Agenda and minutes

The Board agreed to appoint Councillor David Mellen as Chair for this meeting because Councillor Jon Collins (Chair) and Councillor Graham Chapman (Vice-Chair) were absent.

Councillor Graham Chapman  (leave)

Councillor Jon Collins    (other Council business)

Councillor Dave Trimble    (leave)

Ian Curryer  (other Council business)

John Kelly  (leave)

Alison Michalska  (leave)

Councillor Nicola Heaton declared an interest in agenda item 6 – Capital Maintenance Grant Allocations for 2014/15 – Key Decision (minute 139) as a Council appointed Governor of a school included in the report, which did not prevent her from speaking or voting.

Last meeting held on 18 March 2014 for confirmation

The Board confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2014 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Commissioning and Voluntary Sector

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Commissioning and Voluntary Sector’s report detailing proposals for new housing developments in Strelley and the Meadows to support the Council’s policy to build high quality council houses and to bring all social housing up to the Decent Homes Standard.

The report was amended at the meeting to refer to 48 new build homes on the Cranwell Road, Strelley, site rather than the 46 new build homes detailed in the report.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the procurement of a contract for the design and build of the Cranwell Road site to deliver 48 new build homes, subject to tenders being returned within the funding envelope of £4.385 million, and to delegate authority to the Portfolio Holder for Commissioning and Voluntary Sector, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Development and Growth and the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, to agree the master plan and to sign the contract following the tender process;

(2)  approve the procurement of a contract for the design and build of the Meadows site to deliver 55 new build homes, subject to tenders being returned within the funding envelope of £5.915 million, and to delegate authority to the Portfolio Holder for Commissioning and Voluntary Sector, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Development and Growth and the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, to agree the master plan and to sign the contract following the tender process.

Reasons for decisions

To realise the Council’s ambition to provide high quality housing and actively regenerate the neighbourhoods.

Delegating authority will allow both the contractor and designer to be appointed and the preferred options to be worked up in order to be submitted for planning.

Other options considered

Not redeveloping the sites was rejected because of the Council’s ambition to provide high quality housing and actively regenerate neighbourhoods.

Selling the sites for market housing development was rejected as the provision of council homes in these locations will support the Council’s aims of regenerating communities.

Disposing of the sites to a Registered Provider (RP) partner for a reduced receipt in order for them to provide new affordable housing was rejected as, whilst the Council will provide some sites for RP’s within this programme, it was not considered the best solution for delivering the required outcomes on the specific sites.

Joint report of Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation and Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation and Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth’s report detailing the City Centre Time and Place Plan (T&PP) which brings together an update of policies in the City Centre to provide a framework for creating a successful shopping, employment, leisure and residential area.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the final draft of the City Centre T&PP for publication;

(2)  note the consultation responses and actions taken in regard to them, detailed in Appendix 1 of the report;

(3)  note that detailed proposals on the key items raised in consultation (traffic, including buses, and premises licensing) will be discussed further with interested parties, including the Business Improvement District (BID), Chamber of Commerce and bus operators.

Reasons for decisions

To have a framework for considering proposals and projects in the City Centre that can be linked and taken account of in relevant statutory and non-statutory plans and policies.

The T&PP has taken into account significant consultation responses but further detailed work needs to be done on the traffic and licensing issues highlighted by several consultees.

Other options considered

Not implementing the T&PP was rejected as it would prevent the establishment on the proposed framework for considering the City Centre and the associated policies and proposals being made public.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services’ report seeking approval to allocate the £1.959 million Capital Maintenance grant allocation from the Department for Education to address health and safety and condition issues in schools.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the allocation of the Capital Maintenance Grant funding, totalling £1.959 million, to the schemes set out in Appendix 1 of the report, noting that £0.194 million is set aside as a contingency fund;

(2)  amend the Capital Programme to include the additional £1.959 million received as part of the grant;

(3)  approve the procurement routes set out in section 6 of the report for the allocations, and delegate authority to the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to sign contracts following procurement exercises to allow the schemes to be delivered;

(4)  delegate authority to the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services to allocate contingency funding to projects as health and safety or condition issues arise during 2014/15.

Reasons for decisions

The prioritisation of the funding is based on advice from the Safety and Compliance Team and external specialist contractors on where health and safety issues are likely to impact on children or staff or condition issues are likely to impact on the operation of the school.

The funding required for the schemes has been identified as part of the prioritisation process and the balance of £0.194 million will be held as a contingency to deal with urgent health and safety or condition issues that arise during the 2014/15 financial year.

Delegating authority to the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services to allocate the contingency will enable a swift response to urgent issues as they arise.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation’s report seeking delegated authority to enable the Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services to purchase vehicles in accordance with the budget for the Vehicle Replacement Programme from 2013/14 to 2015/16 which was agreed at Executive Board on 18 September 2012.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note and approve the application of the Vehicle Replacement Programme for 2014/15;

(2)  delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Commercial and Neighbourhood Services to purchase vehicles under the ongoing Vehicle Replacement Programme for 2014/15 and 2015/16 subject to the purchases being:

·  within the budgets agreed by Executive Board on 18 September 2012;

·  in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations and Contract Procedure Rules in respect of any procurement exercises;

·  in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation.

Reasons for decisions

To ensure the ongoing, cost effective procurement of vehicles to support the Council’s front-line services.

Other options considered

Not changing the way approval for vehicle replacement is provided was rejected as it would result in ongoing inefficiency and delays on providing vehicles risking service disruption and potential increase in maintenance or hire costs.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration

of the remaining item(s) 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

outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information

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

Report of Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability’s exempt 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.

Joint report of Leader/Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration and Community Safety and Portfolio Holder for Commissioning and Voluntary Sector

The Board considered the Leader/Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration and Community Safety and Portfolio Holder for Commissioning and Voluntary Sector’s exempt 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.