Agenda and minutes
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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: Apologies were received from Councillors C Booth and M Kravis. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive
To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: (Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 17 November 2021 circulated with the agenda)
Resolved that the minutes of the Executive held on 17 November 2021 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.
Temporary measures during the Coronavirus Pandemic Due to the temporary legislation (within the Coronavirus Act 2020, which allowed for use of virtual meetings) coming to an end on 6 May 2021, the council’s committee meetings will now take place in the office buildings within the John Meikle Meeting Room at the Deane House, Belvedere Road, Taunton. Unfortunately due to capacity requirements, the Chamber at West Somerset House is not able to be used at this current moment.
Following the Government guidance on measures to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), the council meeting rooms will have very limited capacity. With this in mind, we will only be allowing those members of the public who have registered to speak to attend the meetings in person in the office buildings, if they wish (we will still be offering to those members of the public that are not comfortable in attending, for their statements to be read out by a Governance and Democracy Case Manager). Please can we urge all members of the public who are only interested in listening to the debate to view our live webcasts from the safety of their own home to help prevent the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). Additional documents: Minutes: No members of the public had requested to speak on any item on the agenda. |
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Executive Forward Plan
To receive items and review the Forward Plan. Additional documents: Minutes: (Copy of the Executive Forward Plan, circulated with the agenda).
Councillors were reminded that if they had an item they wanted to add to the agenda, that they should send their requests to the Governance Team.
Resolved that the Executive Forward Plan be noted. |
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Draft 2022/23 General Fund Budget Update
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Corporate Resources, Councillor Ross Henley.
The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an update on progress regarding Budget Setting for 2022/23, the latest Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) forecasts, and the areas to be finalised. Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors queried whether officers had been ‘conservative’ with their calculations on the budget, due to the unknown settlement information. The Section 151 Officer advised that the Finance Team had been realistic with their calculations and that they had based the budget on the information they had confirmed. · Councillors queried what would happen with the New Homes Bonus (NHB). The Section 151 officer advised that the officers had allowed for the last legacy payment of NHB, which was based upon previous year’s figures. · Councillors requested further information related to car parking income. The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation advised that it would take some time to see if the car parking income would ever return to the pre-covid levels and that he would be happy to arrange a member briefing to discuss parking income. · Councillors requested clarification on what car parking income could be spent on, as they believed car park income surplus could only be spent on traffic management. The Finance Business Partner would provide a written response. · Councillors praised the work of the Finance Team on the production of the budget especially when Central Government kept reducing the funding issued to local councils. · Councillors were pleased to see non-statutory functions still being provided, which was a great achievement.
Resolved that the Executive noted the updated estimates for the 2022/23 Budget and latest Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts, and the areas to be finalised. |
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Draft 2022/23 Housing Revenue Account Budget Update
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Housing, Councillor Fran Smith.
The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an update on progress of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) regarding Budget Setting for 2022/23, the latest Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) forecasts, the 30-Year Business Plan, and the areas to be finalised. Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors praised the work of the Finance Team and Housing Team, as the Housing Revenue Account was not just about the money, it dealt with and impacted on people’s lives . · Councillors acknowledged it had been a challenging time for the housing developer sector due to the impacts of Covid.
Resolved that the Executive noted the latest Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts and action required to finalise the 2022/23 Budget. |
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2021/22 General Fund Financial Monitoring as at Quarter 2 (30 September 2021)
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Corporate Resources, Councillor Ross Henley.
This report provides an update on the projected outturn financial position of the Council’s General Fund for the financial year 2021/22 (as at 30 September 2021 forecast). Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following point was raised:- · Councillors queried whether the 2020-21 pay award had been accepted by the Union yet and whether there was any update. The Finance Business Partner advised that there was no update, but as soon as they received any information, they would forward it onto the councillors.
Resolved that the Executive noted as the Council’s forecast financial performance and projected reserves position for 2021/22 financial year as at 30 September 2021. |
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2021/22 Housing Revenue Account Financial Monitoring as at Quarter 2 (30 September 2021)
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 for the financial year 2021/22 (as at 30 September 2021). Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors highlighted that Community Scrutiny had held a good debate on the report at their meeting. · Councillors were pleased to see compliance work was being carried out.
Resolved that the Executive:- 2.1Noted the HRA’s forecast financial performance and projected reserves position for 2021/22 financial year as at 30 September 2021. 2.2Approved the return of £175k from earmarked reserves to general reserves. |
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Corporate Performance Report, Quarter 2 2021/22
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Corporate Resources, Councillor Ross Henley.
This paper provides an update on the council’s performance for the first half of the 2021/22 financial year (1st April 2021 – 30th September 2021). Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources highlighted what measures had been taken to tackle call waiting times. · The Leader highlighted the Scrutiny Committee recommendations/questions stated within the report and agreed it was important to look into employment opportunities across the whole of the district and not just in Taunton. The Director for Development and Place gave an explanation to the answers given to the Scrutiny Committee questions raised at Corporate Scrutiny on 1 December 2021. · The Portfolio Holder for Housing advised that the average re-let times had taken longer due to the impacts of Covid, but that officers were working hard to rectify the situation. · The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation highlighted that the planning targets were improving. · Councillors praised the work carried out by Customer Services on call handling. · Concern was raised that housing visits had been cancelled during lockdown and what had been done to deal with the repercussions for those that were in need of support. The Director for Housing advised that during the main times of lockdown, that housing visits had been limited, apart from those for vulnerable tenants and for gas safety checks. He was aware that some schemes were missing the presence of housing officers in the area and that they were working on that. He was also aware that many of those that were struggling with the withdrawal of support services were approaching the council via different routes so that assistance could be given.
Resolved that the Executive noted the Council’s performance report for quarter 2. |
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Access to Information - Exclusion of the Press and Public
During discussion of the following item 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 item of business 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 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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Lease of Monkton Country Park
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Asset Management and Economic Development, Councillor Marcus Kravis.
The report seeks approval to lease the Monkton Country Park, by entering into a joint lease agreement with Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council and West Monkton Parish Council. Minutes: Resolved that the Executive approved the recommendations within the Confidential Report. |