Agenda and minutes

Ian Curryer

Alison Michalska

Councillor Jon Collins declared an interest in agenda item 13 – East Midlands Councils – Accountable Body Role – Key Decision (minute 106), as the Chair of East Midlands Councils, and left the meeting during consideration of the item.

Councillor Alex Norris declared an interest in agenda item 11 – Expansion of Rosslyn Park Primary School, Aspley – Key Decision (minute 104), as a Council appointed Governor at the school, which did not prevent him from speaking or voting.

Councillor Nick McDonald declared an interest in agenda item 5 – Nottingham Creative Quarter ERDF Project – Key Decision (minute 98), as the Director of Creative Quarter, which did not prevent him from speaking or voting.

Last meeting held on 17 December 2013 for confirmation

The Board confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2013 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Joint report of Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth and Community Services

The Board considered the Portfolio Holders for Jobs and Growth, Community Services and the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration’s report detailing proposals for Neighbourhood Services to work in partnership with Council colleagues to increase the number of entry level apprenticeship vacancies for 2014/15, and target the recruitment of 16-25 year olds who live within the City’s boundaries.

An addendum to the financial implications section of the report was circulated in advance of the meeting.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the principle of a large-scale apprenticeship programme within the Neighbourhood Services directorate;

(2)  approve the funding arrangements set out in the addendum, which combine a number of funding streams over a 2 year period to deliver such a programme;

(3)  delegate the detailed implementation of the scheme, including the necessary funding arrangements, to the Director of Neighbourhood Services in consultation with the Director of HR and Transformation, the Portfolio Holders for Jobs and Growth, and Community Services and the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration.

Reasons for decisions

Within the Public Realm Team there are a number of workforce planning challenges, including a gap of those who hold the appropriate qualifications to drive medium and large vehicles, which is key in delivering the service.

The success of improving the cleanliness of the City means a growth in the service is required to meet the commitment to ensure that the neighbourhoods are as clean as the City Centre.

The apprenticeship programme will be the primary sources of recruitment for entry level posts within the Public Realm Team and this ensures that, with the anticipated growth and natural turnover, those apprentices who have completed the 2 year programme will secure employment at completion.

Other options considered

Not working with the apprenticeship programme and undertaking the traditional recruitment route was considered but the traditional recruitment route would not result in a programme that supports the most vulnerable within the City and it would mean that vacancies would only be created as and when colleagues left, rather than developing the workforce inline with service growth.

Report of Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration

The Board considered the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration and Portfolio for Planning and Transportation’s report requesting £3 million match funding from the City Council and acceptance of £2.848 million funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support works in and around the Creative Quarter (including highway and public realm improvements, marketing and events and digital business support), and seeking authority to sign contracts with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), who manage the ERDF funding, to allow expenditure on the project to go ahead.

RESOLVED to

(1)  formally approve the allocation of City Council match funding of £3 million for the project to be resourced through the New Development Deal for Connecting the Creative Quarter, agreed as part of the City Deal with Government;

(2)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Development to sign contracts with DCLG to go ahead with the Nottingham Creative Quarter ERDF project and accept a grant of £2.848 million;

(3)  amend the Capital Programme, as detailed in paragraph 4.1 of the report.

Reasons for decisions

The acceptance of the ERDF grant will allow the project to be substantially enhanced, and the two revenue schemes (Marketing Events and Promotions and Digital Voucher Scheme) will not be able to go ahead without the acceptance of the grant as they are ERDF funded.

Other options considered

Not accepting the grant was rejected as it would mean a substantial shortfall for the project which would only allow some of the highways and public realm work to go ahead, and none of the marketing and digital business support elements of the project.

Report of Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration

The Board considered the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration’s report establishing the City of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Economic Prosperity Committee to drive future investment in growth and jobs within their areas.

RESOLVED to

(1)  agree the establishment of the Economic Prosperity Committee (EPC) as a joint committee of Ashfield District Council, Bassetlaw District Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, Gedling Borough Council, Mansfield District Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council (“constituent authorities”);

(2)  agree the Constitution (Terms of Reference, membership and procedures) of the EPC, as set out in Appendix A of the report;

(3)  note that any relevant powers previously delegated by the Leader/Executive to individuals or bodies are not expressly withdrawn and will be held concurrently;

(4)  appoint Councillor Graham Chapman, Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration as the City Council’s representative on the EPC and Councillor Jon Collins, Leader/Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration and Community Safety to act as substitute;

(5)  agree to Nottingham City Council hosting the Committee and providing all necessary secretarial, legal and financial support services (including S151 and Monitoring Officer roles), and the annual costs involved (estimated to be around £30,000), to be met in equal share by the constituent authorities, until such time as this can be recovered in part or in whole from external funding streams;

(6)  agree that this Council’s annual contribution to the cost of servicing the Committee in the estimated sum of around £3,300 be met by the Economic Development Team and that any expenses for subsistence or travel in relation to the attendance of Councillors at meetings on EPC business be met by the individual authorities from existing budget provision for members’ allowances;

(7)  note, that in accordance with Section 9F of the Local Government Act 2000, constituent authorities who operate executive governance will need to make formal scrutiny arrangements to review or scrutinise decisions made in connection with the exercise of functions of the EPC and that the Council’s existing scrutiny arrangements will apply;

(8)  note, that for the reasons set out in the report, the Committee will have no powers to co-opt.

Reasons for decisions

Proposals for the establishment of an EPC have been developed to further strengthen the current governance arrangements of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and provide the necessary democratic accountability for the management of the LEP funding streams, such as the single Local Growth Fund and for strategic decision making on investment in growth and jobs in the City and County. The proposal provides democratic decision making for the allocation of funds within the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire jurisdiction of the LEP.

Other options considered

The LEP could maintain its current governance structure which has functioned effectively to date. However, more formal arrangements will ensure that decisions are made in a more co-ordinated way that achieves maximum benefit for the economic area. Also, it is clear from Government guidance that the LEP is less likely to be successful in any bid to the single Local Growth Fund without enhanced governance, and that it would be less able to negotiate a Growth Deal, and that its governance arrangements would not be seen as robust when taking decisions over significant levels of funding.

Alternative governance models such as a Combined Authority or a Prosperity Board have been considered but were not deliverable within the necessary timescales.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health’s report seeking approval to pay the Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for the prescription charges (FP10s) related to Health Improvement Services.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note that prescription charges relating to Health Improvement Services for Public Health are £1.096 million for 2013/14, and these charges are as per the Public Health budget allocation and Department of Health grant conditions;

(2)  approve the payment of £0.846 million from the Public Health budget to the Nottingham CCG to meet the total costs of prescription charges, noting that an interim payment of £0.250 million was approved by Delegated Decision (ref: 0942).

Reasons for decisions

The allocation of £1.096 million for the total costs of prescription charges (FP10) was included within the Public Health ring fenced grant for 2013/14. All prescription costs are paid direct by the CCG and, therefore, payment of £0.846 million needs to be made to ensure that the total cost of prescription charges are met.

Other options considered

No other options were considered as payment must be made to cover the charges.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth’s report detailing the proposal for the £3 million awarded to the Council by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver a community based employability for 18-24 year olds.

RESOLVED to endorse the proposed employment programme for young people, as set out in paragraphs 1.16-1.28 of the report, and agree to the expenditure of the £3 million DWP allocation over the next 3 financial years.

Reasons for decisions

The delivery model will add value and bring greater coherence to pre-employment provision for young people.

Extensive consultation with partner organisations suggests that there is wide-spread support for this proposal and that it will enhance the effectiveness of local provision.

The proposal builds on the Council’s neighbourhood agenda by allocating most of the resource to community based interventions and delivery.

It will support the Council’s long term approach to tackling youth unemployment and is a key element in the drive to generate economic growth in the City.

Other options considered

No other options were considered as the proposal has been agreed with the Cabinet Office as a condition for the receipt of the £3 million funding.

Report of Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration

The Board considered the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration’s report setting out the process and calculation to determine the Council Tax base for 2014/15.

RESOLVED to approve a tax base of 59,949 for 2014/15, subject to Full Council approving the Council Tax Support Scheme on 27 January 2014. If Council makes amendments to the Council Tax Support Scheme which impact on the tax base, to delegate authority to the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration to approve the amended tax base.

Reasons for decisions

The tax base estimates future changes to the current tax base during 2014/15 and applies an appropriate anticipated collection rate for the period, which takes into account collection trends and the prevailing economic environment. The tax base figure will be used by the City Council and the precepting authorities (i.e. Police and Fire Authorities) in the budget processes in February 2014 to determine the level of Council Tax for 2014/15.

Other options considered

No other options were considered as the Council is legally required to set a Council Tax base using objective calculations.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services’ report  detailing that no objections or comments were received in response to the Statutory Notice on lowering the age range at the School to include a nursery. The Board had previously discussed this at its meeting on 15 October 2013 (minute 60).

RESOLVED to note that no objections or comments have been received in response to the Statutory Notice, and approve the proposal to lower the age range of Robert Shaw Primary School to allow the School to operate a nursery.

Reasons for decisions

The response to the consultation of lowering the age range of Robert Shaw has been very positively received and the additional nursery places are needed in the area.

Other options considered

No other options were considered.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services’ report detailing the positive response to the final stage of consultation on the proposal to expand Rosslyn Park Primary School from 450 places to 630 places from September 2015. The Board had previously discussed this at its meeting on 15 October 2013 (minute 61).

RESOLVED to note the positive response to the final stage of consultation, and approve the proposal to expand Rosslyn Park Primary School, at an estimated cost of £1.3 million, noting that a detailed business case will be submitted to a future Board meeting for approval of the exact costs.

Reasons for decisions

The response to the consultation of expanding Rosslyn Park Primary School has been positively received and the additional capacity in Aspley is required.

Other options considered

No other options were considered.

The Board decided to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of  the remaining agenda items in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Councillor Jon Collins left the room during consideration of the next item and Councillor Graham Chapman took the Chair.

Report of Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration

The Board considered the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration’s report.

RESOLVED to approve the recommendations in the report.

Reasons for decisions

As detailed in the report.

Other options considered

As detailed in the report.

Councillor Jon Collins returned to the meeting and chaired the rest of the meeting.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation’s report.

RESOLVED to approve the recommendations in the report.

Reasons for decisions

As detailed in the report.

Other options considered

As detailed in the report.