Agenda and minutes

Councillor Kevin Clarke  -  personal reasons

Councillor Linda Woodings  -  unwell

Councillor Audra Wynter  -  Council business

Malcolm Townroe  -  Director for Legal and Governance

None.

Minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2022, for confirmation

The Board confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2022 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Planning

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Planning presented a report on a new corporate policy for assessing proposals for new statues, monuments and public art to be installed on land owned by the Council. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the new corporate policy is intended to systematise the decision-making process for how proposals for the installation of new statues, monuments and art on public land is approved. Such installations are subject to the normal Planning Permissions, but the policy is intended to ensure that certain important issues that fall outside of the Planning process are considered as part of decision-making. The policy builds on national good practice to ensure that statues, monuments and art in public spaces celebrates all communities within the wider population. The policy also adopts the general principle used by English Heritage that installations commemorating an individual should only be considered 20 years after their death;

(b)  it is important that all new installations enhance the public realm, and that there is clear evidence of support for them by the local community. Installations should help to express the collective memory of communities and seek to be representative of their histories and cultures. Ultimately, installations should from an empowering representation of the city’s communities within the public space;

(c)  the Board considered that the policy represents a positive step towards encouraging public sculptures, monuments and art that enhance the city in a properly representative way. It noted that there was an error in paragraph 6.3 of the draft of the policy as presented, which identifies that “the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Culture and Planning will take the final decision” in relation to new proposals under the policy – this will be amended to state the ‘Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Culture’, only.

Resolved to approve the new corporate policy and process for assessing proposals for new statues, monuments and public artworks to be installed in open spaces and the public realm owned by the Council, including the new application form.

·  Reasons for the decision

The policy has been developed to set out a decision-making process for the Council to assess proposals where new statues, monuments and public art are to be installed on Council-owned land. It has been developed alongside existing policies covering street naming and numbering, and an ongoing assessment of existing statues and monuments within the city, to ensure that the same principles run throughout all of these pieces of work.

·  Other options considered

To not introduce the new policy: this option is rejected as the proposed policy will ensure a consistent and robust approach to the Council’s response to residents’ concerns around existing street names and public structures, and provide guidance to ensure that proposed street names and public structures best celebrate heritage and culture in a way that is compatible with a modern, diverse city.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services

The Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services presented a report on the current draft Municipal Resources and Waste Strategy. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the draft Strategy seeks to limit the creation of waste through the further development of re-use, recycling and recovery, to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill as much as possible. The primary aim is to achieve a cost-effective collection service that is sustainable and meets the Council’s carbon neutrality objectives;

(b)  free food and garden waste collection, and support with bulky waste, is in place. However, the levels of recycling still need to be increased, and more must be done to reduce the amount of recycling contamination. Work is required to maximise the Council’s income from recyclables through an effective collection system and increased awareness amongst residents;

(c)  to improve how recycling is sorted across the whole process, it is important that items start by being separated properly before collection. As such, a very strong focus is required on communications and, in going out to consultation on the draft Strategy, it is intended to enter into ongoing and meaningful engagement with communities on the performance and improvement of this vital core, front-line service;

(d)  the draft Strategy has been produced in response to the Government’s ‘Our Waste, Our Resources: A Strategy for England’, published in December 2018. The Government has indicated that financial support in meeting the costs of transition to achieve the aims of the national strategy should be made available, in due course. Currently, it is planned to move forward with the transition in a gradual, staged way, ensuring consistent community engagement throughout.

Resolved:

(1)  to endorse the draft Municipal Resources and Waste Strategy for public consultation;

(2)  to approve the Public Consultation Plan;

(3)  to note that a final draft Strategy will be presented to the Executive Board for approval following the period of consultation, which will outline how the consultation process has informed the Strategy.

·  Reasons for the decision

The draft Strategy sets out the vision, objectives, ambitions, intentions and options in respect of managing the city’s municipal waste through to 2050. The public consultation will enable strategic partners, businesses and citizens to engage with the Council in identifying the preferred waste prevention, reuse, collection (including recycling) and waste disposal policies and services to be developed during the Strategy period.

·  Other options considered

To not develop a new Municipal Resources and Waste Strategy: this option is rejected because the current service does not fully demonstrate value for money, nor meet residents’ expectations. In addition, it would not fulfil the requirement to identify the interdependency between the Council’s Waste Management and District Heating Services, nor enable the Council to consider the transformation of waste collection and disposal services required in order to remain statutorily compliant. To not undertake a transformation of Waste Management Services would not meet the ambition to create safe and clean streets, nor improve the Service’s contribution to achieve carbon neutrality by 2028.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Schools

Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Schools presented a report on the recent Ofsted Inspection of the Council’s Children’s Services. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the unannounced, 3-week Ofsted inspection took place in July, to review the effectiveness of Children’s Services – which is a vital service operating within a strong regulatory framework. The judgements of the inspection focus on the 3 areas of the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families, the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection, and the experiences and progress of children in care and care leavers. The first and third areas were graded as ‘requires improvement to be good’, but the second area was considered to be ‘inadequate’ – resulting in an ‘inadequate’ grading for the inspection overall;

(b)  the inspectors acknowledged the commitment of senior officers and members to service improvement, and the work done by the leadership to achieve culture change. The Service is committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for children and young people, and its staff are working extremely hard. Progress has been made in areas for improvement identified by previous inspections, with ongoing improvement work in place. However, there has also been a deterioration of performance in some other areas;

(c)  the current inspection has identified 8 specific areas for improvement, and Ofsted will carry out regular monitoring visits (around 3 to 4 per year). The Service recognises and accepts the inspection findings, which will be used to support the improvement journey going forward. Steps to achieve improvement were in place before the inspection, and additional actions are now in place. Multi-agency safeguarding work is being accelerated, and steps are being taken to recruit more social workers, including staff who will work directly with the most vulnerable children;

(d)  the Board considered that it is positive that Ofsted recognised the commitment of the Service and staff to delivering the best outcomes possible for children and young people. It noted that improvements in the Service are required, and that this improvement journey will require the involvement of all members and colleagues across the Council.

Resolved:

(1)  to note the findings of Ofsted’s inspection of the Council’s Children’s Services;

(2)  to confirm the Council’s commitment to improving Children’s Services, and its ambition to deliver consistently good social care to children and young people;

(3)  to note the actions taken since the Ofsted inspection, and the next steps;

(4)  to note the development of an Improvement Plan and associated resource requirements.

·  Reasons for the decision

The delivery of Children’s Services is a significant statutory duty and a priority for the whole Council. The inspections by the regulator, Ofsted, provide an important assessment of the impact of services in terms of outcomes for children. There are formal regulatory consequences of the inspection outcome that need to be addressed, and it is essential that the Council takes the actions necessary to achieve the sustainable improvements for children that are required.

·  Other options considered

To do nothing: this option is rejected, as the purpose of this report is to inform the Board of the recently published Ofsted report of its inspection of Children’s Services and provide assurance of the improvement work that is underway.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Schools

The Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Schools presented a report on the award of a grant from the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) for the ‘Another Chance’ focussed deterrence programme. The following points were discussed:

(a)  £831,675 is available from the YEF to support the ‘Another Chance’ focused deterrence programme over the next 3 years, which is being sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. Focused deterrence is an approach to violence reduction amongst young people involved with gangs and criminal activity. It recognises that most serious violence is associated with people who are themselves victims of violence, trauma and extremely challenging circumstances. The approach aims to identify and address trauma, and develop stabilising behaviour to move young people away from crime. Work will be carried out with existing community groups as part of a collaborative, partnership approach to best meet the specific local needs and achieve improvements for the whole community;

(b)  the ‘Another Chance’ programme is primarily a place-based initiative with a targeted focus on Basford, Meadows, Radford and Top Valley, which are areas with a known link to gang activity. It is important that the available resources are directed to support the most vulnerable young people, particularly those who have experienced significant trauma. An evidence-based approach to early intervention is being developed, to form the basis for future funding bids;

(c)  the Board welcomed the opportunity to run the ‘Another Chance’ programme, but it noted that all young people across the city should always be able to access the youth services that they need, funded in a permanent and sustainable way as a statutory service – as opposed to on the current basis of fixed-term, temporary schemes.

Resolved to accept £831,675 from the Youth Endowment Fund to deliver the ‘Another Chance’ focussed deterrence programme over the next three years.

·  Reasons for the decision

Focused deterrence is an approach to violence reduction that recognises that most serious violence is associated with a small group of people who are themselves very likely to be victims of violence, trauma and extremely challenging circumstances. Their involvement in violence is often driven by exploitation, victimisation and self-protection. Focused deterrence attempts to identify the people most likely to be involved in violence and support them to stop. The age of the people involved depends on the context and the crime problem identified, but projects have worked with children as young as 14 or 15.

·  Other options considered

To not accept the grant to run the programme: this option is rejected, as the ‘Another Chance’ funding is an important means of improving the lives of vulnerable young people and their wider communities.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Human Resources

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Human Resources presented a report on the funding for the development of Midland House. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the Executive Board previously approved a loan to Nottingham City Homes Enterprise Limited (NCH EL) to fund the residential development of the former Meadows Police Station site. It was initially intended to use these new ‘Midland House’ apartments for market rent, but it is now intended to use the development for the provision of temporary accommodation for families facing homelessness. Homelessness is a challenge both in the city and nationally, and it is vital to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation provision where the need is greatest;

(b)  NCH EL would not manage a site used for temporary accommodation, so the loan to cover the development costs should now be provided to NCH, as the legal owner of the land and building. NCH will then lease the property to Nottingham City Homes Registered Provider (NCH RP) to manage, as NCH RP is able to claim enhanced housing benefit to meet the costs of operating this accommodation;

(c)  as the original loan is included within the Capital Programme already, this will not increase the Council’s total level of agreed borrowing. It will also generate a saving in temporary accommodation costs and help to address homelessness in the city. In accordance with the Section 114 Notice regarding any new spending decisions between the Council and NCH, the proposals have been agreed by the Section 151 Officer. The repayment of the loan will not be affected by the process of the Council brining NCH ‘in-house’, and the decision will regularise the funding position for Midland House as non-Housing Revenue Account asset built and owned by NCH.

Resolved:

(1)  to approve a loan of £3,976,000 to Nottingham City Homes Limited (NCH), to cover the development costs for the construction of Midland House;

(2)  to note that this loan replaces the loan agreed previously by the Executive Board on 17 September 2019 to be made to Nottingham City Homes Enterprise Limited for the same purpose, and that the loan arrangements now reflect the legal ownership of the development. As the original loan is included within the Capital Programme already, this decision does not involve increasing the total level of agreed borrowing;

(3)  to note that, in accordance with the Section 114 Notice in relation to any new spending decisions between the Council and NCH, these proposals have been agreed by the Council’s Section 151 Officer. This decision will enable the regularisation of the funding of Midland House, which is a non-Housing Revenue Account asset built and owned by NCH;

(4)  to delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Director for Legal and Governance, to approve the terms of the loan agreement.

·  Reasons for the decision

The new Midland House (previously the former Meadows Police Station) apartment block is now complete. When the original loan decision to NCH EL was taken by the Executive Board on 17 September 2019, it was envisaged that the site would be transferred from NCH to NCH EL during the construction process, and that the completed apartments would become part of NCH EL’s market rent portfolio. However, this transfer of land did not take place and the end purpose this property has now changed. The building is, therefore, legally owned by NCH.

·  Other options considered

To transfer the land and building to NCH EL and draw down the loan in line with the 2019 decision: this option is rejected because the use of the building has now changed (it will no longer be utilised for market rent housing, at least in the short-term) and the increase in the land value since it was originally purchased would mean that a current open market value transfer of the building would be higher than NCH EL originally anticipated within the business case for this development.

To sell the property and use the receipt to repay the development costs: this option is rejected because there is a requirement for the Council to provide additional temporary accommodation urgently, and Midland House can be used for this purpose.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care

In the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care, the Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report on the work needed to meet the requirements of the major national reform of Adult Social Care (ASC). The following points were discussed:

(a)  these national reforms are intended to ensure that vulnerable people have access to an effective ASC service and are able to live their best possible lives, in safety. There is a substantial programme to implement over the next 18 months, including a Fair Cost of Care exercise, the Care Cap, the Care Quality Commission’s Inspection and Assurance Framework, and the Liberty Protection Safeguards. The reforms also include new provision to support people who can no longer make decisions about their own lives and care;

(b)  the resources required to scope, plan and implement the programme of reform work have been identified. Discussions are underway for national funding for Local Authorities to support this preparatory and implementation work. However, before these are concluded and any allocations are clarified, the Council must move forward in its preparation for the reforms and build the necessary capacity to respond effectively, in order to continue to provide a strong ASC service. As such, this work will be funded initially from a current underspend within the Service;

(c)  steps are underway to prepare for the new ASC inspection regime, which will require a great deal of work across a wide range of areas in the Council. It will also be important to make the best use of digital opportunities in delivering the reformed ASC service.

Resolved:

(1)  to note the significant programme of work that the Council is required to undertake to implement the required Adult Social Care reforms;

(2)  to approve the one-off funding of £1,647,000 for the temporary staffing resources required to scope, plan and implement this programme of work (the creation of the individual new posts will be subject to a separate, non-executive staffing decision).

·  Reasons for the decision

Initial scoping work for the reforms project has been carried out by the Adults Leadership team, with the Programme Delivery Lead for the transformation programme. Advice from both the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Association for Directors of Adult Social Services has also been taken into account and the anticipated resources required to scope, plan and implement this programme of work have been identified.

·  Other options considered

To not recruit the additional posts for this programme of work: this option is rejected as, due to the scale of reforms, the DHSC has advised that all local authorities should create a programme structure and governance arrangements (including Communications, Finance, Heads of Service, Commissioning, Brokerage, a Financial Assessment Team, Data and Reporting, and System Development) ahead of implementing these reforms. The resources required are in line with this, as well as the approach being taken by other Local Authorities that have already commenced recruitment. Lessons learned from the implementation of the Care Act 2014 support the need for appropriate resources to ensure the successful implementation of new legislative requirements alongside the existing transformation programme.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration and Communications

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration and Communications presented a report on the establishment of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF). The following points were discussed:

(a)  the UK SPF is the national successor programme to the European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF), to develop the economy, skills and growth. The Government has also launched Multiply as part of the UK SPF, which is an initiative designed to improve adult numeracy;

(b)  the Council has developed and submitted investment plans for the UK SPF core programme and for Multiply, and approval from the Government to draw down the funding is awaited. The priority areas for targeted investment have been developed in partnership with local partners and stakeholders, and there will be a particular focus on upskilling, productivity improvement and business support. A managed process to procurement will be required, to shape investment decisions effectively;

(c)  the Council’s UK SPF and Multiply allocation is around £6 million less per year than the funding it secured from the ESIF. A reason for this reduction is that the ESIF was pooled at a regional level and the Council had been competitive in the bidding process to secure funding from it, while annual grants are made under the UK SPF to individual Local Authorities as stipulated by the Government;

(d)  the Board was disappointed to see that the funding available to the city under the UK SPF is significantly less than under the ESIF. It noted that this would have a real impact on citizens, as the Council will still need to deliver competitive investment in the context of less funding and increased demand.

Resolved:

(1)  to note the submission of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF) Investment Plan and the Multiply Plan to the Government, with respect to the UK SPF programme;

(2)  to accept the UK SPF allocation and enter into any associated funding agreement with the Government for receipt of the funding, pending confirmation from the Government approving the Council’s UK SPF Investment Plan and Multiply Plan;

(3)  to delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Growth and City Development to use and allocate the funds for the delivery of the UK SPF and Multiply projects in accordance with compliant processes under the Contract Procedure Rules (through a combination of an open call grant competition to public or private organisations, the procurement of contracts, and in-house delivery provision, including the use of funding for the internal administration and management of the project);

(4)  to delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Growth and City Development to award and sign contracts and grant agreements associated with the projects’ delivery;

(5)  to approve the spend associated with the creation of new posts within the Nottingham City Council Economic Development Service to enable the successful management and delivery of the UK SPF and Multiply projects (the creation of the individual new posts will be subject to a separate, non-executive staffing decision).

·  Reasons for the decision

Announced at the Spending Review, the UK SPF is the successor programme to the previous ESIF. UK SPF will fund interventions that build pride in place; support high-quality skills training; support pay, employment and productivity growth; and increasing life chances. The UK SPF will support delivery of the Government’s Levelling Up Missions, and the interventions will be planned and managed by Local Authorities across England, with each area given a local allocation. As part of UK SPF, the Government has also launched Multiply, an adult numeracy programme funded through ring-fenced allocations from within each area’s UK SPF allocation. Multiply will offer free and flexible courses to adults who do not already have a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in Maths or equivalent and need to improve their numeracy.

·  Other options considered

To not accept the UK SPF and Multiply allocations: this option is rejected as the loss of these funds would have a detrimental effect on the residents and businesses of the city.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report on the forecast outturn position for the General Fund revenue account, the Capital Programme and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to the end of June 2022. The following points were discussed:

(a)  due to changes in the executive remits from May, it is necessary to move budget resources between Portfolios – though the Council’s total net budget remains unchanged as a result of these movements. The financial reserves are growing, and the HRA is performing well. However, an in-year overspend is now forecast in the General Fund. As a result, the current Capital Programme will be monitored closely, to seek to control any budget slippage;

(b)  the primary contributor to the forecast overspend is the national pay award, which is higher than the 2% rise that was budgeted for. The budget forecast is made on the assumption that no additional Government funding will be provided to help meet the annual pay award, and this has cause a problem in the budgets of a number of Local Authorities;

(c)  the current increases in the cost of living will also have an impact on the budget, and is likely to increase the demand on services. A shortage of suitable housing leading to homelessness is a significant national issue, requiring a national response, and the level of homelessness has the potential to increase as living and energy costs grow, creating further pressure on the Council’s budget;

(d)  the Board noted that Local Authorities face the difficult position of having to make sure that staff can be paid properly from within existing budgets, whilst ensuring that frontline services to citizens are not reduced during a period of increasing demand, as a consequence. It considered that, in this difficult situation, increased funding for Local Authorities from central Government is vital.

Resolved:

(1)  to note:

  (i)  the Quarter 1 2022/23 General Fund forecast adverse variance of £13.2 million as set out in Table 1 to the report);

  (ii)  the General Fund Directorate service variances (as set out in Appendix B);

 (iii)  the Quarter 1 contribution in the General Fund earmarked reserves of £3.8 million (as set out in Section 3 and Appendix D);

 (iv)  the forecast favourable Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 2022/23 variance of £3.1 million;

  (v)  the forecast reduced expenditure on the Capital Programme in 2022/23 of £139.2 million for the General Fund and £64.2 million for the HRA;

(2)  to approve:

  (i)  the Quarter 1 2022/23 movement of resources (as set out in Appendix C) totalling £204 million, of which £203.1 million are a result of budget movements due to the changes in Portfolio arrangements as presented to Full Council on 9 May 2022. The Council’s total net budget remains unchanged as a result of these movements;

  (ii)  increasing the General Fund capital receipt control total by £2 million to £59 million for the period to 2026/27. This change is due to amendments in funding assumptions for a project approved during Quarter 1 and schemes undergoing prioritisation that are deemed as high priority as set out in the Capital Strategy;

(3)  to endorse the Council’s commitment to delivering services within its approved budget for 2022/23 and to take all reasonable measures to do so whilst meeting its statutory obligations.

·  Reasons for the decision

This report provides an assessment of the Council’s forecast outturn position for the General Fund revenue account, the Capital Programme and the HRA, based on activity to the end of the first quarter of 2022.

·  Other options considered

To do nothing: this option is rejected, as the Council is committed to delivering its services within the approved budget, and management action is required to identify mitigations for the current adverse variances.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance

This item does not contain any decisions that are eligible for call-in.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report on the top corporate risks to the Council, including cross-cutting risks and risks escalated from directorates. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the Corporate Risk and Assurance Register reflects the live discussions that are taking place across the whole Council. An effective approach to the management of risk is in place, and risks are reviewed regularly. A good system of training in managing risk is also in place, for officers and members.

The Board noted the report.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services

The Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services presented a report on a proposed new regional consortium bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). The following points were discussed:

(a)  the Midlands Net Zero Hub (MNZH) is working to lead a regional consortium bid for up to £150 million from the SHDF. The MNZH has strong experience of making these bids and delivering the projects. The retrofit of the Council’s social housing stock to make properties more energy efficient will bring important benefits to the city, including reducing fuel poverty and increasing sustainability. To date, 298 retrofits have been carried out, under previous SHDF funding waves. Leading the bidding process puts Nottingham at the centre of bringing funding into the wider region, and the MNZH intends to draw up further bids in the future;

(b)  the Board thanked officers for their important work in securing funding to develop sustainable social housing and support citizens through the current energy crisis. It noted, however, that due to the scale and importance of the issue, a clear and strategic approach at the national level is required to ensure the provision of sustainable social housing across the country in a consistent way – as opposed to the current system of competitive bidding to deliver provision at a regional level.

Resolved:

(1)  to approve the submission of a regional consortium bid for funding of up to £150 million for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with the Council as the Lead Authority and Accountable Body, to be administered by the Midlands Net Zero Hub;

(2)  to delegate authority to the Director of Carbon Reduction, Energy and Sustainability to accept any funding secured, subject to a business case and the funding conditions being submitted to and approved by the Director for Legal and Governance and the Corporate Director for Finance and Resources;

(3)  to note that the spend of any funding received will require further approvals and support from Legal, Finance and Procurement colleagues, prior to allocation.

·  Reasons for the decision

The SHDF aims to deliver warm, energy-efficient homes, reduce carbon emissions and fuel bills, tackle fuel poverty and support green jobs. This directly supports the Council’s 2018-25 Fuel Poverty Strategy and will see fuel bills reduce. Additionally, the project will drive retrofit measures to improve building fabric, decarbonise heating systems and see more renewable energy in social housing across the city and region, supporting the Carbon Neutral 2028 aspiration and national carbon reduction targets. The project is also intended to stimulate the supply chain and facilitate a green economic recovery from Covid-19. These funds will help bring forward a range of works that would not otherwise take place, enabling homes in fuel poverty to reduce energy costs and improve their energy performance, addressing challenging stock and creating local jobs through transferring central Government funding to the private sector.

·  Other options considered

To submit individual bids for Local Authorities and Registered Providers of Social Hosing (RPs): this option is rejected as it represents a missed opportunity for income generation through the management fee. As a result of feedback, some Local Authorities and RPs lack the capacity or quantity of properties to submit an individual bid for funding. In addition, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has enforced a minimum number of homes per bid and, therefore, some smaller projects would not be able to bid without a lead authority. The MNZH has procured services to assist with customer journey and implementation and also have two Dynamic Purchasing Systems for Local Authorities to use to procure installers and professional services.

To not submit a bid: this option is rejected as, without MNZH support, there could be a significant missed opportunity to bring financial support into Nottingham and the wider Midlands region to address the fuel poverty and domestic decarbonisation issues within social housing.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items in accordance with Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, under Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3, on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining an exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information

The Board resolved to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items in accordance with Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, under Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3, on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining an exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt appendices to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance

This item does not contain any decisions that are eligible for call-in.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the exempt appendices to the report on the top corporate risks to the Council, including the cross-cutting risks and risks escalated from directorates.

The Board noted the exempt appendices to the report.

Exempt appendix to the report of the Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services

The Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Services presented the exempt appendix to the report on a proposed new regional consortium bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).

The Board noted the exempt appendix to the report.