Agenda and minutes

Councillor Graham Chapman – work commitments

Councillor Alan Clark – leave

Candida Brudenell

None

Last meeting held on 20 October 2015 (for confirmation)

The Board confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2015 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing’s report detailing the Land and Planning Policies (LAPP) document which will form the second part of the Local Plan, alongside the Nottingham City Aligned Core Strategy (Local Plan Part 1). The LAPP will guide future development in the City up to 2028

The Local Plan forms the statutory Development Plan that all planning authorities must prepare by law. Publication is the first formal stage of preparation and follows several stages of informal consultation.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the Local Plan Part 2: Land and Planning Policies Document (Publication Version), and accompanying Policies Map, for a period of public consultation;

(2)  delegate authority to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing to approve any minor changes that might be needed prior to consultation.

Reasons for decisions

The production of a Local Plan is a statutory requirement and, if no planning framework is in place, the government’s presumption in favour of sustainable development, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, will apply to all relevant planning applications.

Other options considered

No other options were considered as the preparation of a Local Plan is a statutory obligation.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Schools

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Schools’ report seeking approval to allocate funding towards the construction of a 420 place primary school that will be part of the Bluecoat Academy, and to enter into a contract with Wates Construction to construct the new school.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the allocation of funding, as set out below and in more detail in Appendix A of the report, for the expansion of the Bluecoat Academy, to create a new 420 place primary school:

(2)  delegate authority to the Head of Legal Services to enter into a contract with Wates Construction to deliver the 420 place primary school, subject to costs being within the agreed budget of £5,777,000, and value for money demonstrated.

Reasons for decisions

Due to an increasing birth rate and inward migration, there is a need for additional primary schools places in the City.

To date, 1,920 places have already been provided but, the construction of a new primary school, which will be part of the Bluecoat Academy, on the site of the former Shepherd Special School in Bilborough, will further help to address the need.

Other options considered

Doing nothing was rejected as primary school places are needed.

Expanding another school is not an option as there are no other schools in the required area that are able to accommodate the size of expansion.

Report of Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing’s report proposing a new strategic direction for its repairs and maintenance function and minor works projects for Council buildings. The new approach will be directly contracting with the supply chain via a competitive procurement process, and fulfilling the principal contractor role internally, rather than continuing with the current model of procuring a principal contractor who then appoints sub-contractors.

The new approach will remove the 17% supply chain costs associated with the current model, and produce a net saving of £500,000 in 2016/17. It will also provide the Council with the opportunity to undertake work on behalf of others and creates headroom for growth, which is in line with the Council’s broader commercialism strategy.

Procurement for the repairs and maintenance element is being undertaken jointly with Nottinghamshire County Council.

RESOLVED to

(1)  endorse the Council’s revised strategy to its repair, maintenance and minor works function, as set out in the report;

(2)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations to enter into contracts following the completion of the procurement processes outline in the exempt appendix;

(3)  delegate authority to the Director of Neighbourhood Services to make call-offs from the framework agreements and award contracts to successful tenderers;

(4)  approve the upscaling of the Council’s Operational Property Services Team to fulfil the role of principal contractor, and the budget associated with this, noting that this is subject to a separate restructuring process;

(5)  note that the change will result in a net saving of £500,000 in 2016/17, which is allocated to the assumed savings within the Strategic Asset Management Big Ticket, and that this is a result of procurement savings less the increase in cost of providing the principal contractor role internally;

(6)  approve the spend associated with the decision for 4 years from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2020.

Reasons for decisions

The new strategic direction meets the Council’s commercialism objectives, and produces necessary savings.

Other options considered

Not making changes to the current procurement model was rejected as it would be unlikely to release the savings assumed within the Strategic Asset Management Big Ticket.

In-sourcing all procured works was rejected as Nottingham City Homes and Neighbourhood Services are not equipped to provide all required works due to the specialisms required, and it would put the authority at significant risk if they were up-scaled too quickly.

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 in the public interest in disclosing the information

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item 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 considered the exempt appendix to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing’s report.

RESOLVED to note the information contained within the exempt appendix.

Reasons for decisions

As detailed in minute 49.

Other options considered

As detailed in minute 49.