Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive Apologies for Absence from Cabinet members. 

There were no Apologies for Absence from members of the Cabinet. However, Councillor Dr. Douglas de Lacey did send Apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

To authorise the Leader to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2019 and of the Extraordinary meeting held on 18 November 2019 as correct records.

Cabinet authorised the Leader to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2019.

There were no announcements.

Question from Mr. Daniel Fulton:

“Would the Lead Cabinet Member for Planning be willing to receive and consider representations from the public commenting on whether the current arrangements for the shared planning service provide sufficient oversight and management of the officers who discharge the Council’s planning functions on its behalf?”

Cabinet noted that, following a conversation with South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Monitoring Officer, Daniel Fulton had formally withdrawn the question he had intended asking.

Cabinet received and noted a report on the discussions held, and recommendations agreed, in public session by the Scrutiny and Overview Committee at its meeting on 14 November 2019.

The report covered

·         Streetlighting Policy and LED upgrade program

·         2019-20 Quarter 2 Performance Report

·         General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy

·         Service Transformation: Savings Proposals

Cabinet considered the proposed objectives and intentions in relation to the review of Council services as part of a coordinated Council-wide transformation programme,  and

(a)       Noted the considerable challenges facing the Council given the financial outlook, including Government announcements in respect of local government funding, and the expectation that future cost pressures will exceed the resources available;

(b)       Noted the revenue budget guiding principles, outlined at paragraph 21 of the Chief Executive’s report, providing the context for the planning of the 2020 / 2021 revenue budget and the formulation of proposals to achieve service efficiency savings;

(c)       Noted the growth bids, detailed at Appendix A to the Chief Executive’s report, for inclusion in the Budget Setting Report in February 2020;

(d)       Noted the proposed range of service efficiency savings / policy options detailed in Appendix B of the report and that these would undergo further refinement and consultation with employees and other stakeholders prior to forming part of the Budget Setting Report in February 2020; and

(e)       Noted that some of the savings proposals would require a detailed equality analysis.

Cabinet received a report covering the key objectives and intentions in relation to the transformation of Council services within the context of a continually challenging financial environment, and

(a)       Noted the considerable challenges facing the Council given the financial outlook, including Government announcements in respect of local government funding, and the expectation that future cost pressures will exceed the resources available;

(b)       Noted the revenue budget guiding principles, outlined at paragraph 21 of the Chief Executive’s report, providing the context for the planning of the 2020 / 2021 revenue budget and the formulation of proposals to achieve service efficiency savings;

(c)       Noted the growth bids, detailed at Appendix A to the Chief Executive’s report, for inclusion in the Budget Setting Report in February 2020;

(d)       Noted the proposed range of service efficiency savings / policy options detailed in Appendix B of the report and that these would undergo further refinement and consultation with employees and other stakeholders prior to forming part of the Budget Setting Report in February 2020; and

(e)       Noted that some of the savings proposals would require a detailed equality analysis.

Not for call-in

Cabinet

(a)          Acknowledged the projected changes in service spending and the overall resources available to the Council over the medium term; and

(b)          Recommended to Full Council the Medium Term Financial Strategy attached as Appendix A and the updated financial forecast attached as Appendix B to the report from the Interim Director of Finance.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the medium term budget strategy for the Council.

The Leader welcomed the report’s clarity.

Cabinet

(a)          Acknowledged the projected changes in service spending and the overall resources available to the Council over the medium term; and

(b)          Recommended to Full Council the Medium Term Financial Strategy attached as Appendix A and the updated financial forecast attached as Appendix B to the report from the Interim Director of Finance.

Cabinet received and noted the Operational Key Performance Indicator (OKPI) results as detailed in the report from the Director of Corporate Services.

Cabinet received, noted and debated the Operational Key Performance Indicator (OKPI) results as detailed in the report from the Director of Corporate Services.

The Leader said that the frequency of Cabinet meetings was currently under consideration. Among other things, a revised programme of meetings could achieve a more effective alignment between meeting dates and reporting Quarters.

At the request of Councillor Brian Milnes, Councillor Neil Gough said that efforts would be made to incorporate standard deviations into future reports.

Cabinet approved the South Cambridgeshire District Council Streetlighting Policy document to be included on the Council’s website and inform the communications plan.

Cabinet considered a report proposing a policy for South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Streetlighting Service, set out at Appendix A to the report from the Assistant Director for Waste and Projects.

Councillor Brian Milnes (Vice-Chairman of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee) said that the Committee had welcomed this project as a means of both saving money and demonstrating a commitment to the aim of being ‘Green to our core’. Councillor Milnes added that the project provided an opportunity to address the issue of the inconsistent spacing of streetlights in many South Cambridgeshire villages.

The ensuing debate covered the following points:

·         payment for extra lighting

·         the appropriateness of dimming streetlights

·         public engagement, including with Parish Councils

·         the need to establish why Cambridgeshire County Council had removed streetlights

·         solar lighting

·         electricity contracts

·         communication matters

Cabinet approved the South Cambridgeshire District Council Streetlighting Policy document to be included on the Council’s website and inform the communications plan.

Cabinet

1.    noted that the Payroll Shared Service Agreement had been extended and would be reviewed in line with other Greater Cambridge shared services arrangements; and

2.    asked officers to explore the feasibility of appointing a payroll apprentice to support the team and invest in the future of the service.

Cabinet considered a report on the Payroll shared service operated by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council. This service had gone live in April 2014.

Cabinet

1.    noted that the Payroll Shared Service Agreement had been extended and would be reviewed in line with other Greater Cambridge shared services arrangements; and

2.    asked officers to explore the feasibility of appointing a payroll apprentice to support the team and invest in the future of the service.

Cabinet agreed to delegate Council Tax reduction decision-making to the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, as outlined in Option 1 pending a review of the policy.

Cabinet considered a report on the current decision-making process set out in the Protocol and Guidance for the Granting of Local Discounts for Council Tax (published in April 2013) seeking delegated authority for the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance to determine applications for discretionary Council Tax reductions.

Cabinet agreed to delegate Council Tax reduction decision-making to the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, as outlined in Option 1 pending a review of the policy      

Agenda items 14, 15 and 16 contain exempt information.

The law allows Councils to consider a limited range of issues in private session without members of the Press and public being present. Typically, such issues relate to personal details, financial and business affairs, legal privilege and so on. In every case, the public interest in excluding the Press and Public from the meeting room must outweigh the public interest in having the information disclosed to them. The following statement will be proposed, seconded and voted upon. 

"I propose that the Press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item numbers 14, 15 and 16 in accordance with Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that, if present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.”

Paragraph 3 refers to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

If exempt (confidential) information has been provided as part of the agenda, the Press and public will not be able to view it. There will be an explanation on the website however as to why the information is exempt.

Cabinet agreed by affirmation that the Press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) (exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act). Paragraph 3 refers to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Cabinet received and noted a report on the discussion held, and recommendation agreed, in confidential session by the Scrutiny and Overview Committee at its meeting on 14 November 2019.

The report covered property acquisition.

Cabinet approved:

(a)        The investment outlined in the report from the Interim Director of Finance as a multi-let office investment in accordance with the approved Investment Strategy; and

(b)        The delegation of the final terms of the acquisition of the property to the Lead Member for Finance and Interim Director of Finance.

Cabinet considered a confidential report seeking its approval for a commercial property investment that would enable the Council to pursue its Business Plan objective of supporting businesses, and deliver positive financial returns.

Cabinet approved:

(a)        The investment outlined in the report from the Interim Director of Finance as a multi-let office investment in accordance with the approved Investment Strategy; and

(b)        The delegation of the final terms of the acquisition of the property to the Lead Member for Finance and Interim Director of Finance.

Not for call in - After detailed debate, Cabinet deferred making a decision.

Cabinet considered a confidential report about Sheltered Communal Buildings in South Cambridgeshire

After detailed debate, Cabinet deferred determining this matter until it had been briefed about options and implications.