoring as at Quarter 3 (31 December 2022)
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Communication and Corporate Resources, Councillor Benet Allen.
This report provides an update on the projected outturn financial position of the Council’s General Fund (GF) for the financial year 2022/23 (as at 31 December 2022 forecast). Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors were pleased with the outturn position. · Councillors queried whether the inflationary pressures had been managed. The Deputy S151 Officer advised that the details had been included in section 5.17 of the report and that the majority had been mitigated.
Resolved that the Executive:- 2.1Noted the Council’s forecast financial performance and projected reserves position for 2022/23 financial year as of 31 December 2022. 2.2Approved the transfer of £1.507m of surplus business rates funding to be returned to General Reserves. 2.3Approved a capital budget return of £200k for Brewhouse Theatre Roof works. 2.4Approved a transfer of £250k from the Climate Change budget to a capital financing earmarked reserve for the decarbonisation project at both Wellington Sports Centre and Alcombe Children’s Centre. |
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Coal Orchard Commercial Lettings
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Planning and Transportation, Councillor Mike Rigby. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that the Executive approved the recommendations within the confidential report.
The Leader of the Council thanked the Councillors and Officers for all their hard work over the past four years and praised the Council for all that its achieved during the time of Somerset West and Taunton Council. |